FINAL EXAM: PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY
  • 1. A legislature is
A) a group of people chosen to make laws
B) a group of people who support tyranny
C) a group of people who have the right to vote
D) a group of people elected to create charters
  • 2. Freedom of the press
A) led to John Peter Zenger's arrest
B) did not exist under English Law
C) meant that newspapers had to print the truth
D) allowed everything except criticizing the government
  • 3. The idea of direct democracy came from
A) colonial newspapers
B) the Magna Carta
C) ancient Athens
D) Roman Law
  • 4. Tyranny refers to
A) a government controlled by citizens
B) a government that abuses its power
C) a powerful monarchy
D) a strong central government
  • 5. Madison's plan for government
A) was especially popular with the smaller states
B) was rejected almost immediately
C) seemed too weak to many delegates
D) created a strong central government
  • 6. The Great Compromise
A) was never adopted by the delegates
B) showed the weaknesses of the Constitutional Convention
C) won by a huge majority of the votes at the Constitutional Convention
D) established a two-house legislature
  • 7. In order the the Constitution to go into effect it had to be approved by
A) the Continental Congress
B) a least nine state legislatures
C) at least nine state conventions
D) The President
  • 8. Under federalism
A) state and federal governments have completely different powers.
B) the federal government decides what powers the states have
C) the states can check the power of the federal government.
D) state and federal governments have some shared and some separate powers
  • 9. Separation of powers means that
A) the judicial branch decides the powers of the other branches.
B) state and federal governments have different powers.
C) power is divided among the three branches of government.
D) each branch can limit the powers of the other branches.
  • 10. People who take "the fifth"
A) are admitting their guilt.
B) are using their constitutional right to remain silent.
C) misunderstand the Constitution.
D) have to tell the truth even if it will send them to jail.
  • 11. In the Tinker case, the Supreme Court ruled that
A) schools are not places for political demonstrations.
B) political armbands disrupt classes and may not be worn.
C) armbands may be regulated by a school principal.
D) armbands are a form of speech protected by the First Amendment.
  • 12. The 13th Amendment
A) was overturned by a later amendment.
B) gave African American men the right to vote.
C) abolished slavery.
D) made African Americans citizens of the states in which they lived.
  • 13. The 14th Amendment
A) abolished slavery.
B) gave African American men the right to vote.
C) was found unconstitutional.
D) gave citizenship to African Americans born in the United States.
  • 14. The 15th Amendment
A) made African Americans citizens of the states in which they lived. B. made segregation illegal.
B) gave African American men the right to vote.
C) abolished slavery.
D) made segregation illegal.
  • 15. The 24th Amendment
A) has not yet been passed.
B) gave African Americans equal protection of the laws.
C) declared that citizens do not have to pay a tax to vote.
D) gave African American women the right to vote.
  • 16. Women gained suffrage
A) from the 24th Amendment
B) from the Bill of Rights
C) from the 23rd Amendment
D) from the 19th Amendment
  • 17. The Twenty-sixth Amendment granted the right to vote to
A) immigrants
B) African American Women
C) all women
D) people between 18 and 21 years of age.
  • 18. The amendments to the Constitution are evidence that the Constitution
A) is flexible
B) is finally perfect
C) gives people too much power
D) changes only in wartime
  • 19. The Supreme Court
A) cannot overturn its earlier decisions.
B) has the final say over whether a law is constitutional.
C) can change the Constitution.
D) must be obeyed except by the President.
  • 20. Which statement does NOT describe what the colonists usually meant by religious freedom?
A) Non-Christians would be free to practice their religions.
B) People would not be punished for joining the Presbyterian church.
C) Colonists could disagree with the Anglican church.
D) People could belong to any Christian church.
  • 21. The Magna Carta is still important today because
A) it is England’s constitution.
B) it lists the rights of England’s kings and queens.
C) it was an important step toward establishing rights that no government can take away.
D) it still protects the English nobles.
  • 22. Which was NOT a reason for revising the Articles of Confederation?
A) Congress could not settle disputes between states.
B) Congress could not tax.
C) Congress could not enforce the laws.
D) Congress had already agreed on a new form of government.
  • 23. On the question of the slave trade, the delegates
A) could not reach agreement.
B) agreed to end it in 1808.
C) agreed that each state should end it by 1808.
D) agreed that the national government could not end it before 1808.
  • 24. Which of the following is NOT a goal set forth in the Preamble to the Constitution?
A) to promote the general welfare
B) to establish justice
C) to create a bicameral legislature
D) to provide for the common defense
  • 25. The main argument in favor of the Bill of Rights was that it would
A) win more public support for the new government.
B) test whether the amendment process worked.
C) limit the constitutional powers of the federal government.
D) make the Constitution more like the Magna Carta.
  • 26. All of the following are true about the powers of state government EXCEPT
A) none are shared with the national government.
B) they are part of the compromise called federalism.
C) states alone have the power to set up public school systems.
D) the U.S. Constitution does not specifically list them.
  • 27. State constitutions
A) were models for the national Constitution.
B) cannot be amended.
C) usually do not include a bill of rights.
D) are less detailed than the national Constitution.
  • 28. A common argument for strong state governments is that, compared to the federal government, they are
A) more likely to provide equal opportunities.
B) less corrupt.
C) better able to serve their citizens’ needs.
D) better able to solve problems involving many states.
  • 29. Seats in state legislatures are apportioned on the basis of the
A) area of the districts.
B) population of the districts.
C) needs of the districts.
D) wealth of the districts.
  • 30. One main difference between state legislatures and Congress is that
A) state legislators are appointed by the governor.
B) state legislatures cannot propose constitutional amendments.
C) all state legislators are volunteers.
D) citizens in some states can propose and pass laws.
  • 31. Most state tax revenue comes from
A) sales and excise taxes.
B) income and sales taxes.
C) property and income taxes.
D) excise and property taxes.
  • 32. The greatest source of executive power is the governor’s
A) power to enforce laws.
B) role as commander in chief of the National Guard.
C) power to change the state constitution.
D) budget-making role.
  • 33. Local governments are created by
A) the U.S. Constitution.
B) the state government.
C) the local voters.
D) a board of supervisors.
  • 34. The weak-mayor plan
A) is one type of commission plan.
B) requires direct election of the mayor by voters.
C) gives executive power to the city manager.
D) gives both legislative and executive power to a council.
  • 35. Local governments spend the most money on
A) parks
B) schools
C) roads
D) jails
  • 36. Education is paid for by
A) local, state, and federal governments.
B) local government and the federal government.
C) local governments.
D) state governments.
  • 37. Zoning is the power of local government to
A) divide power among city, state, and federal governments.
B) make rules for land use.
C) make sure that restaurants meet health standards.
D) provide for public safety.
  • 38. A job of the local planning commission is to
A) decide what form of government a city should have.
B) set goals for land use.
C) attract new businesses to a community.
D) set a city’s spending goals.
  • 39. To pay for the services they provide, local governments
A) dependentirelyonpropertytaxes.
B) can never collect income taxes
C) can collect any taxes they want.
D) depend on state and federal funds.
  • 40. Which is NOT a way that local governments cooperate?
A) combining their city councils
B) operating jails
C) providing emergency services
D) building hospitals
  • 41. Local, state, and federal governments disagree about all of the following EXCEPT
A) how to spend grant money.
B) how to spend grant money.
C) who will decide what kinds of services to provide.
D) that no one level of government can meet all citizens’ needs.
  • 42. The governors in many states have less power than the President to
A) appoint top executive branch officials.
B) veto bills.
C) influence lawmaking.
D) make the budget.
  • 43. The first unit of local government to form in the colonies was the
A) special district
B) county
C) city
D) township
  • 44. Capital includes
A) tools and factories.
B) knowledge and skills.
C) soil, minerals, and water.
D) time and energy
  • 45. In a market economy, economic choices are NOT affected by
A) central parking
B) profit seeking
C) competition
D) bargaining
  • 46. Most economic systems of the world today are
A) market economies
B) command economies
C) traditional economies
D) mixed economies.
  • 47. A command economy is
A) largely based on choices made by the government.
B) not based on choices.
C) able to meet all the wants of its people.
D) largely based on choices made by producers and consumers.
  • 48. The economy of the United States is
A) largely based on choices made by producers and consumers.
B) largely based on choices made by the government.
C) not based on choices.
D) able to meet all the wants of its people.
  • 49. Which of the following steps is NOT part of the circular flow of economic activity?
A) Producers sell goods for money.
B) Union members strike for higher wages.
C) Individuals work for wages.
D) Consumers pay money for goods.
  • 50. According to the law of demand, when the price of a commodity goes up
A) people will usually buy more of it.
B) the supply curve will slope down.
C) people will usually buy less of it.
D) the demand curve will slope up.
  • 51. According to the law of supply, when the price of a good goes up
A) the supply curve will slope down.
B) the demand curve will slope up.
C) producers will want to make more of it.
D) producers will want to make less of it.
  • 52. People who start a business take a risk in return for
A) the hope of earning a profit.
B) goods and services.
C) rent, wages, and interest.
D) money borrowed from the bank.
  • 53. Entrepreneurs are important in a market economy because they
A) provide interest on investments.
B) make decisions about who should get goods and services.
C) take risks to start new businesses.
D) keep corporations from getting too large.
  • 54. The major costs of running a business usually include
A) wages, rent, and interest.
B) the market price.
C) profit.
D) shares of stock.
  • 55. Most products, profits, and jobs in the United States are created by
A) sole proprietorships
B) partnerships
C) corporations
D) stockholders
  • 56. American workers formed labor unions because
A) their jobs required special skills.
B) they wanted control over working conditions
C) they needed work.
D) immigrants were taking their jobs.
  • 57. When unions and employers meet to reach agreement on wages and working conditions, it is called
A) a boycott.
B) a sit-down strike.
C) strikebreaking.
D) collective bargaining
  • 58. Labor unions have played a key role in bringing about all of the following gains EXCEPT
A) laws protecting the safety of workers.
B) banning child labor.
C) the shift from a manufacturing to a service economy.
D) minimum wage laws.
  • 59. Workers have a basic conflict with employers because
A) Workers want to limit wages.
B) Workers want to keep profits high.
C) Employers want to keep costs high.
D) Employers want to increase profits
  • 60. The first steps in learning how to manage your money include all of the following EXCEPT
A) knowing what your goals and values are
B) knowing what your expenses will be.
C) understanding stocks.
D) understanding your income.
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