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