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