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 support tyranny
D) a group of people who have the right to vote
  • 2. Freedom of the press
A) led to John Peter Zenger's arrest
B) meant that newspapers had to print the truth
C) allowed everything except criticizing the government
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 controlled by citizens
B) a powerful monarchy
C) a government that abuses its power
D) a strong central government
  • 5. Madison's plan for government
A) seemed too weak to many delegates
B) was especially popular with the smaller states
C) was rejected almost immediately
D) created a strong central government
  • 6. The Great Compromise
A) was never adopted by the delegates
B) established a two-house legislature
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 President
D) the Continental Congress
  • 8. Under federalism
A) state and federal governments have completely different powers.
B) the states can check the power of the federal government.
C) state and federal governments have some shared and some separate powers
D) the federal government decides what powers the states have
  • 9. Separation of powers means that
A) power is divided among the three branches of government.
B) the judicial branch decides the powers of the other branches.
C) state and federal governments have different powers.
D) each branch can limit the powers of the other branches.
  • 10. People who take "the fifth"
A) are using their constitutional right to remain silent.
B) have to tell the truth even if it will send them to jail.
C) misunderstand the Constitution.
D) are admitting their guilt.
  • 11. In the Tinker case, the Supreme Court ruled that
A) armbands are a form of speech protected by the First Amendment.
B) schools are not places for political demonstrations.
C) political armbands disrupt classes and may not be worn.
D) armbands may be regulated by a school principal.
  • 12. The 13th Amendment
A) made African Americans citizens of the states in which they lived.
B) was overturned by a later amendment.
C) abolished slavery.
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) abolished slavery.
D) gave citizenship to African Americans born in the United States.
  • 14. The 15th Amendment
A) gave African American men the right to vote.
B) abolished slavery.
C) made African Americans citizens of the states in which they lived. B. made segregation illegal.
D) made segregation illegal.
  • 15. The 24th Amendment
A) gave African American women the right to vote.
B) declared that citizens do not have to pay a tax to vote.
C) gave African Americans equal protection of the laws.
D) has not yet been passed.
  • 16. Women gained suffrage
A) from the Bill of Rights
B) from the 19th Amendment
C) from the 24th Amendment
D) from the 23rd Amendment
  • 17. The Twenty-sixth Amendment granted the right to vote to
A) all women
B) immigrants
C) African American Women
D) people between 18 and 21 years of age.
  • 18. The amendments to the Constitution are evidence that the Constitution
A) gives people too much power
B) is finally perfect
C) is flexible
D) changes only in wartime
  • 19. The Supreme Court
A) must be obeyed except by the President.
B) cannot overturn its earlier decisions.
C) can change the Constitution.
D) has the final say over whether a law is constitutional.
  • 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) People could belong to any Christian church.
D) Colonists could disagree with the Anglican church.
  • 21. The Magna Carta is still important today because
A) it is England’s constitution.
B) it still protects the English nobles.
C) it lists the rights of England’s kings and queens.
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 that the national government could not end it before 1808.
B) could not reach agreement.
C) agreed that each state should end it by 1808.
D) agreed to end it in 1808.
  • 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) limit the constitutional powers of the federal government.
B) test whether the amendment process worked.
C) make the Constitution more like the Magna Carta.
D) win more public support for the new government.
  • 26. All of the following are true about the powers of state government EXCEPT
A) the U.S. Constitution does not specifically list them.
B) they are part of the compromise called federalism.
C) none are shared with the national government.
D) states alone have the power to set up public school systems.
  • 27. State constitutions
A) were models for the national Constitution.
B) usually do not include a bill of rights.
C) cannot be amended.
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) less corrupt.
B) better able to solve problems involving many states.
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) needs of the districts.
B) area 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 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) property and income taxes.
C) income and sales taxes.
D) excise and property taxes.
  • 32. The greatest source of executive power is the governor’s
A) budget-making role.
B) role as commander in chief of the National Guard.
C) power to change the state constitution.
D) power to enforce laws.
  • 33. Local governments are created by
A) the state government.
B) the local voters.
C) the U.S. Constitution.
D) a board of supervisors.
  • 34. The weak-mayor plan
A) requires direct election of the mayor by voters.
B) gives executive power to the city manager.
C) is one type of commission plan.
D) gives both legislative and executive power to a council.
  • 35. Local governments spend the most money on
A) parks
B) jails
C) schools
D) roads
  • 36. Education is paid for by
A) local government and the federal government.
B) local, state, and federal governments.
C) state governments.
D) local governments.
  • 37. Zoning is the power of local government to
A) provide for public safety.
B) divide power among city, state, and federal governments.
C) make rules for land use.
D) make sure that restaurants meet health standards.
  • 38. A job of the local planning commission is to
A) decide what form of government a city should have.
B) set a city’s spending goals.
C) set goals for land use.
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 collect any taxes they want.
C) dependentirelyonpropertytaxes.
D) can never collect income taxes
  • 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) 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) 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) county
B) city
C) special district
D) township
  • 44. Capital includes
A) soil, minerals, and water.
B) knowledge and skills.
C) time and energy
D) tools and factories.
  • 45. In a market economy, economic choices are NOT affected by
A) profit seeking
B) competition
C) bargaining
D) central parking
  • 46. Most economic systems of the world today are
A) traditional economies
B) command economies
C) market economies
D) mixed economies.
  • 47. A command economy is
A) largely based on choices made by the government.
B) not based on choices.
C) largely based on choices made by producers and consumers.
D) able to meet all the wants of its people.
  • 48. The economy of the United States is
A) largely based on choices made by the government.
B) largely based on choices made by producers and consumers.
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) Consumers pay money for goods.
C) Union members strike for higher wages.
D) Individuals work for wages.
  • 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) producers will want to make more of it.
B) the supply curve will slope down.
C) the demand curve will slope up.
D) producers will want to make less of it.
  • 52. People who start a business take a risk in return for
A) rent, wages, and interest.
B) the hope of earning a profit.
C) money borrowed from the bank.
D) goods and services.
  • 53. Entrepreneurs are important in a market economy because they
A) provide interest on investments.
B) keep corporations from getting too large.
C) take risks to start new businesses.
D) make decisions about who should get goods and services.
  • 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) corporations
B) partnerships
C) sole proprietorships
D) stockholders
  • 56. American workers formed labor unions because
A) they wanted control over working conditions
B) they needed work.
C) immigrants were taking their jobs.
D) their jobs required special skills.
  • 57. When unions and employers meet to reach agreement on wages and working conditions, it is called
A) collective bargaining
B) a sit-down strike.
C) a boycott.
D) strikebreaking.
  • 58. Labor unions have played a key role in bringing about all of the following gains EXCEPT
A) banning child labor.
B) laws protecting the safety of workers.
C) the shift from a manufacturing to a service economy.
D) minimum wage laws.
  • 59. Workers have a basic conflict with employers because
A) Employers want to increase profits
B) Workers want to keep profits high.
C) Employers want to keep costs high.
D) Workers want to limit wages.
  • 60. The first steps in learning how to manage your money include all of the following EXCEPT
A) knowing what your expenses will be.
B) understanding stocks.
C) knowing what your goals and values are
D) understanding your income.
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