Name:
Date of Exam:
Government Midterm Exam Study Guide
Chapter 1: Principles of Government
1.
Define.
a.
Federalism -
b.
Politics -
c.
Government -
d.
Majority rule with minority rights -
e.
Constitution -
f.
Legislative Power -
g.
Executive Power -
2.
What kind of democracy does the US have?
3.
What type of economic system does the United States have?
4.
The individual 50 states lack which basic characteristic of a state?
5.
What determines the success or failure of businesses in a free enterprise system?
6.
Who chooses the chief executive in a presidential government?
7.
Which two political theorists subscribed to the idea of a social contract?
8.
Which American President said the phrase “government of the people, by the people, for the people"?
Chapter 2: Origins of Government
1.
Virginia was the
2.
What are the arguments of the Anti-Federalists?
3.
Explain the structure of the government under the Articles of the Confederation.
4.
What was the result of the Connecticut Compromise?
5.
Which colony was the first settlement by the British?
6.
What was the name of Benjamin Franklin’s plan to unite the colonies in 1754?
7.
Which American patriot led the inebriated colonists in the Boston Tea Party?
8.
Which colony was founded mainly as a place for personal and religious freedom?
9.
Who is given credit for writing the majority of the Declaration of Independence?
10. Define:
a.
Popular Sovereignty -
b.
Federalists -
c.
Anti-Federalists -
d.
Bicameral -
e.
Mayflower Compact -
f.
English Bill of Rights -
state to ratify the Constitution.
1.
g.
Magna Carta -
h.
Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom -
i.
Virginia Declaration of Rights -
List the Principle of the Constitution next to its definition.
a.
- power rests with the people
b.
- the idea that government is not all-powerful
c.
- each branch is given its own responsibilities
d.
- each branch of government exercises power over the other two
e.
- power of the Supreme Court to declare actions of the President or
Congress unconstitutional
f.
- power is shared/divided at national and local levels
2.
Explain one way in which the Legislative Branch has power over the Executive Branch and Judicial Branch.
3.
Explain one way in which the Executive Branch has power over the Legislative Branch and Judicial Branch.
4.
Explain one way in which the Judicial Branch has power over the Legislative Branch and Executive Branch.
5.
Which Supreme Court case established the principle of judicial review?
6.
The
allows Congress to stretch its powers to make all laws that are “necessary and
proper” for the function of the government.
7.
Define impeach -
8.
The
9.
Write the entire preamble:
lists the goals and purposes of the US Constitution.
10. Explain what each of the Articles of the Constitution do.
Article I sets up the
Article II sets up the
Article III sets up the
Article IV explains the relationship of
Article V explains how to
Article VI sets up the
clause.
Article VII explains how to
the Constitution.
11. How many Amendments are there?
12. How many states (fraction) are needed to propose and amendment?
To ratify?
13. Write the number of the amendment next to its description.
a.
- freedoms of grievances, religion, assembly, speech, and press

List and define the three limitations on this amendment.

b.
- the right to bear arms
c.
- freedom from quartering of troops
d.
- freedom from undue searches and seizures; need probable cause
e.
- no one is subject to double jeopardy (tried twice for the same crime); all persons are protected against
self-incrimination
f.
- right to a trial by jury in a criminal case
g.
- right to a trial by jury in a civil case involving property worth more than $20
h.
- prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment
i.
- people’s rights are not limited to the first 8 amendments
j.
- abolished slavery in the U.S.
k.
- you cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; everyone gets equal
protection of laws
l.
- gave all men the right to vote regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude
m.
- income tax
n.
- outlawed alcohol
o.
- gave women the right to vote
p.
- inauguration on Jan. 20
q.
- repealed the 18th amendment
r.
- limited presidency to two terms (ten years)
s.
- outlawed poll tax
t.
- established presidential succession
u.
- 18 to vote
v.
- Congressional pay raises to take effect after the next election.
14. We studied several cases in class that clearly define your rights in school. Write the name of the court case next to its
outcome.
a.
- defended the freedom of expression when students
st
wanted to wear armbands to protest the Vietnam War (1 amendment)
b.
- established the principle that schools do not need
th
probable cause, only reasonable suspicion (4 amendment)
c.
- the Court upheld the strip search of a minor for
drugs (that minor had a history of using drugs) (4th amendment)
- courts upheld the long-term suspension of an 8th
d.
grader for taking a knife from a suicidal friend (8th amendment)
e.
- courts decided corporal punishment in schools does
not violate the 8th amendment
Chapter 5: Political Parties
1.
Define political party –
2.
What are the four functions of a political party?
a.
b.
c.
d.
3.
What kind of party system does China, North Korea and Cuba have?
a.
this is also called a “
4.
What kind of party system does Italy and France have?
5.
Minor parties in a two-party system are called
6.
For which three reasons does the US have a two-party system?
a.
b.
c.
7.
8.
Define the following:
a.
ideological party –
b.
single issue party –
c.
splinter party –
Which splinter party cost the Republicans the election of 1912?
a.
9.
cost the Democrats in 2000?
Define
“ system
.
9.
a.
incumbent -
b.
bipartisan -
What are the three obstacles that face third parties?
a.
b.
c.
10. What is the meeting called in which a political party chooses its presidential and vice presidential
candidates?
11. What is the smallest unit of election administration?
12. What are the reasons political parties are in a state of decline?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
13. Geographically speaking, where would you find states that are more likely to vote democratic in presidential elections?
Democrats (liberal) v. Republicans (conservative)
- higher taxes a)
- taxes are necessary, but should be b)
to create
government jobs and provide programs
- it is the c)
to stimulate the economy
responsibility to
provide healthcare and social security
- affirmative action is e)
to
of handguns
.
- affirmative action is another form of
f)
and people should be
- anyone without a h)
has the right to
own a gun
periods
government
involvement in the economy
- party symbol is k)
the primary responsibility of the d)
judged on merit
through registration, licensing and waiting
- there should be a i)
- healthcare and social security should be
through savings and private investments
erase past injustices and inequalities
- supports the g)
.
- capitalism j)
those
who work hard
.
- party symbol is l)
.
14.
is the third party that places a high importance on environmental goals
and offer “meaningful work with dignity” to all members of the community.
15.
is the third party that believes all individuals are the absolute owners of their own
lives and should be free to whatever they wish to their selves and property, provided they allow others to do the
same.
16.
is the third party that believes in abolishing most forms of federal taxation, especially
the income tax and opposes illegal immigration and also seeks a more restrictive policy on legal immigration.
Chp. 6:Voters and Voter Behavior
1.
What two words mean the right to vote?
2.
Explain what the following amendments did for voting rights.
15th
19th
24th
26th
3.
The literacy test was intended to keep which groups from voting?
4.
Who sets suffrage qualifications?
5.
What are the three universal requirements for voting?
a.
b.
c.
6.
In which state do you not need to register to vote?
7.
What did the Motor Voter Law do?
8.
What are Virginia’s five qualifications to vote?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
9.
Define
a.
idiot -
b.
ballot fatigue -
c.
political efficacy -
10. List 6 reasons why people do not vote (look in subheadings “Actual Nonvoters” and “Factors Affecting Turnout” on p. 53.)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
11. Compare voters to nonvoters.
12. Describe people who generally vote democratic or republican by the following characteristics.
Democrats
Characteristic
Republicans
income
education
gender
age
religion
ethnicity
geography
13. What is the single most significant predictor of how a person will vote?
Chp. 7: The Electoral Process and Chp. 8: Public Opinion
1.
What are the disclosure requirements of candidates and the spending enforced by the FEC?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
2.
Define the following
a.
Soft Money -
b.
Public Opinion -
3.
What is the principal source of news for most people in the U.S.?
4.
Which president was famous for his “fireside chats?”
5.
How accurate are most national polls?
6.
What are the limits on the media’s influence?
a.
b.
c.
d.
7.
What are problems polls face in measuring public opinion?
a.
b.
c.
d.
8.
What is the best way to measure public opinion?
9.
A
can take unlimited amounts of money from individuals, corporations, etc., as
long as it is NOT directly related to a candidate.
Chp. 9: Interest Groups
1.
What is the largest, most powerful labor group?
2.
What are the functions of Interest Groups?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
3.
Define
a.
Interest Group -
b.
Grass Roots -
4.
What is the largest and most effective agricultural group in the U.S.?
5.
Which group fights for political and civil rights for all people?
6.
What are the criticisms of interest groups?
a.
b.
c.
d.