American Political Culture #1
1) All of the following are important elements in the American view of the political system except
a) Americans believe they should be able to do pretty much as they please
b) Americans think government officials should be accountable to the people
c) Americans believe that individuals are responsible for their own actions
d) Americans believe that government should try to equalize the property and living conditions
of citizens
e) Americans feel people ought to help out in their communities
2) A person who has consistently supported a strong military and wanted to increase defense
spending over the past twenty years has a well developed
a) Political culture.
b) Political subculture.
c) Party identification.
d) Party loyalty.
e) Political ideology.
3) One core American attitude about the economic system is
a) A widely held commitment to individualism and personal responsibility.
b) The belief that social welfare policies should be expanded.
c) The belief that women and minorities should have preferential treatment in hiring.
d) A commitment to help all citizens, whether or not they are truly in need.
e) The belief that wages should be based on economic need, as well as hard work.
4) In comparison to most other nations,
a) Americans have less confidence in public and private institutions.
b) Americans have less confidence in private institutions and more confidence in public
institutions.
c) Americans have more confidence in both public and private institutions.
d) Americans have less confidence in public institutions and more confidence in private
institutions.
e) This is impossible to measure because Americans’ views are so diverse.
5) All of the following are true about religion in America except
a) Americans are more likely than Europeans to believe in a higher power
b) Religiosity has increased in the past two decades
c) Religious institutions are the country’s major source of volunteer and community service
d) Despite the high percentage of Americans who believe in a higher power, less than half of
Americans attend church more than once per month
e) Americans are more likely than Europeans to pray every day
6) What is the primary way culture is preserved over time and transmitted to a new generation?
a) Through the public school system
b) Through the media
c) Through programs funded by the government
d) Through the family
e) Through churches and other civic organizations
7) According to Wilson and DiLulio, the ‘culture war’ in America ‘is about what kind of country we
ought to live in, not just about what kinds of policies our government ought to adopt.’ Which of
the following is not a major source of cultural disagreement in America?
a) Abortion
b) Legal rights of homosexuals
c) Legalization or decriminalization of drugs
d) Federal funding for the arts
e) Socialism and communism
8) Which of the following statements best describes the trend in Americans’ trust in government?
a) Americans have had a high level of trust in government officials since World War II.
b) Americans now trust government officials more than they did during the 1950s.
c) Beginning with the Watergate scandal, there has been a steady decline in American’s trust
in government officials.
d) Americans’ trust in government officials has declined at a fairly steady rate since the 1950s.
e) Americans’ trust in government officials drops in wartime and rises in peacetime.
9) Citizens who believe they can influence political events and trust the system to respond to their
needs have a high sense of political
a) Effectiveness
b) Culture
c) Efficacy
d) Socialization
e) Legitimacy
10) All of the following are true about political tolerance in America except
a) Americans are more tolerant of members of different religious groups than they are of
atheists
b) Lawyers and judges are more tolerant of specific political activities than most citizens are
c) Americans are willing to allow many people with whom they disagree to participate in the
political process
d) Americans have become more tolerant over the years
e) Americans will support liberties for all groups both in theory and in practice
Answers
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
D
E
A
C
D
D
E
D
C
E