Chapter 1 Study Guide – Introducing Government in America
FOR ALL DEFINITIONS: Define the term/concept in your own words. Do not simply copy the
definition. Write it down in a way that you can easily understand and repeat.
Pgs. 3-13
1. Explain what Figure 1.2 shows:
2. What has happened to the national turnout rate over the last several decades? What
explains this trend? (Use Figure 1.3 to help you answer this question.)
Government
3. What are the institutions of American government that make the policies that affect our
lives?
4. Identify each of the functions of government discussed in the book:
a. __________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________
d. __________________________________________________________
e. __________________________________________________________
Politics
5. Define political participation:
a. How does America’s voter turnout compare to that in the rest of the world?
b. What groups in America tend to vote in higher numbers?
c. What group tends to vote in lower numbers?
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6. Define single-issue groups:
a. What is an example of a single-issue group in the US?
The Policymaking System
7. Define policymaking system:
8. Use Figure 1.4 to answer the following questions:
a. What is the first step in the policymaking system?
b. What are examples of linkage institutions?
c. Who actually makes the policy?
d. What are examples of policies that are produced by the policymaking
institutions?
9. Define linkage institutions, including the examples:
a. What is the purpose of linkage institutions?
10. Why does the government’s policy agenda change regularly?
11. Define policymaking institutions:
12. Define public policy:
a. Examine Table 1.1 and understand the types of public policies and examples of
each.
13. Why are policy impacts important?
Pgs. 13-17
Democracy
14. Define democracy:
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15. What does the graph in Figure 1.5 show?
16. Identify and briefly describe each of the 5 criteria that compose the ideal democratic
process:
1. __________________________________________________________
Description:
2. __________________________________________________________
Description:
3. __________________________________________________________
Description:
4. __________________________________________________________
Description:
5. __________________________________________________________
Description:
17. Define majority rule:
18. Define pluralist theory:
a. Describe an example of this theory in practice:
b. How would pluralists view the extreme growth in the number of interest groups
in recent years? Why?
c. What argument does Robert Putnam make? How does this relate to the pluralist
theory?
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Three Contemporary Theories of American Democracy
19. Define elite and class theory:
a. What is the basis of the elite’s power?
b. According to elite and class theory, who controls most policy decisions? Why?
c. How do elite theorists view the Reagan presidency?
d. According to this theory, why are the leaders in Washington of only “marginal
consequence”?
20. Define hyperpluralism:
a. What is the effect of so many groups being so strong?
b. How are the courts related to this theory of American democracy?
c. What happens to the public interest in both elite/class theory and hyperpluralist
theory?
Pgs. 18-27
21. How do each of the following act as a challenge to democracy?
a. Limited participation in government:
b. Escalating campaign costs:
c. Diverse political interests:
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22. Define political culture:
a. What are the 5 elements of American political culture? Read about each of these
elements.
The Scope of Government in America
23. What is the message of the political cartoon on page 23?
24. Define gross domestic product (GDP):
25. What statistic on page 24 surprises you most?
26. Examine the questions on page 25 to get a preview of the sorts of things we will discuss
in this course.
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Answer questions 1-12 on page 26-27 without using the book or your notes.
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