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Study Guide

Sample Selected-Response Questions
Field 06: Political Science/American Government

Practice Questions

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Subarea I–Concepts and Skills

Objective 0001: Understand political science terms, concepts, and theories.

1. A political scientist would most likely use the concept of states' rights to examine which of the following questions?

  1. the use of state subsidies to induce businesses to move from one state to another state
  2. the structure and procedures of the electoral college
  3. the operation of the system of checks and balances in state government
  4. the role of federalism in the system of government established by the U.S. Constitution
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Objective 0002: Understand methods for locating, gathering, and organizing social science information.

2. A political scientist wishes to investigate the influence of media on voter behavior. Which of the following best describes the sequence of steps that would most commonly be followed in conducting this type of research project?

  1. develop a research design—collect data—form a hypothesis
  2. form a hypothesis—develop a research design—collect data
  3. collect data—form a hypothesis— develop a research design
  4. develop a research design—form a hypothesis—collect data
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Correct Response: B.
Objective 0004: Understand how to frame questions, analyze and synthesize information, make generalizations, and reach and communicate valid conclusions.

3. A political scientist would most likely use a flow chart for which of the following purposes?

  1. to illustrate the process by which a legislative proposal becomes law
  2. to compare government spending in the United States and Europe
  3. to show changes in regional representation in the U.S. Congress over a period of time
  4. to depict the functions and aims of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

 

Subarea II–Political Thought, Comparative Government, and International Relations

Objective 0006: Understand various governmental systems.

4. Which of the following best describes a major difference between the U.S. Congress and the British Parliament?

  1. The president of the United States exercises more power over the legislature than the British prime minister.
  2. Unlike U.S. legislators, members of Parliament may also hold positions in the executive branch while they are serving in Parliament.
  3. The House of Lords has more power in shaping legislation than the U.S. Senate.
  4. Unlike members of Parliament, U.S. legislators have the authority to collect taxes and decide how these and other funds will be spent.
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Objective 0008: Understand U.S. foreign policy.

5. Which of the following best matches a major U.S. foreign policy initiative with the aim that it was primarily designed to achieve?

  1. Monroe Doctrine: to keep European powers out of the Western Hemisphere
  2. Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points: to protect the physical security of important allies
  3. Eisenhower Doctrine: to further the United States' economic interests
  4. Richard Nixon's detente policy: to prevent the spread of revolutionary ideologies
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Correct Response: A.

 

Subarea III–United States and Arizona Government

Multiple-Subarea Passage

Use the excerpt below from an 1821 Supreme Court decision by John Marshall to answer the two questions that follow.

The American states, as well as the American people, have believed that a close and firm union is essential to their liberty and to their happiness. They have been taught by experience that this union cannot exist without a government for the entire nation. They have been taught by the same experience that this government would be useless, that it would disappoint all their hopes, unless it had the sovereignty that belongs to independent nations.

To this supreme government ample powers are given. The people of the United States have declared that they are given "in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty" to themselves and their posterity. With ample powers given to this supreme government for these purposes are connected many specific limitations on the sovereignty of the states.

The powers of the Union on the subjects of war, peace, and commerce, and on many others, are in themselves limitations of the sovereignty of the states. In addition to these, the sovereignty of the states is given up in many instances where it benefits the people. In such cases, no other power may be conferred on Congress than a power to maintain the principles established in the Constitution.

Objective 0009: Understand the historical development of government in the United States.

6. Marshall's assertion that the American people have learned from experience that a national government would be useless without the "sovereignty that belongs to independent nations" was most likely a reference to which of the following?

  1. the restrictions placed on George Washington by the Continental Congress
  2. the weaknesses of Congress during the Confederation period
  3. the difficulties experienced by early presidents in establishing U.S. foreign policy
  4. the presidential actions that resulted in the War of 1812
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Correct Response: B.
Objective 0010: Understand the United States Constitution.

7. The views expressed in the passage can best be characterized as a:

  1. liberal interpretation of the Bill of Rights.
  2. strict constructionist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.
  3. conservative interpretation of the principle of separation of powers.
  4. nationalist interpretation of federalism.
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Correct Response: D.
Objective 0011: Understand the structure, organization, and operation of the federal government.

8. Which of the following describe ways in which the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government can check the power of the judicial branch?

  1. Congress can establish the duration of appointments to the federal judiciary.
  2. Congress can impeach federal judges for misconduct.
  3. Congress can propose constitutional amendments to overturn Supreme Court decisions.
  4. Congress can determine which cases are heard by the Supreme Court.

  1. I and II only
  2. I and IV only
  3. II and III only
  4. III and IV only
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 0012: Understand the relationship of government to the United States economic system.

9. Which of the following was a major factor in the decision of the U.S. government to take a less active role in national economic matters than did most Western European governments during the late nineteenth century?

  1. the domination of the U.S. government by southern and western agricultural interests
  2. the weak organization of the two major political parties in the United States
  3. the strength of political traditions such as the separation of powers and federalism in the United States
  4. the relatively small turnout for most national elections in the United States
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Correct Response: C.
Objective 0014: Understand the election process in the United States.

10. Which of the following best explains why, during the 1820s, political parties in the United States abandoned congressional caucuses and began holding national conventions to nominate presidential candidates?

  1. Because congressional caucuses were often unable to agree on a candidate, party leaders felt that having national conventions decide such questions would make the selection process more efficient and less acrimonious.
  2. Because congressional caucuses limited the number of people involved in the selection process, retaining this method of nominating candidates would have exposed parties to charges of undemocratic behavior.
  3. Because not all states were represented in congressional caucuses, party leaders believed that allowing national conventions to nominate presidential candidates would reduce intersectional disputes within the party.
  4. Because the congressional caucus represented only one branch of government, retaining this method of nominating candidates would have exposed parties to charges of attempting to destroy the system of checks and balances.
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Objective 0016: Understand state and local government in the United States.

11. Which of the following best describes a major difference between state government and local government in the United States?

  1. State governments devote a larger proportion of their expenditures to educational services than do local governments.
  2. Local governments are more reliant on sales taxes as a source of revenue than are state governments.
  3. Unlike local governments, officials in state governments are most often elected rather than appointed.
  4. State governments are more often based on a system of checks and balances than are local governments.
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Objective 0018: Understand basic features of democratic government in the United States.

12. Which of the following best illustrates the way in which supporters of direct democracy have influenced the development of the government in the United States?

  1. During the anti-Federalist campaign, citizens called for a Bill of Rights to be included in the U.S. Constitution.
  2. During the Jacksonian era, an effort was made to remove property restrictions on voting.
  3. During the Progressive era, citizens succeeded in instituting the use of referenda and initiatives in policy-making at the state level.
  4. During the 1960s, an effort was made to ban states from requiring voters to pay toll taxes.
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Correct Response: C.