FINAL EXAM: PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY
  • 1. A legislature is
A) a group of people who have the right to vote
B) a group of people elected to create charters
C) a group of people chosen to make laws
D) a group of people who support tyranny
  • 2. Freedom of the press
A) meant that newspapers had to print the truth
B) did not exist under English Law
C) led to John Peter Zenger's arrest
D) allowed everything except criticizing the government
  • 3. The idea of direct democracy came from
A) the Magna Carta
B) Roman Law
C) colonial newspapers
D) ancient Athens
  • 4. Tyranny refers to
A) a powerful monarchy
B) a strong central government
C) a government controlled by citizens
D) a government that abuses its power
  • 5. Madison's plan for government
A) was rejected almost immediately
B) created a strong central government
C) was especially popular with the smaller states
D) seemed too weak to many delegates
  • 6. The Great Compromise
A) won by a huge majority of the votes at the Constitutional Convention
B) established a two-house legislature
C) showed the weaknesses of the Constitutional Convention
D) was never adopted by the delegates
  • 7. In order the the Constitution to go into effect it had to be approved by
A) at least nine state conventions
B) the Continental Congress
C) The President
D) a least nine state legislatures
  • 8. Under federalism
A) the federal government decides what powers the states have
B) state and federal governments have some shared and some separate powers
C) state and federal governments have completely different powers.
D) the states can check the power of the federal government.
  • 9. Separation of powers means that
A) power is divided among the three branches of government.
B) each branch can limit the powers of the other branches.
C) the judicial branch decides the powers of the other branches.
D) state and federal governments have different powers.
  • 10. People who take "the fifth"
A) have to tell the truth even if it will send them to jail.
B) misunderstand the Constitution.
C) are using their constitutional right to remain silent.
D) are admitting their guilt.
  • 11. In the Tinker case, the Supreme Court ruled that
A) schools are not places for political demonstrations.
B) political armbands disrupt classes and may not be worn.
C) armbands are a form of speech protected by the First Amendment.
D) armbands may be regulated by a school principal.
  • 12. The 13th Amendment
A) abolished slavery.
B) gave African American men the right to vote.
C) made African Americans citizens of the states in which they lived.
D) was overturned by a later amendment.
  • 13. The 14th Amendment
A) abolished slavery.
B) gave citizenship to African Americans born in the United States.
C) was found unconstitutional.
D) gave African American men the right to vote.
  • 14. The 15th Amendment
A) made African Americans citizens of the states in which they lived. B. made segregation illegal.
B) abolished slavery.
C) made segregation illegal.
D) gave African American men the right to vote.
  • 15. The 24th Amendment
A) gave African Americans equal protection of the laws.
B) has not yet been passed.
C) declared that citizens do not have to pay a tax to vote.
D) gave African American women the right to vote.
  • 16. Women gained suffrage
A) from the Bill of Rights
B) from the 23rd Amendment
C) from the 19th Amendment
D) from the 24th 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) changes only in wartime
B) gives people too much power
C) is flexible
D) is finally perfect
  • 19. The Supreme Court
A) cannot overturn its earlier decisions.
B) can change the Constitution.
C) must be obeyed except by the President.
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) Colonists could disagree with the Anglican church.
B) Non-Christians would be free to practice their religions.
C) People would not be punished for joining the Presbyterian church.
D) People could belong to any Christian church.
  • 21. The Magna Carta is still important today because
A) it is England’s constitution.
B) it was an important step toward establishing rights that no government can take away.
C) it lists the rights of England’s kings and queens.
D) it still protects the English nobles.
  • 22. Which was NOT a reason for revising the Articles of Confederation?
A) Congress could not settle disputes between states.
B) Congress could not tax.
C) Congress could not enforce the laws.
D) Congress had already agreed on a new form of government.
  • 23. On the question of the slave trade, the delegates
A) agreed that each state should end it by 1808.
B) could not reach agreement.
C) agreed to end it in 1808.
D) agreed that the national government could not end it before 1808.
  • 24. Which of the following is NOT a goal set forth in the Preamble to the Constitution?
A) to promote the general welfare
B) to establish justice
C) to create a bicameral legislature
D) to provide for the common defense
  • 25. The main argument in favor of the Bill of Rights was that it would
A) test whether the amendment process worked.
B) win more public support for the new government.
C) limit the constitutional powers of the federal government.
D) make the Constitution more like the Magna Carta.
  • 26. All of the following are true about the powers of state government EXCEPT
A) none are shared with the national government.
B) they are part of the compromise called federalism.
C) the U.S. Constitution does not specifically list them.
D) states alone have the power to set up public school systems.
  • 27. State constitutions
A) are less detailed than the national Constitution.
B) usually do not include a bill of rights.
C) were models for the national Constitution.
D) cannot be amended.
  • 28. A common argument for strong state governments is that, compared to the federal government, they are
A) more likely to provide equal opportunities.
B) better able to serve their citizens’ needs.
C) better able to solve problems involving many states.
D) less corrupt.
  • 29. Seats in state legislatures are apportioned on the basis of the
A) needs of the districts.
B) wealth of the districts.
C) area of the districts.
D) population 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) income and sales taxes.
C) excise and property taxes.
D) property and income taxes.
  • 32. The greatest source of executive power is the governor’s
A) power to enforce laws.
B) role as commander in chief of the National Guard.
C) power to change the state constitution.
D) budget-making role.
  • 33. Local governments are created by
A) the state government.
B) a board of supervisors.
C) the local voters.
D) the U.S. Constitution.
  • 34. The weak-mayor plan
A) is one type of commission plan.
B) requires direct election of the mayor by voters.
C) gives both legislative and executive power to a council.
D) gives executive power to the city manager.
  • 35. Local governments spend the most money on
A) roads
B) parks
C) schools
D) jails
  • 36. Education is paid for by
A) local government and the federal government.
B) state governments.
C) local, state, and federal governments.
D) local governments.
  • 37. Zoning is the power of local government to
A) make rules for land use.
B) make sure that restaurants meet health standards.
C) provide for public safety.
D) divide power among city, state, and federal governments.
  • 38. A job of the local planning commission is to
A) decide what form of government a city should have.
B) attract new businesses to a community.
C) set a city’s spending goals.
D) set goals for land use.
  • 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) providing emergency services
B) combining their city councils
C) operating jails
D) building hospitals
  • 41. Local, state, and federal governments disagree about all of the following EXCEPT
A) how to spend grant money.
B) who will decide what kinds of services to provide.
C) that no one level of government can meet all citizens’ needs.
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) special district
B) city
C) county
D) township
  • 44. Capital includes
A) soil, minerals, and water.
B) tools and factories.
C) knowledge and skills.
D) time and energy
  • 45. In a market economy, economic choices are NOT affected by
A) competition
B) profit seeking
C) central parking
D) bargaining
  • 46. Most economic systems of the world today are
A) market economies
B) traditional economies
C) mixed economies.
D) command economies
  • 47. A command economy is
A) able to meet all the wants of its people.
B) not based on choices.
C) largely based on choices made by the government.
D) largely based on choices made by producers and consumers.
  • 48. The economy of the United States is
A) largely based on choices made by the government.
B) able to meet all the wants of its people.
C) not based on choices.
D) largely based on choices made by producers and consumers.
  • 49. Which of the following steps is NOT part of the circular flow of economic activity?
A) Individuals work for wages.
B) Union members strike for higher wages.
C) Producers sell goods for money.
D) Consumers pay money for goods.
  • 50. According to the law of demand, when the price of a commodity goes up
A) people will usually buy more of it.
B) people will usually buy less of it.
C) the demand curve will slope up.
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 demand curve will slope up.
C) producers will want to make less of it.
D) the supply curve will slope down.
  • 52. People who start a business take a risk in return for
A) the hope of earning a profit.
B) rent, wages, and interest.
C) money borrowed from the bank.
D) goods and services.
  • 53. Entrepreneurs are important in a market economy because they
A) make decisions about who should get goods and services.
B) keep corporations from getting too large.
C) take risks to start new businesses.
D) provide interest on investments.
  • 54. The major costs of running a business usually include
A) wages, rent, and interest.
B) profit.
C) shares of stock.
D) the market price.
  • 55. Most products, profits, and jobs in the United States are created by
A) corporations
B) stockholders
C) partnerships
D) sole proprietorships
  • 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) a sit-down strike.
B) strikebreaking.
C) collective bargaining
D) a boycott.
  • 58. Labor unions have played a key role in bringing about all of the following gains EXCEPT
A) banning child labor.
B) the shift from a manufacturing to a service economy.
C) laws protecting the safety of workers.
D) minimum wage laws.
  • 59. Workers have a basic conflict with employers because
A) Employers want to increase profits
B) Workers want to limit wages.
C) Employers want to keep costs high.
D) Workers want to keep profits high.
  • 60. The first steps in learning how to manage your money include all of the following EXCEPT
A) knowing what your goals and values are
B) knowing what your expenses will be.
C) understanding stocks.
D) understanding your income.
Created with That Quiz — the math test generation site with resources for other subject areas.