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Political science
Contributed by: Burrows
  • 1. What is political science?
A) The art of negotiation
B) The study of history
C) The study of politics and government
D) The study of literature
  • 2. Which ancient Greek philosopher is considered the father of political science?
A) Socrates
B) Aristotle
C) Homer
D) Plato
  • 3. What is the purpose of a constitution?
A) To enforce moral values
B) To establish the framework for government
C) To elect political leaders
D) To regulate the economy
  • 4. What is a democracy?
A) A system of government where power is held by a single leader
B) A system of government where power is held by the people
C) A system of government where power is held by the military
D) A system of government where power is held by a small group
  • 5. Who is often credited with developing the concept of the social contract in political theory?
A) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
B) Thomas Hobbes
C) Karl Marx
D) John Locke
  • 6. What is the main function of a legislature?
A) To appoint judges
B) To make laws
C) To enforce laws
D) To interpret laws
  • 7. What is the role of a lobbyist in the political process?
A) To advocate for specific interests or policies
B) To oversee elections
C) To enforce laws
D) To interpret laws
  • 8. What is a referendum?
A) An election to choose a president
B) An international agreement
C) A decision made by the supreme court
D) A direct vote by the electorate on a specific issue
  • 9. What is political economy?
A) The study of the interaction between politics and economics
B) The study of ancient political systems
C) The study of literature in a political context
D) The study of military strategies
  • 10. What is the main purpose of a constitution?
A) To control the military
B) To appoint government officials
C) To regulate the stock market
D) To establish the basic principles and laws of a nation
  • 11. What is a totalitarian regime?
A) A government with no control over its citizens
B) A government elected by the people
C) A form of government with total control over all aspects of life
D) A government with limited powers
  • 12. What is the purpose of a constitution in a federal system?
A) To establish a state religion
B) To control the media
C) To create a national identity
D) To define the powers and responsibilities of the different levels of government
  • 13. What is the role of a civil servant?
A) To interpret laws
B) To implement government policies and programs
C) To lead political campaigns
D) To control the economy
  • 14. What is the main function of the executive branch in a government?
A) To make laws
B) To review laws
C) To interpret laws
D) To enforce and implement laws
  • 15. What is a coalition government?
A) A government with only one political party
B) A government without a constitution
C) A government formed by multiple political parties
D) A government controlled by the military
  • 16. What is political socialization?
A) The process of enforcing political laws
B) The process of deciding foreign policy
C) The process of choosing political leaders
D) The process by which individuals acquire political beliefs and values
  • 17. What is a political revolution?
A) A minor adjustment in political policy
B) A change in the leadership of a government
C) A fundamental and rapid change in the form of government
D) A diplomatic agreement
  • 18. What is the main function of a political journalist?
A) To appoint government officials
B) To report on political events and analyze government policies
C) To enforce international treaties
D) To fund political campaigns
  • 19. What is a filibuster in a legislative context?
A) A process to debate and amend a bill
B) A tactic to delay or prevent a vote on a bill
C) A unanimous decision to pass a bill
D) A vote to override a presidential veto
  • 20. Which document outlines the fundamental laws and principles of a nation?
A) Magnacarta
B) Bill of Rights
C) Constitution
D) Declaration of Independence
  • 21. What type of government is ruled by a king or queen?
A) Monarchy
B) Oligarchy
C) Democracy
D) Republic
  • 22. What is the term for an economic system where the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit?
A) Socialism
B) Capitalism
C) Communism
D) Feudalism
  • 23. Who is often referred to as the 'Father of Modern Political Science'?
A) Niccolò Machiavelli
B) Karl Marx
C) John Locke
D) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  • 24. What do we call the period of time before written records?
A) Renaissance
B) Prehistory
C) Middle Ages
D) Antiquity
  • 25. Who is responsible for appointing Supreme Court justices in the United States?
A) The President
B) The Senate
C) The Chief Justice
D) The Vice President
  • 26. What is the term for a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units?
A) Confederation
B) Unitary system
C) Autocracy
D) Federalism
  • 27. Which political ideology advocates for the abolition of private property and a classless society?
A) Libertarianism
B) Capitalism
C) Fascism
D) Communism
  • 28. What is the term for a system of government in which a small group holds power?
A) Plutocracy
B) Aristocracy
C) Theocracy
D) Oligarchy
  • 29. Which Greek philosopher wrote 'The Republic' and discussed the ideal state?
A) Aristotle
B) Plato
C) Homer
D) Socrates
  • 30. What is the term for the process of drawing electoral district boundaries to benefit a political party?
A) Referendum
B) Ballot stuffing
C) Gerrymandering
D) Redistricting
  • 31. What is the head of the executive branch in a parliamentary system?
A) Prime Minister
B) Dictator
C) President
D) Monarch
  • 32. Which branch of government is responsible for interpreting laws in the United States?
A) Military
B) Legislative
C) Judicial
D) Executive
  • 33. Which war led to the formal recognition of the United States as an independent nation?
A) Vietnam War
B) World War I
C) Civil War
D) American Revolutionary War
  • 34. Who is often called the 'Father of Liberalism'?
A) Thomas Hobbes
B) John Locke
C) Karl Marx
D) Adam Smith
  • 35. In political science, what is the term for a system of government in which all eligible citizens participate equally either directly or through elected representatives?
A) Autocracy
B) Democracy
C) Oligarchy
D) Monarchy
  • 36. What is the term for a form of government in which power is held by the nobility?
A) Kakistocracy
B) Kleptocracy
C) Plutocracy
D) Aristocracy
  • 37. What is a form of government where power is concentrated in the hands of a single individual?
A) Autocracy
B) Democracy
C) Theocracy
D) Oligarchy
  • 38. Which political system is characterized by government ownership of the means of production?
A) Socialism
B) Feudalism
C) Fascism
D) Capitalism
  • 39. Who has the power to declare war in the United States?
A) Congress
B) Supreme Court
C) The President
D) Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • 40. Who wrote the influential book 'The Social Contract'?
A) Plato
B) Adam Smith
C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
D) Karl Marx
  • 41. Which branch of the government is responsible for enforcing laws in the United States?
A) Judicial
B) Legislative
C) Executive
D) Administrative
  • 42. What is the term used to describe a form of government where a religious figure is considered the supreme leader?
A) Plutocracy
B) Autocracy
C) Theocracy
D) Democracy
  • 43. Which political ideology advocates for minimal government intervention in the economy?
A) Libertarianism
B) Socialism
C) Communism
D) Fascism
  • 44. Which term refers to the act of a country extending its influence over other countries through diplomacy or military force?
A) Imperialism
B) Unionism
C) Neutrality
D) Separatism
  • 45. Which type of power distribution involves a strong central government and weaker regional governments?
A) Confederal
B) Autonomous
C) Federal
D) Unitary
  • 46. Which term refers to the right to vote in political elections?
A) Suffrage
B) Censorship
C) Trademark
D) Sanction
  • 47. What is the term for a sudden acquisition of territory by a country?
A) Annexation
B) Sovereignty
C) Emancipation
D) Secession
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