Note to students: These questions have previously been used on exams for this course. Only ten questions are provided because this is NOT intended as a "study guide" for the exam. They are listed here so that you can see the type of questions and style of writing that your instructor may incorporate in exams. Some questions could be used again, but most will not.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for the answer key.

1. The development of political parties and judicial review show
1. significant changes in the Constitution through informal amendment
2. how little the effect or impact of the Constitution has changed since 1789
3. two of the more important formal changes in the Constitution
4. that the Constitution is easily violated
2. Which of these forms of government may be classified according to the relationship between the legislative and executive branches (and not according to the level of government)?
1. unitary
2. parliamentary
3. federal
4. confederate
3. Robert Moses was
1. instrumental in passage of the Brady Bill
2. founder of the freedom schools
3. one of the framers of the U.S. Constitution
4. author of a book on economic interpretation of the Constitution
4. Which of these theories contends that bargaining and compromise are essential ingredients of our democracy?
1. pluralism
2. substantive democracy
3. procedural democracy
4. hyperpluralism
5. (T/F) The Declaration of Independence argued that "unalienable rights," such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, should be closely regulated by government for the greater good of society.
6. Which of these powers is granted exclusively to the Senate (not shared with the House) by the U.S. Constitution?
1. power to declare war
2. power to modify money bills
3. power of advice and consent
4. power of pass legislation
5. power to establish foreign policy
7. The doctrine of republicanism
1. calls for ordinary people to control the everyday affairs of the government
2. believes in government based on popular consent, limited powers of government, and prevention of majority tyranny
3. is based on direct democracy and majority rule, despite fears of the general unruliness of the ordinary classes
4. believes that industrial capitalism is the best form of economy and that it is the responsibility of government to create adequate conditions for its success
8. Which of the following statements can most accurately be described as normative (as contrasted with empirical)?
1. Texas is one of 38 states that has the death penalty.
2. People who commit murder deserve the death penalty.
3. Texas has executed more people than any other state.
4. The death penalty is expensive to carry out because of the cost of trials and appeals.

9. To the ancient Greeks, democracy meant
1. Rule by the people, exercised directly in open assemblies.
2. Rule by the people, exercised indirectly through elected representatives.
3. Rule by the people, exercised by a select few.
4. Rule by the people, exercised on their behalf by hereditary positions.
10. Which of the following best illustrates policy adoption?
1. a committee of the Texas legislature holds hearings on a proposal to require all health-care workers to be tested for tuberculosis
2. sheriff's deputies conduct an intensive traffic patrol looking for drunk drivers
3. the local board of school trustees votes to purchase metal detectors to search students for weapons on school grounds
4. the commissioner of agriculture gives a speech encouraging Texans to purchase produce grown in the Lone Star State

ANSWERS:

1. a

2. b

3. b

4. a

5. F

6. c

7. b

8. b

9. a

10. c