1: American Government: Roots, Context, and Culture Flashcards
Why did the earliest European settlers come to Virginia?
for economic gain
Which was founded as a Catholic colony?
Maryland
Which of the following accurately describes the indigenous peoples who lived in the United States prior to the arrival of the first colonists?
They had varied political systems.
Which of the following best describes Pennsylvania settlers?
a diverse lot of persecuted Europeans
Which of the following is the source of power in the American system?
the people
Which document entitles people in the United States to a trial by jury?
the Bill of Rights
Which of the following is an example of how the government ensures domestic tranquility?
police departments
Which of the following is an example of how the government promotes the general welfare?
health care
What is the relationship between a democracy and a republic?
A republic is a type of democracy that relies on elected representatives.
What is the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the United States?
Asian Americans
Which of the following is true about the views much of the South holds about government in the United States?
Power should be returned to the states.
Early colonial settlers mostly considered themselves to be ______.
Christian
Where is the Republican Party most likely to have support?
Rural areas
Since World War II, the size of American families has declined considerably. The major factors to explain this decline are?
ageing American population and declining marriage rates
Which is often defined as the study of who gets what, when, and how?
politics
Which of the following is the ideal of a happy and successful life?
the American dream
Why do many Americans fail to credit the government for things it does well?
Many Americans lack faith in U.S. political institutions.
Which best describes government in the first 150 years of the history of the U.S.?
Federal government’s responsibilities were small; states’ government responsibilities were powerful.
Which of the following best describes the U.S. political system as envisioned by the Framers?
republic
What is the second most common ethnic or racial group in the United States?
Hispanics
Which of the following policies are younger voters more likely to support than older voters?
new schools
Which of the following is true about American families today as compared to the 1950s?
Americans are having fewer children.
Which of the following is true about how the national government has changed over the course of our nation’s history?
It has taken on more responsibilities.
Which of these factors contributes to citizens feeling far removed from the national government and their elected representatives?
population growth
How have changes in the composition of the family affected American government?
They have changed the kinds of demands people place on their government.
Which of the following is a negative consequence of Americans’ lack of faith in their political institutions?
Americans blame the government for society’s woes.
Why were many Americans uncomfortable with the term “democracy” when the Constitution was being written?
It conjured up images of mob rule.
How did the Puritans’ settlement in Massachusetts differ from those of the previous colonists?
The Puritans viewed their settlement as an example of righteousness dictated by religious principles.
According to the textbook, which of the following is a key function of government as set forth by the Framers in the Constitution?
promoting the general welfare
Which best describes the way that freedom and personal liberty has changed since the founding of the United States?
The concept of freedom is now a freedom to rather than a freedom from.
Why are American families smaller today than they were at the founding?
the advent of birth control and a decline in the need to have children to work for the survival of the family
William Penn launched the so-called “holy experiment.” It emphasized _____.
attracting persecuted Europeans, including German Mennonites and Lutherans and French Huguenots
In order to establish justice in the newly formed country, the Constitution authorizes Congress to _____.
establish a court system authorized to dispense justice based on the rule of law
Seventeenth century political leader and thinker who supported religious liberty.
Anne Hutchinson
The ship carrying Pilgrim settlers from England whose arrival in Massachusetts in 1620 is considered a founding moment for the nation.
Mayflower
A system of government that gives power to the people, whether directly or through elected representatives.
democracy
The study of who gets what, when, and how—or how policy decisions are made.
politics
An American ideal of a happy, successful life, which often assumes wealth, a house, and a better life for one’s children.
American Dream
The formal vehicle through which policies are made and affairs of state are conducted.
government
A government rooted in the consent of the governed; a representative or indirect democracy.
republic
Seventeenth century religious and political leader who was expelled by Puritans in Massachusetts and then established the colony of Providence Plantations that later became Rhode Island.
Roger Williams
Quaker leader and supporter of religious tolerance who founded Pennsylvania.
William Penn
Colonial-era politician who supported expanded voting rights.
Thomas Hooker
A philosophical movement in eighteenth-century Europe; its adherents advocated liberty and tolerance of individual differences, decried religious and political abuses, and rejected the notion of an absolute monarch.
Enlightenment
The forty-fifth president, a Republican, elected in 2016; first president elected without prior political or military experience; an experienced businessman.
Donald J. Trump
