The American Democracy, 10th Edition (Patterson)

Chapter 7: Political Participation: Activating the Popular Will

Chapter Quiz

1
The timing and scope of the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act can be attributed primarily to
A)an increase in repressive tactics against black voters in the South.
B)the dramatic increase in population in the northern states, which contributed to an increase in power.
C)the backlash created by the Vietnam War.
D)the suffrage movement.
E)the civil rights movement.
2
Which of the following statements is true?
A)Voter turnout is slightly higher in America than in other democracies among middle-income groups.
B)Since the 1960s, voter turnout in the United States for presidential elections has averaged about 40 percent.
C)Voter turnout in a midterm election has hovered just above 50 percent since 1970.
D)Voter turnout in presidential elections has averaged 55 percent since the 1960s, and midterm election turnout has not exceeded 50 percent since 1920.
E)Voter turnout in the United States is lower than most other democracies, with presidential voting turnout averaging about 40 percent in recent elections.
3
Which of the following is NOT a reason that voter turnout is lower in the United States than in other democracies?
A)Americans must register to vote themselves.
B)American elections are not held on the weekend.
C)Americans have never had a viable socialist or labor party.
D)The frequency of elections in the United States is much higher than in other democracies.
E)Participation in community-based and local political organizations or actions, and volunteering for political campaigns, is lower in the U.S. than in Europe, which reduces political interest among voting-age groups.
4
________ allows people to register to vote at their polling place on election day.
A)California
B)Maine
C)New Mexico
D)Texas
E)Maryland
5
What fraction of states elects their governors in non-presidential election years?
A)roughly one-quarter
B)about one-half
C)over three-fourths
D)nine-tenths
E)less than one-third
6
Of the following states, ________ typically has the highest voter turnout in a presidential election.
A)Minnesota
B)South Carolina
C)Texas
D)Hawaii
E)Louisiana
7
Which of the following demographic combinations would provide the most accurate predictors of voter turnout?
A)age and gender
B)age and income
C)race and gender
D)income and race
E)education and age
8
The last time that voter turnout in midterm elections reached 50 percent was in _______.
A)1920
B)1930
C)1940
D)1950
E)1960
9
Citizens 18-20 years of age were granted the right to vote in _______.
A)1912
B)1920
C)1954
D)1971
E)1986
10
________ holds more elections than any other nation.
A)Canada
B)Great Britain
C)Japan
D)Brazil
E)The United States
11
MoveOn is an example of
A)young citizens' continuing indifference to political affairs.
B)a lobbying organization designed to promote civil rights.
C)a small movement designed to promote voter registration.
D)an influential, Web-based organization that heads an activist network.
E)an Internet-based protest movement designed to promote conservative causes.
12
Of the following nations, citizens in ________ are more likely to contribute money and time to election campaigns.
A)the United States
B)Germany
C)Austria
D)the Netherlands
E)Great Britain
13
What was the main driver behind the upswing in voter turnout during the 2008 presidential primaries?
A)the public debate about health care reform
B)competition between John McCain and Barack Obama
C)competition between John McCain and Mitt Romney
D)competition between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama
E)the public debate about taxation policy
14
Which of the following is a form of unconventional political activism?
A)voting
B)participating in a parent-teacher association
C)volunteering for a political campaign
D)holding a political protest
E)None of these answers is correct.
15
Which of the following statements is true about protest movements in America?
A)Protest movements have generally been severely restricted by both federal and local laws.
B)Protest movements have not traditionally been a part of American society.
C)Protest movements routinely receive strong public support.
D)Protest movements have become less well-organized in recent years.
E)Protest movements are an American tradition, but they do not generally receive strong public support.
16
Registration for voting began around _______.
A)1790
B)1828
C)1866
D)1900
E)1932
17
What phrase do scholars such as Robert Putnam use to describe the sum of the face-to-face interactions among citizens in a society?
A)community capital
B)social capital
C)civic virtue
D)social engagement
E)civic pride
18
Which of the following statements is true about voting?
A)Thomas Paine ridiculed the restriction of voting to property-owning males in his work Common Sense.
B)Black males gained the right to vote before white women were granted suffrage.
C)Voting is a widespread political activity.
D)Voting can give government a measure of control over its citizens.
E)All these answers are correct.
19
Voter turnout among working-class white citizens dropped sharply in 1968 and 1972, largely because of the centrality of which issue?
A)health care
B)immigration
C)the war in Vietnam
D)the economy
E)civil rights
20
In the past two decades, the percentage of young adults in America that think "it's my duty as a citizen always to vote" has
A)dropped by half.
B)slightly increased.
C)not changed.
D)nearly doubled.
E)slightly decreased.
Patterson Tenth Edition Large Cover
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