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American Government — Practice Questions flashcards

6 of 40 questions free to study here · 14 topics · the whole deck is built into Willys

Multiple-choice practice questions, one best answer each, on the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties and rights, elections, media, parties, groups, Congress, the presidency, courts and policy.

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Practice deck · part of American Government (college) · written against: Standard intro American government course; OpenStax American Government 3e, consulted as a reference; no text copied. Updated 2026-10-10.

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  1. A researcher studying a city's politics finds that labor unions, business associations, neighborhood groups and environmental organizations each win some policy fights and lose others, with outcomes emerging from bargaining among them. Which theory of power do these findings best support?

    A) Elite theory
    B) Pluralist theory
    C) Social contract theory
    D) Majoritarian theory
    B) Pluralist theory

    Pluralist theory holds that many competing groups share power and that policy comes out of bargaining among them. Elite theory, its main rival, would predict that a small, wealthy, well-connected few win consistently.
    Foundations & Constitution
  2. In Town A, schools are racially separate because a state statute assigns students by race. In Town B, schools are racially separate because of income and housing patterns, with no law requiring it. How is each best classified?

    A) Town A has de jure segregation; Town B has de facto segregation
    B) Town A has de facto segregation; Town B has de jure segregation
    C) Both towns have de jure segregation, since the result is the same
    D) Both towns have de facto segregation, since neither intends it
    A) Town A has de jure segregation; Town B has de facto segregation

    De jure segregation is required by law, as under Jim Crow statutes; de facto segregation results from circumstances such as housing and income. Courts have been far better able to remedy the first than the second.
    Civil Rights
  3. A state has nine members in the U.S. House of Representatives. How many presidential electors does it have, and how many electoral votes does a candidate need to win the presidency?

    A) 10 electors; 270 electoral votes
    B) 11 electors; 269 electoral votes
    C) 11 electors; 270 electoral votes
    D) 9 electors; 270 electoral votes
    C) 11 electors; 270 electoral votes

    Each state's electors equal its House members plus its two senators, so 9 + 2 = 11. With 538 electors in all, including three for the District of Columbia, a majority is 270; 269 would be only a tie.
    Voting & Elections
  4. A group that lobbies for cleaner air offers members discounted insurance and a monthly magazine. Which problem are these member-only benefits designed to overcome?

    A) The principal-agent problem
    B) Regulatory capture
    C) The incumbency advantage
    D) The free-rider problem
    D) The free-rider problem

    Everyone enjoys cleaner air whether or not they join, so people are tempted to free ride, as Mancur Olson described. Selective incentives give people a reason to join and pay dues.
    Interest Groups
  5. A president vetoes a bill. All members present vote: the House votes 310 to 120 to override, and the Senate votes 65 to 34. Does the bill become law?

    A) Yes; an override needs only 60 Senate votes
    B) No; the Senate vote falls short of two-thirds
    C) Yes; both chambers gave it two-thirds or more
    D) No; the House vote falls short of two-thirds
    B) No; the Senate vote falls short of two-thirds

    An override needs two-thirds of those voting in each chamber. The House cleared it (310 of 430 is about 72 percent), but two-thirds of 99 senators is 66, so 65 votes fall short and the veto stands.
    Presidency
  6. Congress funds a new bridge in one member's district, with the cost spread across taxpayers nationwide. Using Theodore Lowi's policy types, how is this policy best classified?

    A) Regulatory
    B) Monetary
    C) Redistributive
    D) Distributive
    D) Distributive

    Distributive policy concentrates benefits on a particular group or place while spreading the costs widely. Redistributive policy instead moves resources from one group to another, as with a progressive tax that funds food assistance.
    Public Policy

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About these cards

Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.

Checked against:

  • OpenStax American Government 3e, consulted as a reference; no text copied.
  • Original questions written in the style of an introductory college American Government final exam; no official, textbook or question-bank items were copied.

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