Question 1. (1 point)

Of the following four categories of federal spending, which does the federal government spend the most money on considering the total budget (all spending, discretionary and nondiscretionary combined)?

    A. Defense
    B. Veteran’s Benefits
    C. Healthcare **
    D. Police

Question 2. (1 point)

Early in the semester, we covered the classical liberal, enlightenment roots of America’s founding documents. Classical liberalism prioritizes protecting individuals against which of the following:

    A. poverty
    B. disease
    C. government use of coercive force or violence **
    D. economic inequality
    

Question 3. (1 point)

James Madison famously described the system of representative government in the Constitution as a Republic and contrasted it with a form of unlimited, majoritarian government which he labeled democracy. Which of the following characteristics of modern liberal democracy are shared with Madison’s Republic? (Choose all that apply)

    A. Opposition to one party rule **
    B. Protection of property rights **
    C. Protection of basic civil liberties **
    D. Representative government **
    E. Protection of political minorities **

Question 4. (1 point)

The Constitution includes a system of dividing the authority for specific government functions among different branches of government and two chambers of Congress. This method of division of authority is commonly called:

    A. The Veto
    B. Separation of Powers **
    C. The Power of the Purse
    D. The Necessary and Proper Clause

Question 5. (1 point)

Limiting government is often considered important for many reasons, but one very important reason is that limiting government is by the definition of government:

    A. improving healthcare
    B. limiting organized violence **
    C. improving diversity
    D. improving incomes

Question 6. (1 point)

The Constitution divides power in a number of ways. One of these is the division of power between State and Federal levels of government. This is called:

    A. Checks and balances
    B. Judicial review
    C. Federalism **
    D. Local power

Question7. (1 point)

Which of the following is a tool unique to government?

    A. organization
    B. legitimate use of violence **
    C. leadership
    D. cooperation
    E. persuasion

Question8. (1 point)

When we see a problem and decide to ask government to solve it rather than use voluntary action through groups like community associations, charities, or volunteer groups, what tool is government likely to use that the other groups do not have at their disposal?

    A. the media
    B. money
    C. organization
    D. the police and prison system **

Question9. (1 point)

What can government legitimately do that private charities, corporations, small businesses, churches, families, community groups, and volunteer organizations can not do?

    A. use violence to coerce people **
    B. organize people
    C. help people
    D. solve problems

Question10. (1 point)

The Constitutional provisions for Presidential vetos, overrides of vetoes by Congress, and impeachment are all examples of:

    A. poor governance
    B. outdated thinking
    C. Checks and Balances **
    D. Presidential power

Question1.

Under the original Constitution, Congress could not ban the slave trade until:

    A. 1865
    B. 1808 **
    C. 1921
    D. 1945

Question2.

The writers of the Constitution used the term________ for a form of government that consists of carefully designed institutions that are responsive to the majority but not captive to it.

    A. Republic **
    B. Monarchy
    C. Democracy
    D. Oligarchy

Question3.

The right to an attorney is guaranteed by the________ Amendment.

    A. First
    B. Second
    C. Tenth
    D. Sixth **

Question4.

When the nation was founded, who was eligible to vote?

    A. everyone—there was universal suffrage
    B. all males and females who were at least 21 years of age
    C. only males who owned property **
    D. only citizens who had lived in the nation for at least 10 years
    E. all native-born citizens

Question 5.

African American men technically gained suffrage with passage of the________ Amendment.

    A. 12th
    B. 10th
    C. 15th **
    D. 26th

Question1.

Who is the current Governor of Texas?

    A. Greg Abbott ** 
    B. Dan Patrick
    C. Beto O'Rourke
    D. Ted Cruz
    

Question2.

Who is the current Lieutenant Governor of Texas?

    A. Greg Abbott
    B. Dan Patrick **
    C. Ken Paxton
    D. Sylvester Turner
    

Question3.

Which of the following does the Texas Railroad Commission actually regulate today?

    A. Railroads
    B. Oil and Gas **
    C. Trucking
    D. Pipelines
    

Question4.

Who is the current Attorney General of the State of Texas?

    A. Greg Abbott
    B. Dan Patrick
    C. Ken Paxton **
    D. Ann Richards
    

Question5.

Harris County is the largest county by population in the state of Texas. Which of the following is true of the County Judge of Harris County? (Select all that apply)

    A. The County Judge is the chief executive of the county. **
    B. The County Judge is the presiding officer of the Commissioners Court. **
    C. The County Judge does not preside over trials **
    D. The current Judge is Lina Hidalgo. **
    

Question 6.

The Texas Railroad Commission currently regulates the Texas oil and gas industry not railroads. The commissioners are elected directly for 6 year terms and do not answer to the Governor. In class, I said this makes the current Chair of the Commission one of the most powerful women in the world. Who is the current Chair?

    A. Kay Bailey Hutchison
    B. Lina Hidalgo
    C. Greg Abbott
    D. Christi Craddick **
    

Question 7.

Who was the first female Senator in Texas history?

    A. Annise Parker
    B. Lina Hidalgo
    C. Ann Richards
    D. Kay Bailey Hutchison **
    

Question 8.

This November Houston had a Mayoral election to select the successor to current Mayor Sylvester Turner. No candidate won a majority, so two candidates will face in a run-off election on December 7. One is State Senator John Whitmire. The other is a current United States Member of Congress from Houston. What is her name?

    A. Taylor Swift
    B. Lina Hidalgo
    C. Sheila Jackson Lee
    D. Greg Abbott

Question 9.

Texas was the second state in the United States to elect a female Governor, under unusual circumstances. Her husband was a former Governor who had been impeached, convicted, and barred from holding future office. She campaigned on the slogan of “two governors for the price of one.” She served two non-consecutive terms from January 20, 1925 – January 18, 1927 and January 17, 1933 – January 15, 1935. What was her name?

    A. Ann Richards
    B. Miriam Ferguson **
    C. Ted Cruz
    D. Lina Hidalgo
    

Question 10.

At the federal level, the President is the unitary Chief Executive, the only elected official with executive responsibility… In Texas, six executive officials are elected in their own right and answer directly to the people. The federal system is called a “unitary executive.” The state system is called ______.

    A. many officeholders
    B. a plural executive **
    C. splitting up the power
    D. Governor Plus 5
    

Authorship and License

• Author: Tom Hanna

• Website: tomhanna.me

• License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.</>