BYU FINAL EXAM GOVT-041-S003
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED SOLUTIONS
◉ "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the
pursuit of Happiness." In which document are these words written
by Thomas Jefferson?
Answer: the Declaration of Independence
◉ Why is Tocqueville still relevant today?
Answer: Citizens should beware of being too self-absorbed and not
participating in the political process.
◉ How did Alexis de Tocqueville describe the 1830s in America?
Answer: It was a time when Americans worked together for the
common good of others.
◉ After studying and reading examples about liberty and order
consider the following: After the terrorist attack on September 11,
President Bush and Congress passed the PATRIOT Act, which
,expanded the power of law enforcement to secretly investigate
potential terrorists. What does this suggest?
Answer: The president believed Americans had too much liberty and
too little security.
◉ What is a statement that Hobbes and Locke would both agree on?
Answer: Government is necessary to protect life and property.
◉ What term is best used to describe our government?
Answer: representative republic
◉ How long is the term for a member in the House of Representative
before they face re-election?
Answer: 2 years
◉ Which of the following is true of the Bill of Rights?
Answer: It was included in the Constitution as a concession to the
Anti-federalists who opposed ratification of the Constitution.
◉ A prominent political scientist famously described American
government as separate institutions sharing powers; Which two
constitutional principles are embodied in this statement?
Answer: separation of powers and checks and balances
,◉ According to Tocqueville, civic virtue means simply that
individuals have interests and desires that are not solely focused on
themselves. Rather, they are willing to give up some of the things
they want in order to promote the common good. What did he mean
by this?
Answer: People should help one another because the welfare of
others affects individual welfare.
◉ If you were to read about a country whose government allows
their president to declare war on another country, and individually
coin money to fight the war without the consent of any other
government official. Which of the following would best describe this
system as compared with the government in the United States?
Answer: In the United States the president can neither declare nor
fund a war without the vote of Congress.
◉ Which of the following best describes separation of powers?
Answer: executive, legislative, and judicial branches
◉ What does civilian control of the military mean?
Answer: Military leaders do not have any independent authority, but
are the servants of the elected representatives of the people.
, ◉ According to Hobbes, what would life be like without limits on an
individual's behavior or if living in a state of nature?
Answer: Perilous
◉ What does unit 1 say is perhaps the most complex form of human
interaction?
Answer: politics
◉ How can the principle of federalism promote the protection of
civil rights in the American federal system?
Answer: It provides both state and national governments with the
ability to protect citizens from abuses of power by the other.
◉ Which of the following would Tocqueville most likely endorse?
Answer: encouraging civic groups to help the poor
◉ If a country has a political system where some decisions are made
in local legislatures and others are made in the national legislature.
Whose government would this most likely be compared to?
Answer: the U.S. system of government created in Philadelphia
◉ How does the Constitution divide power between the three
branches?
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED SOLUTIONS
◉ "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the
pursuit of Happiness." In which document are these words written
by Thomas Jefferson?
Answer: the Declaration of Independence
◉ Why is Tocqueville still relevant today?
Answer: Citizens should beware of being too self-absorbed and not
participating in the political process.
◉ How did Alexis de Tocqueville describe the 1830s in America?
Answer: It was a time when Americans worked together for the
common good of others.
◉ After studying and reading examples about liberty and order
consider the following: After the terrorist attack on September 11,
President Bush and Congress passed the PATRIOT Act, which
,expanded the power of law enforcement to secretly investigate
potential terrorists. What does this suggest?
Answer: The president believed Americans had too much liberty and
too little security.
◉ What is a statement that Hobbes and Locke would both agree on?
Answer: Government is necessary to protect life and property.
◉ What term is best used to describe our government?
Answer: representative republic
◉ How long is the term for a member in the House of Representative
before they face re-election?
Answer: 2 years
◉ Which of the following is true of the Bill of Rights?
Answer: It was included in the Constitution as a concession to the
Anti-federalists who opposed ratification of the Constitution.
◉ A prominent political scientist famously described American
government as separate institutions sharing powers; Which two
constitutional principles are embodied in this statement?
Answer: separation of powers and checks and balances
,◉ According to Tocqueville, civic virtue means simply that
individuals have interests and desires that are not solely focused on
themselves. Rather, they are willing to give up some of the things
they want in order to promote the common good. What did he mean
by this?
Answer: People should help one another because the welfare of
others affects individual welfare.
◉ If you were to read about a country whose government allows
their president to declare war on another country, and individually
coin money to fight the war without the consent of any other
government official. Which of the following would best describe this
system as compared with the government in the United States?
Answer: In the United States the president can neither declare nor
fund a war without the vote of Congress.
◉ Which of the following best describes separation of powers?
Answer: executive, legislative, and judicial branches
◉ What does civilian control of the military mean?
Answer: Military leaders do not have any independent authority, but
are the servants of the elected representatives of the people.
, ◉ According to Hobbes, what would life be like without limits on an
individual's behavior or if living in a state of nature?
Answer: Perilous
◉ What does unit 1 say is perhaps the most complex form of human
interaction?
Answer: politics
◉ How can the principle of federalism promote the protection of
civil rights in the American federal system?
Answer: It provides both state and national governments with the
ability to protect citizens from abuses of power by the other.
◉ Which of the following would Tocqueville most likely endorse?
Answer: encouraging civic groups to help the poor
◉ If a country has a political system where some decisions are made
in local legislatures and others are made in the national legislature.
Whose government would this most likely be compared to?
Answer: the U.S. system of government created in Philadelphia
◉ How does the Constitution divide power between the three
branches?
