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BYU FINAL EXAM GOVT-041-S003:
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND
CITIZENSHIP 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS.
1. Which leading political thinker is given credit for his influence
on the separation of powers? -correct answer-Charles-Louis
Montesquieu
2. "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? -correct answer-the
Declaration of Independence
3. Why is Tocqueville still relevant today? -correct answer-
Citizens should beware of being too self-absorbed and not
participating in the political process.
4. How did Alexis de Tocqueville describe the 1830s in America?
-correct answer-It was a time when Americans worked together
for the common good of others.
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5. 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? -
correct answer-The president believed Americans had too
much liberty and too little security.
6. What is a statement that Hobbes and Locke would both agree
on? -correct answer-Government is necessary to protect life
and property.
7. What term is best used to describe our government? -correct
answer-representative republic
8. How long is the term for a member in the House of
Representative before they face re-election? -correct answer-2
years
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9. Which of the following is true of the Bill of Rights? -correct
answer-It was included in the Constitution as a concession to
the Anti-federalists who opposed ratification of the Constitution.
10. A prominent political scientist famously described American
government as separate institutions sharing powers; Which two
constitutional principles are embodied in this statement? -
correct answer-separation of powers and checks and balances
11. 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? -correct answer-People
should help one another because the welfare of others affects
individual welfare.
12. 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? -correct answer-In the United States the
president can neither declare nor fund a war without the vote of
Congress.
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13. Which of the following best describes separation of powers?
-correct answer-executive, legislative, and judicial branches
14. What does civilian control of the military mean? -correct
answer-Military leaders do not have any independent authority,
but are the servants of the elected representatives of the
people.
15. According to Hobbes, what would life be like without limits on
an individual's behavior or if living in a state of nature? -correct
answer-Perilous
16. What does unit 1 say is perhaps the most complex form of
human interaction? -correct answer-politics
17. How can the principle of federalism promote the protection of
civil rights in the American federal system? -correct answer-It
provides both state and national governments with the ability to
protect citizens from abuses of power by the other.
BYU FINAL EXAM GOVT-041-S003:
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND
CITIZENSHIP 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS.
1. Which leading political thinker is given credit for his influence
on the separation of powers? -correct answer-Charles-Louis
Montesquieu
2. "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? -correct answer-the
Declaration of Independence
3. Why is Tocqueville still relevant today? -correct answer-
Citizens should beware of being too self-absorbed and not
participating in the political process.
4. How did Alexis de Tocqueville describe the 1830s in America?
-correct answer-It was a time when Americans worked together
for the common good of others.
, Page |2
5. 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? -
correct answer-The president believed Americans had too
much liberty and too little security.
6. What is a statement that Hobbes and Locke would both agree
on? -correct answer-Government is necessary to protect life
and property.
7. What term is best used to describe our government? -correct
answer-representative republic
8. How long is the term for a member in the House of
Representative before they face re-election? -correct answer-2
years
, Page |3
9. Which of the following is true of the Bill of Rights? -correct
answer-It was included in the Constitution as a concession to
the Anti-federalists who opposed ratification of the Constitution.
10. A prominent political scientist famously described American
government as separate institutions sharing powers; Which two
constitutional principles are embodied in this statement? -
correct answer-separation of powers and checks and balances
11. 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? -correct answer-People
should help one another because the welfare of others affects
individual welfare.
12. 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? -correct answer-In the United States the
president can neither declare nor fund a war without the vote of
Congress.
, Page |4
13. Which of the following best describes separation of powers?
-correct answer-executive, legislative, and judicial branches
14. What does civilian control of the military mean? -correct
answer-Military leaders do not have any independent authority,
but are the servants of the elected representatives of the
people.
15. According to Hobbes, what would life be like without limits on
an individual's behavior or if living in a state of nature? -correct
answer-Perilous
16. What does unit 1 say is perhaps the most complex form of
human interaction? -correct answer-politics
17. How can the principle of federalism promote the protection of
civil rights in the American federal system? -correct answer-It
provides both state and national governments with the ability to
protect citizens from abuses of power by the other.
