,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement........................................................3
Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins..............................................................................7
Chapter 3: American Federalism............................................................................................12
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties........................................................................................................18
Chapter 5: Civil Rights............................................................................................................25
Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion................................................................................30
Chapter 7: Voting and Elections.............................................................................................35
Chapter 8: The Media............................................................................................................40
Chapter 9: Political Parties .................................................................................................... 46
Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying.............................................................................50
Chapter 11: Congress.............................................................................................................56
Chapter 12: The Presidency....................................................................................................62
Chapter 13: The Courts..........................................................................................................67
Chapter 14: State and Local Government...............................................................................74
Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy.................................................................................................79
Chapter 16: Domestic Policy .................................................................................................. 83
Chapter 17: Foreign Policy.....................................................................................................88
,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement
Review Questions
1. What goods are available to all without direct payment?
a. private goods
b. public goods
c. common goods
d. toll goods
Answer
B
2. In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?
a. direct democracy
b. monarchy
c. oligarchy
d. totalitarian
Answer
C
3. What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?
Answer
In a representative democracy, people elect representatives to make political decisions
and pass laws for them. In a direct democracy, people make all political decisions and
pass laws themselves.
4. What does government do for people?
Answer
Government does many things for people. It maintains stability within the nation. It
provides important services for all without direct payment. Finally, it provides a structure
through which laws can be created and people can make their opinions known.
5. The elite theory of government maintains that ________.
a. special interest groups make government policy
b. politicians who have held office for a long time are favored by voters
c. poor people and people of color should not be allowed to vote
d. wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no
interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people
Answer
D
6. According to the pluralist theory of government, ________.
a. government does what the majority of voters want it to do
b. government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with
different goals and interests
c. ordinary people acting on their own have a significant influence on government
d. wealthy people decide what government policy will be, and politicians have no
interest in pleasing anyone else
Answer
B
3 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,7. Which of the following is a good example of a tradeoff?
a. The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but
also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.
b. The government pleases environmental activists by reintroducing wolves to
Yellowstone National Park but angers ranchers by placing their cattle in danger.
c. The government pleases oil companies by allowing them to drill on lands set
aside for conservation but allows environmental activist groups to protest the
drilling operations.
d. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are all allowed to protest
outside Congress and the White House.
Answer
A
8. Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself
as a member of that party is an example of ________.
a. partisanship
b. ideology
c. latent preference
d. social capital
Answer
A
9. When a person is asked a question about a political issue that he or she has little
interest in and has not thought much about, that person’s answer will likely reflect
________.
a. ideology
b. partisanship
c. intense preferences
d. latent preferences
Answer
D
10. What kinds of people are most likely to become active in politics or community
service?
Answer
Political and civic engagement is most common among older people, especially those
with higher education and financial resources. Younger people are interested in
volunteering to help others, but they tend to dislike politics.
11. What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?
Answer
People can pay attention to the news in order to be aware of the most important issues
of the day. They can contribute money to a campaign or attend a rally in support of a
political candidate whose views they favor. They can write letters to members of
Congress and to state and local politicians. They can vote.
4 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
Critical Thinking Questions
RATING Failing Below Average Competent Advanced/
Sophisticated
Criteria Answer does Answer fails to Answer provides Answer clearly
for not provide an provide an argument with provides an
evaluatio argument for or examples to one or two argument with two
n. against. support an examples that or more excellent
Answer argument for or support it. examples that
contains against. Writing Writing is support it; student
inaccuracies. is poor and acceptable for makes the
Writing is poor grammatical the college level argument clearly
and contains errors are but may contain and eloquently.
numerous common. one or two Answer is well
grammatical Answer is grammatical organized and free
mistakes and somewhat mistakes or of grammatical
misspellings. incoherent. misspellings. errors and
misspellings.
POINT 0 1 2 3
VALUE
Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.
12. Is citizen engagement necessary for a democracy to function? Explain.
Sample Answer
Citizen engagement is crucial in a democracy. If citizens do not become engaged in
government through actions such as becoming acquainted with the issues, signing
petitions, and voting, then laws will not change at local, state, or national levels.
Politicians are interested in what potential voters have to say, and unless they know
what is of concern to the majority of ordinary people, they will not know how to act in
order to please the voters once elected. Although many people fear that the wealthy
exercise great power in government, those who feel this way should realize that without
citizen engagement, there will be even fewer restrictions on the power of elites.
13. Which is the more important reason for being engaged: to gain power or improve
the quality of life? Why?
Sample Answer
Both are important. Becoming engaged is necessary to improve the quality of life not
just for ourselves or a particular group we may belong to, such as college students, but
for others as well. Indeed, attempting to improve our own quality of life may improve it
for others as well. If, for example, college students work to cap rents in a city in order to
provide affordable housing for themselves, their efforts may end up helping poor city
dwellers as well. However, sometimes before certain groups of people are able to act to
improve the quality of their own lives or those of others, they often must first gain basic
political power, such as the power to vote, organize, or hold office.
5 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,14. Are all Americans equally able to become engaged in government? What factors
make it more possible for some people to become engaged than others? What could be
done to change this?
Sample Answer
Political engagement is easier for some citizens than others. Those with higher levels of
income and education and more free time can contribute money to fundraising efforts
and volunteer for campaigns or become active in interest groups. However, there are
forms of engagement in which all can participate: listening to the news, answering
surveys, and voting. To make it easier to participate, voter registration could be made
easier and laws making it difficult for students to vote outside their states of residence
could be changed.
15. Which pathways of engagement in U.S. government do you plan to follow? Why do
you prefer these approaches?
Sample Answer
[Answers will vary according to personal choice, but a sample answer might look like
the following:] Becoming acquainted with political issues, volunteering for political
campaigns, and voting are what I would choose to do. Becoming acquainted with
political issues is the most basic way to become engaged and should be done before
engaging in other kinds of political activity. Volunteering for political campaigns and
voting are good ways to help a candidate who supports issues that are important to me.
These methods of engagement also do not cost a lot of money.
16. Are there any redeeming qualities to elitism and any downsides to pluralism? Are
there benefits to having elites rule? Are there problems with allowing interest groups to
exercise influence over government? Explain.
Sample Answer
There are some benefits to having elites rule. Elites are better educated than the
average citizen, and they have more experience with business, law, or politics. As a
result, they may be better able to understand the issues and the way government
functions. In theory, there are no real problems with having interest groups exercise
power over government if they represent a wide variety of voters and voter interests. In
reality, most political decisions end up being tradeoffs between competing groups; thus,
no one group dominates U.S. politics.
6 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins
Review Questions
1. British colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly
influenced by the political thought of ________.
a. King James II
b. Thomas Jefferson
c. John Locke
d. James Madison
Answer
C. John Locke
2. The agreement that citizens will consent to be governed so long as government
protects their natural rights is called ________.
a. the divine right of kings
b. the social contract
c. a bill of rights
d. due process
Answer
B. the social contract
3. What key tenets of American political thought were influential in the decision to declare
independence from Britain?
Answer
Americans believed all people (i.e., White males) possessed the rights to life, liberty,
and property. The best way to protect these rights was by limiting the power of
government and allowing people to govern themselves.
4. What actions by the British government convinced the colonists that they needed to
declare their independence?
Answer
The Proclamation of 1763 prevented the colonists from claiming property west of the
Appalachian Mountains. The British government imposed numerous taxes through the
Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts to which the colonists had not given their consent;
it had also denied people the right to a trial by jury and interfered with the colonial
practice of self-government
5. What important power did the national government lack under the Articles of
Confederation?
a. It could not coin money.
b. It could not declare war.
c. It could not impose taxes.
d. It could not conduct foreign affairs.
Answer
C
6. In what ways did Shays’ Rebellion reveal the weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation?
Answer
The angry Massachusetts farmers who followed Daniel Shays were unable to pay their
debts, partly because, without the power to impose taxes, the national government
could not pay them for their service in the army as it had promised. When the governor
7 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,of Massachusetts requested help to put down the rebellion, the national government
could not send troops either, because it did not have the power to raise an army.
7. According to the Great Compromise, how would representation in Congress be
apportioned?
a. Each state would have equal representation in both the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
b. Congress would be a unicameral legislature with each state receiving equal
representation.
c. Representation in the House of Representatives would be based on each state’s
population and every state would have two senators.
d. Representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate would be
based on a state’s population.
Answer
C
8. How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention resolve their disagreement
regarding slavery?
a. It was agreed that Congress would abolish slavery in 1850.
b. It was agreed that a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes
of representation but not for purposes of taxation.
c. It was agreed that a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes
of taxation but not for purposes of representation.
d. It was agreed that 60 percent of a state’s enslaved population would be counted
for purposes of both representation and taxation.
Answer
D
9. What does separation of powers mean?
Answer
Separation of powers refers to the process of dividing government into different
branches and giving different responsibilities and powers to each branch. In this way,
the separate branches must work together to govern the nation. For example, according
to the Constitution, Congress has the power to draft legislation. However, the president
must sign a piece of proposed legislation before it becomes a law. Thus, the president
and Congress must work together to make the nation’s laws.
10. Why were The Federalist Papers written?
a. To encourage states to oppose the Constitution.
b. To encourage New York to ratify the Constitution.
c. To oppose the admission of slaveholding states to the federal union.
d. To encourage people to vote for George Washington as the nation’s first
president.
Answer
B
11. What argument did Alexander Hamilton use to convince people that it was not
dangerous to place power in the hands of one man?
a. That man would have to pass a religious test before he could become president;
thus, citizens could be sure that he was of good character.
8 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
b. One man could respond to crises more quickly than a group of men like
Congress.
c. It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group.
d. both B and C
Answer
D
12. Why did so many people oppose ratification of the Constitution, and how was their
opposition partly overcome?
Answer
Many opposed ratification of the Constitution because they thought it made the federal
government too powerful, and they feared it might become tyrannical and deprive them
of their rights. They favored greater power for the states, which they believed were
better able to protect their interests.
13. How many states must ratify an amendment before it becomes law?
a. all
b. three-fourths
c. two-thirds
d. one-half
Answer
B
14. What is the Bill of Rights?
a. first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual freedoms
b. powers given to Congress in Article I of the Constitution
c. twenty-seven amendments added to the Constitution over the years
d. document authored by Thomas Jefferson that details the rights of the citizens
Answer
A
15. What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve?
Answer
The Fourteenth Amendment gave citizenship to African Americans and made all
Americans equal before the law regardless of race or color. Over the years it has also
been used to require states to guarantee their residents the same protections as those
granted by the federal government in the Bill of Rights
9 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
, Critical Thinking Questions
RATING Failing Below Average Competent Advanced/
Sophisticated
Criteria Answer does Answer fails to Answer provides Answer clearly
for not provide an provide an argument with provides an
evaluatio argument for or examples to one or two argument with two
n. against. support an examples that or more excellent
Answer argument for or support it. examples that
contains against. Writing Writing is support it; student
inaccuracies. is poor and acceptable for makes the
Writing is poor grammatical the college level argument clearly
and contains errors are but may contain and eloquently.
numerous common. one or two Answer is well
grammatical Answer is grammatical organized and free
mistakes and somewhat mistakes or of grammatical
misspellings. incoherent. misspellings. errors and
misspellings.
POINT 0 1 2 3
VALUE
Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.
16. What core values and beliefs led to the American Revolution and the writing of the
Articles of Confederation? How do these values and beliefs affect American politics
today?
Sample Answer
Colonists’ beliefs in their natural rights to life, liberty, and property and their right to
govern themselves led to the American Revolution and continue to affect U.S. politics
today. For example, the colonists objected to direct taxation by the British government
because they believed it unfairly deprived them of their property and interfered with their
rights to self-government. The Coercive Acts, which among other things prohibited town
meetings in Massachusetts, also interfered with rights to liberty and self-government.
Today, people are still concerned with protecting their liberty and property and object to
restrictions on, for example, free speech and the right to bear arms.
17. Was Britain truly depriving colonists of their natural rights? Explain your reasoning.
Sample Answer
Great Britain was depriving colonists of some of their natural rights when, for example,
smugglers were denied trials by jury. However, in other ways the British government
was not. For example, although the colonists resented the Proclamation of 1763, which
prohibited them from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains, the British government
was not depriving them of property that already belonged to them and was restricting
settlement partly to protect them. Although colonists objected to being taxed by a
Parliament they played no part in electing, Parliament was expected to act on behalf of
all British citizens; many taxpayers who lived in England, including women, could not
vote either.
18. Do the Constitution and the Bill of Rights protect the life, liberty, and property of all
Americans? Why or why not?
10 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement........................................................3
Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins..............................................................................7
Chapter 3: American Federalism............................................................................................12
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties........................................................................................................18
Chapter 5: Civil Rights............................................................................................................25
Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion................................................................................30
Chapter 7: Voting and Elections.............................................................................................35
Chapter 8: The Media............................................................................................................40
Chapter 9: Political Parties .................................................................................................... 46
Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying.............................................................................50
Chapter 11: Congress.............................................................................................................56
Chapter 12: The Presidency....................................................................................................62
Chapter 13: The Courts..........................................................................................................67
Chapter 14: State and Local Government...............................................................................74
Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy.................................................................................................79
Chapter 16: Domestic Policy .................................................................................................. 83
Chapter 17: Foreign Policy.....................................................................................................88
,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement
Review Questions
1. What goods are available to all without direct payment?
a. private goods
b. public goods
c. common goods
d. toll goods
Answer
B
2. In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?
a. direct democracy
b. monarchy
c. oligarchy
d. totalitarian
Answer
C
3. What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?
Answer
In a representative democracy, people elect representatives to make political decisions
and pass laws for them. In a direct democracy, people make all political decisions and
pass laws themselves.
4. What does government do for people?
Answer
Government does many things for people. It maintains stability within the nation. It
provides important services for all without direct payment. Finally, it provides a structure
through which laws can be created and people can make their opinions known.
5. The elite theory of government maintains that ________.
a. special interest groups make government policy
b. politicians who have held office for a long time are favored by voters
c. poor people and people of color should not be allowed to vote
d. wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no
interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people
Answer
D
6. According to the pluralist theory of government, ________.
a. government does what the majority of voters want it to do
b. government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with
different goals and interests
c. ordinary people acting on their own have a significant influence on government
d. wealthy people decide what government policy will be, and politicians have no
interest in pleasing anyone else
Answer
B
3 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,7. Which of the following is a good example of a tradeoff?
a. The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but
also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.
b. The government pleases environmental activists by reintroducing wolves to
Yellowstone National Park but angers ranchers by placing their cattle in danger.
c. The government pleases oil companies by allowing them to drill on lands set
aside for conservation but allows environmental activist groups to protest the
drilling operations.
d. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are all allowed to protest
outside Congress and the White House.
Answer
A
8. Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself
as a member of that party is an example of ________.
a. partisanship
b. ideology
c. latent preference
d. social capital
Answer
A
9. When a person is asked a question about a political issue that he or she has little
interest in and has not thought much about, that person’s answer will likely reflect
________.
a. ideology
b. partisanship
c. intense preferences
d. latent preferences
Answer
D
10. What kinds of people are most likely to become active in politics or community
service?
Answer
Political and civic engagement is most common among older people, especially those
with higher education and financial resources. Younger people are interested in
volunteering to help others, but they tend to dislike politics.
11. What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?
Answer
People can pay attention to the news in order to be aware of the most important issues
of the day. They can contribute money to a campaign or attend a rally in support of a
political candidate whose views they favor. They can write letters to members of
Congress and to state and local politicians. They can vote.
4 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
Critical Thinking Questions
RATING Failing Below Average Competent Advanced/
Sophisticated
Criteria Answer does Answer fails to Answer provides Answer clearly
for not provide an provide an argument with provides an
evaluatio argument for or examples to one or two argument with two
n. against. support an examples that or more excellent
Answer argument for or support it. examples that
contains against. Writing Writing is support it; student
inaccuracies. is poor and acceptable for makes the
Writing is poor grammatical the college level argument clearly
and contains errors are but may contain and eloquently.
numerous common. one or two Answer is well
grammatical Answer is grammatical organized and free
mistakes and somewhat mistakes or of grammatical
misspellings. incoherent. misspellings. errors and
misspellings.
POINT 0 1 2 3
VALUE
Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.
12. Is citizen engagement necessary for a democracy to function? Explain.
Sample Answer
Citizen engagement is crucial in a democracy. If citizens do not become engaged in
government through actions such as becoming acquainted with the issues, signing
petitions, and voting, then laws will not change at local, state, or national levels.
Politicians are interested in what potential voters have to say, and unless they know
what is of concern to the majority of ordinary people, they will not know how to act in
order to please the voters once elected. Although many people fear that the wealthy
exercise great power in government, those who feel this way should realize that without
citizen engagement, there will be even fewer restrictions on the power of elites.
13. Which is the more important reason for being engaged: to gain power or improve
the quality of life? Why?
Sample Answer
Both are important. Becoming engaged is necessary to improve the quality of life not
just for ourselves or a particular group we may belong to, such as college students, but
for others as well. Indeed, attempting to improve our own quality of life may improve it
for others as well. If, for example, college students work to cap rents in a city in order to
provide affordable housing for themselves, their efforts may end up helping poor city
dwellers as well. However, sometimes before certain groups of people are able to act to
improve the quality of their own lives or those of others, they often must first gain basic
political power, such as the power to vote, organize, or hold office.
5 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,14. Are all Americans equally able to become engaged in government? What factors
make it more possible for some people to become engaged than others? What could be
done to change this?
Sample Answer
Political engagement is easier for some citizens than others. Those with higher levels of
income and education and more free time can contribute money to fundraising efforts
and volunteer for campaigns or become active in interest groups. However, there are
forms of engagement in which all can participate: listening to the news, answering
surveys, and voting. To make it easier to participate, voter registration could be made
easier and laws making it difficult for students to vote outside their states of residence
could be changed.
15. Which pathways of engagement in U.S. government do you plan to follow? Why do
you prefer these approaches?
Sample Answer
[Answers will vary according to personal choice, but a sample answer might look like
the following:] Becoming acquainted with political issues, volunteering for political
campaigns, and voting are what I would choose to do. Becoming acquainted with
political issues is the most basic way to become engaged and should be done before
engaging in other kinds of political activity. Volunteering for political campaigns and
voting are good ways to help a candidate who supports issues that are important to me.
These methods of engagement also do not cost a lot of money.
16. Are there any redeeming qualities to elitism and any downsides to pluralism? Are
there benefits to having elites rule? Are there problems with allowing interest groups to
exercise influence over government? Explain.
Sample Answer
There are some benefits to having elites rule. Elites are better educated than the
average citizen, and they have more experience with business, law, or politics. As a
result, they may be better able to understand the issues and the way government
functions. In theory, there are no real problems with having interest groups exercise
power over government if they represent a wide variety of voters and voter interests. In
reality, most political decisions end up being tradeoffs between competing groups; thus,
no one group dominates U.S. politics.
6 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins
Review Questions
1. British colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly
influenced by the political thought of ________.
a. King James II
b. Thomas Jefferson
c. John Locke
d. James Madison
Answer
C. John Locke
2. The agreement that citizens will consent to be governed so long as government
protects their natural rights is called ________.
a. the divine right of kings
b. the social contract
c. a bill of rights
d. due process
Answer
B. the social contract
3. What key tenets of American political thought were influential in the decision to declare
independence from Britain?
Answer
Americans believed all people (i.e., White males) possessed the rights to life, liberty,
and property. The best way to protect these rights was by limiting the power of
government and allowing people to govern themselves.
4. What actions by the British government convinced the colonists that they needed to
declare their independence?
Answer
The Proclamation of 1763 prevented the colonists from claiming property west of the
Appalachian Mountains. The British government imposed numerous taxes through the
Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts to which the colonists had not given their consent;
it had also denied people the right to a trial by jury and interfered with the colonial
practice of self-government
5. What important power did the national government lack under the Articles of
Confederation?
a. It could not coin money.
b. It could not declare war.
c. It could not impose taxes.
d. It could not conduct foreign affairs.
Answer
C
6. In what ways did Shays’ Rebellion reveal the weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation?
Answer
The angry Massachusetts farmers who followed Daniel Shays were unable to pay their
debts, partly because, without the power to impose taxes, the national government
could not pay them for their service in the army as it had promised. When the governor
7 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,of Massachusetts requested help to put down the rebellion, the national government
could not send troops either, because it did not have the power to raise an army.
7. According to the Great Compromise, how would representation in Congress be
apportioned?
a. Each state would have equal representation in both the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
b. Congress would be a unicameral legislature with each state receiving equal
representation.
c. Representation in the House of Representatives would be based on each state’s
population and every state would have two senators.
d. Representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate would be
based on a state’s population.
Answer
C
8. How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention resolve their disagreement
regarding slavery?
a. It was agreed that Congress would abolish slavery in 1850.
b. It was agreed that a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes
of representation but not for purposes of taxation.
c. It was agreed that a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes
of taxation but not for purposes of representation.
d. It was agreed that 60 percent of a state’s enslaved population would be counted
for purposes of both representation and taxation.
Answer
D
9. What does separation of powers mean?
Answer
Separation of powers refers to the process of dividing government into different
branches and giving different responsibilities and powers to each branch. In this way,
the separate branches must work together to govern the nation. For example, according
to the Constitution, Congress has the power to draft legislation. However, the president
must sign a piece of proposed legislation before it becomes a law. Thus, the president
and Congress must work together to make the nation’s laws.
10. Why were The Federalist Papers written?
a. To encourage states to oppose the Constitution.
b. To encourage New York to ratify the Constitution.
c. To oppose the admission of slaveholding states to the federal union.
d. To encourage people to vote for George Washington as the nation’s first
president.
Answer
B
11. What argument did Alexander Hamilton use to convince people that it was not
dangerous to place power in the hands of one man?
a. That man would have to pass a religious test before he could become president;
thus, citizens could be sure that he was of good character.
8 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
,OpenStax American Government 3e Instructor Answer Guide
b. One man could respond to crises more quickly than a group of men like
Congress.
c. It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group.
d. both B and C
Answer
D
12. Why did so many people oppose ratification of the Constitution, and how was their
opposition partly overcome?
Answer
Many opposed ratification of the Constitution because they thought it made the federal
government too powerful, and they feared it might become tyrannical and deprive them
of their rights. They favored greater power for the states, which they believed were
better able to protect their interests.
13. How many states must ratify an amendment before it becomes law?
a. all
b. three-fourths
c. two-thirds
d. one-half
Answer
B
14. What is the Bill of Rights?
a. first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual freedoms
b. powers given to Congress in Article I of the Constitution
c. twenty-seven amendments added to the Constitution over the years
d. document authored by Thomas Jefferson that details the rights of the citizens
Answer
A
15. What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve?
Answer
The Fourteenth Amendment gave citizenship to African Americans and made all
Americans equal before the law regardless of race or color. Over the years it has also
been used to require states to guarantee their residents the same protections as those
granted by the federal government in the Bill of Rights
9 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
, Critical Thinking Questions
RATING Failing Below Average Competent Advanced/
Sophisticated
Criteria Answer does Answer fails to Answer provides Answer clearly
for not provide an provide an argument with provides an
evaluatio argument for or examples to one or two argument with two
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VALUE
Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.
16. What core values and beliefs led to the American Revolution and the writing of the
Articles of Confederation? How do these values and beliefs affect American politics
today?
Sample Answer
Colonists’ beliefs in their natural rights to life, liberty, and property and their right to
govern themselves led to the American Revolution and continue to affect U.S. politics
today. For example, the colonists objected to direct taxation by the British government
because they believed it unfairly deprived them of their property and interfered with their
rights to self-government. The Coercive Acts, which among other things prohibited town
meetings in Massachusetts, also interfered with rights to liberty and self-government.
Today, people are still concerned with protecting their liberty and property and object to
restrictions on, for example, free speech and the right to bear arms.
17. Was Britain truly depriving colonists of their natural rights? Explain your reasoning.
Sample Answer
Great Britain was depriving colonists of some of their natural rights when, for example,
smugglers were denied trials by jury. However, in other ways the British government
was not. For example, although the colonists resented the Proclamation of 1763, which
prohibited them from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains, the British government
was not depriving them of property that already belonged to them and was restricting
settlement partly to protect them. Although colonists objected to being taxed by a
Parliament they played no part in electing, Parliament was expected to act on behalf of
all British citizens; many taxpayers who lived in England, including women, could not
vote either.
18. Do the Constitution and the Bill of Rights protect the life, liberty, and property of all
Americans? Why or why not?
10 Last Updated: August 28, 2023
