Study Questions
Political Science 2301

American Government

  1. Chapter 1: The Democratic Republic
    1. What are the basic concepts associated with the study of American government?
    2. What are the basic purposes of government?
    3. What constitutes the political system model of politics?
    4. What are the component parts of the political system model?
    5. What are some basic models of government?
    6. What is meant by the concept of democracy?
    7. What is the difference between direct democracy and indirect democracy?
    8. Describe competing theories of how the U.S. democracy works. [Differentiate between majoritarianism, elite theories, and pluralism.]
    9. What is meant by the concept of political culture?
    10. What is meant by the concept of political ideology?
    11. Distinguish between liberalism and conservatism.
    12. How do liberals and conservatives differ with respect to the role of government in the economy, and personal beliefs and behavior?
    13. What is meant by the traditional political spectrum?
    14. In what manner is the study of diversity important for the study of politics?
    15. Evaluate the challenges to the U.S. system posed by demographic changes and globalization.
  2. Chapter 2: The Constitution
    1. What is the meaning of the term constitution?
    2. What important principles underlie the U.S. Constitution?
    3. What are the events and circumstances (forces) that led to the Constitution of 1787?
    4. What is the impact of the early settlements on later political development?
    5. Trace the events and circumstances that led to the Revolutionary War.
    6. Outline the characteristics of the new political philosophy that influenced the drafting of the Constitution of 1787?
    7. Explain the development of the Articles of Confederation.
    8. Explain the structure of the Articles of Confederation and the problems of this new government.
    9. Explain the impact of Shays's Rebellion.
    10. Identify and describe the compromises of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
    11. Explain the problem of representation in the new Congress.
    12. Describe the battle for ratification of the Constitution of 1787.
    13. Describe the significant features that comprise the new constitutional government.
    14. What is meant by the concept of separation of powers?
    15. What is meant by the concept of system of checks and balances?
    16. Describe the formal stages for amending the Constitution.
    17. Describe the informal ways for altering the Constitution.
  3. Chapter 3: Federalism
    1. What is the importance of federalism today?
    2. Federalism is associated with what constitutional issues today?
    3. Identify and describe the three different ways nations structure relations between a central government and local units of government - unitary, confederal, and federal.
    4. What are advantages and disadvantages of federalism?
    5. In the case of McCulloch v. Maryland what are the facts, issues, and ruling of the court?
    6. In the case of Gibbons v. Ogden what are the facts, issues, and ruling of the court?
    7. What is the significance of the Supreme Court's rulings in McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden?
    8. What were the consequences of the Civil War with respect to the U.S. federalism?
    9. What different types of powers are associated with governments at both national and state levels?
    10. How has federalism changed with the growth in government? [Hint: What are the different views of federalism?]
    11. What is meant by the concepts of dual federalism, cooperative federalism, and picket-fence federalism?
    12. How has money being used to alter the relationship between the national government anda the states?
    13. What are the different categories of federal aid programs to the states? Be sure to distinguish between the different types.
    14. What types of interstate relations exist among the states? [Hint: What is meant by horizontal federalism?]
  4. Chapter 6: Public Opinion and Political Socialization
    1. What is public opinion?
    2. How is public opinion expressed?
    3. What are the types of public opinion?
    4. Identify the different characteristics of public opinion?
    5. What is meant by the concept of political socialization?
    6. Explain the impact of various agents of political socialization.
    7. Explain the influence of religion, geography, ideology, race, occupation and socioeconomic status on voting behavior.
    8. Define and explain the gender gap.
    9. What is a public opinion poll?
    10. Identify and describe the different types of polls.  In what manner are they different?
    11. What is meant by sampling error, universe, and representative sample?
    12. What are the common sources of error in public opinion polls?
    13. What are the trends in public opinion regarding the level of trust in government and confidence in American institutions?
  5. Chapter 7: Interest Groups
    1. What are interest groups?
    2. What concerns exist today regarding the activities of special interest groups?
    3. What were the concerns of the Founding Fathers with respect to the role of factions?
    4. Explain the formation of interest groups.
    5. Why do people participate in interest groups?
    6. What functions/roles do interest groups perform in the political system?
    7. Identify different types of interest groups and describe their preferences in public policy.
    8. Which are some of the well known interest groups?
    9. What is the difference between economic interest groups and public interest groups?
    10. What makes an interest group powerful?
    11. Distinguish among the different types of techniques adopted by interest groups to influence public policy. [Direct technique versus indirect technique]
    12. What is lobbying?
    13. What are PACs and what role do they perform in the arena of politics?
    14. What are the concerns raised today by the link between money and special interest groups?
    15. Describe regulations governing lobbyists today.
    16. What is meant by an iron triangle?
    17. Identify some of the more powerful interest groups in Texas.
    18. What are some factors that affect interest group power in Texas and why?
    19. Explain how the structure of government and nature of politics in Texas contribute to greater interest group influence.
  6. Chapter 8: Political Parties
    1. What are political parties?
    2. What distinguishes a political party from an interest group?
    3. What significant changes in party leadership have occurred after recent Congressional elections?
    4. What are the functions associated with political parties?
    5. What are the core beliefs of the Republican Party and Democratic Party?
    6. What is the evolution of political parties in the United States? [Identify the different party eras associated with the development of American political parties]
    7. What is meant by party realignment and party periods?
    8. What are significant characteristics associated with the different party periods?
    9. What are party machines?
    10. What constituted the progressive period and its corresponding reforms?
    11. What is meant by party dealignment, divided government, and ticket-splitting?
    12. What explains a two-party system in the United States?
    13. Describe the three faces of a political party. [Identify the component parts of a political party]
    14. Identify and describe the three main levels of the party organization.
    15. Identify the following concepts:  national conventions, national committees, national chairpersons, caucuses, and primaries.
    16. What are the different types of third parties and/or minor parties in the U.S.?
    17. What is the role of third parties in the American political system?
    18. Describe the historical development of the one-party tradition in Texas.
    19. What are key events and personalities associated with the dominance of the Democratic Party?
    20. Describe the rise of the Republican Party in Texas.
    21. What is the difference between between the temporary party organizations and permanent party organizations in Texas political parties?
  7. Chapter 9: Voting and Elections
    1. What is meant by franchise and suffrage?
    2. What are the different stages in the expansion of suffrage for the American electorate?
    3. What were some early restrictions on suffrage in the U.S.?
    4. Describe recent levels of voter turnout in the U.S.?
    5. What are some important determinants or explainations of voting in the United States?
  8. Chapter 10: Campaigning for Office
    1. What reasons are given as to why individuals seek public office?
    2. What are some recent, important changes associated with campaigning for public office?
    3. What constitutes the modern 21st century campaign?
    4. What changes have occurred in the costs and expenses of today's campaigns?
    5. Identify and describe the two phases of a successful campaign and election.
    6. Identify and describe the two phases of a successful presidential campaign.
    7. What is the difference between presidential primaries and caucuses?
    8. How does an individual become president of the United States?
    9. What are some changes associated with campaign finance reform?
    10. What is the electoral college?
    11. How does the electoral college function?
    12. What is the criticism of the electoral college?
    13. What are the levels of voter turnout in Texas?
    14. What explains voter turnout levels in Texas?
  9. Chapter 11: The Media and Cyberpolitics
    1. How does one describe the power of the media in the United States?
    2. What is meant by the media?
    3. What different mediums of communication constitute the media?
    4. What are major functions are performed by the media in our society?
    5. What have been key changes in the historical development of the media in the United States?
    6. What constitutes the print media, the broadcast media, and the electronic media?
    7. Describe the relationship between the media and political campaigns?
    8. What kind of relationship exists between the media and politicians? [Distinguish adversarial and symbiotic relationships, and levels of interaction]
    9. Describe the relationship between the media and recent presidential administrations.
    10. What is meant by the concentration of media ownership?
    11. Describe the different forms of alleged bias in the media?

    10. Texas Politics

  10. Chapter 19:  Texas History and Culture
    1. What are important stages in the historical development of Texas?
    2. What factors shape Texas politics?
    3. Describe the social and political factors leading to state's annexation into the Union.
    4. Identify the roles of various figures in shaping public policy in Texas.
    5. Explain the emergence of the Republican Party as a force in Texas politics.
    6. How does one characterize Texas politics?
    7. Describe the impact of cultural and demographic changes on Texas politics.
    8. What is the link between the development of the state's economy and Texas politics?
    9. What are the types of political subcultures?
    10. What constitutes the Texas political culture?
  11. Chapter 20: The Texas Constitution
    1. What are the significant historical and constituional highlights in the formulation of educational finance policy in Texas?
    2. What was the decision of the Texas Supreme Court in Edgewood v. Kirby and its significance?
    3. What was the decision of the Texas Supreme Court in Neeley v. West Orange-Cove Consolidated ISD and its significance?
    4. How do state constitutions differ from the U.S. Constitution?
    5. What are the purposes of state constitutions?
    6. What events and issues are associated with the Texas constitutional history?
    7. How do the six state constitutions differ from each other?
    8. What are significant characteristics of the present Texas Constitution (6th constitution, 1876)?
    9. What are major criticisms directed against the present Texas Constitution?
    10. What is the process whereby the Texas Constitution is formally amended?
    11. What major concerns are raised with respect to constitutional change via the amendment process in Texas?
    12. What are alternative methods for altering the Texas Constitution?
  12. Chapter 28: Local Government
    1. Why are local government important?
    2. What are the different types of local government?
    3. What local services do city governments provide in Texas?
    4. How are municipal governments created in Texas?
    5. What is the difference between a general-law and a home-rule city?
    6. What are the different types of municipal government?
    7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of at-large elections and single-member district elections?
    8. Distinguish between a commissioners court and the commission form of local government.
    9. What are the major revenue sources for city governments in Texas?
    10. What functions do county governments perform in Texas?
    11. What is the structure of county government in Texas?
    12. What officials make up the commissioners court?
    13. What functions does the commissioners court perform?
    14. What are the responsibilities associated with each of the following county officials: county sheriff, district attorney, county attorney, county clerk, district clerk, tax-assessor collector, and treasurer?
    15. How are county governments financed?
    16. Why are special district governments created in Texas?
    17. What are the different types of special district governments?
    18. How is public education financed in Texas?
    19. What are council of governments?