CHAPTER 1
Civics and Government
Types of Historical and Modern Governments
Governments are institutions that make, interpret, and implement laws for the people in a community. These processes maintain order in society and provide security for citizens.
There have been many different kinds of governments throughout history, and many different kinds exist today. In the United States, the citizens play an important role in government. Through elections, Americans choose their leaders. United States citizens benefit from a government that was created to protect their rights and freedoms.
Most governments throughout history can be classified into four basic types: oligarchy, monarchy, dictatorship, and democracy.
An oligarchy is a political system in which power is held by a small group of people. These people are usually members of an upper class such as nobles or military officers. They are not elected by the citizens. In an oligarchy, the rulers typically exercise power in their particular interests rather than on behalf of society at large.
In a monarchy, power is held by a king, queen, emperor, or empress. This leader generally rules until the end of his or her life. Then leadership is passed on to his or her heirs. In a traditional monarchy, the leader has absolute power. In a constitutional monarchy such as Great Britain or the Netherlands, the ruler’s powers are limited by laws that may be written or unwritten. In modern constitutional monarchies, the ruler has little power and functions mainly as a ceremonial head of state.
A dictatorship is a type of government in which a single leader exercises absolute power over nearly every aspect of life in a country, including political, social, and economic issues. The leader, or dictator, is not bound by any rules and can enact or change laws at will. Elections, if they are permitted, are usually meaningless because no transfer of power is allowed.
In a democracy, citizens exercise power on their own behalf. The earliest democracy was established in the small city-state of Athens in ancient Greece in 510 BCE. This was a direct democracy in which all citizens participated directly in making laws and in the government. Today’s democracies, in much larger nations, are representative democracies in which citizens elect representatives to carry out the functions of government. In a democracy, every citizen has a voice, either directly or through elected representatives, in how the country is governed. When the head of state is a person elected by voters (rather than a hereditary constitutional monarch), this form of government is called a republic.
A democracy may be either parliamentary or presidential. A parliamentary democracy, such as those in Australia, Great Britain, and Canada, is a type of government in which government leaders are chosen by the political party that holds a majority of seats in the legislature, or parliament, based on elections. If no party holds a majority, several parties may work together to form a coalition government. Executive power is exercised by a prime minister, premier, or chancellor, assisted by cabinet members. The prime minister is the head of the government and is the leader of the political party that has the most seats in parliament. The government remains in office as long as the parliament supports its policies.
A presidential democracy, such as those in the United States and France, functions somewhat differently. This kind of democracy is headed by a powerful chief executive, called the president, who is elected by the voters, generally for a set number of years. The president is separate from the legislature and exercises a considerable amount of independent power, but his or her actions are limited by the constitution and other laws.
EXERCISE 1
Types of Historical and Modern Governments
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. In which of the following governments does a leader have the most control over citizens’ lives?
A. oligarchy
B. monarchy
C. dictatorship
D. democracy
2. Read each characteristic of a democracy. In the space, indicate whether each characteristic is found in a direct or representative democracy. Use D for direct democracy and R for representative democracy.
______ Every citizen can place proposals on the ballot, and a proposal becomes law if the majority vote for it.
______ Citizens elect a legislature to rule the country.
______ Delegates represent the wishes of the voting citizens.
______ Power to veto laws rests with the citizens themselves.
Answers are on page 823.
Basic Principles of American Constitutional Democracy
The founders of the American political system based their ideas on a number of principles developed by earlier thinkers in Great Britain and elsewhere in Europe. One of these principles, the philosophy of natural rights, was included in the Declaration of Independence.
According to this idea, individuals have certain rights just by the fact that they are human beings. These rights are derived from nature; they are not allowed by a ruler or permitted by a law. Also, they are absolute and not revocable. The idea of natural rights dates back to the European Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries. The Scottish philosopher John Locke (1632–1704) stated that the duty of government is to protect people’s rights to life, liberty, and property. The Declaration of Independence states that people are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” and states that these include the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
A second principle that contributes to American democracy is popular sovereignty. According to this principle, the government derives its power from the consent of the governed. Furthermore, people who are subject to the government’s decisions have the right to a voice in deciding how those decisions are reached. This was a fundamental belief of the 18th-century American colonists who demanded a say in how the colonies were governed. Following the Revolutionary War, the idea of popular sovereignty was one of the bases on which the government of the United States was founded. The people, through their elected representatives, have a voice in how governmental decisions are made.
Constitutionalism is a way of thinking that combines the ideas of a limited government and the rule of law. These ideas are found throughout the Constitution of the United States. The government is entitled to exercise certain powers, but its powers are also limited in order to protect the rights of the citizens. Limited government means that government’s powers are spelled out and also limited by the laws and the Constitution. The rule of law means that neither the citizens nor the government officials are permitted to break the laws or to violate the Constitution.
The idea of constitutionalism was written into the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution. The Preamble states that the government is given the powers needed to protect the people, but that its powers are limited and cannot be used unjustly against the citizens.
Because the U.S. government is based on the consent of the governed, majority rule is an important basic concept. Simply put, decisions are made by a vote of more than half of the people who participate, whether it is an election or an act of the legislature.
The founders were also aware that a majority might abuse its power and might not respect the rights of a minority. In a democracy, majority rule needs to be limited so that minority rights are guaranteed. Those with unpopular views, whether they are individuals or minority groups, must be protected from oppression by the majority. One way this protection is granted in the United States is by the Bill of Rights, which protects the basic rights of individual citizens.
Another important principle, called federalism, provides for the separation of powers and functions between the federal government and the governments of the states. The federal government exercises supreme power throughout the country and has exclusive control over issues such as:
• Declaring war
• Making treaties with other countries
• National defense
• Regulating trade
The state governments control:
• Functions that are not assigned to the federal government
• Local issues covered by state and local laws
The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants powers to the states that the Constitution has not assigned specifically to the federal government.
EXERCISE 2
Basic Principles of American Constitutional Democracy
Directions: Read the following statements, and then choose the principle that is addressed.
1. “All . . . will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect and to violate would be oppression.” —Thomas Jefferson
A. limited government
B. minority rights
C. popular sovereignty
D. natural rights philosophy
2. Everyone deserves to enjoy certain freedoms and to have the opportunity to obtain a reasonable quality of life.
A. limited government
B. minority rights
C. popular sovereignty
D. natural rights philosophy
3. Citizens are able to voice their opinions on the rules and laws by which they are expected to live.
A. limited government
B. minority rights
C. popular sovereignty
D. natural rights philosophy
4. The Scottish philosopher John Locke declared that the duty of government is to protect people’s rights to life, liberty, and property.
A. limited government
B. minority rights
C. popular sovereignty
D. natural rights philosophy
5. At the time the U.S. Constitution was written, the federal government was not permitted to raise money for itself and had to depend on the states to provide the funds needed to operate the country.
A. limited government
B. minority rights
C. popular sovereignty
D. natural rights philosophy
Answers are on page 823.
Structure and Design of the U.S. Federal Government
The structure of the U.S. federal government is based on a principle called the separation of powers. The Constitution divides the federal government into three branches: the executive branch (the president), the legislative branch (Congress), and the judicial branch (the court system). In this way, power is divided. The division prevents any one branch of the government from having too much power. It also means that if one branch abuses its power, the other two are available to restrain it. Thus each branch checks the power of the other two. This is known as a system of checks and balances. This division of government into three branches was first proposed by the French political philosopher Montesquieu in the 18th century. He believed that this division of power promoted liberty. The idea of separation of powers is one of the main components of modern constitutional government.
Each of the three branches of government serves a distinct purpose. The legislative branch, which is Congress, makes the laws. The executive branch is the president and the members of his or her administration. The president is elected separately from the members of Congress. The executive branch is responsible for enforcing the laws. It also has the power to veto acts of Congress, thus limiting the power of the legislative branch. The judicial branch, which is the court system, is responsible for interpreting the laws.
EXERCISE 3
Structure and Design of the U.S. Federal Government
Directions: Follow the instructions to answer the question.
1. Read each of the following statements. For each one, decide which branch of government is being checked by the action described. Then indicate the column in the table where each statement belongs. (Note: On the real GED® test, you will click on each statement and “drag” it into position in the diagram.)
Answers are on page 823.
The Legislative Branch
The legislative branch of government, the U.S. Congress, is composed of two houses. These are the House of Representatives, or the lower house, and the Senate, or the upper house. These two houses are equal in power. They differ in how they are elected and in the number of members in each house. Members of the House are elected from districts that each include a roughly equal number of voters. The districts are redrawn (“reapportioned”) every 10 years based on the results of a census. States with larger populations contain more electoral districts and therefore elect more members to the House. Members of the House serve two-year terms. In the Senate, by contrast, each state is represented by two senators, regardless of the state’s population. Thus states with small populations have the same number of votes in the Senate as states with large populations. Senators are elected by all the voters in a state. They serve six-year terms, with one-third up for election every two years. The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the House and is elected by the members. He or she is typically the leader of the majority party.
The powers of Congress are listed in Article I of the U.S. Constitution. These listed powers are called enumerated powers, although the elastic clause allows Congress to stretch its powers to fit specific situations as needed. Some of the enumerated powers held by Congress include the power to tax, to regulate commerce and the currency, to introduce bills, to declare war, to maintain the army and navy, to admit new states into the Union, to approve treaties, and to impeach the president. Most of these powers are shared by both houses; however, some are assigned to either the Senate or the House only.
EXERCISE 4
The Legislative Branch
Directions: Use the map to answer the following questions.
1. During the 113th Congress, which began on January 3, 2013, California had 53 representatives. What does that indicate?
A. California had a greater population than any other state at the time the Constitution was ratified.
B. At the time of this session of Congress, the population of California was greater than that of any other state.
C. More voters in California participated in the 2012 presidential election than in any other state.
D. California has the greatest land area, in square miles, of any state in the country.
2. What can you infer based on the map?
A. Texas has always had 36 representatives because it is the largest state by area.
B. Certain states will always have the greatest number of representatives.
C. The number of representatives for each state can change every 10 years based on census results.
D. Western states such as California and Oregon have a greater number of representatives than states in the east.
3. Which state gained the most representatives in 2010?
A. California
B. Florida
C. Georgia
D. New York
Answers are on page 823.
The Executive Branch
The executive branch of the government includes the president, the vice president, and the agencies that enforce the laws of the United States. The president, who is the head of the government of the United States, is elected by the people for a four-year term, and may serve no more than two terms. Article II of the Constitution outlines the responsibilities of the president, which include serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, appointing judges to the Supreme Court, nominating major executive officers, executing and enforcing laws enacted by Congress, and vetoing bills sent by Congress as he sees fit. Congress can override the president’s veto of a law with a two-thirds vote of both houses.
The U.S. Constitution gives the president the power to negotiate and sign treaties with other countries. These treaties must be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. The Constitution also requires the president to give Congress information regarding the State of the Union, which is traditionally an address to a joint session of Congress each year in January. The Constitution also established three qualifications for being elected president: a candidate must be at least 35 years old, must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, and must have lived in the country for a minimum of 14 years.
The vice president assumes the presidency if the president is unable to complete a term, for example, if he or she becomes disabled or dies. Thus the vice president’s major responsibility is to be prepared to take on the responsibilities of the president at a moment’s notice. The vice president also serves as president of the Senate, where his or her vote may be needed to break a tie. Other vice presidential duties are assigned at the president’s discretion. The Speaker of the House is third in line to succeed the president, following the vice president.
EXERCISE 5
The Executive Branch
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. The Constitution specifies the wording of the oath of office of the President of the United States. Read the following excerpts from the Constitution.
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
What is the central idea of the oath of office? The president will
A. protect the people of the United States.
B. support the U.S. Constitution.
C. work to preserve the land of the United States.
D. amend the U.S. Constitution as he or she finds it necessary.
2. What inference can be made about why the framers of the Constitution included the oath of office?
A. They wanted to ensure that every presidential inauguration included the same words.
B. They believed that every president would need to be protected and defended while in office.
C. They wanted to ensure that all future presidents would follow the guidelines established in the Constitution.
D. They believed that the Constitution should be mentioned every four years so no one would forget about it.
3. Read the following:
[The President] shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.
—Excerpt from the U.S. Constitution
Which statement best reflects the point of view of the framers of the Constitution?
A. No single person should have too much power in the government.
B. The Senate should have the power to appoint people to certain public offices.
C. Congress is better able to make decisions about treaties than the president.
D. The president should not make any decisions without the consent of Congress.
Question 4 is based on the following graph.
4. Based on the graph, which statement is true?
A. Most presidents have had more than one party affiliation.
B. There have been more Republican than Democratic presidents.
C. The last four presidents have been affiliated with the Whig party.
D. The next president is more likely to be a Democrat than Republican.
Answers are on page 823.
The President’s Cabinet
Within the three branches of government are many people who play important roles in the running of the country. The cabinet is a group whose role is to advise the president on subjects related to each member’s office. This group includes not only the Vice President of the United States but also the heads of executive departments, including the Attorney General and the secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veteran’s Affairs. Each of these officials is appointed by the president and then confirmed by the Senate and is responsible for running a major federal agency and for carrying out the day-to-day operations of the federal government. Each cabinet member takes the title of “Secretary” of his or her department, with the exception of the head of the justice department, who is known as the Attorney General. Following the vice president, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President pro tempore, the cabinet members are included in the line of succession to the presidency in the order in which their departments were created.
Each of the departments and agencies over which the cabinet members preside takes responsibility for a different set of government functions.
• The Department of Agriculture is responsible for ensuring the safety of food and regulating farming.
• The Department of Commerce is responsible for improving the living standards of the citizens of the country through economic development, and for regulating trade, banking, and the economy. The Census Bureau is a part of this department, as is the Patent and Trademark Office.
• The Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest government agency and includes the armed forces of the United States. This department, which is headquartered at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., helps protect the security of the country.
• The Department of Education is responsible for promoting student achievement and making sure that all students have equal access to a quality education. This department administers financial aid for students and gathers data on schools in order to guide improvements for education in the United States.
• The Department of Energy regulates utilities and is responsible for ensuring the security of the country’s power supplies. It also promotes new technology to conserve energy resources. The department provides funds for scientific research in this area.
• The Department of Health and Human Services includes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health and Administration on Aging. This department works to ensure the health of U.S. citizens and administers Medicare and Medicaid, which provide health insurance to approximately 25 percent of Americans.
• The Department of Homeland Security was established following the terrorist attacks of 2001 and is responsible for security within the United States, and for patrolling the borders. This department was created by combining 22 executive branch agencies. It includes the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Transportation Security Administration.
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) promotes affordable home ownership for U.S. citizens and makes sure that there is no discrimination against those trying to purchase a home. It provides mortgage and loan insurance, administers public housing, and offers assistance to the homeless.
• The Department of the Interior works to protect, conserve, and nurture national resources, including national parks and wildlife. This department manages about 20 percent of the land in the United States and protects endangered species. Agencies such as the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs fall under the responsibility of this department.
• The Department of Justice is the largest law office in the world. It is responsible for enforcing the laws and for protecting the interests of U.S. citizens. It works to ensure public safety, control crime, and seek justice for individuals who are guilty of committing crimes. It includes a total of 40 organizations, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
• The Department of Labor enforces labor laws in the United States and protects the safety and rights of workers. The programs of this department deal with job training, minimum wage levels, unemployment insurance, and discrimination in hiring. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics are part of this department.
• The Department of State is responsible for diplomatic relations with other countries and works to develop and implement the foreign policies of the president. This agency and its representatives reflect the United States as part of the worldwide community. The Secretary of State, who leads this department, is the president’s top advisor on foreign policy.
• The Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining and ensuring the safety of the nation’s transportation network. It was responsible for establishing the Interstate Highway System, and it includes the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• The Department of the Treasury collects taxes, manages federal finances, produces coins and currency, and oversees the financial and economic stability of the United States. It works with other agencies, with the governments of foreign countries, and with international financial institutions to raise the standard of living and encourage economic growth worldwide.
• The Department of Veterans’ Affairs offers medical care for veterans who are wounded or ill and administers benefits to those who have served in the armed forces and to their families.
EXERCISE 6
The President’s Cabinet
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. There are currently about 25 million living American veterans. Of these, approximately 75 percent served the country either during a time of war or during an official time of hostility. This means that about one-fourth of the population of the United States, about 70 million people, could be eligible for veterans’ benefits as a result of either being a veteran or being a family member or survivor of a veteran.
Based on this information, which conclusion can be drawn?
A. The Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs oversees a very large budget.
B. Benefits for veterans and their families will run out within the next decade.
C. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs will have to decrease the amount of benefits awarded.
D. Family members of veterans should not receive benefits because they did not serve our country.
2. Which department was created most recently?
A. Department of the Treasury
B. Department of Defense
C. Department of Education
D. Department of Homeland Security
Answers are on page 823.
The Judicial Branch
The judicial branch of the federal government includes the Supreme Court, the most powerful court in the country, whose responsibility is to determine whether or not laws are constitutional. This process is called judicial review. The judicial branch is also responsible for determining the meaning of laws and whether or not laws have been followed.
The Supreme Court is composed of nine justices who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The justices serve for life. The Chief Justice is the head of this elite group; the others are known as associate justices. The exact number of justices is determined by Congress. Although there have been nine members since 1869, this number had formerly been as low as six. A decision is reached when a majority of these justices agree. One responsibility of the Chief Justice is to administer the oath of office at presidential inaugurations. Another is to preside over impeachment hearings.
According to Article III of the Constitution, the Supreme Court is empowered to rule on cases that involve a state and citizens from a different state, controversies between states, and patent and copyright issues. Because the Supreme Court’s responsibility is to interpret what a law means, it generally does not hold trials. The justices may, however, accept legal briefs, hear arguments, or ask questions of the parties in the case.
In addition to the Supreme Court, the judicial branch also includes the United States district courts and United States courts of appeal. The district courts try most federal cases. The courts of appeal are responsible for reviewing appealed district court cases. These courts must abide by the decisions and interpretations of the Supreme Court. Once the Supreme Court makes a ruling or interprets a law, the inferior courts must apply this interpretation to other cases.
EXERCISE 7
The Judicial Branch
Directions: Questions 1 and 2 are based on the following table. Use the information in the table to fill in the blanks.
1. The Chief Justice who has held this office for the longest period of time is ________________.
2. The longest serving Chief Justice held this position for approximately ________________ years.
Answers are on page 824.
Amending the Constitution
According to Article V of the U.S. Constitution, the Constitution can be modified. Only 27 changes have been made despite the fact that thousands have been proposed. These changes or additions to the Constitution are called amendments. The fact that the Constitution can be modified allows the government to adapt to changes that take place in the country.
The amendment process, which is spelled out in Article V of the Constitution, begins one of two ways. Either Congress or a group of state legislatures can propose a change. The president plays no role in the process. The proposed amendment is presented to the states in the form of a joint resolution. Each state governor then submits the amendment to his or her state legislature. After an amendment has been proposed, three-fourths of the state legislatures must ratify, or approve, the change before it becomes law. The only amendment to have been ratified by all 50 states was the Twentieth Amendment. This amendment set the beginning and ending dates for presidential and congressional terms.
EXERCISE 8
Amending the Constitution
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. What can be inferred from the ratification of the Twentieth Amendment?
A. Most states do not believe amendments are necessary.
B. States do not believe that the start and end dates for political terms are important.
C. All 50 states will never agree on proposed amendments in the future.
D. Just one amendment was ratified by all 50 states.
2. Congress once debated a proposed amendment that would have lowered the voting age from 18 to 16, but the proposal was defeated. What point of view does this defeat reflect?
A. A minority of representatives and senators favored raising the minimum voting age.
B. Most legislators believed that high school students are ready to vote.
C. The president believed that people should not be allowed to vote at 16 years of age.
D. Most representatives and senators thought that only people aged 18 or older should be able to vote.
Answers are on page 824.
The Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, which were proposed and ratified by the First Congress, are known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments were proposed by James Madison in 1789 because several states wanted the Constitution to provide stronger protection for individual liberties. The amendments in the Bill of Rights place specific restrictions on the government’s power and guarantee certain rights and civil liberties to the citizens. These civil liberties include freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and assembly, and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures.
Bill of Rights
| Amendment I | Freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition |
| Amendment II | Right to keep and bear arms in order to maintain a well-regulated militia |
| Amendment III | No quartering of soldiers in private homes without the owner’s consent |
| Amendment IV | Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures |
| Amendment V | Right to due process of law; freedom from self-incrimination and double jeopardy |
| Amendment VI | Rights of accused persons, such as the right to a speedy and public trial by jury |
| Amendment VII | Right of trial by jury in civil cases |
| Amendment VIII | Freedom from excessive bail and from cruel and unusual punishments |
| Amendment IX | Rights in addition to those stated in the Constitution |
| Amendment X | Powers reserved to the states |
EXERCISE 9
The Bill of Rights
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. Read each statement. Determine which amendment in the Bill of Rights applies to each situation. Write the number of the amendment on the line.
______ A newspaper prints an editorial criticizing the actions of a political candidate.
______ A person is selected to be a member of a jury during the trial of someone accused of criminal activity.
______ During a routine traffic stop, authorities demand to search for stolen goods in the driver’s vehicle.
______ A person is tried for a crime and found not guilty; however, many in the community believe that the verdict is wrong and the accused should be tried again.
______ A homeowner purchases a personal firearm after robberies are committed in the neighborhood.
2. Several amendments in the Bill of Rights, including Amendments IV, V, and VI (4, 5, and 6), provide protection for people who are accused of a crime. Indicate which of the following rights are covered by these amendments by placing an X on the line.
______ Protection against being tried twice for the same crime
______ The right to freely practice religion
______ The right to a speedy trial
______ The right to freedom of the press
______ Protection from being forced to house soldiers
______ The right to bear arms
______ The right to avoid self-incrimination
3. Read the following passage, and then answer the question.
The happy Union of these States is a wonder; their Constitution a miracle; their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world.
—President James Madison (1829)
What did Madison mean by the phrase “the hope of Liberty throughout the world”?
A. People in other countries look at the United States and hope that someday Americans will be free.
B. Everyone around the world will someday enjoy the same rights as citizens of the United States.
C. People in the United States do not believe that people in other countries will also gain liberty.
D. People in other countries will see that it is possible for a government to protect the freedom of its people.
Answers are on page 824.
Citizens’ Rights and Civic Responsibilities
The Bill of Rights guarantees certain civil rights of American citizens. Other rights protected by the federal government but not included in the Bill of Rights are economic rights. These include the right to own property or a business. The government also protects people from discrimination by enacting laws that ensure equal treatment of people regardless of race, religion, age, or gender.
American citizens have responsibilities to their country and community as well. Civic responsibilities are key to making a democratic system of government work. Civic responsibilities of the citizens in the United States include paying taxes, registering for military service, performing jury service, and obeying federal, state, and local laws. Paying taxes provides the government with the funds needed to provide public goods and services, such as schools, law enforcement, roads, and parks. Serving on juries enables those accused of crimes to have a trial before a jury of their peers, as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Registering for military service helps to protect the country.
Civic responsibilities also include voting. Because the United States is a democracy, it is important for people to voice their opinions by voting. Citizens who have reached the age of 18 can register to vote and thus help select government officials and influence government policy.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, four address who is able to vote. These amendments stipulate that citizens must be 18 years old or older, and may be men or women of any race. The amendments also guarantee that citizens are not required to pay a special tax in order to vote.
EXERCISE 10
Citizens’ Rights and Civic Responsibilities
Directions: Use the following Official Ballot to answer Questions 1 and 2.
1. Fill in the blank with the name of the candidate who is running for judge of Court of Special Appeals Appellate Circuit 6. ________________
2. James P. Gray is running for which office?
A. President
B. U.S. senator
C. Vice President
D. Court of Appeals judge
3. Suppose a voter wants to vote for a candidate who is not listed as running for the U.S. Senate. Using the information on the ballot, what can the voter do?
A. Contact the Senate
B. Notify a poll worker
C. Create a new ballot that includes the unlisted candidate
D. Write in the name of the unlisted candidate on the ballot
Answers are on page 824.
Political Parties
Political parties are organizations that seek power and influence within the government. The members of a party share similar opinions and ideas about many issues. The members of a party choose a candidate to run for a government office and work to gain public support and votes for their chosen candidate.
In the early years of the United States, there were political parties that were different from the ones we see today. The issues they faced were different from the ones that are the focus of politics today. The first political parties were established by people who had differing visions for the future of America. Thomas Jefferson wanted the federal government to play a less active role. He wanted the powers of the president to be limited, and he wanted the United States to have a close relationship with France. Alexander Hamilton, on the other hand, believed that the United States should have a strong federal government. He also wanted the country’s president to be strong. He believed that the country should have a strong relationship with Great Britain.
Today in the United States, the two main political parties are the Democrats and the Republicans. There are also a number of minor parties, but the nature of the political system makes it difficult for minor-party (“third party”) candidates to win elections.
Each of the two main parties includes people with a range of different viewpoints. However, each one also has a central core of defining beliefs. In general, Democrats are more liberal, or left wing, and support a broad, more active role for the federal government. Democrats also support laws favoring workers and strong, government-run social programs. Republicans, on the other hand, are more conservative, or right wing, and generally favor the rights of the states rather than the federal government. They support policies that favor business owners and managers and private solutions to social problems.
EXERCISE 11
Political Parties
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. According to the preceding table, in what period were today’s political parties established?
A. late 1700s
B. early 1800s
C. mid- to late 1800s
D. early 1900s
2. Which statement is true?
A. All U.S. citizens are represented politically by one or the other of the two main political parties.
B. Members of different political parties in the United States rarely share any viewpoints on political issues.
C. A range of political beliefs exists among the citizens of the United States.
D. The number of major political parties in the United States has varied widely over time.
3. The political party that has a majority in the House of Representatives or the Senate is called the “majority party.” The other party is called the “minority party.” If a Republican is the majority party leader in the Senate, what does this indicate?
A. There are more Republicans than Democrats in the Senate.
B. There are more Republicans than Democrats in the House of Representatives.
C. More Republicans than Democrats were elected to office in the last election.
D. A Republican was most recently elected as President of the United States.
Answers are on page 824.
Political Campaigns, Elections, and the Electoral Process
In the United States, presidential elections are held every four years on the first Tuesday of November. Elections for senators and representatives are held at the same time. Senators and representatives are also elected in “off-year” elections, which take place midway through the four-year presidential term. In advance of the main “general” elections, political parties hold a series of primary elections. In these elections, candidates from the same party for the same office run against one another to determine which one will be the party’s nominee in the general election.
Candidates spend many months running their political campaigns in order to gain the support of the most voters. During this organized effort to persuade people to support them, candidates share their ideas about necessary policy changes and spread their message about why they deserve to be elected. Messages are spread through personal appearances, phone calls, websites, mailings, and television and radio advertisements. Research is conducted to determine who should be included in the candidate’s target audience and what issues are important to these people. Candidates ask supporters to join the campaign by helping to spread the message and making financial contributions.
Despite the fact that millions of citizens vote for their favored candidates in these elections, the president is not elected directly by the people. Rather, the citizens elect members of the Electoral College, which is the formal body that actually elects the president. The number of electors for each state is equal to the number of senators and representatives from that state in Congress. These electors cast votes for the presidential candidates. In order to win the presidency, a candidate must receive at least half of the electoral votes. Generally, the candidate who receives the majority of the citizens’ votes within a state receives all of the electoral votes for that state. Because of the way the Electoral College works, a candidate who receives a majority of citizens’ votes nationwide may still fail to gain a majority of electoral votes and thus lose the presidency.
The following map shows which candidate in the 2012 presidential election won the electoral votes for each state. Although the number of states won by each candidate is similar, the number of electoral votes each received was quite different.
EXERCISE 12
Political Campaigns, Elections, and the Electoral Process
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. Which claim is supported by the information in this section?
A. The states that are largest in area have the greatest number of electoral votes.
B. The president is elected by receiving the majority of votes from voters on Election Day.
C. A presidential candidate who receives the majority of votes from voters nationwide may still lose the election.
D. In order to win a majority of electoral votes, a candidate must win the election in a majority of states.
2. During elections, candidates often use slogans to help voters remember a key point about them or their campaign on Election Day. During his 1864 reelection campaign in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln’s slogan was “Don’t swap horses in the middle of the stream.” What point was he trying to make?
A. Lincoln supported people who raised horses for a living.
B. Lincoln wanted Americans to purchase new horses.
C. Lincoln was urging Americans to keep him in office until the country’s problems were resolved.
D. Lincoln’s wartime policies had all been implemented successfully.
3. Herbert Hoover’s presidential campaign during the Great Depression promised a return to economic prosperity. Which was most likely the slogan he used while campaigning for the presidency in 1928?
A. Sunflowers die in November
B. Building a bridge to the 21st century
C. Hoover we trusted—now we’re busted
D. A chicken in every pot (and a car in every backyard)
Answers are on page 824.
Contemporary Public Policy
Public policy is whatever course of action a government adopts regarding a given issue. The actions taken may include passing laws, enforcing rules or regulations, and providing funding or other resources. Most of the public policies of the United States are implemented through the executive branch of the government. When deciding upon a public policy, it must be determined who will benefit from the policy and who will be responsible for the costs. Some major categories of public policy include criminal justice, culture and society, economic affairs, education, the environment, government operations, health, social welfare, and foreign affairs and national security.
Interest groups are groups of people who share a common interest or a common concern, and who come together to influence the government to adopt a certain policy or to make decisions that support their cause. The goal of these groups may benefit the members of the group, a part of society, or the public in general. Interest groups try to influence public policy by providing information and education on an issue, by advocating for the issue in public speeches or the media, or by organizing campaigns to influence lawmakers to support their cause. Because a democracy is government by the people, interest groups have an important influence on the shaping of public policy.
EXERCISE 13
Contemporary Public Policy
Directions: Use the following graph to answer Questions 1 and 2.
In a recent year, a controversial proposal was on the ballot in a certain state. Contributions by interest groups supporting or opposed to the proposition are shown in the graph.
1. ________________ donated the largest amount of money to oppose the proposition.
2. Which interest group donated approximately $350,000 to support the proposition?
A. We Build Roads
B. Kids’ School Alliance
C. Statewide Construction Company
D. Parents for Education
Answers are on page 824.
PRACTICE
Civics and Government
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. Read the following passage, and then answer the question.
[E]very friend to Republican government ought to raise his voice against the sweeping denunciation of majority governments as the most tyrannical and intolerable of all governments. . . . [N]o government of human device and human administration can be perfect; . . . the abuses of all other governments have led to the preference of republican government as the best of all governments, because the least imperfect; [and] the vital principle of republican governments is the lex majoris partis, the will of the majority.
—Excerpt from a letter by President James Madison (1833)
What concept did Madison support in this letter?
A. majority rule
B. minority rights
C. political parties
D. separation of powers
2. Which of the following means that people have the right to request the government to adopt or change a particular policy?
A. Freedom of speech
B. Freedom of assembly
C. Freedom of the press
D. Freedom of petition
3. Read the following passage, and then answer the question.
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.
—Excerpt from Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Before this amendment was adopted, senators were elected by the various state legislatures. This amendment gave voters themselves the right to elect senators. What was the effect of this change?
A. Senators became directly responsible to the voters who elected them.
B. More people registered to vote so that they could participate in electing senators.
C. States with greater numbers of voters would have greater representation in the Senate.
D. The number of senators increased dramatically.
Question 4 is based on the following timeline.
4. According to the timeline, which president appointed Justice Robert Trimble to the Supreme Court?
A. George Washington
B. John Q. Adams
C. Thomas Jefferson
D. James Madison
5. In New England, town meetings are held. All of the citizens who are of voting age gather to discuss political issues. The citizens then vote, and decisions are made by majority rule. This is an example of which concept?
A. Monarchy
B. Aristocracy
C. Direct democracy
D. Representative democracy
6. Read the following passage, and then answer the question.
So we can gut education to pay for more tax breaks for the wealthy, or we can decide that in the United States of America, no child should have her dreams deferred because of an overcrowded classroom. No family should have to set aside a college acceptance letter because they don’t have the money. No business should have to look for workers in China because they can’t find ones with the right skills here in the United States. So, Ohio, I am asking you to help me recruit 100,000 new math and science teachers. Help me improve early childhood education. Help me give two million workers the chance to learn the skills they need at community colleges that will lead directly to a new job. Help us work with colleges and universities to cut the cost of tuition. Help us meet those goals. Help us choose that future for America.
—Excerpt from a speech by President Barack Obama during the 2012 election campaign
Which is a public policy that Obama is proposing?
A. building more affordable public housing
B. retraining U.S. workers to give them new job skills
C. recruiting foreign workers for U.S. businesses
D. reducing taxes for middle-class families
Question 7 is based on the following graph.
7. According to the graph, which statement accurately interprets the data?
A. A few presidents were inaugurated while younger than 40 years old.
B. Most presidents were inaugurated while in their 60s.
C. Most presidents were inaugurated while in their 50s.
D. Fewer presidents were inaugurated while in their 60s than in their 40s.
8. Which quotation from the U.S. Constitution best indicates that the nation is a democracy?
A. “We the people of the United States . . .”
B. “. . . in order to form a more perfect Union”
C. “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress . . .”
D. “. . . executive power shall be vested in a President.”
9. Which is an example of the checks and balances in the U.S. government?
A. Under the U.S. Constitution, power is divided between the federal government and the state governments.
B. The legislative branch of government is Congress, which is divided into the Senate and the House of Representatives.
C. The executive branch of government can propose laws and is responsible for carrying out laws enacted by Congress.
D. By a two-thirds vote of the Senate and House, Congress can pass a law despite a veto by the president.
10. Read the following quotation, and then answer the question.
The local interests of a state ought, in every case, to give way to the interests of the Union.
—Alexander Hamilton, in a speech to the New York Convention of 1788 assembled for the purpose of ratifying the Constitution
Which statement reflects Hamilton’s point of view?
A. Powers should not be divided between the federal and state governments.
B. The federal government should hold more power than the state governments.
C. It is important for the federal government to be granted additional power.
D. The Constitution should have given more powers to individual states.
Answers are on page 824.