8.1.3 Final Exam: U.S. Government and Politics Final Exam
Exam
U.S. Government and Politics (S4100465)
Carissa Donato
Points possible: 50
Date:04/12/2018
Part I: Short-Answer Questions (30 points)
1. Summarize the civic responsibilities of U.S. citizens and explain how they differ from civic obligations. Then explain how civic responsibilities promote the public good. (5 points)
Citizens can become involved in the political process, firstly, by remaining aware of political issues, different candidates and what they believe in, and threats facing the United States. This is the first, and in my opinion, the most important because a citizen can vote, another political participation method, but without understanding what each candidate stands for, it isn’t helping our country by casting blind votes
2. Describe the three main tools the Federal Reserve uses to control the U.S. money supply, and explain how they are used. Then explain how changes in the money supply affect the U.S. economy as a whole. (5 points)
-Legislative branch proposes bills
-Bills get sent to congress
-Congress reviews the bills-Judicial branch also reviews, ensuring they are constitutional
3. Write a brief paragraph summarizing how U.S. presidential races work, including party nominations, campaigns, and general elections. Then write a second brief paragraph describing some advantages and drawbacks of this process. (5 points)
In America’s two-party political system, political parties rely on primary elections and caucuses to nominate candidates for general elections. Political parties provide resources to the candidates they nominate, including endorsements, social contacts, and financial support. Consequently, attaining a party nomination by winning a primary election or caucus is a necessary step to becoming a major election candidate. Primaries are held on different dates in different states and give national candidates an opportunity to campaign to smaller audiences than during the general election. The candidate who wins each state vote is granted a certain number of delegates,depending on the state’s size, and the candidate with the most party delegates becomes the party’s general election nominee. Not every election is preceded by a primary season, but most major races, such as presidential and congressional races, use primaries to narrow the field of candidates.
4. Explain how civil liberties differ from civil rights and how each are protected in the United States. In your explanation, provide examples of at least one civil liberty and at least one civil right. (5 points)
The law differentiates between civil rights, which means the basic right of freedom from discrimination based on certain personal characteristics such as gender, race, or disability, and civil liberties which are basic freedoms. Civil liberties concern the actual basic freedoms; civil rights concern the treatment of an individual regarding certain rights. Unlike civil liberties, where the governm...
