Question 1

Under which U.S.presidential administration were laws passed to protect the rights of workers to organize labor unions?

Accepted Answer

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), also known as the Wagner Act, was passed under the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration in 1935, which granted workers the right to form and join unions, and engage in collective bargaining with their employers. This law also established the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to oversee labor relations and ensure fair practices. The other administrations mentioned in the options did not pass significant laws to protect workers' rights to organize labor unions.

Question 2

Which of the following is true about segregation in the use of public facilities?

Accepted Answer

Segregation in the use of public facilities was required by law in many parts of the South through a system of "Jim Crow" laws.

Question 3

In the 2000 Presidential election,Florida and other states probably violated the Voting Rights Act by all the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The statement "White voters were much more likely to have their ballots rejected" is not true and therefore does not constitute a violation of the Voting Rights Act. All the other choices provided are examples of possible violations.

Question 4

Minority votes make a difference in elections:

Accepted Answer

Minority votes can be crucial in elections, particularly when the race is close, as they can provide the necessary margin to sway the outcome.

Question 5

A major reason for the falling real wages of lower-income households is:

Accepted Answer

The minimum wage law has not been adjusted to keep up with inflation, which has led to a decrease in the real wages earned by lower-income households. This means that their paychecks are not keeping up with the rising cost of living, resulting in a decrease in their purchasing power.

Question 6

Which of the following is false?

Accepted Answer

The statement that the welfare reform legislation has helped by providing housing subsidies for all program participants is false. The legislation actually removed housing subsidies from the entitlement program and instead allocated a fixed amount of funding to states for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, which states then use to provide assistance to eligible families at their discretion. This has resulted in a decrease in the number of families receiving housing assistance.

Question 7

Which of the following is true about drug use and arrests?

Accepted Answer

According to a 2017 report from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, whites were found to have higher rates of past-month use for every illicit drug except for heroin. This means that they have a higher likelihood of having used drugs, but not necessarily a higher likelihood of being arrested for it.

Question 8

Why are mass-transit systems important,especially for minorities?

Accepted Answer

Many minority members do not have cars, so mass-transit systems provide them with a reliable and affordable means of transportation. This can be especially important in areas where public transportation is limited, as it can make it difficult for individuals to access employment, education, and other essential services.

Question 9

The power elite is/are:

Accepted Answer

The power elite refers to professional bureaucrats in the executive branch, the military, and wealthy Americans who wield significant political and economic influence. They are not elected officials nor are they the most politically active members of the voting public. While influential members of various groups may also hold power, the term "power elite" specifically refers to this particular group.

Question 10

Zoning is used against minorities by:

Accepted Answer

Zoning can be used to block low-income housing or housing developments that would house minority group members. This can perpetuate residential segregation and limit access to resources and opportunities in certain areas.

Question 11

Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

Most sources of crime information, such as the Uniform Crime Report, focus on "street crime" or traditional crime like robbery, burglary, and assault. White-collar crime, on the other hand, is often underreported and receives less attention from law enforcement and the media. Therefore, choice C is the only true statement in this question. Choices A and B are false, and choice D is debatable as the cost of white-collar crime can be significant but often difficult to measure accurately.

Question 12

The poll tax was:

Accepted Answer

The poll tax, also known as a head tax or capitation tax, was a tax that had to be paid in order to vote. It disenfranchised many African Americans and poor whites who were unable to afford the tax, and was eventually abolished with the passage of the 24th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1964.

Question 13

All of the following may cause welfare reform to fail EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The availability and affordability of childcare is actually an important factor in making welfare reform effective, as it helps parents to be able to work and support their families. A, B, and D are all factors that can make welfare reform more challenging, as finding suitable employment and providing healthcare may be difficult for low-income recipients, while some individuals on welfare may have physical or mental health conditions that make it difficult for them to work.

Question 14

Which of the following is true about African American men and the Criminal Justice System?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that African American men in their twenties are more likely to be incarcerated than to be enrolled in college. This is a significant issue in the criminal justice system and a cause for concern in terms of the overrepresentation of African American men in the prison population. Option A is incorrect as data shows that African American men are more likely to be incarcerated than whites. Option C is also incorrect as the number of African American men under criminal justice control is significantly higher than one in a hundred. Option D is incorrect as statistics show that African American men are more likely to be apprehended and incarcerated for "street crime" offenses such as drug possession and distribution, rather than white-collar crimes.

Question 15

Prior to the Voting Rights Act of 1965,Southern states implemented policies or laws whose intent was to limit the ability of African Americans to vote.These include all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Restrictive covenants were used to enforce racial segregation in housing, not to limit the ability of African Americans to vote. The other options (grandfather clause, white primary, literacy test) were indeed methods used to disenfranchise African American voters.

Question 16

From a functionalist perspective,the role and functions of government and the political system includes the belief that:

Accepted Answer

From a functionalist perspective, the political system functions to maintain social order and stability by ensuring that no one group has too much power. This means that many different groups can exercise veto power and prevent any one group from dominating the system. The power elite and behind-the-scenes decision-making are perspectives more closely associated with conflict theory.

Question 17

A provision that is attached to a deed or sales contract in which the buyer must agree not to sell or rent to a member of a specified group,such as blacks,Chicanos,or Jews,is called a:

Accepted Answer

A restrictive covenant is a provision attached to a deed or sales contract that limits what the buyer can do with the property. In this case, the covenant prohibits the buyer from selling or renting the property to members of a specified group, which is discriminatory and illegal. Poll tax and literacy tests were used to deny voting rights to minorities, while a restrictive deed is not a term used in the legal context of property law.

Question 18

The United States government imprisoned Japanese Americans during WWII.This is an example of how the U.S.government:

Accepted Answer

The imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII is a clear demonstration of the U.S. government's role in creating and maintaining racial inequality. By targeting individuals of Japanese descent, the government perpetuated discriminatory practices and violated the civil liberties of thousands of innocent people.

Question 19

In order to keep minority group members from voting,majority group members passed laws that stipulated that a person was not eligible to vote unless their grandfather had voted.What is this practice called?

Accepted Answer

The practice described is known as the grandfather clause, which was used to disenfranchise African American voters in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This clause exempted individuals from voting requirements if their grandfather had been a registered voter, effectively allowing white voters to continue to participate while preventing black voters from doing so, since their grandfathers would not have been eligible to vote due to earlier discriminatory laws. Gerrymandering involves the manipulation of voting district boundaries for political gain, poll taxing involves requiring a fee to vote, and literacy testing involves requiring individuals to pass a reading or writing test in order to vote.

Question 20

All the following are results of welfare reform EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The statement "Fewer school problems among teenagers whose mothers made welfare-to-work transitions" is a result of welfare reform. All other options are outcomes of welfare reform, including job retention rates, reduced subsidies, and the need for job training programs.

Quiz 13: The American Political and Legal System and Majority-Minority Relations