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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who served as the Governor of Tennessee and later as Senator from the State of Texas?
(a) Sam Houston.
(b) Stephen A. Austin.
(c) Henry Calhoun.
(d) Thomas Hart Benton.

2. What trait of Adams ultimately caused him to suffer great disappointments?
(a) His willingness to change positions when expedient.
(b) His superior attitude toward other politician.
(c) His uncompromising religion.
(d) His ability to manipulate his father.

3. Why was Webster a leader in the North prior to the Civil War?
(a) He was older than any other politician.
(b) He had strong views against slavery.
(c) He could out talk his opponents.
(d) He knew all the words in the dictionary.

4. For what conflict does Kennedy feel the most empathy?
(a) The conflict between Congress and the Supreme Court.
(b) The conflict between political parties.
(c) The conflict of special interests versus constituency interests.
(d) The conflict of constituency interest versus national interests.

5. What does Kennedy identify as the second pressure that prevents courageous deeds by elected officials.
(a) The need to publish a book.
(b) The need to get re-elected.
(c) The need to get more education.
(d) The need to travel the world.

6. What was Webster's justification for accepting political gifts and money?
(a) He used everything he collected for his favorite charities.
(b) He published his gifts in the newspaper.
(c) He shared the gifts with other Senators and Congressmen.
(d) He considered them gifts from God and from voters or constituents who Webster believed were created in God's image.

7. What is an irony of Benton's opposition to the slave states?
(a) He was a descendent of a slave.
(b) He opposed abolition.
(c) He refused to go against his own party.
(d) He owned slaves himself.

8. What was Daniel Webster known for during his lifetime?
(a) As a particularly eloquent speaker.
(b) As a squeaky voiced speaker.
(c) As a writer of fiction.
(d) As a politician who opposed any kind of compromise.

9. How did one reporter categorize elected officials?
(a) That people elected them on their looks.
(b) That they were gluttons for mental punishment.
(c) That they needed to be good public speakers.
(d) That people thought everything they said was untrue.

10. What was one argument Webster made for compromising on the question of slavery?
(a) Northerns would be able to have slaves legally.
(b) Slavery would eventually dry up because there were fewer traders.
(c) World opinion would eventually settle the question.
(d) If the Union divided, slavery might even become stronger in the Southern states.

11. What advantage do minority special interest groups have to influence elected officials?
(a) Not needing money to get their message across.
(b) Being watchdogs on everything the official does.
(c) Being able to get medial coverage without a budget.
(d) Being articulate and able to sway the public.

12. What is the first pressure of Americans that keeps them from acting courageously according to Kennedy?
(a) The need to be well liked.
(b) The need to be right all the time.
(c) The need to be different from other politicians.
(d) The need to raise campaign money.

13. What was Benton's characteristic that early on made his constituents love him?
(a) His sense of humor.
(b) His fearlessness.
(c) His humble nature.
(d) His political favors.

14. What is the irony of Houston's defending the Northerner's rights to abolition?
(a) Houston owned slaves himself.
(b) Houston opposed slavery except in the South.
(c) Houston was a slave to the Cherokee.
(d) Houston disliked all Yankees.

15. Where did Houston say he wanted it written that he loved his country, he was a patriot, and he was devoted to the Union.
(a) On his tombstone.
(b) In the latest history books.
(c) On the face of the Texas capitol building.
(d) In the Dallas Herald.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is a particular problem on occasion when the electorate presents a desire to the elected official?

2. Whom did the Adams family say that the magistrate must serve?

3. What questionable arrangement kept Webster in the Senate when he was about to resign?

4. What act of inconsistency brought his Missouri constituents to brand him a traitor?

5. What was it about Benton that inspired the approval of his Missouri constituency?

(see the answer keys)

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