A divided government occurs when the presidency and Congress are controlled by different parties.

A divided government occurs when the presidency and Congress are controlled by different parties.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not defined
• D. Only during elections

Answer: (A)

Divided government means one party holds the presidency while a different party controls Congress. In the U.S., this setup creates a system of checks and balances that can slow or modify policy, since the president and the majority in Congress may disagree and have to bargain to pass laws. The statement matches that definition, so it’s true. It isn’t undefined, and it isn’t limited only to election periods—divided government can persist when voters split results across different branches across terms. When the same party controls both the presidency and Congress, you don’t have a divided government.

Divided government means one party holds the presidency while a different party controls Congress. In the U.S., this setup creates a system of checks and balances that can slow or modify policy, since the president and the majority in Congress may disagree and have to bargain to pass laws. The statement matches that definition, so it’s true. It isn’t undefined, and it isn’t limited only to election periods—divided government can persist when voters split results across different branches across terms. When the same party controls both the presidency and Congress, you don’t have a divided government.