A person's political beliefs, being multifaceted and complicated, are shaped by a variety of factors, including religious background, education, employment history, and income level. In fact, almost anything, from homeownership to family size, has a direct influence on a person's voting behavior and political involvement.

The issue of gun ownership and gun rights is most likely to create a massive gender gap in the pattern of voting. Women are generally against gun ownership, whereas men are generally in favor of it; of course, this is a broad generalization. Perhaps surprisingly, there is a small, but not massive, gender gap on issues such as women’s rights and gay rights.

Followers of Judaism are by far the most likely religious group in contemporary America to have liberal opinions on issues and to vote for liberal candidates. The religious right, predominantly Southern Protestants, are the most likely group to vote conservatively on issues.

"Gender gap," refers to the consistent differences between the voting patterns of men and women. For example, women are much more likely to vote for increased restrictions on gun ownership. Women are also, particularly in contemporary times, less likely to vote conservative than men. The only statement above that is true is that women are more likely to support an increase in government spending on social welfare.

African-American votes have shown a strong tendency in recent years to support Democratic Party candidates who lean heavily to the left. Unlike white Democratic Party voters, who are more likely to support a moderate candidate.

There is a growing gender gap in American politics. To oversimplify, women are more likely to vote Democratic and support liberal positions on economic and social issues, while men are more likely to vote Republican and support conservative positions on economic and social issues. The greatest gender gap can be evidenced in the large majority of women who favor major restrictions on gun ownerships, versus far fewer men.

Since the 1980 election, there has been a very clear voting pattern in American general elections, where women are much more likely than men to vote for a candidate from the Democratic Party. The two largest gender discrepancies in American history have occurred during the successful elections of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Men are more likely to vote for gun ownership rights, but men are also more likely to vote for a decreased role of government. Women are more likely to support affirmative action to encourage racial and social equality.

The term, Solid South, was historically used, from the end of the Civil War until the middle of the 1960s, to refer to the fact that the South almost always voted for the Democratic Party. This was born, in part, out of the South’s response to the Republican party’s northern associations during the Civil War and its aftermath. These days, the "Solid South" could just as easily be applied to the fact that the South very consistently votes Republican.

Modern fiscal conservatives favor reducing spending, reducing taxation and regulation, lowering national debt, and lowering and balancing budgets.

This question is designed to test reading skills as well as subject knowledge. John Locke wrote extensively about the legitimacy of government as well as ways in which it should operate. All information needed is contained within the question. Locke is clearly stating his views regarding a rulers place within the law.