Test your basic knowledge |

AP Government

Subjects : civics, ap
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A minor party founded by Ross Perot in 1995. It focuses on national government reform - fiscal responsibility - and political accountability. It has recently struggled with internal strife and criticism that it lacks an identity.






2. The dispensing of government jobs to persons who belong to the winning political party.






3. Employment cycle in which individuals who work for governmental agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern.






4. Lawsuit brought by an individual or group of people on behalf of all those similarly situated.






5. A belief that government can and should achieve justice and equality of opportunity.






6. Divisions within society that reinforce one another - making groups more homogenous or similar.






7. Weakening of partisan preferences that points to a rejection of both major parties and a rise in the number of independents.






8. The widely shared beliefs - values - and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another.






9. A procedure for terminating debate - especially filibusters - in the Senate.






10. The system created by Congress in 1913 to establish banking practices and regulate currency in circulation and the amount of credit available. It consists of 12 regional banks supervised by the Board of Governors. Often called simply the Fed.






11. Views the Constitution as giving a limited list of powers—primarily foreign policy and national defense—to the national government - leaving the rest to the sovereign states. Each level of government is dominant within its own sphere. The Supreme Cou






12. Philosophy proposing that judges should interpret the Constitution to reflect what the framers intended and what its words literally say.






13. Elections in which voters elect officeholders.






14. The Supreme Court has ruled that individuals - groups - and parties can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently from the candidates. When an individual - group - or party does so - they are






15. A legislative practice that assigns the chair of the committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee.






16. The convention in Philadelphia - May 25 to September 17 - 1787 - that debated and agreed upon the Constitution of the United States.






17. The presiding officer in the House of Representatives - formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party.






18. Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials - especially legislators - and the policies they enact.






19. A characteristic of individuals that is predictive of political behavior.






20. Formal orders issued by the president to direct action by the Federal bureaucracy.






21. A tax graduated so that people with higher incomes pay larger fraction of their income than people with lower incomes.






22. The tendency in elections to focus on the personal attributes of a candidate - such as his/her strengths - weaknesses - background - experience - and visibility.






23. Political contributions given to a party - candidate - or interest group that are limited in amounts and fully disclosed. Raising such limited funds is harder than raising unlimited funds - hence the term 'hard money.'






24. Established rules and regulations that restrain government officials.






25. Segregation imposed by law.






26. Candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election - not necessarily more than half.






27. Compromise between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.






28. Those citizens who follow public affairs carefully.






29. Attempting to overthrow the government by force or use violence to interrupt its activities.






30. Clause in the Fifth Amendment limiting the power of the national government; similar clause in the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the state governments from depriving any person of life - liberty - or property without due process of law.






31. People who favor state or local action rather than national action.






32. An official who is expected to vote independently based on his or her judgment of the circumstances; one interpretation of the role of the legislator.






33. An official who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of legislator.






34. Donations made to political candidates - party committees - or groups which - by law - are limited and must be declared.






35. Legislative act inflicting punishment - including deprivation of property - without a trial - on named individuals or members of a specific group.






36. The tendency of presidents to lose support over time.






37. Agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for a more serious offense.






38. Presidential staff the agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies.






39. The list of potential cases that reach the Supreme Court.






40. Government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic.






41. The head of the White House staff.






42. Congress appropriates a certain sum - which is allocated to state and local units and sometimes to nongovernmental agencies - based on applications from those who wish to participate. Examples are grants by the National Science Foundation to universi






43. A law that defines crimes against the public order.






44. The boost that candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of candidates above them on the ballot - especially the president.






45. How voters feel about a candidate's background - personality - leadership ability - and other personal qualities.






46. Inherent powers of state governments to pass laws to protect the public health - safety - and welfare; the national government has no directly granted police powers but accomplishes the same goals through other delegated powers.






47. The total output of all economic activity in the nation - including goods and services.






48. A court order requiring explanation to a judge why a prisoner is being held in custody.






49. Biological - chemical - or nuclear weapons that can cause a massive number of deaths in a single use.






50. An opinion disagreeing with a majority in a Supreme Court ruling.