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. An informal and subjective affiliation with a political party that most people acquire in childhood.






2. System designed to reduce voter fraud by limiting voting to those who have established eligibility to vote by submitting the proper documents.






3. 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.






4. A formal agreement between a U.S. president and the leaders of other nations that acquires approval by both houses of Congress.






5. Initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature dominated by the big states.






6. Party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature.






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






8. Means of communication that are reaching the public - including newspapers and magazines - radio - television (broadcast - cable - and satellite) - films - recordings - books - and electronic communication.






9. Segregation resulting from economic or social conditions or personal choice.






10. An agency of Congress that analyzes presidential budget recommendations and estimates the cost of proposed legislation.






11. Money spent by individuals or groups not associated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office.






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






13. Media that emphasize the news.






14. Stresses federalism as a system of intergovernmental relations in delivering governmental goods and services to the people and calls for cooperation among various levels of government.






15. A dispute growing out of an actual case or controversy and that is capable of settlement by legal methods.






16. A law that governs relationships between individuals and defines their legal rights.






17. General tax on sales transactions - sometimes exempting food and drugs.






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






19. Period at the beginning of the new president's term during which the president enjoys generally positive relations with the press and Congress - usually lasting about six months.






20. Interest groups organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code may advertise for or against candidates. If their source of funding is corporations or unions - they have some restrictions on broadcast advertising. 527 organizations were impo






21. Denial of export - import - or financial relations with the target country in an effort to change that nation's policies.






22. Unlimited and undisclosed spending by an individual or group on communications that do not use words like 'vote for' or 'vote against -' although much of this activity is actually about electing or defeating candidates.






23. A government that enforces recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free - fair - and relatively frequent elections.






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






25. A government entity that is independent of the legislative - executive - and judicial branches.






26. Written defamation of another person. For public officials and public figures - the constitutional tests designed to restrict libel actions are especially rigid.






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






28. Providing automatic increases to compensate for inflation.






29. An informal and subjective affiliation with a political party that most people acquire in childhood.






30. The powers expressly given to Congress in the Constitution.






31. A commission created by the 1974 amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act to administer election reform laws. It consists of six commissioners appointed by president and confirmed by the Senate. Its duties include overseeing disclosure of camp






32. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill.






33. The principle of a two-house legislature.






34. Promoting a particular position or an issue paid for by interest groups or individuals but not candidates. Much issue advocacy is often electioneering for or against a candidate - and until 2004 had not been subject to any regulation.






35. Supporters of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government.






36. Literally - a 'friend of the court' brief - filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.






37. In a criminal action - the person or party accused of an offense.






38. A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination.






39. Legislative or executive review of a particular government program or organization. Can be in response to a crisis of some kind or part of routine review.






40. A company in which new employees must join a union within a stated time period.






41. A collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to influence government for specific ends. Interest groups usually work within the framework of government and try to achieve their goals through tactics such as lobbying.






42. A provision attached to a bill






43. The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition.






44. The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census - to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.






45. Promoting a particular position or an issue by interest groups or individuals but not candidates. Much issue advocacy is often electioneering for or against a candidate and - until 2004 had not been subject to regulation.






46. The informal list of issues that Congress and the president consider most important for action.






47. A formal writ used to bring a case before the Supreme Court.






48. Largely banned party soft money - restored a long-standing prohibition on corporations and labor unions for using general treasury funds for electoral purposes - and narrowed the definition of issue advocacy.






49. A congressional committee created for a specific purpose - sometimes to conduct an investigation.






50. The process of putting a law into practice through bureaucratic rules or spending.