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 consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government.






2. 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.






3. Arrangement whereby public officials are hired to provide legal assistance to people accused of crimes who are unable to hire their own attorneys.






4. A formal decision to reject the bill passed by Congress.






5. Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.






6. 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






7. Congress appropriates funds for a specific purpose - such as school lunches or for building airports and highways. These funds are allocated by formula and are subject to detailed federal conditions - often on a matching basis; that is - the local go






8. Retroactive criminal law that works to the disadvantage of a person.






9. The first governing document of the confederated states drafted in 1777 - ratified in 1781 - and replaced by the present Constitution in 1789.






10. Presidential custom of submitting the names of perspective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work.






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






12. 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






13. Advisory council for the president consisting of the heads of the executive departments - the vice president - and a few other officials selected by the president.






14. These are broad state grants to states for prescribed activities—welfare - child care - education - social services - preventive health care - and health services—with only a few strings attached. States have greater flexibility in deciding how to sp






15. A national meeting of delegates elected in primaries - caucuses - or state conventions who assemble once every four years to nominate candidates for president and vice president - ratify the party platform - elect officers - and adopt rules.






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






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






18. A career government employee.






19. Theory that opposes governmental interference in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property.






20. The residents of a congressional district or state.






21. Procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of their term.






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






23. A legal action conferring citizenship on an alien.






24. A jury of 12 to 23 persons who - in private - hear evidence presented by the government to determine whether persons shall be required to stand trial. If the jury believes there is sufficient evidence that a crime was committed - it issues an indictm






25. An economic and governmental system based on public ownership of the means of production and exchange.






26. A system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.






27. Something given with the expectation of receiving something in return.






28. A philosophy that encourages individual nations to act on their own when facing threats from other nations.






29. Directive issued by a president or governor that has the force of law.






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






31. Federal program that provides medical benefits for low-income persons.






32. A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.






33. A notion held by a nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was destined to rule the continent - from the Atlantic the Pacific.






34. A term the founders used to refer to political parties and special interests or interest groups.






35. Constitutional doctrine that whenever conflict occurs between the constitutionally authorized actions of the national government and those of a state or local government - the actions of the federal government will prevail.






36. A grouping of human beings with distinctive characteristics determined by genetic inheritance.






37. Constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between a central government and subdivisional governments - called states in the United States. The national and the subdivisional governments both exercise direct authority over individuals.






38. Advertisements and commercials for products and services; they receive less First Amendment protection - primarily to discourage false and misleading ads.






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






40. Divisions within society that cut across demographic categories to produce groups that are more heterogeneous or different.






41. 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.






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






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






44. Federal laws (starting with the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890) that try to prevent a monopoly from dominating an industry and restraining trade.






45. 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.






46. A judicial system in which the court of law is a neutral arena where two parties argue their differences.






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






48. Police targeting of racial minorities as potential suspects of criminal activities.






49. A minor party dedicated to the environment - social justice - nonviolence - and the foreign policy of nonintervention. Ralph Nader ran as the Green party's nominee in 2000.






50. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments.