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






2. Voting by member of one party for a candidate of another party.






3. 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.






4. A landmark case in United States law and the basis for the exercise of judicial review in the United States - under Article Three of the United States Constitution. The case resulted from a petition to the Supreme Court by William Marbury - who had b






5. Trade status granted as part of an international trade policy that gives a nation the same favorable trade concessions and tariffs that the best trading partners receive.






6. Essays promoting ratification of the Constitution - published anonymously by Alexander Hamilton - John Jay - and James Madison in 1787 and 1788.






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






8. Democratic party primary in the old 'one-party South' that was limited to white people and essentially constituted an election; ruled unconstitutional in Smith v. Allwright (1944).






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






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






11. Mutual aid and vote trading among legislators.






12. Voting based on what a candidate pledges to do in the future about an issue if elected.






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






14. Programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government - usually in the form of payroll taxes.






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






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






17. Method whereby representatives of the union and employer determine wages - hours - and other conditions of employment through direct negotiation.






18. 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






19. Election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.






20. The idea that the rights of the nation are supreme over the rights of the individuals who make up the nation.






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






22. The right of a federal law or a regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation.






23. Constitutional requirement that governments act reasonably and that the substance of the laws themselves be fair and reasonable; limits what the government may do.






24. 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.






25. 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






26. A system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.






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






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






29. A policy promoting cutbacks in the amount of Federal regulation in specific areas of economic activity.






30. An election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins.






31. Elections in which voters determine party nominees.






32. A veto exercised by the president after Congress has adjourned; if the president takes no action for 10 days - the bill does not become law and does not return to Congress for possible override.






33. A philosophy that encourages individual nations tacked together to solve international problems.






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






35. 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.






36. An economic system characterized by private property - competitive markets - economic incentives - and limited government involvement in the production - distribution - and pricing of goods and services.






37. 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.






38. A type of policy that takes benefits (usually through taxes) from one group of Americans and gives them to another (usually through spending).






39. A type of policy that provides benefits to all Americans.






40. Established by Congress in 1978 as a flexible - mobile corps of senior career executives who worked closely with presidential appointees to manage government.






41. A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.






42. The difference between the political opinions or political behavior of men and of women.






43. Exemption from prosecution for a particular crime in return for testimony pertaining to the case.






44. The rights of an individual to own - use - rent - invest in - buy - and sell property.






45. Clause of the Constitution (Article 1 - Section 8 - Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress - in addition to its express powers has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Co






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






47. Quality or state of a work that taken as a whole appeals to a prurient interest in sex by depicting sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and that lacks serious literary - artistic - political - or scientific value.






48. 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






49. Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment that forbids any state to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. By interpretation - the Fifth Amendment imposes the same limitation on the national government. This clause is t






50. Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.