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 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.






2. An agreement among two or more states. Congress must approve most such agreements.






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






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






5. Holding incumbents - usually the president's party - responsible for their records on issues - such as the economy or foreign policy.






6. Election in which voters choose party nominees.






7. A theory that is based on creating enough military strength to convince other nations not to attack first.






8. 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






9. The residents of a congressional district or state.






10. How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives - including how to get individuals and groups to participate and to cooperate. The term has many applications in the various social sciences such as political science - sociology - and






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






12. An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official.






13. Procedure whereby a certain number of voters may - by petition - propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters.






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






15. Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government - generally.






16. Petition that - if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members - will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.






17. Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form.






18. A policy-making alliance that involves a very strong ties among a congressional committee - an interest group - and a Federal Department or agency.






19. Presidential power to strike - or remove - specific items from a spending bill without vetoing the entire package; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.






20. Clause in the First Amendment that states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. The Supreme Court has interpreted this to forbid governmental support to any or all religions.






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






22. Aid to the poor; 'welfare.'






23. The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party - group - or incumbent.






24. A rising public approval of the president that follows a crisis as Americans 'rally 'round the flag' and the chief executive.






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






26. 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.






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






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






29. Programs such as unemployment insurance - disaster relief - or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.






30. 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






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






32. Championed by Ronald Reagan - presumes that the power of the federal government is limited in favor of the broad powers reserved to the states.

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33. An official document - published every weekday - which lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies.






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






35. Widespread agreement on fundamental principles of democratic governance and the values that undergird them.






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






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






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






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






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






41. 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






42. Elections held midway between presidential elections.






43. The inclination to focus on national issues - rather than local issues - in an election campaign. The impact of the national tide can be reduced by the nature of the candidates on the ballot who might have differentiated themselves from their party o






44. Incumbents have an advantage over challengers in election campaigns because voters are more familiar with them - and incumbents are more recognizable.






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






46. 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.






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






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






49. A minor party that believes in extremely limited government. Libertarians call for a free market system - expanded individual liberties such as drug legalization - and a foreign policy of nonintervention - free trade - and open immigration.






50. The process by which we develop our political attitudes - values - and beliefs.