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. Through different grant programs - slices up the marble cake into many different pieces - making it even more difficult to differentiate the functions of the levels of government.






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






3. The right to vote.






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






5. The current holder of the elected office.






6. An opinion that agrees with the majority in a Supreme Court ruling but differs on the reasoning.






7. A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy. Called a conference by the Republicans.






8. International organization derived from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that promotes it free trade around the world.






9. A technique of Congress to establish federal regulations. These sanctions permit the use of federal money in one program to influence state and local policy in another. For example - a 1984 act reduced federal highway aid by up to 15 percent for any






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






11. 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






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






13. Contributions to a state or local party for party-building purposes.






14. The practice of exporting U.S. jobs to lower paid employees in other nations.






15. People who favor national action over action at the state and local levels.






16. Elections in which voters determine party nominees.






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






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






19. Unlimited amounts of money that political parties previously could raise for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state and local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.






20. A division of population based on occupation - income - and education.






21. Tax levied on imports to help protect the nation's industries - labor - or farmers from foreign competition. It can also be used to raise additional revenue.






22. The constitutional requirement (in Article II - Section 3) that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed - even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws.






23. A specific course of action taken by government to achieve a public goal.






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






25. Deliberate refusal to obey law or comply with orders of public officials as a means of expressing opposition.






26. The president's annual statement to Congress and the nation.






27. Power of a government to take private property for public use; the U.S. Constitution gives national and state governments this power and requires them to provide just compensation for property so taken.






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






29. 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






30. The principle of a two-house legislature.






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






32. A decision by the president not to spend money appropriated by Congress - now prohibited under Federal law.






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






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






35. 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






36. 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.






37. Domination of an industry by a single company; also the company that dominates the industry.






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






39. A congressional district created to include a majority of minority voters; ruled constitutional so long as race is not the main factor in redistricting.






40. A social division based on national origin - religion - language - and often race.






41. A decision made by a higher court such as a circuit court of appeals or the Supreme Court that is binding on all other federal courts.






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






43. 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.






44. 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.






45. A person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or corporation to try to influence policy decisions and positions in the executive and legislative branches.






46. Clause in the Constitution that states that 'Congress should have the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers. . . .' This clause is also known as the elastic clause as is a major and significant p

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47. 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.






48. A court with appellate jurisdiction that hears appeals from the decisions of lower courts.






49. Elections held in years when the president is on the ballot.






50. Powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments - such as the power to levy taxes.