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. Legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one states to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.






2. Views the national government - 50 states - and thousands of local governments as competing with each other over ways to put together packages of services and taxes. Applies the analogy of the marketplace: we have some choice about which state and ci






3. Clause in the Fifth Amendment limiting the power of the national government; similar clause in the Fourteenth Amendment prohibiting state governments from depriving any person of life - liberty - or property without due process of law.






4. Censorship imposed before a speech is made or a newspaper is published; usually presumed to be unconstitutional.






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






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






7. The means by which individuals can express preferences regarding the development of public policy.






8. 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.






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






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






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






12. A nonprofit association or group operating outside of government that advocates and pursues policy objectives.






13. The principle of a two-house legislature.






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






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






16. 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.






17. The precise legal definition of how government will implement a policy.






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






19. Alternative means of health care in which people or their employers are charged a set amount and the HMO provides health care and covers hospital costs.






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






21. Photo opportunities set up by the candidates. The media have been accused of simplifying complicated political issues by relying on photo ops to explain them to the public.






22. Relationships among interest groups - congressional committees and subcommittees - and the government agencies that share a common policy concern.






23. Philosophy proposing that judges should interpret the Constitution to reflect current conditions and values.






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






25. 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.






26. The clause of the Constitution (Article I - Section 8 - Clause 3) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.






27. Donations made to political candidates - party committees - or groups which - by law - are limited and must be declared.






28. 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.






29. A form of organization that operates through impersonal - uniform rules and procedures.






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






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






32. The rights of all people to dignity and worth; also called human rights.






33. 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






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






35. The power to keep executive communications confidential - especially if they relate to national security.






36. The widespread belief that the United States is a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success.






37. 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






38. 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.






39. The dispensing of government jobs to persons who belong to the winning political party.






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






41. The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy - confers with other party leaders - and tries to keep members of the party in line.






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






43. A government agency or commission with regulatory power whose independence is protected by Congress.






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






45. Review of all executive branch testimony - reports - and draft legislation by the Office of Management and Budget to ensure that each communication to Congress is in accordance with the president's program.






46. Views the Constitution as giving a limited list of powers—primarily foreign policy and national defense—to the national government - leaving the rest to the sovereign states. Each level of government is dominant within its own sphere. The Supreme Cou






47. A rise in the general price level (and decrease in dollar value) owing to an increase in the volume of money and credit in relation to available goods.






48. Powers the Constitution specifically grants to one of the branches of the national government.






49. 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).






50. Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state or local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.