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






2. The authority of a court to hear a case 'in the first instance.'






3. Words that by their very nature inflict injury on those to whom they are addressed or insight them to acts of violence.






4. A widely shared and consciously held view - like support for homeland security.






5. Money spent by individuals or groups not associated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office.






6. 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.






7. 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






8. A close contest; by extension - any contest in which the focus is on who is ahead and by how much rather than on substantive differences between the candidates.






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






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






11. Attempting to overthrow the government by force or use violence to interrupt its activities.






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






13. A monopoly that controls goods and services - often in combinations that reduce competition.






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






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






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






17. Constitutional requirement that governments proceed by proper methods; limits how government may exercise power.






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






19. 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.






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






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






22. The proportion of the voting age public that votes - sometimes defined as the number of registered voters that vote.






23. Programs such as Medicaid and welfare under which applicants must meet eligibility requirements based on need.






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






25. God's or nature's law that defines right from wrong and is higher than human law.






26. Policy of erecting trade barriers to protect domestic industry.






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






28. 30-second statements on the evening news shows. The media have been accused of simplifying complicated political issues by relying on sound bites to explain them to the public.






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






30. The desire to avoid international entanglement altogether.






31. A president's claim of broad public support.






32. Promoting a particular position or an issue paid for 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 any regulation.






33. Clause in the First Amendment that states that Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion.






34. A policy adopted by the Bush administration in 2001 that asserts America's right to attack any nation that has weapons of mass destruction that might be used against U.S. interests at home or abroad.






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. The total output of all economic activity in the nation - including goods and services.






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






38. 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.






39. Election in which voters choose party nominees.






40. Established rules and regulations that restrain government officials.






41. Efforts by government to alter the free operation of the market to achieve social goals such as protecting workers and the environment.






42. Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.






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






44. A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.






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






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






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






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






49. The number of Americans who are out of work but actively looking for a job. The number does not usually include those who are not looking.






50. 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.