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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 belief that ultimate power resides in the people.






2. A technique of Congress to establish federal regulations. Total preemption rests on the national governments power under the supremacy and commerce clauses to preempt conflicting state and local activity. Building on this constitutional authority - f






3. A provision in a deed to real property prohibiting its sale to a person of a particular race or religion. Judicial enforcement of such deeds is unconstitutional.






4. Government regulation of property so extensive that government is deemed to have taken the property by the power of eminent domain - for which it must compensate the property owners.






5. An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.






6. Inherent powers of state governments to pass laws to protect the public health - safety - and welfare; the national government has no directly granted police powers but accomplishes the same goals through other delegated powers.






7. Remedial action designed to overcome the effects of discrimination against minorities and women.






8. Federal laws (starting with the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890) that try to prevent a monopoly from dominating an industry and restraining trade.






9. The process by which individuals perceive what they want to in media messages.






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






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






12. The tendency of presidents to lose support over time.






13. An election during periods of expanded suffrage and change in the economy and society that proves to be a turning point - redefining the agenda of politics and the alignment of voters within parties.






14. A belief that limited government insures order competitive markets and personal opportunity.






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






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






17. 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






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






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






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






21. The presiding officer in the House of Representatives - formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party.






22. Interpretation of the First Amendment that holds that freedom of expression is so essential to democracy that governments should not punish persons for what they say - only for what they do.






23. Powers that grow out of the very existence of government.






24. People who favor state or local action rather than national action.






25. In this type of sample - every individual has unknown and random chance of being selected.






26. A formal - public agreement between the United States and one or more nations that must be approved by two thirds of the Senate.






27. Primary election in which only persons registered in the party holding the primary may vote.






28. Theory that opposes governmental interference in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property.






29. The reliance on diplomacy and negotiation to solve international problems.






30. Theory based on the principles of John Maynard Keynes - stating that government spending should increase during business slumps and the curve during booms.






31. The process by which provisions of the bill of rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments.






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






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






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






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






36. A legislative practice that assigns the chair of the committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee.






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






38. 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.






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






40. The clause in the Constitution (Article 1 - Section 8 - Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.






41. An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on minimal government - promoting a free market economy - a noninterventionist foreign policy - and an absence of regulation in moral - economic - and social life.






42. A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals (each limited to $2000) and present them to a candidate or political party as a 'bundle -' thus increasing the PAC's influence.






43. 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






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






45. A jury of 6 to 12 persons that determines guilt or innocence in a civil or criminal action.






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






47. Trial or punishment for the same crime by the same government; forbidden by the Constitution.






48. Segregation imposed by law.






49. 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.






50. Biological - chemical - or nuclear weapons that can cause a massive number of deaths in a single use.






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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