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






2. Implies that although federalism provides 'a sharing of power and authority between the national and state governments - the state's share rests upon the permission and permissiveness of the national government.'






3. Literacy requirements some states imposed as a condition of voting - generally used to disqualify black voters in the South; now illegal.






4. A minor party founded by Ross Perot in 1995. It focuses on national government reform - fiscal responsibility - and political accountability. It has recently struggled with internal strife and criticism that it lacks an identity.






5. The cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out his responsibilities. Currently the office includes the Office of Management and Budget - the Council of Economic Advisers - and several other units.






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






7. A formal agreement between a U.S. president and the leaders of other nations that acquires approval by both houses of Congress.






8. Court order directing an official to perform an official duty.






9. The process by which individuals screen out messages that do not conform to their own biases.






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






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






12. Elections held midway between presidential elections.






13. Conceives of federalism as a marble cake in which all levels of government are involved in a variety of issues and programs - rather than a layer cake - or dual federalism - with fixed divisions between layers or levels of government.






14. Political contributions given to a party - candidate - or interest group that are limited in amounts and fully disclosed. Raising such limited funds is harder than raising unlimited funds - hence the term 'hard money.'






15. 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.






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






17. Denial of export - import - or financial relations with the target country in an effort to change that nation's policies.






18. A tax on increased value of the product at each stage of production and distribution rather than just at the point of sale.






19. Period at the beginning of the new president's term during which the president enjoys generally positive relations with the press and Congress - usually lasting about six months.






20. Proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by William Paterson of New Jersey for a central government with a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented equally.






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






22. The Federal government's primary intelligence officer - responsible for overseeing all national intelligence agencies and providing advice to the President on terrorist threats.






23. A technique of Congress to establish federal regulations. Federal grants may establish certain conditions that extend to all activities supported by federal funds - regardless of their source. The first and most famous of these is Title VI of the 196






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






25. 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.






26. Assigning police to neighborhoods where they walk the beat and work with churches and other community groups to reduce crime and improve relations with minorities.






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






28. Legislative or executive review of a particular government program or organization. Can be in response to a crisis of some kind or part of routine review.






29. The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts.






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






31. Constitutional arrangement in which sovereign nations or states - by compact - create a central government but carefully limit its power and do not give it direct authority over individuals.






32. The desire to avoid international entanglement altogether.






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






34. Lawsuit brought by an individual or group of people on behalf of all those similarly situated.






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






36. A formal writ used to bring a case before the Supreme Court.






37. 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.






38. Government by religious leaders - who claim divine guidance.






39. A formal decision to reject a bill passed by Congress after it adjourns






40. Libel - obscenity - fighting words - and commercial speech - which are not entitled to constitutional protection in all circumstances.






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






42. 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.






43. During the Great Society - the marble cake approach of intergovernmental relations.






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






45. The principle of a two-house legislature.






46. Elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other - so the success of the party's candidate is almost taken for granted.






47. A company with a labor agreement under which union membership cannot be required as a condition of employment.






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






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






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






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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