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






2. 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).






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






4. System designed to reduce voter fraud by limiting voting to those who have established eligibility to vote by submitting the proper documents.






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






6. The difference between the revenues raised annually from sources of income other than borrowing and the expenditures of government - including paying the interest on past borrowing.






7. 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.






8. Electoral system used in electing the president and vice president - in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for particular party's candidates.






9. The difference between the political opinions or political behavior of men and of women.






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






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






12. 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.






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






14. An informal and subjective affiliation with a political party that most people acquire in childhood.






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






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






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






18. 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.






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






20. An action taken by Congress to reverse the presidential veto - requiring a two-thirds majority in each chamber.






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






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






23. 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.






24. Media that emphasize the news.






25. An official who is expected to vote independently based on his or her judgment of the circumstances; one interpretation of the role of the legislator.






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






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






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






29. 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.






30. A government that enforces recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free - fair - and relatively frequent elections.






31. How voters feel about a candidate's background - personality - leadership ability - and other personal qualities.






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






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






34. Programs such as unemployment insurance - disability relief - or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.






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






36. A government agency that operates like a business corporation - created to secure greater freedom of action and flexibility for a particular program.






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






38. 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






39. Largely banned party soft money - restored a long-standing prohibition on corporations and labor unions for using general treasury funds for electoral purposes - and narrowed the definition of issue advocacy.






40. The set of arrangements - including checks and balances - federalism - separation of powers - rule of law - due process - and a bill of rights - that requires our leaders to listen - think - bargain - and explain before they act or make laws. We then






41. Divisions within society that reinforce one another - making groups more homogenous or similar.






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






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






45. A belief that government can and should achieve justice and equality of opportunity.






46. The formal instructions that government issues for implementing laws.






47. Election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.






48. The reliance on economic and military strength to solve international problems.






49. A technique of Congress to establish federal regulations. Direct orders must be complied with under threat of criminal or civil sanction. An example is the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 - barring job discrimination by state and local gover






50. Primary election in which any voter - regardless of party - may vote.