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. The tendency of presidents to lose support over time.






2. 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.






3. A system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.






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






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






6. Means of communication that are reaching the public - including newspapers and magazines - radio - television (broadcast - cable - and satellite) - films - recordings - books - and electronic communication.






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






8. 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.






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






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






11. 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.






12. 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.






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






14. Procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution.






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






16. A convention held in September 1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation - attended by five states and important because it issued the call to Congress and the states for what became the Constitutional Convention.






17. Unlimited and undisclosed spending by an individual or group on communications that do not use words like 'vote for' or 'vote against -' although much of this activity is actually about electing or defeating candidates.






18. Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.






19. Formal accusation by the lower house of legislature against a public official - the first step in removal from office.






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






21. The right to vote.






22. 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.






23. 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.






24. Democratic and civic habits of discussion - compromise - and respect for differences - which grow out of participation in voluntary organizations.






25. The head of the White House staff.






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






27. 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.






28. Financial contributions by individuals or groups in the hope of influencing the outcome of the election and subsequently influencing policy.






29. 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.






30. A permanent committee established in a legislature - usually focusing on a policy area.






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






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






33. Clause in the Constitution (Article 4 - Section 1) requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid.






34. 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.






35. An organization that seeks political power by electing people to office so that its positions and philosophy become public policy.






36. Clause in the Constitution that states that 'Congress should have the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers. . . .' This clause is also known as the elastic clause as is a major and significant p

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


37. The system created by Congress in 1913 to establish banking practices and regulate currency in circulation and the amount of credit available. It consists of 12 regional banks supervised by the Board of Governors. Often called simply the Fed.






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






39. A PAC formed by an officeholder that collects contributions from individuals and other PACs and then makes contributions to other candidates and political parties.






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






41. A policy-making alliance among loosely connected participants that comes together on a particular issue - then disbands.






42. 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.






43. A social division based on national origin - religion - language - and often race.






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






45. 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.






46. 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.






47. Election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins.






48. A landmark case in United States law and the basis for the exercise of judicial review in the United States - under Article Three of the United States Constitution. The case resulted from a petition to the Supreme Court by William Marbury - who had b






49. Tax required to vote; prohibited for national elections by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964) and ruled unconstitutional for all elections in Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966).






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