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. State laws formerly pervasive throughout the South requiring public facilities and accommodations to be segregated by race; ruled unconstitutional.






2. The drawing of election districts so as to ensure that members of a certain race are a minority in the district; ruled unconstitutional in Gomillion v. Lightfoot (1960).






3. Agreement signed by the United States - Canada - and Mexico in 1992 to form the largest free trade zone in the world.






4. A division of population based on occupation - income - and education.






5. The principle of a two-house legislature.






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






7. The head of the White House staff.






8. Powers the Constitution specifically grants to one of the branches of the national government.






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






10. A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.






11. A jury of 12 to 23 persons who - in private - hear evidence presented by the government to determine whether persons shall be required to stand trial. If the jury believes there is sufficient evidence that a crime was committed - it issues an indictm






12. 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.






13. Federal statute barring Federal employees from active participation in certain kinds of politics and protecting them from being fired on partisan grounds.






14. Holding incumbents - usually the president's party - responsible for their records on issues - such as the economy or foreign policy.






15. National Health Insurance program for the elderly and disabled.






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






17. 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.






18. Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government - generally.






19. 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.






20. Programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government - usually in the form of payroll taxes.






21. 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.






22. Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment that forbids any state to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. By interpretation - the Fifth Amendment imposes the same limitation on the national government. This clause is t






23. A local or judicial election in which candidates are not selected or endorsed by political parties and party affiliation is not listed on ballots.






24. Promoting a particular position or an issue 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 regulation.






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






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






27. Congress appropriates funds for a specific purpose - such as school lunches or for building airports and highways. These funds are allocated by formula and are subject to detailed federal conditions - often on a matching basis; that is - the local go






28. Synonymous with 'collective action -' it specifically studies how government officials - politicians - and voters respond to positive and negative incentives.






29. International organization derived from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that promotes it free trade around the world.






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






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






32. A formal decision to reject the bill passed by Congress.






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






34. 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.






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






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






37. The principle of a two-house legislature.






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






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






40. Election in which voters choose party nominees.






41. 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.






42. The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party - group - or incumbent.






43. Literally - a 'friend of the court' brief - filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.






44. Usually the largest organization in government with the largest mission; also the highest rank in Federal hierarchy.






45. Loss of tax revenue due to Federal laws that provide special tax incentives or benefits to individuals or businesses.






46. Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly.






47. Agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for a more serious offense.






48. Championed by Ronald Reagan - presumes that the power of the federal government is limited in favor of the broad powers reserved to the states.

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49. A company with a labor agreement under which union membership is a condition of employment.






50. 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.'