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






2. A theory of international relations that focuses on the hope the nations will act together to solve international problems and promote peace.






3. 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






4. The principle of a two-house legislature.






5. The effort to slow the growth of the federal government by returning many functions to the states.






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






7. An opinion that agrees with the majority in a Supreme Court ruling but differs on the reasoning.






8. The power of a court to refuse to enforce a law or government regulation that in the opinion of the judges conflicts with the U.S. Constitution or - in a state court - the state constitution.






9. Election in which voters choose party nominees.






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






11. Tax levied on imports to help protect the nation's industries - labor - or farmers from foreign competition. It can also be used to raise additional revenue.






12. 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.






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






14. 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.






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






16. Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.






17. The inclination to focus on national issues - rather than local issues - in an election campaign. The impact of the national tide can be reduced by the nature of the candidates on the ballot who might have differentiated themselves from their party o






18. Stresses federalism as a system of intergovernmental relations in delivering governmental goods and services to the people and calls for cooperation among various levels of government.






19. The portion of the Federal budget that is spent on programs - such as Social Security - that the president and Congress are unwilling to cut.






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






21. 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.






22. The tendency in elections to focus on the personal attributes of a candidate - such as his/her strengths - weaknesses - background - experience - and visibility.






23. In a criminal action - the person or party accused of an offense.






24. The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census - to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.






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






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






27. Views the national government - 50 states - and thousands of local governments as competing with each other over ways to put together packages of services and taxes. Applies the analogy of the marketplace: we have some choice about which state and ci






28. Conservative Christians who (as a group) have become more active in politics in the last two decades and were especially influential in the 2000 presidential election.






29. 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.






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






31. 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.






32. Constitutional arrangement that concentrates power in a central government.






33. Incumbents have an advantage over challengers in election campaigns because voters are more familiar with them - and incumbents are more recognizable.






34. 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.






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






36. Those citizens who follow public affairs closely.






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






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






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






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






41. 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).






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






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






44. 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).






45. The rule of precedent - whereby a rule or law contained in a judicial decision is commonly viewed as binding on judges whenever the same question is presented.






46. A theory that is based on creating enough military strength to convince other nations not to attack first.






47. 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.






48. The practice of exporting U.S. jobs to lower paid employees in other nations.






49. 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.






50. Interpretation of the First Amendment that holds that the government cannot interfere with speech unless the speech presents a clear and present danger that it will lead to evil or illegal acts.