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 secret ballot printed by the state.






2. The residents of a congressional district or state.






3. A theory of international relations that focuses on the tendency of nations to operate from self-interest.






4. The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts.






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






6. Alternative means of health care in which individuals make tax-deductible contributions to a special account that can be used to pay medical expenses.






7. Procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of their term.






8. Alternative means of health care in which people or their employers are charged a set amount and the HMO provides health care and covers hospital costs.






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






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






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






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






13. Federal program that provides medical benefits for low-income persons.






14. 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.






15. Money government provides to parents to pay their children's tuition in a public or private school of their choice.






16. 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.






17. A congressional committee created for a specific purpose - sometimes to conduct an investigation.






18. Legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one states to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.






19. The informal list of issues that Congress and the president consider most important for action.






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






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






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






23. Formal accusation against a president or other public official - the first step in removal from office.






24. Method whereby representatives of the union and employer determine wages - hours - and other conditions of employment through direct negotiation.






25. Constitutional requirement that governments act reasonably and that the substance of the laws themselves be fair and reasonable; limits what the government may do.






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






27. The process - most notably in families and schools - by which we develop our political attitudes - values - and beliefs.






28. A company with a labor agreement under which union membership can be a condition of employment.






29. The rights of an individual to own - use - rent - invest in - buy - and sell property.






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






31. 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






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






33. The right of a federal law or a regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation.






34. Attempting to overthrow the government by force or use violence to interrupt its activities.






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






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






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






38. Power of a government to take private property for public use; the U.S. Constitution gives national and state governments this power and requires them to provide just compensation for property so taken.






39. The dispensing of government jobs to persons who belong to the winning political party.






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






41. A characteristic of individuals that is predictive of political behavior.






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






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






44. 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.






45. 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






46. God's or nature's law that defines right from wrong and is higher than human law.






47. Compromise between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.






48. Congress appropriates a certain sum - which is allocated to state and local units and sometimes to nongovernmental agencies - based on applications from those who wish to participate. Examples are grants by the National Science Foundation to universi






49. A law that defines crimes against the public order.






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