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 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






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






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






4. 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






5. The clause of the Constitution (Article I - Section 8 - Clause 3) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.






6. Views the Constitution as giving a limited list of powers—primarily foreign policy and national defense—to the national government - leaving the rest to the sovereign states. Each level of government is dominant within its own sphere. The Supreme Cou






7. An election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins.






8. Something given with the expectation of receiving something in return.






9. A veto exercised by the president after Congress has adjourned; if the president takes no action for 10 days - the bill does not become law and does not return to Congress for possible override.






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






11. The authority of a court to hear a case 'in the first instance.'






12. Efforts by government to alter the free operation of the market to achieve social goals such as protecting workers and the environment.






13. 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.






14. A theory that government should control the money supply to encourage economic growth and restrain inflation.






15. Those citizens who follow public affairs closely.






16. Conceives of federalism as a marble cake in which all levels of government are involved in a variety of issues and programs - rather than a layer cake - or dual federalism - with fixed divisions between layers or levels of government.






17. The study of the characteristics of populations.






18. Programs that the Federal government requires States to implement without Federal funding.






19. The distribution of individual preferences or evaluations of a given issue - candidate - or institution within a specific population.






20. Agency that administers civil service laws - rules - and regulations.






21. Interpretation of the First Amendment that would permit legislatures to forbid speech encouraging people to engage in illegal action.






22. 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.






23. Established by Congress in 1978 as a flexible - mobile corps of senior career executives who worked closely with presidential appointees to manage government.






24. Clause in the Fifth Amendment limiting the power of the national government; similar clause in the Fourteenth Amendment prohibiting state governments from depriving any person of life - liberty - or property without due process of law.






25. 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.






26. A nonprofit association or group operating outside of government that advocates and pursues policy objectives.






27. Segregation resulting from economic or social conditions or personal choice.






28. The constitutional requirement (in Article II - Section 3) that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed - even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws.






29. 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.'






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






31. Formal orders issued by the president to direct action by the Federal bureaucracy.






32. A policy that emphasizes a united front and cooperation between the major political parties - especially on sensitive foreign policy issues.






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






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






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






36. Election in which voters choose party nominees.






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






38. Theory that opposes governmental interference in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property.






39. The Federal government's primary intelligence officer - responsible for overseeing all national intelligence agencies and providing advice to the President on terrorist threats.






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






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






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






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






44. A national meeting of delegates elected at primaries - caucuses - or state conventions who assemble once every four years to nominate candidates for president and vice president - ratify the party platform - elect officers - and adopt rules.






45. Segregation imposed by law.






46. The belief that nations must engage in international problem solving.






47. 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.






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






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






50. A belief that limited government insures order competitive markets and personal opportunity.