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






2. 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.






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






4. The right of women to vote.

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






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






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






8. An economic and governmental system based on public ownership of the means of production and exchange.






9. A legal action conferring citizenship on an alien.






10. Unlimited amounts of money that political parties previously could raise for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state and local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.






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






12. Segregation imposed by law.






13. Libel - obscenity - fighting words - and commercial speech - which are not entitled to constitutional protection in all circumstances.






14. Implies that although federalism provides 'a sharing of power and authority between the national and state governments - the state's share rests upon the permission and permissiveness of the national government.'






15. Censorship imposed before a speech is made or a newspaper is published; usually presumed to be unconstitutional.






16. General tax on sales transactions - sometimes exempting food and drugs.






17. The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts.






18. A dispute growing out of an actual case or controversy and that is capable of settlement by legal methods.






19. The formal process for making regulations.






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






21. The Supreme Court has ruled that individuals - groups - and parties can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently from the candidates. When an individual - group - or party does so - they are






22. The right to renounce one's citizenship.






23. 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.






24. Clause in the First Amendment that states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. The Supreme Court has interpreted this to forbid governmental support to any or all religions.






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






26. A president's claim of broad public support.






27. 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.






28. 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.






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






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






31. Elections held midway between presidential elections.






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






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






34. A career government employee.






35. Lawsuit brought by an individual or group of people on behalf of all those similarly situated.






36. A court order requiring explanation to a judge why a prisoner is being held in custody.






37. An explanation of the decision of the Supreme Court or any other appellate court.






38. The set of arrangements - including checks and balances - federalism - separation of powers - rule of law - due process - and a bill of rights - that requires our leaders to listen - think - bargain - and explain before they act or make laws. We then






39. Retroactive criminal law that works to the disadvantage of a person.






40. 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.






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






42. A company in which new employees must join a union within a stated time period.






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






44. An agency of Congress that analyzes presidential budget recommendations and estimates the cost of proposed legislation.






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






46. Literacy requirements some states imposed as a condition of voting - generally used to disqualify black voters in the South; now illegal.






47. An imbalance in international trade in which the value of imports exceeds the value of exports.






48. Government by religious leaders - who claim divine guidance.






49. The rights of all people to dignity and worth; also called human rights.






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