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 policy promoting cutbacks in the amount of Federal regulation in specific areas of economic activity.






2. Philosophy proposing that judges should interpret the Constitution to reflect current conditions and values.






3. An opinion disagreeing with a majority in a Supreme Court ruling.






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






5. 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






6. 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.






7. Government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic.






8. Statement required by Federal law from all agencies for any project using Federal funds to assess the potential affect of the new construction or development on the environment.






9. A PAC formed by an officeholder that collects contributions from individuals and other PACs and then makes contributions to other candidates and political parties.






10. 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






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






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






13. The number of Americans who are out of work but actively looking for a job. The number does not usually include those who are not looking.






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






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






16. 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.






17. 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.






18. The right to vote.






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






20. Constitutional grant of powers that enables each of the three branches of government to check some acts of the others and therefore ensure that no branch can dominate.






21. Those citizens who follow public affairs carefully.






22. Constitutional division of powers among the legislative - executive - and judicial branches - with the legislative branch making law - the executive applying and enforcing the law - and the judiciary interpreting the law.






23. An official who is expected to vote independently based on his or her judgment of the circumstances; one interpretation of the role of the legislator.






24. Programs such as Medicaid and welfare under which applicants must meet eligibility requirements based on need.






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






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






27. The total output of all economic activity in the nation - including goods and services.






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






29. Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.






30. Elections in which voters elect officeholders.






31. A secret ballot printed by the state.






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






33. Exemption from prosecution for a particular crime in return for testimony pertaining to the case.






34. A requirement the federal government imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds.






35. 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.






36. 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.






37. Interest groups organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code may advertise for or against candidates. If their source of funding is corporations or unions - they have some restrictions on broadcast advertising. 527 organizations were impo






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






39. 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






40. A formal writ used to bring a case before the Supreme Court.






41. Domination of an industry by a single company; also the company that dominates the industry.






42. The difference between the revenues raised annually from sources of income other than borrowing and the expenditures of government - including paying the interest on past borrowing.






43. Governance divided between the parties - especially when one holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.






44. The residents of a congressional district or state.






45. A rise in the general price level (and decrease in dollar value) owing to an increase in the volume of money and credit in relation to available goods.






46. A specific course of action taken by government to achieve a public goal.






47. The presiding officer in the House of Representatives - formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party.






48. 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.






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






50. The clause in the Constitution (Article 1 - Section 8 - Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.