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






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






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






4. Financial contributions by individuals or groups in the hope of influencing the outcome of the election and subsequently influencing policy.






5. Established rules and regulations that restrain government officials.






6. A court order forbidding specific individuals or groups from performing certain acts (such as striking) that the court considers harmful to the rights and property of an employer or community.






7. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill.






8. A career government employee.






9. Elections held in years when the president is on the ballot.






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






11. 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






12. 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.






13. A rising public approval of the president that follows a crisis as Americans 'rally 'round the flag' and the chief executive.






14. Democratic party primary in the old 'one-party South' that was limited to white people and essentially constituted an election; ruled unconstitutional in Smith v. Allwright (1944).






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






16. The current holder of the elected office.






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






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






19. Providing automatic increases to compensate for inflation.






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






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






22. A law that governs relationships between individuals and defines their legal rights.






23. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments.






24. Denial of export - import - or financial relations with the target country in an effort to change that nation's policies.






25. Constitutional arrangement in which sovereign nations or states - by compact - create a central government but carefully limit its power and do not give it direct authority over individuals.






26. Clause in the Constitution (Article 4 - Section 1) requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid.






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






28. A provision attached to a bill






29. Promoting a particular position or an issue paid for by interest groups or individuals but not candidates. Much issue advocacy is often electioneering for or against a candidate - and until 2004 had not been subject to any regulation.






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






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






32. How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives - including how to get individuals and groups to participate and to cooperate. The term has many applications in the various social sciences such as political science - sociology - and






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






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






35. Voting by member of one party for a candidate of another party.






36. Agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for a more serious offense.






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






38. The system created by Congress in 1913 to establish banking practices and regulate currency in circulation and the amount of credit available. It consists of 12 regional banks supervised by the Board of Governors. Often called simply the Fed.






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






40. Deliberate refusal to obey law or comply with orders of public officials as a means of expressing opposition.






41. 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.






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






43. 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.






44. 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






45. Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly.






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






47. Aid to the poor; 'welfare.'






48. 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.






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






50. A combination of entitlement programs - paid for by employer and employee taxes - that includes retirement benefits - health insurance - and support for disabled workers and the children of deceased or disabled workers.