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. 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.'






2. 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.






3. During the Great Society - the marble cake approach of intergovernmental relations.






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






5. 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.






6. Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.






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






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






9. Government regulation of property so extensive that government is deemed to have taken the property by the power of eminent domain - for which it must compensate the property owners.






10. A minor party that believes in extremely limited government. Libertarians call for a free market system - expanded individual liberties such as drug legalization - and a foreign policy of nonintervention - free trade - and open immigration.






11. The tendency of presidents to lose support over time.






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






13. A theory of government that holds that open - multiple - and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.






14. A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals (each limited to $2000) and present them to a candidate or political party as a 'bundle -' thus increasing the PAC's influence.






15. Programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government - usually in the form of payroll taxes.






16. A commission created by the 1974 amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act to administer election reform laws. It consists of six commissioners appointed by president and confirmed by the Senate. Its duties include overseeing disclosure of camp






17. 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.






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






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






20. Trial or punishment for the same crime by the same government; forbidden by the Constitution.






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






22. 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.






23. 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.






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






25. The cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out his responsibilities. Currently the office includes the Office of Management and Budget - the Council of Economic Advisers - and several other units.






26. The means by which individuals can express preferences regarding the development of public policy.






27. A philosophy that encourages individual nations tacked together to solve international problems.






28. The difference between the political opinions or political behavior of men and of women.






29. The study of the characteristics of populations.






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






31. 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.






32. Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.






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






34. A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister or president.






35. People who favor state or local action rather than national action.






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






37. Segregation imposed by law.






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






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






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






41. A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.






42. The act of declaring party affiliation; required by some states when one registers to vote.






43. A technique of Congress to establish federal regulations. These sanctions permit the use of federal money in one program to influence state and local policy in another. For example - a 1984 act reduced federal highway aid by up to 15 percent for any






44. Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president.






45. Employment cycle in which individuals who work for governmental agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern.






46. A division of population based on occupation - income - and education.






47. A consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government.






48. Constitutional requirement that governments proceed by proper methods; limits how government may exercise power.






49. Weakening of partisan preferences that points to a rejection of both major parties and a rise in the number of independents.






50. Usually the largest organization in government with the largest mission; also the highest rank in Federal hierarchy.