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. Segregation imposed by law.






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






3. Mutual aid and vote trading among legislators.






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






5. A large body of people interested in a common issue - idea - or concern that is of continuing significance and who are willing to take action. Movements seek to change attitudes or institutions - not just policies.






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






7. Clause of the Constitution (Article 1 - Section 8 - Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress - in addition to its express powers has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Co






8. 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






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






10. An official document - published every weekday - which lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies.






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






12. Views the national government - 50 states - and thousands of local governments as competing with each other over ways to put together packages of services and taxes. Applies the analogy of the marketplace: we have some choice about which state and ci






13. 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.






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






15. The right to keep executive communications confidential - especially if they relate to National Security.






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






17. The powers expressly given to Congress in the Constitution.






18. A technique of Congress to establish federal regulations. Federal grants may establish certain conditions that extend to all activities supported by federal funds - regardless of their source. The first and most famous of these is Title VI of the 196






19. Literally - a 'friend of the court' brief - filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.






20. Congress appropriates a certain sum - which is allocated to state and local units and sometimes to nongovernmental agencies - based on applications from those who wish to participate. Examples are grants by the National Science Foundation to universi






21. 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.






22. International organization derived from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that promotes it free trade around the world.






23. 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






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






25. Donations made to political candidates - party committees - or groups which - by law - are limited and must be declared.






26. A tax on increased value of the product at each stage of production and distribution rather than just at the point of sale.






27. The right to renounce one's citizenship.






28. 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.






29. Holding incumbents - usually the president's party - responsible for their records on issues - such as the economy or foreign policy.






30. Championed by Ronald Reagan - presumes that the power of the federal government is limited in favor of the broad powers reserved to the states.

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31. 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.






32. 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.






33. A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.






34. A formal agreement between a U.S. president and the leaders of other nations that acquires approval by both houses of Congress.






35. Directive issued by a president or governor that has the force of law.






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






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






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






39. The power to keep executive communications confidential - especially if they relate to national security.






40. The head of the White House staff.






41. 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.






42. The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition.






43. Providing automatic increases to compensate for inflation.






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






45. The drawing of election districts so as to ensure that members of a certain race are a minority in the district; ruled unconstitutional in Gomillion v. Lightfoot (1960).






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






47. 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.






48. Supporters of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government.






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






50. A company with a labor agreement under which union membership can be a condition of employment.