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






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






3. The right of women to vote.

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4. 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.






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






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






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






8. An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other - so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted.






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






10. Those citizens who follow public affairs carefully.






11. 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.






12. Arrangement whereby public officials are hired to provide legal assistance to people accused of crimes who are unable to hire their own attorneys.






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






14. 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.






15. A policy-making alliance among loosely connected participants that comes together on a particular issue - then disbands.






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






17. Elections held midway between presidential elections.






18. 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






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






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






21. 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.






22. A technique of Congress to establish federal regulations. Total preemption rests on the national governments power under the supremacy and commerce clauses to preempt conflicting state and local activity. Building on this constitutional authority - f






23. 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.






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






25. Initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature dominated by the big states.






26. Election in which voters choose party nominees.






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






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






29. The widespread belief that the United States is a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success.






30. 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






31. 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.






32. Clause of the Constitution (Article I - Section 10) originally intended to prohibit state governments from modifying contracts made between individuals; for a while interpreted as prohibiting state governments from taking actions that adversely affec






33. How voters feel about a candidate's background - personality - leadership ability - and other personal qualities.






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






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






36. Incumbents have an advantage over challengers in election campaigns because voters are more familiar with them - and incumbents are more recognizable.






37. Mutual aid and vote trading among legislators.






38. Police targeting of racial minorities as potential suspects of criminal activities.






39. A tax graduated so that people with higher incomes pay larger fraction of their income than people with lower incomes.






40. Election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.






41. Government by the people - both directly or indirectly - with free and frequent elections.






42. Programs such as unemployment insurance - disaster relief - or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.






43. 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






44. A policy that emphasizes a united front and cooperation between the major political parties - especially on sensitive foreign policy issues.






45. A monopoly that controls goods and services - often in combinations that reduce competition.






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






47. Through different grant programs - slices up the marble cake into many different pieces - making it even more difficult to differentiate the functions of the levels of government.






48. 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).






49. A government entity that is independent of the legislative - executive - and judicial branches.






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