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. An economic and governmental system based on public ownership of the means of production and exchange.






2. 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






3. Party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature.






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






5. Policy of erecting trade barriers to protect domestic industry.






6. Relationships among interest groups - congressional committees and subcommittees - and the government agencies that share a common policy concern.






7. 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.






8. The precise legal definition of how government will implement a policy.






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






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






11. Promoting a particular position or an issue 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 regulation.






12. The set of arrangements - including checks and balances - federalism - separation of powers - rule of law - due process - and a bill of rights - that requires our leaders to listen - think - bargain - and explain before they act or make laws. We then






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






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






15. Divisions within society that cut across demographic categories to produce groups that are more heterogeneous or different.






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






17. 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.






18. 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.






19. Interpretation of the First Amendment that holds that the government cannot interfere with speech unless the speech presents a clear and present danger that it will lead to evil or illegal acts.






20. Established by Congress in 1978 as a flexible - mobile corps of senior career executives who worked closely with presidential appointees to manage government.






21. Election in which voters choose party nominees.






22. Loss of tax revenue due to Federal laws that provide special tax incentives or benefits to individuals or businesses.






23. Presidential refusal to allow an agency to spend funds that Congress authorized and appropriated.






24. Political contributions given to a party - candidate - or interest group that are limited in amounts and fully disclosed. Raising such limited funds is harder than raising unlimited funds - hence the term 'hard money.'






25. A permanent committee established in a legislature - usually focusing on a policy area.






26. Consumer tax on a specific kind of merchandise - such as tobacco.






27. 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.






28. The process of putting a law into practice through bureaucratic rules or spending.






29. The candidate or party that wins more than half the votes cast in an election.






30. 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.






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






32. Contributions to a state or local party for party-building purposes.






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






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






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






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






37. A formal - public agreement between the United States and one or more nations that must be approved by two thirds of the Senate.






38. Theory that opposes governmental interference in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property.






39. 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






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






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






43. Quality or state of a work that taken as a whole appeals to a prurient interest in sex by depicting sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and that lacks serious literary - artistic - political - or scientific value.






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






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






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






47. The Supreme Court has ruled that individuals - groups - and parties can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently from the candidates. When an individual - group - or party does so - they are






48. In this type of sample - every individual has unknown and random chance of being selected.






49. 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






50. Segregation resulting from economic or social conditions or personal choice.