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 government agency or commission with regulatory power whose independence is protected by Congress.






2. 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






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






4. A decision made by a higher court such as a circuit court of appeals or the Supreme Court that is binding on all other federal courts.






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






6. Clause in the First Amendment that states that Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion.






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






8. 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.






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






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






11. A national meeting of delegates elected in 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.






12. Alternative means of health care in which individuals make tax-deductible contributions to a special account that can be used to pay medical expenses.






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






14. An economic system characterized by private property - competitive markets - economic incentives - and limited government involvement in the production - distribution - and pricing of goods and services.






15. Procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution.






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






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






18. Citizenship in more than one nation.






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






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






21. Divisions within society that reinforce one another - making groups more homogenous or similar.






22. 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






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






24. A type of policy that provides benefits to all Americans.






25. 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.






26. A government that enforces recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free - fair - and relatively frequent elections.






27. A judicial system in which the court of law is a neutral arena where two parties argue their differences.






28. An opinion that agrees with the majority in a Supreme Court ruling but differs on the reasoning.






29. Aid to the poor; 'welfare.'






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






31. Inherent powers of state governments to pass laws to protect the public health - safety - and welfare; the national government has no directly granted police powers but accomplishes the same goals through other delegated powers.






32. An action taken by Congress to reverse the presidential veto - requiring a two-thirds majority in each chamber.






33. A belief that limited government insures order competitive markets and personal opportunity.






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






35. The residents of a congressional district or state.






36. Period at the beginning of the new president's term during which the president enjoys generally positive relations with the press and Congress - usually lasting about six months.






37. 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.






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






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






40. Formal orders issued by the president to direct action by the Federal bureaucracy.






41. A policy promoting cutbacks in the amount of Federal regulation in specific areas of economic activity.






42. A theory of international relations that focuses on the hope the nations will act together to solve international problems and promote peace.






43. An explanation of the decision of the Supreme Court or any other appellate court.






44. 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.






45. 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.






46. Method whereby representatives of the union and employer determine wages - hours - and other conditions of employment through direct negotiation.






47. Written defamation of another person. For public officials and public figures - the constitutional tests designed to restrict libel actions are especially rigid.






48. A notion held by a nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was destined to rule the continent - from the Atlantic the Pacific.






49. Compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.






50. The Federal government's primary intelligence officer - responsible for overseeing all national intelligence agencies and providing advice to the President on terrorist threats.