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






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






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






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






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

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


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






7. The total amount of money the Federal government has borrowed to finance deficit spending over the years.






8. 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






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






10. A legislative practice that assigns the chair of the committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee.






11. Formal accusation by the lower house of legislature against a public official - the first step in removal from office.






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






13. 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.






14. God's or nature's law that defines right from wrong and is higher than human law.






15. The right of women to vote.

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


16. The dispensing of government jobs to persons who belong to the winning political party.






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






18. 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.






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






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






21. Clause in the First Amendment that states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. The Supreme Court has interpreted this to forbid governmental support to any or all religions.






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






23. 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.






24. A procedure for terminating debate - especially filibusters - in the Senate.






25. General tax on sales transactions - sometimes exempting food and drugs.






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






27. An international trade organization with more than 130 members - including the United States and the People's Republic of China - that seeks to encourage free trade by lowering tariffs and other trade restrictions.






28. Government by religious leaders - who claim divine guidance.






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






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






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






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






33. Unlimited amounts of money that political parties previously could raise for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state and local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.






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






35. The head of the White House staff.






36. A law that governs relationships between individuals and defines their legal rights.






37. 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.'






38. Agency that administers civil service laws - rules - and regulations.






39. 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.






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






41. Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.






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






43. Elections in which voters elect officeholders.






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






45. The tendency of presidents to learn more about doing their jobs over time.






46. The number of Americans who are out of work but actively looking for a job. The number does not usually include those who are not looking.






47. A court with appellate jurisdiction that hears appeals from the decisions of lower courts.






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






49. Powers expressly or implicitly reserved to the states.

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


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