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






2. Presidential power to strike - or remove - specific items from a spending bill without vetoing the entire package; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.






3. Proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by William Paterson of New Jersey for a central government with a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented equally.






4. The widely shared beliefs - values - and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another.






5. Powers expressly or implicitly reserved to the states.

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6. A company with a labor agreement under which union membership cannot be required as a condition of employment.






7. A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.






8. 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






9. Established rules and regulations that restrain government officials.






10. Aid to the poor; 'welfare.'






11. A provision in a deed to real property prohibiting its sale to a person of a particular race or religion. Judicial enforcement of such deeds is unconstitutional.






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






13. A small political party that rises and falls with a charismatic candidate or - if composed of ideologies on the right or left - usually persists over time; also called a third party.






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






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






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






17. 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






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






19. Clause in the Constitution (Article 4 - Section 1) requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid.






20. 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.






21. A minor party dedicated to the environment - social justice - nonviolence - and the foreign policy of nonintervention. Ralph Nader ran as the Green party's nominee in 2000.






22. Agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for more serious offense.






23. Literacy requirements some states imposed as a condition of voting - generally used to disqualify black voters in the South; now illegal.






24. 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.






25. Elections in which voters elect officeholders.






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






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






28. Elections held midway between presidential elections.






29. 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.






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






31. A congressional district created to include a majority of minority voters; ruled constitutional so long as race is not the main factor in redistricting.






32. A government agency that operates like a business corporation - created to secure greater freedom of action and flexibility for a particular program.






33. Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.






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






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






36. Interest groups organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code may advertise for or against candidates. If their source of funding is corporations or unions - they have some restrictions on broadcast advertising. 527 organizations were impo






37. A court order requiring explanation to a judge why a prisoner is being held in custody.






38. 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.






39. Agreement signed by the United States - Canada - and Mexico in 1992 to form the largest free trade zone in the world.






40. 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.






41. A president's claim of broad public support.






42. A nonprofit association or group operating outside of government that advocates and pursues policy objectives.






43. Electoral system used in electing the president and vice president - in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for particular party's candidates.






44. A close contest; by extension - any contest in which the focus is on who is ahead and by how much rather than on substantive differences between the candidates.






45. 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.






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






47. The idea that a just government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs.






48. Money spent by individuals or groups not associated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office.






49. Providing automatic increases to compensate for inflation.






50. The presiding officer in the House of Representatives - formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party.