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 PAC formed by an officeholder that collects contributions from individuals and other PACs and then makes contributions to other candidates and political parties.






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. The process by which individuals perceive what they want to in media messages.






4. A minor party founded by Ross Perot in 1995. It focuses on national government reform - fiscal responsibility - and political accountability. It has recently struggled with internal strife and criticism that it lacks an identity.






5. 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.






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






7. Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government - generally.






8. A legal action conferring citizenship on an alien.






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






10. Assigning police to neighborhoods where they walk the beat and work with churches and other community groups to reduce crime and improve relations with minorities.






11. The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition.






12. 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






13. Philosophy proposing that judges should interpret the Constitution to reflect what the framers intended and what its words literally say.






14. Constitutional division of powers among the legislative - executive - and judicial branches - with the legislative branch making law - the executive applying and enforcing the law - and the judiciary interpreting the law.






15. Lawsuit brought by an individual or group of people on behalf of all those similarly situated.






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






17. The convention in Philadelphia - May 25 to September 17 - 1787 - that debated and agreed upon the Constitution of the United States.






18. A tax whereby people with lower incomes pay a higher fraction of their income than people with higher incomes.






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






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






21. Power of a government to take private property for public use; the U.S. Constitution gives national and state governments this power and requires them to provide just compensation for property so taken.






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






23. A formal decision to reject a bill passed by Congress after it adjourns






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






25. Money government provides to parents to pay their children's tuition in a public or private school of their choice.






26. Donations made to political candidates - party committees - or groups which - by law - are limited and must be declared.






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






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






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






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






31. A jury of 6 to 12 persons that determines guilt or innocence in a civil or criminal action.






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






33. Something given with the expectation of receiving something in return.






34. These are broad state grants to states for prescribed activities—welfare - child care - education - social services - preventive health care - and health services—with only a few strings attached. States have greater flexibility in deciding how to sp






35. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill.






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






37. 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.






38. Petition that - if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members - will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.






39. 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.






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






41. Efforts by government to alter the free operation of the market to achieve social goals such as protecting workers and the environment.






42. 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






43. Conservative Christians who (as a group) have become more active in politics in the last two decades and were especially influential in the 2000 presidential election.






44. Those citizens who follow public affairs carefully.






45. Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787 - protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

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46. A collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to influence government for specific ends. Interest groups usually work within the framework of government and try to achieve their goals through tactics such as lobbying.






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






48. Domination of an industry by a single company that fixes prices and discourages competition; also - the company that dominates the industry by these means.






49. An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on minimal government - promoting a free market economy - a noninterventionist foreign policy - and an absence of regulation in moral - economic - and social life.






50. 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.