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 person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or corporation to try to influence policy decisions and positions in the executive and legislative branches.






2. 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.






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






4. 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.






5. A belief that government can and should achieve justice and equality of opportunity.






6. Advertisements and commercials for products and services; they receive less First Amendment protection - primarily to discourage false and misleading ads.






7. A widely shared and consciously held view - like support for homeland security.






8. The process by which provisions of the bill of rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments.






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






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






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






12. 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






13. A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.






14. The right to keep executive communications confidential - especially if they relate to National Security.






15. Literally - a 'friend of the court' brief - filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.






16. Retroactive criminal law that works to the disadvantage of a person.






17. 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






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






19. 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.






20. The reliance on diplomacy and negotiation to solve international problems.






21. 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.






22. 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.






23. Constitutional requirement that governments proceed by proper methods; limits how government may exercise power.






24. Candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election - not necessarily more than half.






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






26. Primary election in which only persons registered in the party holding the primary may vote.






27. Voting by member of one party for a candidate of another party.






28. 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.






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






30. A company with a labor agreement under which union membership is a condition of employment.






31. A law that defines crimes against the public order.






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






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






34. The tendency of presidents to lose support over time.






35. 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.






36. An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.






37. The boost that candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of candidates above them on the ballot - especially the president.






38. Belief in the superiority of one's nation or ethnic group.






39. 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






40. 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.






41. Economic theory based on the principles of John Maynard Keynes stating that government spending should increase during business slumps and be curbed during booms.






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






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






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






45. The proportion of the voting age public that votes - sometimes defined as the number of registered voters that vote.






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






47. Procedure whereby a certain number of voters may - by petition - propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters.






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






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






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