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






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






3. Constitutional requirement that governments act reasonably and that the substance of the laws themselves be fair and reasonable; limits what the government may do.






4. The joint listing of the presidential and vice presidential candidates on the same ballot as required by the Twelfth Amendment.






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






6. People who favor national action over action at the state and local levels.






7. Political contributions given to a party - candidate - or interest group that are limited in amounts and fully disclosed. Raising such limited funds is harder than raising unlimited funds - hence the term 'hard money.'






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






9. A consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government.






10. The process by which we develop our political attitudes - values - and beliefs.






11. A court order forbidding specific individuals or groups from performing certain acts (such as striking) that the court considers harmful to the rights and property of an employer or community.






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






13. The powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government.






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






15. Remedial action designed to overcome the effects of discrimination against minorities and women.






16. 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






17. 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.






18. The cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out his responsibilities. Currently the office includes the Office of Management and Budget - the Council of Economic Advisers - and several other units.






19. The belief that nations must engage in international problem solving.






20. Words that by their very nature inflict injury on those to whom they are addressed or insight them to acts of violence.






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






22. 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.






23. Usually the largest organization in government with the largest mission; also the highest rank in Federal hierarchy.






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






25. 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.






26. A policy-making alliance that involves a very strong ties among a congressional committee - an interest group - and a Federal Department or agency.






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






28. An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official.






29. Deliberate refusal to obey law or comply with orders of public officials as a means of expressing opposition.






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






31. The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party - group - or incumbent.






32. Weakening of partisan preferences that points to a rejection of both major parties and a rise in the number of independents.






33. A company with a labor agreement under which union membership can be a condition of employment.






34. 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






35. Trade status granted as part of an international trade policy that gives a nation the same favorable trade concessions and tariffs that the best trading partners receive.






36. Directive issued by a president or governor that has the force of law.






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






38. A policy-making alliance among loosely connected participants that comes together on a particular issue - then disbands.






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






40. Constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between a central government and subdivisional governments - called states in the United States. The national and the subdivisional governments both exercise direct authority over individuals.






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






42. Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment that forbids any state to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. By interpretation - the Fifth Amendment imposes the same limitation on the national government. This clause is t






43. A system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.






44. 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.






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






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






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






48. The principle of a two-house legislature.






49. 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.






50. 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.