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






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






3. The means by which individuals can express preferences regarding the development of public policy.






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






5. 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.






6. Powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments - such as the power to levy taxes.






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. Procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of their term.






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






10. 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.






11. Police targeting of racial minorities as potential suspects of criminal activities.






12. 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.






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






14. 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.






15. Loss of tax revenue due to Federal laws that provide special tax incentives or benefits to individuals or businesses.






16. Government regulation of property so extensive that government is deemed to have taken the property by the power of eminent domain - for which it must compensate the property owners.






17. The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts.






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






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






20. Means of communication that are reaching the public - including newspapers and magazines - radio - television (broadcast - cable - and satellite) - films - recordings - books - and electronic communication.






21. The desire to avoid international entanglement altogether.






22. A government agency or commission with regulatory power whose independence is protected by Congress.






23. Written defamation of another person. For public officials and public figures - the constitutional tests designed to restrict libel actions are especially rigid.






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

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25. Attempting to overthrow the government by force or use violence to interrupt its activities.






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






27. 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






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






29. Court order directing an official to perform an official duty.






30. 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.






31. A term the founders used to refer to political parties and special interests or interest groups.






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






33. 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.






34. 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






35. People who favor state or local action rather than national action.






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






37. A decision by the president not to spend money appropriated by Congress - now prohibited under Federal law.






38. Incumbents have an advantage over challengers in election campaigns because voters are more familiar with them - and incumbents are more recognizable.






39. A landmark case in United States law and the basis for the exercise of judicial review in the United States - under Article Three of the United States Constitution. The case resulted from a petition to the Supreme Court by William Marbury - who had b






40. Tax levied on imports to help protect the nation's industries - labor - or farmers from foreign competition. It can also be used to raise additional revenue.






41. Aid to the poor; 'welfare.'






42. 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.






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






44. The rights of all people to dignity and worth; also called human rights.






45. Voting based on what a candidate pledges to do in the future about an issue if elected.






46. The principle of a two-house legislature.






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






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






49. Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials - especially legislators - and the policies they enact.






50. Segregation imposed by law.