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 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.






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






3. Governance divided between the parties - as when one holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.






4. 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.






5. During the Great Society - the marble cake approach of intergovernmental relations.






6. The authority of a court to hear a case 'in the first instance.'






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






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






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






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






11. A combination of entitlement programs - paid for by employer and employee taxes - that includes retirement benefits - health insurance - and support for disabled workers and the children of deceased or disabled workers.






12. A theory of government that holds that open - multiple - and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.






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






14. The constitutional requirement (in Article II - Section 3) that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed - even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws.






15. 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.






16. 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.






17. 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.






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






19. A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.






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






21. Federal statute barring Federal employees from active participation in certain kinds of politics and protecting them from being fired on partisan grounds.






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






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






24. A specific course of action taken by government to achieve a public goal.






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






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






27. Alternative means of health care in which people or their employers are charged a set amount and the HMO provides health care and covers hospital costs.






28. Constitutional arrangement that concentrates power in a central government.






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






30. The powers expressly given to Congress in the Constitution.






31. A tax graduated so that people with higher incomes pay larger fraction of their income than people with lower incomes.






32. Supporters of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government.






33. 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.






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






35. The formal process for making regulations.






36. The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy - confers with other party leaders - and tries to keep members of the party in line.






37. 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.






38. Elections in which voters elect officeholders.






39. System designed to reduce voter fraud by limiting voting to those who have established eligibility to vote by submitting the proper documents.






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






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






42. Legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one states to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.






43. Programs that the Federal government requires States to implement without Federal funding.






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






45. Formal orders issued by the president to direct action by the Federal bureaucracy.






46. Clause in the First Amendment that states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. The Supreme Court has interpreted this to forbid governmental support to any or all religions.






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






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






49. Procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution.






50. The first governing document of the confederated states drafted in 1777 - ratified in 1781 - and replaced by the present Constitution in 1789.