AP Government and Politics Midterm Exam

Which of the following concepts did the ratification of the Constitution in 1788 most clearly commit to?

• The idea of direct democracy

• The principle of limited government

• The abolition of slavery

• The need to protect the rights of the accused

Which of the following most accurately describes The Federalist Papers?

• The Federalist party platform during the presidency of John Adams, the first Federalist president

• A popular anti-British booklet of the pre-Revolutionary era

• A collection of essays arguing the merits of the Constitution

• A series of congressional acts defining the relationship between the federal and state governments

A Supreme Court judge expresses the desire to change public policy and alter judicial precedent. Which of the following terms describes this action?

• judicial activism

• due process

• judicial restraint

• ex post facto lawmaking

Which of the following statements about Congress is true?

• Congress cannot override a presidential veto.

• A proposed constitutional amendment must be approved by 2/3 of the delegates of both house of Congress.

• Congress can establish an official church of the United States.

• Congressional power over the bureaucracy is less than that of the president.

Which of the following demonstrates why The House Rules Committee is considered one of the most powerful groups in the House of Representatives?

• It supervises the ethical conduct of House members.

• It oversee the selection of federal judges.

• It determines the number of subcommittees that a standing committee may establish at any given time.

• It determines the scheduling of votes and the conditions under which bills are debated and amended.

Which of the following is the primary function of a political action committee (PAC)?

• To contribute money to candidates for election

• To coordinate local get out the vote campaigns

• To promote the defeat of incumbents in the federal and state legislatures

• To organize protest demosntrations and other acts of civil disobedience

Which of the following rights does the 1st Amendment protect?

• Due process of the law in any criminal case

• Retention of personal property unless justly compensated by the government

• Not being subjected to excessive fines or unusual punishment

• Petitioning the government for a redress of grievances

Voters who rely exclusively on telelvision network news coverage of national elections are most likely to be aware of which of the following?

• Which special interest groups have endorsed which candidates

• The relative strengths of each candidate's support, as indicated in public opinion polls

• Candidates positions on international issues

• Candidates positions on domestic issues

Which of the following cases focused on the right to privacy for all American citizens?

• Near v. Minnesota and New York Times v. Sullivan

• Texas v. Johnson and Morse v. Frederick

• Thornhill v. Alabama and Cox v. New Hampshire

• Griswold v. Connecticut and Roe v. Wade

Which of the following is American federalism most clearly exemplified by?

• A system of checks and balances among the three branches of government

• A process by which international treaties are completed

• The special constitutional status of Washington DC

• The 10th Amendment to the Constitution