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WorksheetsAP US Government and Politics Review
Total questions: 135
Worksheet time: 1hrs 27mins
State governments have the most judgment in creating policy when funding is derived from:
Categorical Grants
Block Grants
Matching Grants
Grant-in-Aid
Which of the following is true under the system of checks and balances?
The Supreme Court can overrule the President’s policy proposals.
The Supreme Court can remove members of Congress.
The Senate must ratify treaties before they become law.
The House appoints justices to the Supreme Court.
The most important effect of replacing the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution of 1787 was:
The Protection of Free Speech
The Establishment of Judicial Review
The Guarantee of States’ Rights
The creation of a Strong National Government
All of the following are examples of checks and balances except:
Declaration of War by Congress
Appointment of Supreme Court Justices
Presidential Veto
Impeachment of the President
The Supreme Court's decision in Marbury v. Madison (1803):
Expanded the Powers of Congress
Supported the Concept of National Supremacy
Strengthened the Powers of the States
Established the Principle of Judicial Review
Which compromise describes how the Founders resolved the issues of slavery and taxes?
The Great Compromise
The 3/5's Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise
The New Jersey Plan
Which of the following was not a weakness of government under the Articles of Confederation?
Only the President Could Initiate Foreign Treaties
Unanimous Decisions were Necessary to Amend the Articles
Congress Lacked the Power to Tax and Create Common Currency
The National Government Lacked a Judicial Branch
Of the following, American federalism is most greatly exemplified by the:
Process by which International Treaties are Completed
President’s Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons
Special Constitutional Status of Washington, D.C.
The Selection of Senators by the State Legislatures
Which of the following most accurately describes The Federalist Papers?
A Popular Anti-British Booklet of the Pre-Revolutionary Era
Essays Arguing for the Adoption of the U.S. Constitution
The Federalist Platform under President Adams
Congressional acts that defines relations between the states
Which of the following would argue for a strong national government?
Brutus
Julius
Cato
Publius
Which level of government found its power strengthened after McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)?
Local
State
National
International
Cooperative federalism can best be described as:
“Marble Cake Federalism”
“Layer Cake Federalism”
An Extension of New Federalism
An Extension of Economic Federalism
The Declaration of Independence was most clearly influenced by the political philosophy of:
Thomas Hobbes
Niccolo Machiavelli
John Calvin
John Locke
Which principle of the Constitution is reflected in the procedures for creating amendments?
Popular Sovereignty
Checks and Balances
Separation of Powers
Federalism
Devolution is a movement that promotes giving more policy-making power to the:
The President
States
Federal Bureaucracy
The National Government
Marxists analyze society primarily through the lens of:
Class
Pluralism
Race
Institutions
In which of the following examples is power the most diluted?
An Oligarchy
A Constitutional Monarchy
A Totalitarian
A Direct Democracy
Individuals voluntarily agree to create a government to secure and protect members of society:
Evolutionary Theory
Divine Right Theory
Social Contract Theory
Pluralist Theory
The framers had a commitment to a republic. Which most represented that commitment?
The US Senate
The Supreme Court
The President
The House of Representatives
In 2015, President Obama nominated a justice to the Supreme Court that was not confirmed. Which concept does this demonstrate?
Federalism
Majority Rule
Due Process
Check and Balances
The ____ theory believes that no one group controls because of many competing interests.
Pluralism
Marxism
Power Elite
Social Group
When Madison wrote "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition" he was describing what?
Separation of Powers
Federalism
Power Elite
Popular Sovereignty
Which of the following students is most likely to be politically liberal?
A Junior College Student
A Baptist Preacher
A Professor at a State University
A Rich Businessman
A congressman is opposed to social medicine and high taxes. This congressman is most likely a:
Liberal
Independent
Conservative
Communist
Inactive voters tend to be all of the following except:
Religious
Young
Low Education
Low Income
Explanations for low voter turnout include all of the following EXCEPT:
Registration Requirements
Weekday Elections
Laws Protecting Voting Rights for Minorities
Frequency of Elections
Political socialization is the process by which:
The use of private property is regulated by the government
Political values are passed to the next generation
Public attitudes toward government are measured and reported
Children are trained for successful occupations
What is the adequate sample size for a national public opinion poll?
150
1,500
15,000
150,000
The Literary Digest survey that incorrectly predicted the 1936 presidential election...
Was the first national poll ever conducted
Had poorly worded questions
Had a sample size that was too small
Had a sample that was not reflective of the population
Which of the following election years will have the highest voter turnout?
2006
2010
2016
2018
Of the following Americans, whose opinion matters the most?
A Convicted Felon
An 18-Year-Old
A Retired 65-Year-Old
The opinions of all Americans are of equal importance
Which piece of legislation most significantly increased the size of the voting population?
The Voting Rights Act of 1964
The Motor Voter Act
The 19th Amendment
The 26th Amendment
Which of the following states is most likely to see the highest voter participation percentage?
Georgia
Oregon
Texas
California
The Founders saw political parties as:
An important aspect of democracy
A means communicating public opinion to the president
Effective only in raising money for campaigns
Factions motivated by ambition and self-interest
Retrospective voting involves:
Basing your vote on past performance
Voting for the best candidate
Voting consistently for the same party
Voting on the basis of what you think the candidate will do
ABC News declares one candidate the winner in a debate. In this role, ABC News is acting as:
Gatekeeper
Watchdog
Scorekeeper
Investigator
A declaration of the party’s beliefs:
Plank
Platform
Primary
Caucus
The Democratic Party created theis to give more voice to party elites?
Caucuses
The McCain-Feingold Act
Blanket Primary
Super Delegates
What is the most expensive element of a political campaign?
Television Advertisements
Yard Signs and Flyers
Consultants and Pollsters
Transportation
Interest groups that members benefits such as magazines or discounts, are providing:
Purposive Incentives
Informational Incentives
Material Incentives
Solidary Incentives
Which interest group action would most greatly influence policy in the courts?
Rating Senators based on previous voting
Filing an amicus curiae brief
Lobbying members of Congress
Purchasing an ad in a national newspaper
A Democrat who is running against a Republican is in which part of the campaign?
The Primary Election
The Caucus
The Nomination Process
The General Election
The image best represents which political concept:
The Electoral College
An Australian Ballot
An Open Ballot
A Caucus
If a state has 14 representative in the House, how many electoral votes does it have?
12
14
16
18
Which of the following benefited most from the Supreme Court case Citizens United v. FEC?
An American Farmer
The National Rifle Association (NRA)
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals
School Teachers
Which of the following is an example of a free-rider?
Someone who pays to go to the movies
Someone who breaks in line in front of others
Someone who pays their federal taxes late
Someone who listens to NPR, without donating money
The picture is an example of:
A Negative Fear Ad
A Negative Backfire Ad
A Morning Again Ad
A Real People Testimonial Ad
Which of the following can spend unlimited amounts of money on a political campaign, and accept donations of any size?
A Super PAC
A Political Party
A 527 Organization
An Interest Group
In Federalist 10, James Madison argued that factions in a republic are:
A more serious threat if the republic is large
Prevented by majority rule
Prevented by free elections
Natural but controllable by institutions
This gives Congress the ability to limit the president's authority to commit troops overseas.
Curtis v. United States
The War Powers Resolution
Executive Order
Article III
This determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the floor:
House Rules Committee
Senate Rules Committee
Senatorial Courtesy
The Media
Who is most likely to vote for the expansion of Social Security benefits?
Republicans
Voters Aged 18-24
Senior Citizens
White Males
This is the most effective way for Congress to check the bureaucracy:
Passing Laws
Controlling the Budget
Impeaching Cabinet Heads
Publicly Shaming the Bureaucracy
The idea that judges ought to freely strike down laws that are inconsistent with their understanding of the Constitution is known as:
Original Intent
Judicial Activism
Judicial Restraint
Stare Decisis
This proposed a Senate with equal representation for each state and a House of Representatives with membership established according to the population of each state:
The New Jersey Plan
The Virginia Plan
The Great Compromise
The Albany Plan of Union
Generally, when is a president more likely to get congressional approval of proposed policies?
In foreign affairs, rather than in domestic affairs.
In social policy areas, rather than in economic policy areas.
In the second term, rather than in the first.
After midterm congressional elections.
Which of the following actions by a congressional representative is an example of “pork barreling”?
Misusing Campaign Contributions
Accepting Money from a Political Action Committee (PAC)
Directing Federal Funds into the Representative’s District Through Legislation
Voting for a Salary Increase
The primary responsibility for determining monetary policy in the United States rests with the:
International Monetary Fund
World Bank
Treasury Department
The Fed
In the United States judicial system, when a judge decides a case based on decisions rendered in similar cases from the past, the judge is following the principle of:
Amicus Curiae
Stare Decisis
Certiorari
Rule of Four
After a constitutional amendment has been proposed by both houses of Congress, its’ adoption requires:
Official Filing with the Secretary of State
Support by a Majority Vote of the People
Signature by the President
Ratification by three-fourths of the States
Giving state governments greater discretion in deciding how to achieve the specific goals of welfare reform is an example of:
An Unfunded Mandate
Implied Powers
Dual Federalism
Devolution
All of the following are examples of a linkage institution influencing policy process EXCEPT:
The President Delivering the State of the Union Address
The Sierra Club Lobbying the EPA
An expose by the National Media on the Housing Crisis
The Republicans Pursuing a Balanced Budget Amendment
Where must all revenue bills originate?
The President
The House of Representatives
The Senate
The Congressional Budget Office
Who must confirm nominees to the Supreme Court of the United States?
The House Judiciary Committee
The House of Representatives
A Simple Majority of the Senate
Four Out of Nine Sitting Justices
Which of the following is true of most federal judges appointed by the president?
They serve a ten year term.
They serve as long as the appointing president stays in power.
The serve for life on good behavior unless impeached and convicted by Congress.
They serve for life and are not subject to congressional impeachment.
An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is
Interest on the Public Debt
Spending on National Parks
Social Security Payments
Veterans’ Pensions
The three points of an iron triangle include:
An Independent Agency, A State, and A Member of Congress.
An Administrative Agency, An Interest Group, and A Congressional Committee.
A Cabinet Department, An Interest Group, and The House Majority Leader.
The Executive Office of the President, An Interest Group, and A Senate Committee.
Interest groups engage in all of the following activities EXCEPT:
Sponsoring Issue Advocacy Ads.
Lobbying Federal Agencies.
Filing Federal Lawsuits.
Using the Franking Privilege.
Which of the following options represents the majority opinion in US v Lopez?
Individuals have the right to own and carry guns.
The power of the federal government in relation to state governments is limited in this case.
The Commerce Clause gives Congress broad powers to determine the constitutionality of laws.
Even small, local events ultimately have an effect on interstate commerce.
In the McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) decision, which two provisions in the Constitution were upheld and strengthened?
Congress's power to regulate commerce and to levy taxes.
The Necessary and Proper Clause and the Supremacy Clause.
The 1st and 10th Amendments.
The Full Faith and Credit Clause and the Extradition Clause.
What was the effect of the opinion in Schenck v. United States?
People can say or express anything as long as the nation is not at war.
During wartime, no person can criticize the US government.
Free speech was expanded in the US.
As long as speech does not present a clear and present danger, it is allowed.
In what way do the decisions in Engel v. Vitale and Wisconsin v. Yoder differ?
One suggests a public policy creates an establishment of religion, while the other suggests a public policy denies a free exercise of religion.
One was decided on free speech grounds, and one was decided on free press grounds.
One preserved the governmental policy, and the other struck down a governmental policy.
One was during wartime, and one was during peacetime.
Which of the following is a result of the Gideon v. Wainwright decision?
Evidence acquired without a warrant will be excluded from the defendant's trial.
No state can prevent a woman from having an abortion.
Police must tell arrested suspects that they have a right against self-incrimination.
States must provide poor defendants with public defense attorneys.
In Brown v Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court based its decision on which provision of the 14th Amendment?
Jus Sanguinis clause.
The Equal Protection clause.
The Due Process clause.
The Civil Rights Act.
Which of the following did the Supreme Court permit in New York Times v. United States?
Printing Military Strategies During the Vietnam War
Publishing Papers Regarding Government Decisions During the Vietnam War
Nixon’s Invocation of Executive Privilege
Investigations into Presidential Corruption
Which of the following statements identifies the Supreme Court’s decision in Tinker v. Des Moines?
Schools can suspend students whose actions stimulate class discussions.
The First Amendment protects non-disruptive expression within schools.
Students can express their opinions in any way they choose in school.
Clothing cannot be categorized as a form of speech.
Baker v. Carr (1961)
Prohibited Redistricting in Southern States
Enabled Courts to Intervene in Congressional Redistricting
“One person, one vote”
Ruled that Redistricting Based Solely on Race was Unconstitutional
On which constitutional principle did the Supreme Court base it’s ruling in Citizens United?
Freedom of Speech.
The 5th Amendment's Freedom to Remain Silent.
Freedom of Expression.
The Equal Protection Clause.
Established supremacy of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws over state laws:
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Decided that Congress could not use the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime:
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
U.S. v. Lopez (1995)
School sponsorship of religious activities (like prayer) violates the establishment clause:
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Compelling Amish students to attend school past the 8th grade violates the free exercise clause:
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
Public school students have the right to wear black armbands in school to protest Vietnam War:
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
Baker v. Carr (1961)
Schenck v. United States (1919)
FREE PRESS v. NATIONAL SECURITY- This case supported free press arguments at the expense of prior restraint claims:
Schenck v. United States (1919)
Baker v. Carr (1961)
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
Speech creating a “clear and present danger” is not protected by the First Amendment:
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
Schenck v. United States (1919)
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Guaranteed the right to an attorney for the poor:
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Shaw v. Reno (1993)
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
Extended the right of privacy to a woman’s decision to have an abortion:
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
Roe v. Wade (1973)
New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense is applicable to the states:
Shaw v. Reno (1993)
U.S. v. Lopez (1995)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
Race-based school segregation violates the equal protection clause:
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Baker v. Carr (1961)
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Political spending by corporations, associations., and labor unions is speech protected by the First Amendment:
Schenck v. United States (1919)
Shaw v. Reno (1993)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
Supported “one man, one vote”; thus requiring congressional districts to be roughly equal in population in a given state:
Baker v. Carr (1961)
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Shaw v. Reno (1993)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
Our nation's first attempt at a written constitution was:
The Articles of Confederation
The Declaration of Independence
The US Constitution
Brutus #1
John Locke contributed ideologically to the Declaration of Independence with his idea of:
The State of Nature
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Natural Rights
The Federalist Papers were a collection of essays arguing...
Against Independence from Britain
For Independence from Britain
For the Ratification of the US Constitution
Against the Ratification of the US Constitution
Which of the following was NOT an author of the Federalist Papers?
John Jay
James Madison
Thomas Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton
The vast majority of the Declaration of Independence was:
A List of Signers
Wrongs that the Colonists had Endured
Ways the Colonists had been Good Colonists
Ways Britain Could Change to Repair the Relationship
The social contract theory is central to the argument of:
The Declaration of Independence
Federalist 10
Brutus 1
Federalist 70
"If men were angels, no government would be necessary!" comes from:
Federalist 10
Federalist 51
Federalist 70
Federalist 78
Which of the following makes a case for republicanism overcoming the ills of faction?
Brutus 1
Federalist 10
Federalist 51
Federalist 78
Which of the following argues that popular sovereignty only exists in a direct democracy?
Federalist 10
Federalist 51
Federalist 78
Brutus 1
The idea that checks and balances limits the government from becoming too powerful appears in:
Federalist 51
Federalist 70
Federalist 78
Brutus 1
All of the following are weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, except:
The Articles Limited State Sovereignty
No Executive or Judicial Branches
No Method for Taxation
Required Unanimous Consent of the States for an Amendment to Pass
Federalist #70 argues that
Multiple Executives are Best
A Unitary Executive is Ideal
An Executive Will Never Become a Tyrant
An Executive is Unnecessary when a Strong Legislature is in Place
Which document is a social contract outlining our natural rights?
US Constitution
Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
Brutus 1
The Articles of Confederation was based on:
Federalism
State Sovereignty
Racial Equality
Proportional Representation
Which document questioned the powers given to Congress in the US Constitution?
Federalist 10
Federalist 78
Brutus 1
Federalist 51
Which document stated that factions are inevitable and need to be controlled?
Federalist 10
Federalist 51
Federalist 70
Federalist 78
Which document defended separation of power and checks and balances?
Federalist 10
Federalist 51
Federalist 70
Federalist 78
Which foundational document is used to justify social movements?
The Declaration of Independence
The Articles of Confederation
The Bill of Rights
Letter From a Birmingham Jail
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal" can be found in:
The Declaration of Independence
The Articles of Confederation
The Bill of Rights
Letter From a Birmingham Jail
This is the number of representatives in Congress.
100
435
500
535
A newly elected official will be in office for the next six years. Which office do they hold?
The President
A Representative
A Senator
A Supreme Court Justice
The number of members in the Senate is:
Based Upon Population
Equal for all States
Decided Upon by the Voters
Depends on the Ruling Party
The majority party in power in the House of Representatives appoints a leader called:
President pro Tempore
Chief Justice
Senator
Speaker of the House
Who is the presiding officer of the Senate, and can be brought in to cast a tie-breaking vote if needed?
The Chief Justice
The Vice President
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
Secretary of State
These committees include members from both the Senate and the House. They are formed occasionally for certain issues:
Standing
Joint
Select
Optional
Who has the most "real" power in the Senate?
Speaker of the Senate
Majority Leader
Vice President
President
A filibuster can be ended by a _____ Resolution, requiring sixty votes.
Cloture
Capture
Ending
Censure
What is probably the most powerful committee in the House, because it sets rules for debate and procedure on all bills?
Gun Safety Committee
Conference Committee
Ways and Means Committee
Rules Committee
Legislation that permits the Vice President to become acting president if he and the cabinet determine that the President is disabled:
25th Amendment
22nd Amendment
16th Amendment
26th Amendment
A type of veto occurring when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the President, and the President simply lets the bill die by neither signing nor vetoing it:
Pocket Veto
Veto
Legislative Veto
Line-Item Veto
The principal leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate.
Minority Leader
Majority Leader
Speaker of the House
President Pro Tempore
The foreign policy course the U.S. followed throughout most of its history whereby it tried to stay out of other nations’ conflicts:
Isolationism
Arms Race
Detente
Containment Doctrine
The political equivalent of an indictment in criminal law, prescribed by the Constitution:
Impeachment
Writ of Mandamus
Merit Principle
Cloture
A strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation use their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill:
Filibuster
Resolution
Incumbent
Cloture
Congressional committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a particular bill in different forms:
Conference Committee
Senate Finance Committee
House Ways and Means Committee
Joint Committee
A group of presidential advisers not mentioned in the Constitution, composed of 14 secretaries, the attorney general, and others.
Cabinet
Office of Management and Budget
Senior Executive Service
Street-Level Bureaucrats
All the money borrowed by the federal government over the years that is still outstanding:
National Debt
Deficit
Regulation
Revenues
An excess of federal expenditures over federal revenues.
Deficit
Budget
National Debt
Balance of Trade
Government programs providing benefits to qualified individuals, regardless of need:
Entitlements
Expenditures
Tariffs
Regulations
Passed in 1883, legislation that created a federal civil service so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit, rather than patronage.
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Hatch Act
Spoils Act
Warren Act
The idea that hiring should be based on entrance exams and promotion ratings to produce administration by people with talent and skill.
Merit Principle
Civil Service
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Bureaucracy
A federal law prohibiting government employees from active participation in partisan politics while on duty, or for employees in sensitive positions at any time.
Hatch Act
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Merit Principle
War Powers Resolution
