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WorksheetsAP U.S. Gov Review
Total questions: 56
Worksheet time: 1hrs 2mins
Chicago is a
state
city
country
continent
Which of the following is commonly identified as a failure of the Articles of Confederation?
The national government lacked an effective power to raise revenue.
The executive branch was granted too much power over the legislature.
The federal government had too much control over interstate commerce.
The judicial branch was elected and did not consistently adhere to rule of law.
The Warren Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) demonstrates which of the following about Supreme Court decisions?
Precedents established by the Supreme Court are frequently overturned by lower courts.
The Supreme Court has used a colorblind interpretation of the Constitution to guide judicial precedent over time.
Precedents established by the Supreme Court decades ago are generally not addressed after a certain period of time.
Ideological changes in the composition of the Supreme Court have led to the rejection of an existing precedent.
To get an important bill passed in the House, a provision is added that allocates $500 million to study the impact of global climate change on manatees in Florida. This is an example of
the free rider problem
pork barrel legislation
an issue network
gerrymandering
In the case of McDonald v. Chicago (2010) the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense was applicable to the states. This ruling is an example of the application of the doctrine of
Strict scrutiny
Selective incorporation
Stare decisis
Literalism
The website healthcare.gov was launched on October 1, 2013, to help citizens purchase health insurance for themselves in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. Within two hours of launch the site crashed. Once it was restored, problems continued, leading to difficulty for users. The following year, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius was called to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss the issue. The committee held this hearing as part of which of the following functions?
Committee markup
Budget testimony
Oversight
Impeachment
After extensive polling, a member of the House of Representatives learns that her constituents favor environmental policies that conserve land use. Based on this information, the representative votes in favor of an environmental conservation bill, although she personally opposes the provision. In doing so, she is acting as a
delegate
trustee
politico
committee chair
The president privately discusses with his staff a decision to increase economic sanctions on Iran. Before a final decision is made, a draft of the proposal is leaked to a reporter. The president orders the reporter and her newspaper to suspend publication of the plan, citing issues of national and economic security. Which of the following best indicates how a court would rule in this case if the Supreme Court’s ruling in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) was used as a precedent?
The president has the authority to stop the publication of the story because the administration has asserted that the information in the story threatens national security.
Although the documents have already been obtained by the press, a court must review the documents prior to publication to ensure that no information that threatens national security is made public.
Freedom of the press includes a heavy presumption against government censorship, and the documents can be published by the press.
Because the president’s staff leaked the documents and the newspaper obtained them in an illegal manner, a court can stop publication until law enforcement investigates.
Passage for questions about César Chávez: “If we resort to violence then one of two things will happen: either the violence will be escalated and there will be many injuries and perhaps deaths on both sides, or there will be total demoralization of the workers. “Nonviolence has exactly the opposite effect. If, for every violent act committed against us, we respond with nonviolence, we attract people’s support. We can gather the support of millions who have a conscience and would rather see a nonviolent resolution to problems. We are convinced that when people are faced with a direct appeal from the poor struggling nonviolently against great odds, they will react positively. The American people and people everywhere still yearn for justice. It is to that yearning that we appeal. “. . . When victory comes through violence, it is a victory with strings attached. If we beat the growers at the expense of violence, victory would come at the expense of injury and perhaps death. Such a thing would have a tremendous impact on us. We would lose regard for human beings. Then the struggle would become a mechanical thing. When you lose your sense of life and justice, you lose your strength.” César Chávez, “He Showed Us the Way,” 1978
Which of the following best describes César Chávez’ view on the use of violence versus nonviolence?
The use of violence should be the primary tactic as it will address the feelings of frustration and anger throughout the movement.
The use of violence will motivate the American people as people everywhere still yearn for justice.
The use of nonviolent actions, such as demonstrations and marches, does not bring honor to the cause and will negatively impact the movement.
The use of nonviolent actions allows more people to be involved in the movement and effect change.
Which of the following provisions of the Bill of Rights could support the actions that César Chávez is encouraging the farmworkers to take?
The right to fair trial
The right to assemble
The right to bear arms
The right to an attorney
Which of the following is a similarity between the views expressed in the excerpt above and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”?
Unlike César Chávez, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. supported the use of violence after all other means had been exhausted.
Unlike Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., César Chávez supported the use of violence as a means to start the movement.
Both César Chávez and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. argued for the continued use of nonviolence to further their causes.
Both César Chávez and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. argued for the use of nonviolence after standards of equality had been met.
Lobbyists from the Airlines for America, an advocacy group that represents commercial airlines, work with members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and officials from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to discuss a new policy that addresses issues of airline safety. This scenario best illustrates
a political action committee
an iron triangle
a social movement
an independent expenditure
Which of the following clauses serves as the constitutional basis for the federal Real ID Act of 2005, a law that established uniform standards for state-issued identification cards and provided regulation of a state function?
The due process clause
The establishment clause
The necessary and proper clause
The commerce clause
While the central goal of political parties is to win elections, parties can also support democracy. Which of the following scenarios best illustrates this relationship?
A political party changes its stance on environmental policy after its candidates receive large contributions from an energy company.
Political parties use the social media site Instagram to reach out to younger voters to inform them about upcoming elections and encourage them to register to vote.
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure uses research given to it from the American Society of Civil Engineers when amending an infrastructure bill.
A former member of Congress takes a job as a political consultant to advise current members on their campaigns and raise money for elections.
Which of the following criticisms of political campaigns is the author of the political cartoon most likely to agree with?
Political campaigns have not adequately adapted to the increase in social media usage in modern society.
Rising campaign costs and intensive fund-raising efforts make running for office too expensive for the average citizen.
The duration of election cycles is too long.
Candidates rely too heavily on professional consultants.
Which of the following factors that influence voters’ decision making during an election is the cartoonist poking fun at?
The party identification and ideological orientation of the candidate
The candidate’s personal characteristics
The education and age of the candidate
The candidate’s knowledge of contemporary political issues
At a public high school, several students raised a banner and wore clothing in support of a candidate running in the upcoming presidential election during lunch period. The principal asked the students to put away the banner, citing safety concerns. Which of the following Supreme Court cases is most relevant to this scenario?
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
Which of the following ideals of democracy is reflected in the procedure for apportionment in the House of Representatives?
The federal government represents states equally.
Government is based on the consent of the governed.
Leaders in Congress are among the most well-informed in society.
Political power is distributed between the national government and state governments.
Which of the following is a model of democracy that emphasizes the role of interest groups in advocating for public policy?
Participatory democracy
Elitist democracy
Majoritarian democracy
Pluralist democracy
Which of the following portrays an accurate example of horse race media coverage?
After a lengthy investigation, a newspaper publishes an article about a candidate receiving thousands of dollars in illegal campaign funds.
A cable news show intentionally smears a candidate by running an exaggerated story about indiscretions in a candidate’s personal life.
A candidate announces her intention to run for president of the United States on Twitter rather than through a television appearance.
News media outlets report the results of public opinion polls that show the relative popularity of presidential candidates.
On September 29, 2020, after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, President Donald Trump, a Republican, nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Many Democrats in the Senate feared that the appointment of Barrett would swing the Court in a more ideologically conservative direction and attempted to block her nomination. After a heated Senate confirmation hearing, Barrett was eventually confirmed by a 52 to 48 vote in the Senate. The scenario best highlights which of the following statements about court appointees?
Life tenure for appointed justices alongside the power of judicial review increases the stakes in the confirmation process for nominees to the Supreme Court.
Judicial appointees tend to make controversial statements on important policy issues during their confirmation hearings to get confirmed.
The merit system for hiring members of the bureaucracy extends to the vetting process for nominations to the Supreme Court.
Presidents usually request that the Senate be slow and deliberate with judicial appointments to check the power of the judicial branch.
An investigative reporter uncovers illegal and unethical behavior on the part of a state government official. When the local newspaper announces that it will publish the story, the state government issues an injunction to stop the story from being released before being reviewed by government lawyers. Which of the following best represents how the court will most likely respond to the case?
The newspaper will be required to delay publication until after the lawyers review the materials.
The newspaper will publish the story but face a libel lawsuit if the information contained is embarrassing to the government.
The newspapers will be permitted to publish the story without a review by the government’s lawyers.
The newspapers will not be permitted to publish the story if the government objects.
A polling firm tried to predict the results of an election by sampling 1,000 adults within a state for two days prior to the election, using landline telephones of likely voters. After the election, the firm found that their poll results were not close to the actual election results. Which of the following recommendations would be the best for the firm to follow in the future?
Sample people who have cell phones, in addition to those with landlines.
Conduct the survey over a one-day period rather than two days.
Adjust the results if the sample includes more people from one party than another.
Use an Internet-based poll that encourages people to vote online for their preferred candidate.
Refer to the bar graph titled "Views on the Size of Government and Government Services, by Gender, Income, and Party." Which of the following statements is supported by data in the graph?
The higher the income, the more likely that the person will support smaller government.
Liberals are less likely than conservatives to support bigger government.
A decrease in income is likely to increase the possibility that a person will obtain a college degree.
Women are more likely than men to be in favor of smaller government and fewer government services.
Refer to the bar graph titled "Views on the Size of Government and Government Services, by Gender, Income, and Party." Which of the following statements is consistent with data shown in the bar graph?
Men are more likely than women to believe that there should be an increase in government spending to provide social services for the elderly.
Conservatives are more likely than liberals to believe that spending on public transportation should be increased to connect citizens to employment opportunities.
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe that there should be fewer regulations on businesses to promote economic growth and increase wages.
Those with higher incomes are more likely than those with lower incomes to believe that education spending should be a federal responsibility to guarantee that each citizen has an equal chance at success.
A citizen who uses the rational choice model of voting behavior selects candidates for office based on
what is thought to be in the citizen’s own self-interest.
the label of the party running for office.
predictions of how a candidate will perform in the future.
the recent performance of the candidates running for office.
During an investigation, police officers find illegal drugs while searching a home for which they did not acquire a warrant. Which of the following would prevent the drugs from being used as evidence at trial?
The writ of habeas corpus
The exclusionary rule
The Miranda warning
The protection against ex post facto
A number of states, including Georgia and Ohio, have passed laws that revoke voter registration if a person did not vote in recent election cycles. Which of the following is a likely consequence of these laws?
Voters would have a lower sense of efficacy, which would lead to lower turnout.
Citizens would have to pay a fine if they tried to vote, which will significantly lower turnout.
Younger voters will be less likely to register to vote since there is a chance their votes won’t be counted.
Occasional voters will not be able to vote on election day, which could influence election results.
In 2012, after negotiations on a bill in Congress failed, President Obama issued an executive order that protected from deportation individuals illegally brought to the United States as children by their parents. The president took this action because
the executive order would require Congress to bring a bill regarding illegal immigration to the floor for a vote.
disagreement between congressional leaders and the president on the issue meant that a compromise on a bill was not likely.
the president was reacting to a Supreme Court decision that required him to do something to protect these individuals.
the Constitution clearly gives the president control over the legal status of immigrants in the United States.
A group unhappy with local law enforcement distributes a memo to members encouraging physical confrontations with police officers. The leaders of the group are promptly arrested. Which of the following Supreme Court cases best justifies the actions taken by law enforcement in this scenario?
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
New York Times v. United States (1971)
Schenck v. United States (1919)
Passage for questions 38–41: The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to [operate their business] would not only load himself with a most unnecessary attention, but assume authority which could safely be trusted, not to no single person, but to no council or senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of a man who [was so arrogant to think] himself fit to exercise it. To . . . direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals . . . in almost all cases [is] a useless or hurtful regulation. If the produce of domestic [industry] can be brought there as cheap as that of foreign industry, the regulation is evidently useless. If it cannot, it must generally be hurtful. Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, 1776
Which of the following best summarizes the perspective of Adam Smith in the passage?
A strong centralized government is necessary to maintain economic order.
Lowering taxes increases investment and allows the free market to flourish.
The government should not try to regulate manufacturing.
Civil liberties limit the power of the federal government to regulate the economy.
Which of the following ideals of United States government is most relevant to this passage?
Natural rights
Popular sovereignty
Limited government
Social contract
Based on the passage and your knowledge, which of the following most likely explains how Adam Smith might react to the decision in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)?
Smith would approve of the court’s decision that limited the scope of the federal government’s regulatory authority.
Smith would disapprove of the court’s decision to expand the federal government’s power to regulate the economy.
Smith would disapprove of the court’s decision allowing private businesses to make unlimited contributions to political campaigns.
Smith would approve of the court’s decision to expand the power of the federal government to promote economic growth.
Which of the following positions on the government’s role in the marketplace is most influenced by the idea expressed in the passage?
Economic equality should be the goal of public policy.
Government should use its fiscal powers to address economic cycles.
Government intervention in the free market should be avoided.
A central banking system or federal reserve is necessary to control the money supply.
Which of the following would be considered an instance in which time, place, and manner restrictions would be applied to the First Amendment?
A city enforces its laws restricting noise to limit the scale of an outdoor concert event intended to raise public awareness of climate change.
A group with offensive signs is denied a permit to march through the streets because local residents oppose the group’s message.
A person is arrested after making a threat to police officers who are investigating a crime scene.
A newspaper publishes an article that publicly defames the reputation of a private individual.
Which of the following is a consequence of having concurrent powers within a federal system of government?
The executive branch can expand its control of the policy agenda.
States can pass laws that override the laws of the federal government.
Citizens and interest groups seeking policy change can choose from multiple access points.
Members of Congress can cultivate close relationships with power brokers in their regions.
Evaluate row A of the table: Political Party — "Recruits and financially supports candidates for office"; Interest Group — "Offers benefits to members based on the candidate they vote for." Does this row accurately represent how each linkage institution influences policy making?
Both statements are accurate.
The party statement is accurate; the interest group statement is inaccurate.
The party statement is inaccurate; the interest group statement is accurate.
Both statements are inaccurate.
Evaluate row B of the table: Political Party — "Facilitates the building of coalitions in Congress"; Interest Group — "Presents important information on specific issues to legislators." Does this row accurately represent how each linkage institution influences policy making?
Both statements are accurate.
The party statement is accurate; the interest group statement is inaccurate.
The party statement is inaccurate; the interest group statement is accurate.
Both statements are inaccurate.
Evaluate row C of the table: Political Party — "Constrains legislators to promote only those measures approved by the party"; Interest Group — "Allows free riders to benefit from group activities at no cost." Does this row accurately represent how each linkage institution influences policy making?
Both statements are accurate.
The party statement is accurate; the interest group statement is inaccurate.
The party statement is inaccurate; the interest group statement is accurate.
Both statements are inaccurate.
Evaluate row D of the table: Political Party — "Formally proposes legislation on an issue by including it on the party platform"; Interest Group — "Files briefs in court to appeal judges’ decisions in cases they are passionate about." Does this row accurately represent how each linkage institution influences policy making?
Both statements are accurate.
The party statement is accurate; the interest group statement is inaccurate.
The party statement is inaccurate; the interest group statement is accurate.
Both statements are inaccurate.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of checks on the legislative branch and checks on the executive branch? Check on Legislative Branch | Check on Executive Branch A: The president may veto bills passed by Congress. | The Senate must confirm judicial nominees. B: The president has the power to fund wars. | The House of Representatives can pass articles of impeachment. C: The Supreme Court has the power of judicial review. | Congress can replace members of the president’s cabinet with their own nominee. D: States may nullify federal laws that violate state constitutions. | The Supreme Court can declare presidential actions unconstitutional if a case arises.
A
B
C
D
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the establishment clause and the free exercise clause? Establishment Clause | Free Exercise Clause A: Used by founders to establish Christianity as the national religion | Reflects a basic belief in the protection of religious freedom B: Prohibits the federal government from promoting religion or creating a national religion | Protects an individual’s religious beliefs and reasonable religious practices C: Provides a wall of separation of between church and state | Not a civil liberty incorporated to states D: Ensures that all students must attend public school regardless of religious views | Protects again school-led prayer ceremonies
A
B
C
D
Which of the following is an accurate comparison between the relative functions and electoral success of the two major political parties (Democratic and Republican) and third parties? Major Parties | Third Parties A: An important electoral function of the major parties is to sponsor primaries and caucuses during the nomination process. | Third parties frequently displace one of the major parties in presidential elections and become a major party themselves. B: The rules of the electoral college favor the major-party candidates in presidential elections. | Winner-take-all voting districts hinder the electoral success of third-party candidates. C: Major parties sometimes incorporate the issues promoted by third parties into the major-party platforms. | Third parties usually receive public funding to finance their campaigns during presidential elections. D: Presidential nominees of the major parties often choose a third-party member as a running mate to balance the ticket. | Third-party candidates seldom experience electoral success, in part because voters do not believe they have a chance to win.
A
B
C
D
Which of the following is the most accurate comparison of the processes that generally facilitate gridlock and those that facilitate governmental action? Facilitates Gridlock | Facilitates Action A: Gerrymandering | Partisanship B: Ideological news sources | Bicameral legislature C: Bully pulpit | Judicial review D: Checks and balances | Executive orders
A
B
C
D
Refer to the map titled Percentage of Americans Without Health Insurance Coverage (United States Census Bureau, 2017). Which of the following statements is supported by the data on the map?
Michigan (MI) has a higher rate of uninsured people than Mississippi (MS).
Alaska (AK) has a lower rate of uninsured people than Hawaii (HI).
Wyoming (WY) has a lower rate of uninsured people than Idaho (ID).
Texas (TX) has a higher rate of uninsured people than New Jersey (NJ).
Refer to the map titled Percentage of Americans Without Health Insurance Coverage (United States Census Bureau, 2017). Which of the following characteristics best explains the data on the map?
The exclusive powers granted to the states in the Constitution allow them to determine health-care policy.
Federalism creates differences between states on the implementation of health-care policy.
The Tenth Amendment instructs Congress to make laws but guarantees the rights of states to implement federal policies, such as health-care policy.
The incorporation of the Fourteenth Amendment has allowed the federal government to guarantee health care to all citizens, but some citizens may opt out.
Questions refer to the line graph titled The Age Gap in Democratic Voters, 1972–2012 (Pew Research Services, 2016). The y-axis is Percent Voting for Democratic Candidate from 0 to 70. Two series are plotted across election years 1972 through 2012: a dashed line with open circles labeled 18–29 years old and a solid line with filled circles labeled 65+ years old. Positive and negative age-gap values are shown above the timeline, indicating which age group favored the Democratic candidate more in each year. Which of the following statements is true based on the data in the line graph?
In 1988 and 1992, voters 18–29 years old favored the Democratic candidate more than voters 65 and older did.
In the 2000 election, the gap between voters 65 and older and 18–29 years old was 2%, with voters older than 65 preferring the Democratic candidate.
In 1972 and 1984, voters 65 and older favored the Democratic candidate more than voters 18–29 years old did.
In the 2012 election, the gap between voters 65 and older and 18–29 years old was 8%, with 18–29-year-old voters preferring the Democratic candidate.
Questions refer to the line graph titled The Age Gap in Democratic Voters, 1972–2012 (Pew Research Services, 2016). The graph plots the percent voting for the Democratic candidate for two groups: 18–29 years old (dashed) and 65+ years old (solid) across elections from 1972 to 2012, with post-2000 elections showing a growing positive age gap favoring the younger cohort. Which of the following is the best explanation for the trend in voting behavior after the 2000 election?
Many states lowered their voting age after 2000, which led to an increase in Democratic Party voters.
Most younger voters who were Democrats in the 1980s became more conservative as they grew older and ended up supporting Republicans after 2000.
The events that shaped the generation turning 18 after the year 2000 tended to create more liberal-minded voters who supported Democrats.
Most younger voters after 2000 adopted political positions that were opposed to their parents’ point of view.
Which of the following represents a consequence of candidate-centered electoral campaigns?
A decrease in the role of political parties in campaign management
A decrease in the number of third-party candidates on the ballot
A decrease in the amount of money spent on political campaigns
A decrease in voter outreach and mobilization efforts
Which of the following scenarios best demonstrates a president avoiding a check from the judicial branch?
The president signs a bill that reduces the budget of the Department of Justice in response to the department’s failure to prosecute white-collar criminals.
The president instructs the bureaucracy to delay implementing policy changes resulting from a Supreme Court decision.
The president vetoes legislation that would constrain the ability of the executive branch to conduct domestic surveillance as it relates to terrorism.
The president issues an executive order declaring lands formerly set aside for conservation protection are now open for mining and oil drilling.
After hours of interrogation by police a suspect confesses to multiple felony offenses. His attorney objected to the admission of the confession because he was not advised of his right to have an attorney present nor his protection from self-incrimination. Which amendments are most relevant to this scenario?
The Fourth and Fifth Amendments
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments
The Sixth and Eighth Amendments
The Fourth and Eighth Amendments
Articles of Confederation
Ratification
Federalism
Checks and Balances
Who can create an army and navy?
Federal
State
Shared
What are some of the powers of the federal government?
Planning and paying for most roads
Issuing licenses and overseeing elections
Coining money and negotiating with other countries
Setting the speed limit on Florida’s highways
Federalism is the ________ of power between the national and state governments.
transfer
sharing
allocation
consolidation
The powers that are listed in the Constitution that belong to Congress are called
implied powers.
enumerated powers.
congressional powers.
powerful powers.
