AP Gov Fall Final Practice Questions – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Which of the following is the most accurate description of the amount of trust that Americans have in government? A. Americans have always distrusted their government, a reflection of their individualism B. There is no data on this issue C. Trust levels were high in the 1950s and early 1960s, but since the mid-1960s trust in government has declined D. In the 19th century, Americans distrusted government; ever since WWI, Americans have always trusted government E. Americans have always trusted their government, except for a brief period in the 1960s
answer
C. Trust levels were high in the 1950s and early 1960s, but since the mid-1960s trust in government has declined
question
Presidential, Senate, and House elections in the United States are carried out by... A. the Attorney General B. individual states C. the U.S. Congress D. the Federal Election Commission E. the electoral college
answer
B. individual states
question
The swift adoption of the Bill of Rights in the years following ratification of the Constitution demonstrates the... A. Northern states' support for abolitionism B. small states' determination to receive equal representation in the legislature C. states' fears of an over-powerful national government D. Federalists' concerns that the system of checks and balances would weaken the national government E. framers' unqualified commitment to individual rights
answer
C. states' fears of an over-powerful national government
question
The Tenth Amendment most often comes into conflict with which section of the Constitution? A. The "full faith and credit" clause B. The provisions for the impeachment of a president C. The "necessary and proper" clause D. The clause prohibiting states from coining money and entering into treaties E. The provisions for constitutional amendment
answer
C. The "necessary and proper" clause
question
What does the term "divided government" refer to? A. a situation in which the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate disagree on major policy issues B. division of power between levels of government: national, state, and local C. the contrasting influences of elected v. non-elected officials on the policymaking process D. division of power between the branches: legislative, executive, and judicial E. the executive branch controlled by one party and the House and/or Senate controlled by the other party
answer
E. the executive branch controlled by one party and the House and/or Senate controlled by the other party
question
The framers of the Constitution sought to insulate the Senate from public opinion by A. restricting Senate membership to those who previously served in t he House of Representatives B. empowering the Senate to provide advice and consent to the executive branch C. delegating the responsibility for electing senators to the state legislatures D. assigning exactly two Senators to each state's congressional delegation E. requiring all spending bills to originate in the House of Representatives
answer
C. delegating the responsibility for electing senators to the state legislatures
question
Which of the following statements about the electoral college is correct? A. The electoral college was created by an amendment to the Constitution B. The results of electoral college voting tend to distort the winner's margin of victory, when compared to the popular vote for president C. Each state's delegation to the electoral college consists of that state's U.S. senators and representatives D. Each state may split its electoral votes among as many candidates as it wishes E. Each state is equally represented in the electoral college
answer
B. The results of electoral college voting tend to distort the winner's margin of victory, when compared to the popular vote for president
question
In the past decade many states have moved forward the date of their presidential primaries in an effort to A. restrict the number of entrants in the presidential race B. minimize the cost of running the election C. convince the national government to move forward the date of the general election D. decrease the significance of their election results E. focus greater national attention on their state primary races
answer
E. focus greater national attention on their state primary races
question
Which court case was the most important in broadening the jurisdiction of the national government through the commerce clause? A. Baron v. Baltimore B. United States v. Lopez C. Marbury v. Madison D. Gibbons v. Ogden E. McCulloch v. Maryland
answer
D. Gibbons v. Ogden
question
All of the following have been major political parties within the two-party system at some time during United States history EXCEPT A. Republicans B. Democratic-Republicans C. Greens D. Whigs E. Federalists
answer
C. Greens
question
Thomas Jefferson's view that the powers of the national government should be narrowly construed is called A. strict construction B. the wall of separation C. loose construction D. national supremacy E. consent of the governed
answer
A. strict construction
question
Which of the following is the least likely technique for a lobbyist to use in order to influence votes in Congress? A. contacting members of Congress by phone or letter B. meeting elected officials for lunch or dinner C. meeting and socializing with members of Congress at conferences and conventions D. testifying at committee hearings E. organizing a demonstration in front of the Capital building
answer
E. organizing a demonstration in front of the Capital building
question
How do interest groups most commonly use amicus curiae briefs? A. to convince agencies in the executive branch to act in their favor B. to support one side or the other in court cases C. to influence the votes of members of Congress D. to convince former government officials to work for them as lobbyists E. to build support for their causes among ordinary citizens
answer
B. to support one side or the other in court cases
question
John Marshall's ruling in McCulloch v. Maryland that the "power to tax is the power to destroy" had the effect of establishing A. strict construction of the Constitution B. national supremacy C. dual federalism D. state supremacy E. the policy of nullification
answer
B. national supremacy
question
Which of the following is an accurate statement about political attitudes of southerners? A. Southerners today are more likely to support the Republican party than the Democratic party B. The party affiliations of Southerners have been unchanged in the past century C. There is no clear party preference among Southerners D. During the 1950s and 1960s, many Southerners changed their party affiliations from Republican to Democratic E. Southerners are more liberal than they were fifty years ago
answer
A. Southerners today are more likely to support the Republican party than the Democratic party
question
All of the following are political beliefs generally held by conservatives EXCEPT A. Businesses generally should be allowed to operate under free market conditions B. Taxes should be kept as low as possible because government is wasteful C. Criminals should be punished, not coddled D. Healthcare is best handled by private insurance companies E. Military spending is generally too high and should be reduced so that spending for social programs can be increased
answer
E. Military spending is generally too high and should be reduced so that spending for social programs can be increased
question
Congress would be required to use the "elastic clause" of the Constitution in order to A. declare war B. increase tax rates C. change citizenship requirements D. authorize the Treasury to print money E. impose workplace safety standards
answer
E. impose workplace safety standards
question
A main purpose of the Federalist Papers was to A. limit the power of the central government B. promote the addition of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution C. explain the rationale behind Constitutional provisions D. encourage states not to ratify the Constitution E. encourage partisan support for the Federalist Party
answer
C. explain the rationale behind Constitutional provisions
question
Which of the following accurately describes the influence of gender on political opinions? A. Men are more likely than women to support Republican candidates for public office B. Women were more likely to support Democratic candidates for office in the past than they are today C. Gender does not appear to influence an individual's support for military actions abroad D. Gender does not appear to influence choice of political party E. Women are more likely than men to support Republican candidates for public office
answer
A. Men are more likely than women to support Republican candidates for public office
question
Which of the following was a provision of the Articles of Confederation that contributed directly to a weak central government? A. The federal courts were granted only limited jurisdictions B. States could not tax one another's trade goods C. Representation in Congress was based on states' populations D. The President's decisions could be overridden by state legislatures E. The central government could not levy taxes
answer
E. The central government could not levy taxes
question
All of the following are important functions that parties play in the American political system EXCEPT A. running candidates for political office B. informing the public C. connecting citizens to their government D. hiring lobbying firms to lobby Congress for party issues E. providing organization for the government, particularly the legislative branch
answer
D. hiring lobbying firms to lobby Congress for party issues
question
Which of the following is the best description of the role that political parties play in the election process? A. American political parties play a much larger role in the election process than do parties in most other democracies B. Parties are a major influence on the election process, but they are not as powerful as they once were C. Congressional candidates are always chosen by powerful local party bosses D. The Democratic party has more control over the election process than the Republican party does E. Parties have a great deal more control of the election process today than they did in previous times
answer
B. Parties are a major influence on the election process, but they are not as powerful as they once were
question
Incumbent members of the House of Representatives more often win reelection than do incumbent senators for all of the following reasons EXCEPT A. senators, but not representatives, may use their franking privileges to publicize their achievements via direct mail to constituents B. senators have more political power than representatives, and Senate races are accordingly contested more aggressively C. PACs are more likely to donate money to Senate races since Senate seats are more influential D. the fact that Senate races are held statewide generates more media coverage and thus more public awareness E. representatives more often run uncontested
answer
A. senators, but not representatives, may use their franking privileges to publicize their achievements via direct mail to constituents
question
When the Democratic Party pursues liberal social policies, it is most likely to alienate which of its traditional bases? A. Jewish Americans B. People holding advanced academic degrees C. Northeastern city dwellers D. Urban African Americans E. Southerners
answer
E. Southerners
question
Which group most frequently benefits from political action committee (PAC) donations? A. Incumbents running for reelection B. Research institutes C. Charitable organizations D. Political interest groups E. Federal judges
answer
A. Incumbents running for reelection
question
To which characteristic of American government does the term "federalism" refer? A. The system of checks and balances within the national government B. The process by which the size of each state's delegation to the House of Representatives is determined C. The power of the Supreme court to review the constitutionality of laws D. The Bill of Rights' protection of the rights of the accused E. The division and sharing of power between the national and state governments
answer
E. The division and sharing of power between the national and state governments
question
In general, research on the influence of higher levels of education on political attitudes shows A. there is no relationship between education and political attitudes B. that the higher the level of education, the more conservative the individual is likely to be C. that there is a strong correlation between education and political attitudes only in the Midwest D. that the higher the level of education, the more liberal the individual is likely to be E. the higher the level of education, the more apathetic about politics the individual is likely to be
answer
D. that the higher the level of education, the more liberal the individual is likely to be
question
Which of the following best explains the difference between a unitary and a confederal political system? A. A unitary system is generally not democratic; a confederal system is B. Policymaking power in a unitary system is decentralized; in a confederal system it is divided between the central government and sub-governments C. Confederal systems are more common than unitary systems are D. A unitary system tends to exist in small countries; confederal systems seem to work best in large countries E. Policymaking power in a unitary system is geographically concentrated; it is dispersed in a confederal system
answer
E. Policymaking power in a unitary system is geographically concentrated; it is dispersed in a confederal system
question
The Great Compromise at the Constitutional Convention created a A. electoral college B. presidency with separate powers from the legislature C. formal recognition of slaves as 3/5s of a person D. bicameral legislature E. independent judiciary
answer
D. bicameral legislature
question
Which of the following races is most likely to be the most competitive, with the narrowest margin of victory for the winner? A. Democrat takes on a Democratic incumbent for a House seat in California B. Republican takes on a Republican incumbent for a Senate seat in New York C. Republican takes on a Democrat for the presidency D. Democrat takes on a Republican incumbent for a Senate seat in Missouri E. Republican takes on a Democratic incumbent for a House seat in California
answer
C. Republican takes on a Democrat for the presidency
question
The absence of a political party dedicated to labor and working-class issues in the United States A. demonstrates that, in the United States, most political issues regarding workers have been decided in the workers' favor B. illustrates that race, not class, is the primary political division among Americans C. reflects the Americans' lack of class-consciousness, relative to Europeans' political views D. is the result of government restrictions placed on the political activities of labor unions E. proves that American politicians are not concerned about serving working-class constituencies
answer
C. reflects the Americans' lack of class-consciousness, relative to Europeans' political views
question
The term "frontloading" has to do with the A. tendency for successful presidential candidates to spend more money on the primary elections than the general election B. party tradition of giving their nominee top billing on the first night of the party convention C. tendency for primaries held early in the presidential campaign to be more important than later ones in deciding who the presidential nominee will be D. campaign practice of letting the vice-presidential candidate take the heat on controversial issues to spare the presidential candidate E. tendency for parties to spend more money on their well-known incumbent candidates than their challengers
answer
C. tendency for primaries held early in the presidential campaign to be more important than later ones in deciding who the presidential nominee will be
question
The rules governing the electoral college make it especially important for presidential candidates to A. concentrate on those states in which they are farthest behind, in order to reduce the margin of their eventual loss in that state B. concentrate their efforts on "battleground states" C. win as many states as possible, regardless of the size of the states D. campaign most aggressively among those who will be chosen as electors E. spend most of their time campaigning in the South
answer
B. concentrate their efforts on "battleground states"
question
The term "iron triangle" refers to the interrelationship of the A. local, state, and federal governments B. electorate, Congress, and political action committees C. State Department, the Pentagon, and the National Security Council D. federal bureaucracy, congressional committees, and lobbyists E. president, Congress, and the Supreme Court
answer
D. federal bureaucracy, congressional committees, and lobbyists
question
All of the following factors correlate positively with having a liberal political attitude EXCEPT A. living in states on either coast B. being a recent immigrant C. being a member of a labor union D. living in urban areas E. being a farmer
answer
E. being a farmer
question
Which court case had the effect of establishing the principle of judicial review? A. Bush v. Gore B. Marbury v. Madison C. Gibbons v. Ogden D. McCulloch v. Maryland E. Plessy v. Ferguson
answer
B. Marbury v. Madison
question
Which of the following statements about voting patterns is NOT true? A. Homosexuals are more likely to vote Democratic than are heterosexuals B. Low-income Americans are more likely to vote Democratic than are upper-income Americans C. Non-whites are more likely to vote Democratic than are whites D. Fundamentalists are more likely to vote Democratic than are non-religious Americans E. Women are more likely to vote Democratic than are men
answer
D. Fundamentalists are more likely to vote Democratic than are non-religious Americans
question
Politicians and political reporters are natural adversaries; the adversarial nature of their relationship, however, is tempered by the fact that A. government regulations strictly regulate interaction between the two B. each group is dependent on the other to perform its job effectively C. very few media outlets will cover a story that is embarrassing to a political leader D. most governmental activity is classified and therefore inaccessible to the media E. younger politicians who are more comfortable with the media are gradually displacing older politicians
answer
B. each group is dependent on the other to perform its job effectively
question
What is "soft money"? A. money given to political parties for "party building" activities B. money given to individual candidates by political parties C. money contributed to individual candidates by PACs D. money given by one party to candidates from the other party E. money contributed to American campaigns by foreigners
answer
A. money given to political parties for "party building" activities
question
Congress has the most power to establish policy when federal funding is derived from A. block grants B. categorical grants C. revenue sharing D. matching grants E. federal mandates
answer
B. categorical grants
question
Which of the following is the most important single factor in the creation and maintenance of a two-party system in the United States? A. the "winner-take-all" electoral system B. the proportional representation electoral system C. a large core of commonly shared political and social values D. the established historical tendency toward a two-party system E. strong and consistent leadership within the Democratic and Republican parties
answer
A. the "winner-take-all" electoral system
question
Which principle of the Constitution is most directly reflected in the procedures for creating formal amendments? A. separation of powers B. popular sovereignty C. limited government D. checks and balances E. federalism
answer
E. federalism
question
All of the following are values basic to the American political system EXCEPT A. equality of outcomes B. rule of law C. due process D. liberty E. individualism
answer
A. equality of outcomes
question
Which of the following is often voiced as a criticism of the "revolving door" practice? A. The practice causes members of Congress to stay in office for too long B. The practice allows lobbyists access to Congress, but not agency heads C. The practice prevents members of Congress from developing expertise in their committee assignments D. The practice bans private interest groups from talking to Congress E. The practice gives private interest groups unfair influence over government decisions because of their lobbyists' connections
answer
E. The practice gives private interest groups unfair influence over government decisions because of their lobbyists' connections
question
Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had the power to A. establish a federal judiciary B. enforce its laws C. collect taxes D. regulate interstate commerce E. negotiate treaties
answer
E. negotiate treaties
question
Which of the following types of elections is preferred by parties and used in most states to determine parties' candidates for public office A. caucus B. open primary C. general election D. blanket primary E. closed primary
answer
E. closed primary
question
All of the following correlations between religion and political attitudes are accurate EXCEPT A. Jews are more likely to support the Democratic party than the Republican party B. Fundamentalist Christians are more likely to support the Republican party than the Democratic party C. Fundamentalist Christians tend to be liberal on social issues and conservative on economic issues D. Protestants are more conservative on economic matters than are Catholics and Jews E. Jews tend to be more liberal on both economic and social issues than are Catholics or Protestants
answer
C. Fundamentalist Christians tend to be liberal on social issues and conservative on economic issues
question
The media play a major role in establishing the public agenda by A. reviewing the accuracy of candidates' campaign advertisements B. reporting political news from foreign nations C. making available the complete text of presidential addresses and press releases D. deciding how prominently to cover issue-related news stories E. refusing to publicize the opinions of any pundit deemed "too political"
answer
D. deciding how prominently to cover issue-related news stories
question
The national and state governments share all of the following powers EXCEPT the power to A. establish courts B. impose taxes C. administer elections D. borrow money E. enact laws
answer
C. administer elections
question
Which type of political organization only focuses on raising money and donating it to election campaigns? A. public interest groups B. labor interest groups C. PACs D. economic interest groups E. political parties
answer
C. PACs
question
The legislative successes of the National Rifle Association, anti-abortion activists, and other powerful interest groups demonstrate that A. the most powerful interest groups in the United States are generally those that support uncontroversial positions B. the power of interest groups depends on the degree of support for their positions in the White House C. there are fewer PACs today than two decades ago D. majority opinion on an issue can sometimes be overridden by the intensity of a minority's commitment to organization and activism E. the influence of political action committees has weakened in recent years
answer
D. majority opinion on an issue can sometimes be overridden by the intensity of a minority's commitment to organization and activism
question
Which of the following is the best general description of the founders' attitudes towards political parties? A. Parties should not just be tolerated but should be encouraged to grow through government support B. Parties are a good and necessary component within a democratic political system C. Parties should be avoided if at all possible D. A multi-party system is best suited to American culture E. A two-party system is best suited to the American political culture
answer
C. Parties should be avoided if at all possible
question
Which of the following is an accurate statement about the leadership of the two major political parties? A. Party leadership is dispersed among numerous officials at the national, state, and local level B. The national party organization controls all facets of party activity throughout the country C. All major decisions concerning party activities are made during each party's presidential nominating conventions D. Prominent former office holders, such as ex-presidents, formally lead their respective parties E. The highest elected official in each national party directs that party's activities and operations all the way down to the state and local level
answer
A. Party leadership is dispersed among numerous officials at the national, state, and local level
question
The most important reason that federal mandates have been controversial is that they usually A. only provide funding for welfare programs B. come in the form of block grants C. promote creeping categorization D. put too many restrictions on states E. don't provide states with adequate funding to carry them out
answer
E. don't provide states with adequate funding to carry them out
question
Which concept refers to the recent movement to return power to the states from the national government? A. devolution revolution B. the Warren Court C. marble cake federalism D. national supremacy E. popular sovereignty
answer
A. devolution revolution
question
Those who interpret the Tenth Amendment as greatly restricting the powers of the national government are often referred to as A. isolationists B. federalists C. loose constructionists D. states' rightists E. laissez-faire capitalists
answer
D. states' rightists
question
The strongest and most consistent group of supporters of the Democratic party in recent presidential elections has been A. Hispanic Americans B. Black Americans C. fundamentalist Christians D. Asian Americans E. Catholics
answer
B. Black Americans
question
Shay's Rebellion reinforced the founders' common belief that A. only property owners should have the franchise B. state governments needed to be granted more powers C. the "excesses of democracy" needed to be checked D. the Articles of Confederation were strong enough to unite the country E. small states should be able to avert domination by the central government
answer
C. the "excesses of democracy" needed to be checked
question
The marble cake analogy is often used to describe A. federal mandates B. sovereignty of the states C. dual federalism D. cooperative federalism E. national supremacy
answer
D. cooperative federalism
question
Which of the following is true of most third parties in U.S. history? A. They arose in response to increased government regulation B. They arose and succeeded during times of prosperity C. At some point they won a majority of seats in Congress D. They were created to protest wars E. They flourished during periods of widespread dissatisfaction
answer
E. They flourished during periods of widespread dissatisfaction
