2012 AP Government Multiple Choice Questions, ap gov exam multiple choice, APgov final exam- multiple choice (Units 1 & 2), AP Gov Final (Multiple Choice), Government Final Multiple Choice Questions, AP Government Multiple Choice Final Exam, AP Govt....
discrimination in public accommodations was made illegal in the US as a direct result of the
civil rights act of 1964
all of the following powers are granted to the president by the constitution EXCEPT
commissioning officers in the armed forces
which of the following is NOT a core value of U.S. political culture?
freedom of religion
brown v. board of education of topeka (1954) was a significant supreme court ruling because it
held the "separate but equal" concept to be a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment
interest groups and political parties both promote U.S. democracy by
increasing domination of the political process by elites
the framers of the US constitution left decisions on voting eligibility to the
individual states
which of the following U.S. supreme court cases established the principle of judicial review?
marbury v. madison
which of the following is the best example of a categorical grant?
money given to the states for special education programs
the reserved powers of state governments can best be described as those powers
not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states
the supreme court's power of judicial review permits the court to overrule all of the following EXCEPT
the bill of rights
nominations to the supreme court must be approved by a
simple majority vote in the senate only
most of the individual protections of the bill of rights now apply to the states because of the supreme court's interpretation of the constitution's
14th amendment
All of the following are examples of a linkage institution influencing the policy process EXCEPT (A) the president delivering the State of the Union speech (B) the Sierra Club lobbying the Environmental Protection Agency (C) the outcome of a congressional election (D) an exposé by the national media on the housing crisis (E) the Republican Party pursuing a balanced budget amendment
A
Executive agreements have been cited as evidence that (A) modern presidents often try to avoid legislative checks and balances on their authority (B) theexecutivebranchhasbecometoolargeand bureaucratic (C) presidents have less power in handling foreign policy than in handling domestic policy (D) interest groups have too much power in the contemporary governmental system (E) the courts have few means of limiting presidential power
A
The framers of the Constitution intended to establish (A) a representative republic (B) a direct democracy (C) an authoritarian state (D) a socialist democracy (E) a parliamentary republic
A
The president cannot veto which of the following? (A) Joint resolutions that propose constitutional amendments (B) Laws overturning United States Supreme Court decisions (C) Legislation regulating congressional salaries (D) Legislation affecting foreign policy (E) Bills that originate in the Senate
A
Voter turnout tends to be highest among (A) college-educated voters (B) working-class voters (C) African American voters (D) young voters (E) low-income voters
A
When a bill passes the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which of the following types of committee? (A) Conference (B) Select (C) Reconciliation (D) Rules (E) Standing
A
Which of the following constitutional provisions broadened the power of Congress? (A) The necessary and proper clause (B) The equal protection clause (C) The Tenth Amendment (D) The Ninth Amendment (E) The eminent domain provision in the Fifth Amendment
A
Which of the following is most frequently reported in the media during a presidential election? (A) Results from public opinion polls that indicate which candidates are most likely to win (B) The official platforms of each of the major political parties (C) Financial strategies and management of the campaigns (D) Comparisons of candidates' positions on foreign and domestic policy issues (E) Information about the candidates' experience in government and record in office
A
Which of the following is true of political action committees (PACs) ? (A) They make campaign contributions in hopes of gaining access to legislators. (B) They are a part of political party organizations. (C) They are allowed to contribute to only one candidate in any election. (D) They nominate candidates for president at national party conventions. (E) They operate at the state level but not at the national level.
A
Which of the following stages comes first in the policy making process? (A) Agenda setting (B) Legitimation (C) Program evaluation (D) Policy formulation (E) Implementation
A
Why is federal case law more frequently established by the United States courts of appeal than by the United States Supreme Court? (A) Courts of appeal must decide cases appealed to it from the lower courts, while the Supreme Court can choose its cases and hears relatively few each year. (B) Courts of appeal usually have jurisdiction over cases appealed from state supreme courts. (C) There are more judges on the courts of appeal than on the Supreme Court, so they can overrule the Supreme Court's decisions. (D) According to the Constitution, rulings by the courts of appeal have more significance than Supreme Court rulings. (E) Federalism stresses the court decision closest to the people should stand.
A
With respect to prayer in public schools, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that (A) state-sponsored prayer violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment (B) state-sponsored prayer is permitted by the free exercise clause of the First Amendment (C) since educational policy is controlled largely by state governments, the First Amendment does not affect school policy on prayer (D) the free exercise clause permits teachers to mandate silent prayer (E) in school districts in which local authorities can demonstrate that all students belong to a single religion, mandated prayer is permissible
A
An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is (A) interest on the public debt (B) spending on national parks (C) Social Security payments (D) veterans' pensions (E) liquidation of prior obligations
B
Even with large majorities of their own party in Congress, presidents experience difficulty in exercising legislative leadership because (A) the president must compete against state governors for influence (B) the weak nature of political parties hampers the president's ability to control Congress (C) the president's use of the veto is ineffective with Congress (D) individual members of Congress attract greater publicity when challenging the president (E) the president seldom addresses the same issues as members of Congress
B
In response to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act), the United States Supreme Court, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), ruled that (A) limits cannot be placed upon candidates' contributions to their own campaigns (B) independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment (C) limits on issue advertisements 90 days before an election are unconstitutional (D) limits on campaign contributions by minors are constitutional under the First Amendment (E) requiring endorsement statements in campaign advertisements is unconstitutional
B
In the United States judicial system, when a judge decides a case based on decisions rendered in similar cases in the past, the judge is following the principle of (A) amicus curiae (B) stare decisis (C) justiciability (D) diversity (E) certiorari
B
One of the best strategies that interest groups can use to achieve their goals is (A) pressing for changes in high-profile public policies (B) lobbying members of Congress to make small changes in existing policy (C) using the judiciary to invalidate federal legislation (D) encouraging states to use their Tenth Amendment rights and ignore federal law (E) running candidates for office
B
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are examples of (A) cabinet departments (B) independent agencies (C) Executive Office bureaus (D) congressional committees (E) White House staff agencies
B
The clause in the United States Constitution that states that federal law will prevail in the event of a conflict between federal and state law is known as the (A) necessary and proper clause (B) supremacy clause (C) presentment clause (D) confrontation clause (E) equal protection clause
B
Which of the following actions by a congressional representative is an example of "pork barreling"? (A) Misusing campaign contributions (B) Directing federal funds into the representative's district through legislation (C) Accepting money from a political action committee (PAC) (D) Attempting to kill a bill with unacceptable amendments (E) Voting for a salary increase
B
Which of the following best describes a purpose of the Establishment Clause? (A) It gives Congress the power to protect civil rights and civil liberties. (B) It prohibits Congress from establishing a state religion. (C) It empowers Congress to create a national bank. (D) It prevents Congress from prohibiting the possession of guns on school grounds. (E) It grants Congress the power to establish post roads and post offices.
B
Which of the following committees plays a major role in the House in shaping tax policy? (A) Finance (B) Ways and Means (C) Commerce (D) Appropriations (E) Governmental Affairs
B
Which of the following is a principle underlying the Bill of Rights? (A) The people should control all aspects of governance. (B) Some rights are fundamental and should not be subject to majoritarian control. (C) The legislature should be the most powerful branch of government. (D) All people should be guaranteed the same rights,whethertheyarecitizensornot. (E) It is groups rather than individuals that have fundamental rights and immunities.
B
Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate? (A) Holding trials of impeachment (B) Establishing federal courts (C) Approving treaties (D) Holding confirmation hearings (E) Approving major presidential appointments
B
According to James Madison, which of the following best controls the effects of faction? (A) Direct democracy (B) The popular election of state judges (C) A large republic (D) Property requirements for eligibility to work (E) The creation of a merit-based civil service
C
Advocates of shifting the task of drawing United States House districts from state legislatures to independent commissions are likely to claim which of the following as an advantage of independent commissions? (A) House districts drawn by independent commissions are immune from challenges by the United States Department of Justice. (B) Independent commissions are more likely to create majority-minority districts where they are appropriate. (C) Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process. (D) Independent commissions are more likely to create districts where minor parties can be victorious. (E) Independentcommissionsaremoreableto draw legislative districts that comply with the one person, one vote standard.
C
Candidates for political office use public opinion polls for all of the following purposes EXCEPT to (A) assess recognition of the candidate's name (B) measure voters' support for the candidate's issues (C) bring the opposition's opinions into alignment with those of the candidate (D) fine-tune policy stands (E) identify key issues among the voters
C
Congressional oversight refers to the power of Congress to (A) override presidential vetoes (B) hold public hearings before confirming judi- cial appointees (C) exercise some control over executive agencies (D) allow nongovernmental agencies to defend or refutependinglegislationpublicly (E) seek judicial opinion on the constitutionality of pending legislation
C
In the United States political system, the term Federalism refers to (A) limits on the powers of the state governments (B) limits on the powers of the national government (C) the division of powers between the levels of government (D) the fundamental basis of law (E) legal authority of the courts to hear cases
C
Legislation forbidding flag burning was deemed unconstitutional because it violated the (A) First Amendment's free exercise clause (B) necessary and proper clause (C) First Amendment's protection of expression (D) Fourteenth Amendment's definition of citizenship (E) First Amendment's establishment clause
C
The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it (A) determines ethics rules for members' conduct (B) determines whether a bill should be referred to a policy committee for consideration (C) determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor (D) has the authority to limit the Speaker and Minorityleaderintheiruseofpatronage (E) negotiates compromises on bills with the Senate Rules Committee
C
The United States Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was based on which of the following? (A) The First Amendment's right to freedom of expression (B) The Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause (C) The Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equalprotection (D) The Fourth Amendment's exclusionary rule (E) The Fifth Amendment's power of eminent domain
C
The grandfather clause is significant in United States political history for which of the following reasons? (A) It was a means whereby elderly voters were excluded from the electorate. (B) It was declared unconstitutional by the Fifteenth Amendment. (C) It was a means whereby Black citizens in southern states were disenfranchised. (D) It was created by the Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. (E) It was struck down by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.
C
The most widely performed act of political participation in the United States is (A) writing letters to public officials (B) voting in local elections (C) voting in presidential elections (D) contributing money to political candidates (E) attending local party meetings
C
The primary responsibility for determining monetary policy in the United States rests with the (A) International Monetary Fund (B) World Bank (C) Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (D) Treasury Department (E) Comptroller of the Currency
C
To influence policy making by the federal courts, the president may do all of the following EXCEPT (A) take partisanship into account in making judicial appointments (B) take political ideology into account in making judicial appointments (C) fire and replace federal judges (D) make public statements about issues that might appear before the courts (E) encourage the Justice Department to get involved in cases that test certain issues
C
Which of the following describes the social contract theory as advanced by John Locke? (A) It is an agreement between political actors to maintain their grip on power. (B) It is an agreement in which the government promises to provide a minimum standard of living to citizens. (C) It is an agreement in which the government promises to protect the natural rights of people. (D) It is an agreement between economic elites to maintainastableeconomy. (E) It is an agreement in which the government outlines socially acceptable norms of political behavior.
C
Which of the following is NOT an explanation for low voter turnout? (A) Registration requirements (B) Low political efficacy among many voters (C) Laws protecting minority voting rights (D) Frequent elections at the state and local level (E) Weekday elections
C
Which of the following is a primary function of the Senate Judiciary Committee? (A) Conducting oversight hearings on the Supreme Court budget (B) Conducting investigations into allegedly subversive activities (C) Conducting hearings on judicial appointments made by the president (D) Conducting investigations into wrongdoing by the executive branch (E) Initiating appointments to the Supreme Court
C
Which of the following is a way Congress can influence the federal judiciary? (A) It can prohibit judicial activism. (B) It can filibuster decisions made by courts. (C) It can change appellate jurisdiction of federal courts. (D) It can review federal judges for reappointment every ten years. (E) It can exercise oversight author it
C
Which of the following is an example of checks and balances in action in the United States government? (A) The House and Senate cannot agree on the same version of a bill to send to the president. (B) The president issues an executive order that freezes federal government hiring. (C) The president vetoes a bill passed by Congress. (D) The voters reject the status quo and elect all new members of Congress. (E) The voters at the state level elect a governor from a party other than the president's.
C
After a constitutional amendment has been proposed by both houses of Congress, its adoption requires (A) official filing with the secretary of state (B) support by a majority vote of the people (C) signature by the president (D) ratification by three-fourths of the states (E) publication in the Federal Register
D
All of the following are traditional political values held by most Americans EXCEPT (A) individual freedom (B) representative democracy (C) equality of opportunity (D) equality of outcome (E) due process of law
D
In Roe v. Wade, the majority of Supreme Court justices determined that (A) a constitutional right to privacy necessitated making contraceptives legal (B) abortions could be performed only during the first twelve weeks of a pregnancy (C) homosexuality is unconstitutional (D) the United States Constitution implies a right to privacy and thus made abortions legal (E) a husband is allowed to veto his wife's decision to have an abortion
D
In which of the following circumstances would the rule of four be applied? (A) Four senators agree to a cloture motion. (B) Congress adjourns its session within four days of submitting a bill to the president, and the president does not act. (C) Four states request a writ of certiorari. (D) At least four justices on the Supreme Court agree that a case should be put on the Court's docket. (E) The House Rules Committee limits floor debate to four minutes maximum for each member.
D
The passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a significant political event because it (A) scaled back the provisions of the Fifteenth Amendment (B) was used to emancipate southern African Americans (C) was declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in Shaw v. Reno (D) was instrumental in increasing the number of African American and other minority voters (E) required that minority office holders be elected
D
Which of the following situations best illustrates the meaning of divided government in the United States political system? (A) The majority of Supreme Court justices are from one party, but the president is from another. (B) The majority of governors are from one party, but the president is from another. (C) The president and a majority of members of Congress are from one party, but the majority of governors are from another. (D) The majority of senators and the majority of representatives are from one party, but the president is from another. (E) The majority of Supreme Court justices are from one party, but the majority of senators and representatives are from another.
D
All of the following make it difficult for presidents to control the actions of federal agencies EXCEPT (A) the civil service system (B) issue networks (iron triangles) (C) bureaucratic inertia (D) bureaucratic noncompliance (E) the appointment of cabinet heads
E
Generally, when is a president more likely to get congressional approval of proposed policies? (A) After midterm congressional elections (B) In the second term rather than in the first (C) When public opinion is sharply divided over policies (D) In social policy areas rather than in economic policy areas (E) In foreign affairs rather than in domestic affairs
E
Many scholars argue that categorical grants-in-aid do which of the following? (A) Give states far too much power over national monies (B) Broaden state power beyond that outlined in the Constitution (C) Strengthen the impact of the Tenth Amendment (D) Give new life to the idea of dual federalism (E) Weaken the power of state governors and legislators
E
Most of the work of legislating in Congress takes place in (A) joint committees (B) ad hoc committees (C) select committees (D) conference committees (E) standing committees
E
Party identification in the United States is most successfully transmitted by which of the following? (A) Workplace (B) Church (C) Educational system (D) The media (E) Family
E
Rules and regulations created by an agency such as the Federal Communications Commission are called (A) constitutional law (B) statutory law (C) common law (D) equity law (E) administrative law
E
Since the 1960s, support for the Democratic Party has declined the most among which of the following groups? (A) Labor union members (B) Business leaders (C) African Americans (D) Native Americans (E) White southerners
E
The Articles of Confederation implemented the principle of (A) a strong national government (B) a unified system of taxes (C) universal suffrage (D) an independent judiciary (E) state sovereignty
E
The agenda-setting function of the media refers to the power to (A) endorse specific candidates for political office (B) favor the position of one interest group over another (C) counter the censorship activities of media watch groups (D) mobilize economic interests in favor of a particular candidate (E) decide which issues are important enough to bring to public attention
E
Which of the following individuals would be most likely to vote in a Republican primary? (A) A 25-year-old white male with some high school education who is employed as a laborer in Florida (B) A 55-year-old African American saleswoman from Georgia who has a master's degree (C) A 65-year-old Hispanic male from California who is retired and lives on social security (D) A 35-year-old female secretary from New York with an associate's degree who is a devout Catholic (E) A 45-year-old white businessman from South Carolina who attends church weekly
E
Which of the following is LEAST characteristic of the history of political parties in the United States during the twentieth century? (A) An increase in the number of organized interest groups (B) An increase in the influence of political action committee (PAC) money in congressional elections (C) State adoption of direct primary elections (D) The loss of party patronage power (E) The splitting of the two major parties into a multiparty system
E
Which of the following is a correct statement about the federal government's role in interstate commerce? (A) The federal government has no role in regulating interstate commerce. (B) The federal government's role is limited to regulating activities that may lead to federal crimes. (C) The federal government's role is limited to regulating commerce transported on inter- state waterways such as the Mississippi River. (D) The federal government's role is limited to regulating the transport of agricultural goods. (E) The federal government' s role has been greatly expanded through the interpretation of the interstate commerce clause.
E
since 1972, voters in presidential elections have
become more focused on individual candidates
one of the formal tools used by congress for oversight of the bureaucracy is
authorization of spending
all of the following are ways that the legislative branch can check the powers of the executive branch EXCEPT
congress may pass a law declaring a presidential action unconstitutional
giving state governments greater discretion in deciding how to achieve the specific goals of welfare reform is an example of
devolution
cooperative federalism can best be described by which of the following statements?
different levels of government are involved in common policy areas
which of the following is a fundamental element of the U.S. constitution?
division of government authority across political institutions
which of the following did the most to expand the civil rights in the 1950's?
executive orders mandating affirmative action
diversity of public policy throughout the U.S. is primarily a consequence of
federalism
which of the following constitutional principles most directly addresses the relationship between the national and state governments?
federalism
which of the following is true about the right of free speech, as currently interpreted by the supreme court?
it protects the right to express opinions even without the actual use of words
supreme court justices were given tenure subject to good behavior by the framers of the constitution in order to ensure that
justices are free from direct political pressures
in vetoing a bill, the president does which of the following?
rejects only part of the bill without rejecting it entirely
in the original wording of the constitution, the principle of federalism was illustrated best by the
representation system for electing senators
griswold v. connecticut and roe v. wade are similar supreme court cases in that both cases are based on the
right of privacy
the request of recent presidents for the line-item veto is a challenge to which of the following principles?
separation of powers
when independent regulatory agencies make rules, enforce those rules, and adjudicate disputes arising under those rules, they risk violating the constitutional concept of
separation of powers
the constitution and its amendments expressly prohibit all of the following EXCEPT
sex discrimination in employment
in mcculloch v. maryland, the supreme court established which of the following principles?
states cannot interfere with or tax the legitimate activities of the federal government
which of the following statements best describes the consequences of the elite class theory?
the elite in society would play a dominant role in the political process
how is a president chosen when none of the candidates receives a majority of the electoral college vote?
the house chooses a new president by a majority vote of its state delegations
which of the following procedures results in the removal of the president from office?
the house votes for impeachment, and the senate conducts a trial and reaches a guilty verdict
which of the following statements about political parties and the U.S. constitution is true?
the issue of political parties is not addressed in the constitution
which of the following is argued by james madison in the federalist paper number 10?
the presence of a few large factions helps to protect the rights of minorities
which of the following is an example of checks and balances, as established by the constitution?
the requirement that presidential appointments to the supreme court be approved by the senate
which of the following is an example of presidential use of inherent powers?
thomas jefferson's louisiana purchase
which of the following actions can congress take if the supreme court finds a federal law unconstitutional?
try to amend the constitution
the "miranda warning" represents an attempt to protect criminal suspects against
unfair police interrogation
the free-exercise clause protects
voluntary prayer by student groups before school