AP Government Final Exam Study Guide

Harold Lasswell's definition of politics is

"who gets what, when, and how."

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last measure of full devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

a system that perpetuates the status quo and upholds the values of the party in power

Which of the following does the Speaker of the House NOT play a role in?

Recommending which members should be expelled from the House for failure to support the party's positions on bills

Cooperative Federalism

a system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government

indirect democracy

a type of democracy founded on the principle of elected officials representing a group of people

majority rule

in a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the larger group's desire be respected.

Most of the business of Congress takes place

in committees and subcommittees.

In Lemon v. Kurtzman, the Supreme Court established that aid to church-related schools must do all of the following EXCEPT

inhibit religion.

The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to

initiate all revenue bills.

In contrasts to the trustee model of representation, the ________ model of representation is based on legislators mirroring the preferences of their constituents.

instructed delegates

The Supreme Court has ruled that government aid to church-related schools

is permitted when the aid is for a nonreligious purpose.

Shays's Rebellion contributed to calls for a stronger national government because

it indicated that the state and national governments were weak.

A bill of attainder is a

law that declares that an action of an individual can be punished without a trial

When members of Congress hold a hearing to question a cabinet member on how a law is being carried out, they are engaging in

legislative oversight.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of federalism?

the quality of policies can vary from state to state.

The fact that incumbents usually win reelection

All of the above

Which of the following is permitted to draft a bill?

All of the options; anyone can draft a bill.

When did the two-party system first appear as part of presidential elections?

1800

The Constitution specifies that members of the House must be ________ years of age; senators must be ________ years of age.

25; 30

The United States House of Representatives has ________ members.

435

To end a filibuster requires ________ members present and voting to cut off debate.

60

The McCulloch v. Maryland case dealt with what specific grievance?

A state taxing a national bank

Based on this image, what was one result of the foreclosures imposed by Massachusetts state courts?

A violent farmer uprising under the direction of Daniel Shays.

In the case of ________, the Supreme Court ruled that the Bill of Rights restrained only the national government, not states and cities.

Barron v. Baltimore

In what ways does the Constitution encourage stalemate?

By providing access for so many interests AND through the separation of powers

Which is an example of a federal mandate?

Congress passes a law requiring all states to adopt a sex offender registry system.

Enumerated Powers

Listed powers in the Constitution ex. Congress' authority to coin money or declare war

Which was the first state to ratify the Constitution?

Delaware

Which of the following is an example of a categorical grant?

Funds provided by Congress to the states to enhance science instruction in a low-income area.

Beginning with the case of ________ in 1925, the Supreme Court began to rule that the Bill of Rights applied directly to the states, as well as to the national government.

Gitlow v. New York

For which of the following reasons was the Declaration of Independence an important tool in the Revolutionary War?

It outlined King George's violations and appealed to nations around the world.

"If the States may tax one instrument, employed by the government in the execution of its powers, they may tax any and every other instrument. They may tax the mail; they may tax the mint; they may tax patent rights; they may tax the papers of the custom-house; they may tax judicial process; they may tax all the means employed by the government, to an excess which would defeat all the ends of government. This was not intended by the American people. . . .The Court has bestowed on this subject its most deliberate consideration. The result is a conviction that the States have no power, by taxation or otherwise, to retard, impede, burden, or in any manner control, the operations of the constitutional laws enacted by Congress to carry into execution the powers vested in the general government. This is, we think, the unavoidable consequence of that supremacy which the constitution has declared." —Chief Justice John Marshall, McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819

It reinforced the idea of national supremacy, altering the relationship between federal and state governments.

Which of the following best describes pork barrel politics?

Members of Congress negotiate bills so that individual districts get money for projects that do not benefit the nation as a whole.

In ________, the Court clarified its doctrine of what was obscene, including such gauges as whether material appealed to merely a prurient interest in sex, and whether it lacked serious artistic, literary, political, or scientific merit.

Miller v. California

Which of the following statements represents John Locke's understanding of the relationship between natural rights and human law?

Natural rights are higher than, that is superior to, human law.

Implied Powers

Powers that go beyond the listed powers in the Constitution ex. the National Bank

What is the vice president's only constitutionally defined job?

President of the Senate

Extradition

States must return a person charged with a crime in another state to that state for punishment.

Members of Congress who have adopted the delegate role of representation normally cast their votes based on which of the following?

The preferences of the majority of their constituents

What was the series of articles written by Publius called?

The Federalist Papers

Which body issued the Declaration of Independence?

The First Continental Congress

Which of the following is true of the seniority system of Congress in relation to committee leadership and committee staffing?

The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body's majority party.

"Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

The idea of liberty is deeply ingrained throughout U.S. history.

Which of the following was NOT a problem with the national government under the Articles of Confederation?

The state legislatures had too little power.

What best describes a linkage institution?

a channel through which people's concerns become part of the political agenda

policy gridlock

a condition that occurs when no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy.

Writ of Habeus Corpus

a court order requiring authorities to explain to a judge what lawful reason they have for holding a prisoner in custody

direct democracy

a form of democracy in which people decide on policy initiatives directly

From which of the following did the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq result?

a presidential action

linkage institution

a structure within a society that connects the people to the government or centralized authority

Dual Federalism

a system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies

The incorporation doctrine involves

application of the Bill of Rights to the states.

An advantage of federalism is that it allows states to __________.

be policy innovators

At the center of all theories of elite domination of politics is

big business.

Federalism is a way of organizing a nation so that

both national and state levels of government have some authority over the same land and people.

Which of the following is a method for proposing constitutional amendments?

by a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress

New Jersey Plan

called for equal representation of the states regardless of the state's population

Virginia Plan

called for representation in Congress proportional to the state's population

Members of Congress who informally band together in groups to promote and protect mutual interests (e.g., mushroom growers) form what are called

caucuses.

Limited Government

certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect natural rights of citizens

Which principle of traditional democracy theory is violated in circumstances in which the wealthy have influence over the government's policy agenda that far exceeds what would be expected based on their numbers?

citizen control of the agenda

The procedure used to cut off debate and end a filibuster is known as

cloture.

"To uphold the Government's contentions here, we would have to pile inference upon inference in a manner that would bid fair to convert congressional authority under the Commerce Clause to a general police power of the sort retained by the States. Admittedly, some of our prior cases have taken long steps down that road, giving great deference to congressional action.... The broad language in these opinions has suggested the possibility of additional expansion, but we decline here to proceed any further. To do so would require us to conclude that the Constitution's enumeration of powers does not presuppose something not enumerated... and that there never will be a distinction between what is truly national and what is truly local... This we are unwilling to do." --Chief Justice William Rehnquist, United States v. Lopez, 1995

commerce

Members of Congress use their virtually unlimited franking privileges to

communicate with constituents.

A ________ committee is formed when the Senate and House pass different versions of the same bill to report back a compromise bill.

conference

The Constitution's provision that Congress has the right to "make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution" its powers is often referred to as the

elastic clause.

The Supremacy Clause

establishes the Constitution, laws of the national government, and treaties as the supreme law of the land.

Block Grant

federal grants given more or less automatically to support broad programs

Categorical Grant

federal grants that can be used for specific purposes; grants with strings attached

A shield law

gives reporters the right to withhold information from the courts.

Consent of the Governed

government derives its authority by sanction of the people

minority rights

guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument

The Constitution's Supremacy Clause

made the Constitution, the laws of the national government, and the national government's treaties the supreme law of the land.

Only ________ can formally submit a bill for congressional consideration.

members of the House or senators

The principal leader of the minority party in the House or in the Senate is called the

minority leader.

What most closely exemplifies equality in voting?

one person, one vote

Congressional legislative powers include all of the following EXCEPT

pardoning felons

Federal grants and contracts that members of Congress try to obtain for their constituents are collectively referred to as

pork barrel.

Only the national government is allowed to

regulate commerce with foreign nations.

Connecticut Compromise

split Congress into a bicameral legislature allowing both equal and proportional representation

The Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

stated that the Constitution gave Congress implied powers.

In the case of New York Times v. Sullivan (1964), the Supreme Court ruled that

statements made about political figures are libelous only if made with malice and reckless disregard for the truth.

The Tenth Amendment

states that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by the states, are reserved for the states.

The who of politics includes voters, candidates, groups and parties; the what refers to the

substance of politics and government-benefits and burdens.

What was a fear of the Anti-Federalists during the Constitutional Convention and subsequent debate?

that a strong national government would infringe on the rights of the states

On the issue of slaves, the Constitution specified

that slaves would count as three-fifths persons for counting the nation's population and determining seats in the House.

Which of the following is a shared (Concurrent) power between states and the federal government?

the power to tax

Judicial Review

the Supreme Court's authority to decide the constitutionality of a government action

Which idea in the Declaration expresses John Locke's belief that government derives its authority from the people?

the consent of the governed

What makes up the government's policy agenda?

the issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other political actors

In the Constitution, the powers to coin money, to enter into treaties, and to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states were given to

the national government.

policymaking system

the process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time

In its Near v. Minnesota decision of 1931, the Supreme Court ruled that

the state government could not use prior restraint to shut down an outspoken newspaper.

Almost every policy the national government has adopted has originated with

the states.

"It is equally evident, that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others... Were the executive magistrate, or the judges, not independent of the legislature in this particular, their independence in every other would be merely nominal. But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others.... It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?... In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself." --James Madison, Federalist No. 51, 1788 According to Madison, which of the following is a reason for government to "control itself"?

to prevent any one branch overpowering others

The power to directly regulate such things as drinking ages, marriage and divorce, and sexual behavior has been granted

to state governments.

Devolution

transferring responsibility for implementing federal policy from the federal government to the state and local governments

The English politician and philosopher Edmund Burke favored the concept of legislators as ________, using their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people.

trustees

Many local school districts complained that the No Child Left Behind Act did not provide enough funding to implement the law. If this is the case, the law is was a(n) __________.

unfunded mandate