AP gov final exam practice questions
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.
Which of the following represents a consequence of candidate-centered electoral campaigns?
A decrease in the role of political parties in campaign management
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation?
A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state
The process shown in the diagram is outlined in which of the following parts of the United States Constitution?
Article V
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"?
Both César Chávez and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. argued for the continued use of nonviolence to further their causes.
Which of the following actions did President Johnson suggest he would take to address problems in public schools?
Calling on experts to advise the federal government in finding ways to improve public education
Which of the following criticisms of political campaigns is the author of the political cartoon most likely to agree with?
Candidates rely too heavily on professional consultants.
Which of the following is a consequence of having concurrent powers within a federal system of government?
Citizens and interest groups seeking policy change can choose from multiple access points.
Which of the following best summarizes the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Lopez (1995) ?
Congress does not have the authority under the commerce clause to pass a law forbidding possession of a firearm in a school zone.
Which of the following is a true statement about the role of the media in providing citizens with information?
Demand for instantaneous news reporting has led to the growth of 24-hour news operations and a shift to online media consumption.
Which of the following constitutional amendments is most related to the issue shown on the map?
Eighth Amendment
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the establishment clause and the free exercise clause?
Establishment Clause: Prohibits the federal government from promoting religion or creating a national religion Free Exercise Clause: Protects an individual's religious beliefs and reasonable religious practices
Which of the following is the most accurate comparison of the processes that generally facilitate gridlock and those that facilitate governmental action?
Facilitates Gridlock: Checks and balances Facilitates Action: Executive orders
Which of the following statements is true regarding political advertisements in 2012 based on the information graphic?
Few advertisements appealed to positive emotions.
Which of the following Supreme Court cases established that those accused of felonies who cannot afford legal counsel are entitled to legal counsel provided by the state?
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Which of the following positions on the government's role in the marketplace is most influenced by the idea expressed in the passage?
Government intervention in the free market should be avoided.
Which of the following ideals of democracy is reflected in the procedure for apportionment in the House of Representatives?
Government is based on the consent of the governed.
Which of the following statements is true based on the data in the line graph?
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.
The data in the graph best illustrate which of the following common criticisms of the electoral college?
Individuals in small-population states have a greater impact on the electoral college than individuals in large-population states.
Which of the following ideals of United States government is most relevant to this passage?
Limited government
Which of the following is true based on the information graphic?
Over 75% of the population is eligible to vote, but only about half the electorate actually voted in the 2016 presidential election.
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?
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.
Which of the following best explains how political parties are likely to respond to the data in the chart?
Political parties will adapt their positions and find ways to appeal to voters from growing demographic groups.
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.
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?
Schenck v. United States (1919)
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 disapprove of the court's decision to expand the federal government's power to regulate the economy.
A new president has been elected after running on a campaign of lowering taxes and reducing spending on discretionary programs but now must work with Congress to ensure legislation passes which achieves those goals. Which of the leaders in the diagram plays the most crucial role in shaping the legislation that the president wants passed?
Speaker of the House
Which of the following best explains why eligibility criteria vary by state as shown on the information graphic?
States can create criteria for voting rights so long as they do not violate the United States Constitution.
Which of the following statements is supported by the data on the map?
Texas (TX) has a higher rate of uninsured people than New Jersey (NJ).
In what respect does the Constitution address Washington's concern regarding the "spirit of encroachment" expressed in the excerpt?
The Constitution distributes power across national institutions.
Which of the following is a likely effect of the trend depicted in the bar graph on voting and elections?
The Democratic Party will win more elections, based on current voting trends.
Which of the following is likely to occur as a result of new legislation regarding automobile safety?
The Department of Transportation will be given discretionary authority to create auto regulations.
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 Fifth and Sixth Amendments
An important Senate race takes place in the state of Georgia. Rather than focus on the issue positions taken by the candidates, a 24-hour cable news station instead focuses primarily on poll results and campaign strategies using a "big board" to show the counties where each candidate has the most support. Which of the following is an effect of this type of new coverage?
The electorate will be less able to accurately compare the policy platforms of candidates running in the election.
The clause of the United States Constitution that was used in the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) was
The equal protection clause
A public school district implemented a policy that allowed students to vote on whether they wanted a student-led prayer to be read at football games. This policy was later found to be unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court. Which of the following clauses did the policy most likely violate?
The establishment clause
Which of the following is the best explanation for the trend in voting behavior after the 2000 election?
The events that shaped the generation turning 18 after the year 2000 tended to create more liberal-minded voters who supported Democrats.
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 exclusionary rule
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of concurrent powers?
The federal government provides about 25% of the total funding for highways and transit in the United States, while the other 75% of the funding comes from states.
Which of the following best summarizes the perspective of Adam Smith in the passage?
The government should not be used to promote manufacturing.
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.
Which of the following scenarios best demonstrates a president avoiding a check from the judicial branch?
The president claims that certain detainees are enemy combatants and thus do not possess the same constitutional protections that the Supreme Court has upheld for the interrogation of criminal suspects.
Which of the following best explains a reason that a president might use a signing statement to express displeasure with a bill as opposed to issuing a veto?
The president may have objections to provisions of a bill but does not want to risk Congress overriding a veto.
Which of the following is an example of how separation of powers creates friction between the executive and legislative branches in the policy-making process?
The president threatens to issue an executive order for stricter gun control if Congress continues to refuse to take action.
By using the phrase "creative federalism," President Johnson is most likely referring to which of the following features of the American system?
The relationship between the federal and state governments evolves over time and is flexible enough to permit new forms of interaction.
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a formal check on the power of the bureaucracy?
The secretary of defense being called to testify before a congressional committee
Which of the following statements presents the most important limitation of the data in the graph?
There is no information about the total number of state legislators.
Which of the following Supreme Court decisions allows public school students to wear T-shirts protesting a school board decision that eliminates funding for high school arts programs?
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)
Which of the following newspaper headlines best summarizes the excerpt from Washington's Farewell Address?
Washington Warns of Dangerous Party Factions
In which of the following situations would the Supreme Court be most likely to utilize the doctrine of selective incorporation?
When an individual claims that a right protected by the Bill of Rights is infringed upon by a state
Which of the following statements is most accurately supported by the data in the table?
While President George W. Bush issued fewer signing statements than President Clinton, his included more objections than President Clinton's.
Given the information in the graph, in which of the following states would an individual's vote likely have more influence?
Wyoming
A media organization is interested in reporting election results in a congressional election prior to the final tally of votes which will not occur until later in the evening. The organization randomly selects several polling places across the district asking voters whom they voted for. The type of poll being used in this scenario is known as
an exit poll
A liberal response to the "strained resources" of local government most likely would include
an increase in federal spending on public education and more programs aimed at helping lower-income communities
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of checks on the legislative branch and checks on the executive branch?
check on legislative branch: The president may veto bills passed by Congress. Check on Executive Branch: The Senate must confirm judicial nominees.
Which of the following is generally the most important agent of political socialization?
family
Which of the following accurately compares the formal and informal powers of the president?
formal power: acting as a commander in chief of the military informal power: singing executive agreements with foreign nations
The data illustrate that most conservatives believe that the United States Constitution
outlines a framework for government that the Supreme Court should apply strictly regardless of the political or personal preferences of judges
Which of the following makes a correct comparison between political parties and interest groups in the United States?
political parties: political parties recruit and run candidates in elections interest groups: interest groups seek to influence public policy
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
pork barrel legislation
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of rights protected and not protected by the First Amendment?
protected by first amendment: the right to burn a flag not protected by the first amendment: obscenity
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
Which of the following scenarios is an example of the trustee model of representation?
A member of Congress votes to close a popular tax loophole based on the belief that the money would be better spent paying down the national debt.
Which of the following policies would the states most likely prefer according to the political cartoon?
Block grants
A 2017 study in The American Economic Review found that watching Fox News during an election cycle increased a Democrat's chances of voting Republican by 28 percent. Conversely, by watching MSNBC Republicans were more inclined to vote Democrat by 8 percent. This scenario best illustrates which of the following about the media?
Cable news programming is oftentimes ideologically driven and effective in persuading citizens to adopt their point of view.
On February 9, 2016, President Barack Obama released his budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year. Facing a Republican Congress, many declared the plan "dead on arrival." Among the cited issues was Obama's request for $582.7 billion in discretionary spending for defense, which many Republicans believed was not enough. Which of the following most accurately explains the interaction between the president and the Congress regarding the defense budget?
Congress passes a budget for the entire federal government, including defense, but it must consider the president's proposal because the president may veto the bill.
Which of the following constitutional principles best explains why there is variation among states on the use of capital punishment?
Federalism
Which of the following characteristics best explains the data on the map?
Federalism creates differences between states on the implementation of health-care policy.
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?
Freedom of the press includes a heavy presumption against government censorship, and the documents can be published by the press.
Which of the following scenarios illustrates Washington's concerns?
Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock.
Which of the following describes the Twenty-Fourth Amendment?
It eliminated poll taxes.
Which of the following sets of policies would most likely be supported by a libertarian?
Legalization of the commercial sale of marijuana and a reduction in government spending on prisons
On July 9, 2018, after the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, President Trump, a Republican, nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Many Democrats in the Senate feared that the appointment of Kavanaugh would swing the Court in a more ideologically conservative direction and attempted to block his nomination. After a heated Senate confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh was eventually confirmed by a 50-48 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.
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: The rules of the electoral college favor the major-party candidates in presidential elections. Third Parties: Winner-take-all voting districts hinder the electoral success of third-party candidates.
"If, therefore, the legislature pass any laws, inconsistent with the sense the judges put upon the constitution, they will declare it void; and therefore in this respect their power is superior to that of the legislature."
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Which of the following portrays an accurate example of horse race media coverage?
News media outlets report the results of public opinion polls that show the relative popularity of presidential candidates.
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?
Occasional voters will not be able to vote on election day, which could influence election results.
The Web site 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?
Oversight
The majority party in the Senate is concerned that the Supreme Court has made a number of ideologically dangerous and controversial rulings. Which of the following actions could be taken by the Senate to limit the Supreme Court's power?
Pass legislation already passed by the House that would limit the impact of the Supreme Court's recent rulings
Which of the following is a model of democracy that emphasizes the role of interest groups in advocating for public policy?
Pluralist democracy
Which of the following explains President Johnson's motivation for the speech in relation to his role as the head of the executive branch?
President Johnson is seeking to use the bully pulpit as a means of promoting his agenda on public education.
The data in the table illustrate which of the following about United States constitutional government?
Presidential foreign policy can be checked through the legislative power of Congress.
During his confirmation hearing, Chief Justice John Roberts stated that Roe v. Wade (1973) "is the settled law of the land." This statement suggests that in a future case that challenges the constitutionality of legislation restricting privacy and reproductive rights, which of the following should be a key factor in the court's ruling?
Reliance on legal precedent
Which of the following statements is consistent with data shown in the bar graph?
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe that there should be fewer regulations on businesses to promote economic growth and increase wages.
A voter's decision to support the incumbent president in an upcoming election is based on recent economic growth and record low unemployment. Which of the following models of voting behavior best characterizes this voter's decision?
Retrospective voting
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
Selective incorporation
Which of the following is the most accurate interpretation of the political cartoon?
State governments prefer federal funding but do not want federal oversight over how the money is spent.
Which of the following is most likely responsible for the increase in the number of southern African American state legislators between 1960 and 1992 as shown in the graph?
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
Two interest groups are competing for influence in Congress. One group represents banking institutions, while the other advocates for consumer protections. A critic of the influence of interest groups would make which of the following claims?
The banking interest group likely has greater financial resources and access to policy makers than the consumer protection group.
Which of the following conclusions can be drawn based on the table?
The bill was able to pass because some Republicans and Independents voted for it along with all Democrats.
Which of the following factors that influence voters' decision making during an election is the cartoonist poking fun at?
The candidate's personal characteristics
In a public opinion poll, a polling company used an online survey tool to randomly contact respondents who did not have telephone lines in addition to contacting people over the phone. Which of the following best explains this decision?
The company wanted to ensure that the sample of the population was truly random.
Which of the following statements is correct based on the bar chart?
The more consistently liberal a person is, the more that person is likely to believe that the Supreme Court should base its rulings on what the Constitution means in current times.
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.
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 necessary and proper clause
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 assemble
Based on your knowledge and the diagram, which of the following is true regarding the leadership structure of Congress?
The role of the minority leader in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is to coordinate a strategy for the minority party.
The America First Action is a super PAC led by former administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon. Which of the following best explains how the organization can operate to influence elections, according to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010) ?
The super PAC can spend unlimited money on issue-advocacy advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign.
The process in the diagram reflects which of the following about the perspective of the framers on constitutional government?
The system should be able to accommodate political change, but the process for change should incorporate checks and balances.
Which of the following best describes César Chávez' view on the use of violence versus nonviolence?
The use of nonviolent actions allows more people to be involved in the movement and effect change.
Which of the following is most directly related to the large amount of money spent by outside groups in the 2012 election?
The use of super PACs as a mechanism to raise money and influence elections
In the 1780s, proponents of the new Constitution cited Shays' Rebellion as an example in support of which of the following criticisms of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?
There was a lack of a national military power to address security concerns.
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?
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)
In The Federalist 70, Alexander Hamilton states that "energy in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government." In this statement, Hamilton is arguing in favor of the need for
a single executive who can respond quickly to crises
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
an iron triangle
Which of the following is the correct pairing of powers found in the Articles of Confederation and powers found in the Constitution?
articles of confederation: unicameral legislature united states constitution: bicameral legislature
Which of the following pair of Supreme Court cases best illustrates how views of federalism have shifted in the United States?
case 1: McCulloch v Maryland case 2: united states v lopez
After extensive polling, a member of the House of Representatives learns that her constituents favor universal background checks for all gun purchases. Based on this information, the representative votes in favor of background checks in a criminal justice bill, although she personally opposes the provision. In doing so, she is acting as a
delegate
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of policy positions advocated by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party?
democratic party: Favors increases in spending for programs such as Medicare and Medicaid republican party: Favors significant increases in defense and military spending in the federal budget
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
disagreement between congressional leaders and the president on the issue meant that a compromise on a bill was not likely
