AP Gov Practice Questions
U4 - "The bifurcated nature of American public opinion simultaneously encourages Democratic candidates to court voters by publicly advocating a "laundry list" of numerous specific issue positions and spurs Republicans to attract support by emphasizing larger themes of limited government and American cultural traditions. It also accounts for the means by which each party can stoke a popular backlash to the policies pursued by the other: Democrats attack the privileged interests favored by Republican rule and appeal to social groups that view themselves as disadvantaged, while Republicans characterize Democratic initiatives as threatening individual liberties and violating traditional American values." —Matthew Grossmann, David A. Hopkins, Asymmetric Politics: Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats (2016) Which of the following best explains the "bifurcated nature of American public opinion" referenced in the passage? (A)Different interpretations of core values by different groups of voters. (B)The fact that two major political parties dominate the American political system. (C)The split of governmental responsibilities between state and federal levels. (D)The tension that arises when Congress is controlled by a different party than the president.
(A) Different interpretations of core values by different groups of voters.
U2 - Congress's non-legislative functions include which of the following? I. The impeachment of the president and other high government officials II. Conducting investigations III. The selection of the president when no candidate receives a majority in the Electoral College IV. The appointment of ambassadors and other foreign envoys V. The setting of interest rates (A)I, II, and III (B)I, III, and IV (C)II and V (D)III and IV
(A) I, II, and III
U4 - It is well-established that a particular politician tends towards liberal political views. Which of the following pieces of legislation would this politician be most likely to support? (A)Increased regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. (B)New tax incentives for FDIC insured banks. (C)Fewer requirements for charter school development. (D)Federally mandated preschool program.
(A) Increased regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.
U1 - "If a number of political societies enter into a larger political society, the laws which the latter may enact, pursuant to the powers intrusted to it by its constitution, must necessarily be supreme over those societies, and the individuals of whom they are composed." - Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers No. 33, January 3, 1788 The ruling in which of the following Supreme Court cases best incorporates Hamilton's views? (A)McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) (B)Marbury v. Madison (1803) (C)Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) (D)Reynolds v. United States (1878)
(A) McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
U4 - What sort of poll is held at a polling station on Election Day? (A)Random sample poll (B)Exit poll (C)Tracking poll (D)Opt-in poll
(B) Exit poll
U3 - Congress passes legislation that allows the FBI to collect cell phone metadata as part of a new initiative meant to combat terrorism. A case challenging this law makes its way to the Supreme Court. Which of the following Constitutional amendments will likely come into play as the justices look to balance civil liberties versus the need to protect public order? (A)First Amendment (B)Third Amendment (C)Fourth Amendment (D)Tenth Amendment
(C) Fourth Amendment
U2 - Executive orders I. may only be issued when Congress is not in session II. have the effect of law III. require congressional approval IV. are often used to flesh out the operating details of an agency (A)I (B)II (C)II and IV (D)I and II
(C) II and IV
U3 - Which of the choices accurately compares the two court cases? (A)Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Cited the establishment clause to end official school prayers; Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): Cited the establishment clause to end the teaching of Creationism (B)Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Used freedom of the press to protect student newspapers calling for walk-outs; Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): Used freedom of the press to weaken regulations on pornographic media (C)Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Depended on the commerce clause to keep guns out of school zones; Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): Depended on the commerce clause to require gun permits in school zones (D)Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Relied on the equal protection clause to stop school segregation; Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): Relied on the equal protection clause to legalize same-sex marriage
(D) Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Relied on the equal protection clause to stop school segregation; Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): Relied on the equal protection clause to legalize same-sex marriage
U2 - Lyndon Johnson gave the first televised evening State of the Union Address on January 4, 1965. What long-term impact did this innovation have on the presidency? (A)It increased the president's ability to operate the bully pulpit to set national priorities. (B)It demonstrated the power of the federal bureaucracy, through the FCC, to force corporations, like television networks, to follow national policies. (C)By making a speech in front of Congress, it further accelerated the expanding power of the presidency at the expense of the legislative branch. (D)It provided a high-profile example of a president creating powers through precedent that are not included in the text of the Constitution.
(A) It increased the president's ability to operate the bully pulpit to set national priorities.
U2 - In 1883, the U.S. Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Act, which made most appointments to the U.S. federal government merit-based rather than the result of the so-called political "spoils system." Which of the following best describes the impact this had on the federal bureaucracy? (A)It made it more effective by promoting professionalism, specialization, and neutrality. (B)It weakened it by limiting the democratic influence voters had on federal appointees. (C)It had little impact due to the small size of the federal bureaucracy, both at the time and in the present day. (D)It had little impact because the spoils system was already highly efficient.
(A) It made it more effective by promoting professionalism, specialization, and neutrality.
U4 - "In his first inaugural address to Congress and the nation in January 1964, Lyndon Johnson had pledged that his administration would wage an "unconditional war on poverty in America," adding that "we shall not rest until the war is won." This preoccupation with poverty was at once personal and political: as a young man Johnson had experienced considerable hardship, making him receptive to Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and the Democratic Party, which made itself the standard-bearer of the poor and the dispossessed." —Klaus P. Fischer, America in White, Black, and Gray: The Stormy 1960s (2006) This passage can be best used as an example of which of the following? (A)Political socialization, as major political events contribute to the development of individual political attitudes. (B)Life-cycle effect, as Johnson's opinions on policy evolved over time. (C)Retrospective voting, as Johnson set policy based on events from his past. (D)Supply-side economics, as Johnson's focus on poverty shaped his financial policies.
(A) Political socialization, as major political events contribute to the development of individual political attitudes.
U1 - ".... rulers have the same propensities as other men; they are as likely to use the power with which they are vested for private purposes, and to the injury and oppression of those over whom they are placed, as individuals in a state of nature are to injure and oppress one another. It is therefore as proper that bounds should be set to their authority, as that government should have at first been instituted to restrain private injuries... "Those who have governed, have been found in all ages ever active to enlarge their powers and abridge the public liberty. This has induced the people in all countries, where any sense of freedom remained, to fix barriers against the encroachments of their rulers... It is therefore the more astonishing that this grand security, to the rights of the people, is not to be found in this constitution. "[For example,] In the bills of rights of the states it is declared, that a well regulated militia is the proper and natural defence of a free government... The same security is as necessary in this constitution, and much more so." - Brutus No. 2, 1787 Based on the passage above, what does the author consider to be a potential problem of the Constitution, as it had been proposed for ratification by the states (at the time that Brutus No. 2 was written)? (A)The Constitution as written at the time had no bill of rights to protect the people from the power of a strong, centralized government. (B)Rather than having a figurative executive head of government selected by a more powerful legislative branch, the Constitution had an executive head voted upon by the Electoral College. (C)The new constitution could not have been as good as the Articles of Confederation in preserving individual liberties. (D)The Constitution gave too much power to state governments.
(A) The Constitution as written at the time had no bill of rights to protect the people from the power of a strong, centralized government.
U2 - Which of the following scenarios would best illustrate the judiciary exercising the power established in Marbury v. Madison (1803)? (A)The Supreme Court declares unconstitutional a provision of federal legislation concerning trademarks. (B)The Supreme Court justices attend the State of the Union address. (C)The Supreme Court hears disputes between the states with original jurisdiction. (D)The Supreme Court acts as the highest appellate court in a federal tort lawsuit.
(A) The Supreme Court declares unconstitutional a provision of federal legislation concerning trademarks.
U5 - What structural elements contributed to the historical development described in the passage? (A)Winner-take-all voting districts. (B)The division of federal power among three branches of government. (C)Equal representation for every state in the U.S. Senate. (D)The operation of the Electoral College.
(A) Winner-take-all voting districts.
U1 - "The definition of a confederate republic seems simply to be "an assemblage of societies,'' or an association of two or more states into one state. The extent, modifications, and objects of the federal authority are mere matters of discretion. So long as the separate organization of the members be not abolished; so long as it exists, by a constitutional necessity, for local purposes; though it should be in perfect subordination to the general authority of the union, it would still be, in fact and in theory, an association of states, or a confederacy. The proposed Constitution, so far from implying an abolition of the State governments, makes them constituent parts of the national sovereignty, by allowing them a direct representation in the Senate, and leaves in their possession certain exclusive and very important portions of sovereign power. This fully corresponds, in every rational import of the terms, with the idea of a federal government." - Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 9 Supporters of the argument made here would likely also have supported: (A) a strong central government (B) a thorough and detailed Bill of Rights (C) the Articles of Confederation (D) a greater concentration of power in the hands of the state governments as opposed to the federal government
(A) a strong central government
U4 - Graph: Voter Turnout by age Which of the following is supported by the graph above? (A)A generational effect. (B)A life-cycle effect. (C)An incumbency advantage. (D)The effects of conservative and liberal ideology.
(B) A life-cycle effect.
U3 - In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Supreme Court ruled that the right to bear arms as described in the Second Amendment existed as an individual right, unconnected to militia service. Compared the impact of this ruling on legal interpretations of the Second Amendment compared to the impact that Schenck v. United States (1919) had on interpretations of the First Amendment? (A)Heller limited the rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment, while Schenck expanded rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. (B)Heller expanded the rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment, while Schenck defined the limits of the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. (C)Both rulings expanded the freedoms guaranteed under their respective Amendments. (D)Both rulings limited the freedoms guaranteed under their respective Amendments.
(B) Heller expanded the rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment, while Schenck defined the limits of the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment.
U5 - As of the 2020 presidential election, 48 states use a winner-take-all system for the Electoral College. Which of the following best describes the implication of this fact? (A)The winner of a majority of states wins the presidency. (B)In each of those 48 states, the winner of a state's popular votes receives all of its electoral votes. (C)The winner of the national popular vote will always win the Electoral College. (D)Voters in states with large populations are overrepresented
(B) In each of those 48 states, the winner of a state's popular votes receives all of its electoral votes.
U3 - "The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable." - James Madison, Speech to the House of Representatives, June 8, 1789 Which of the following Supreme Court cases most directly reflects James Madison's views on the freedom of the press in the quote above? (A)Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) (B)New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) (C)Schenck v. United States (1919) (D)Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
(B) New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
U5 - Which of the following statements represents a true statement about how a politician could use demographics to predict voter turnout? (A)Younger Americans vote at higher rates. (B)Older Americans vote at higher rates. (C)Elderly Americans' rate of political participation makes Social Security a low priority for most legislators. (D)As a result of voter turnout, federal spending favors programs that benefit younger Americans
(B) Older Americans vote at higher rates
U4 - Graph: Political parties and their level of trust with opinion polls Based on the information provided above, which of the following groups would be least likely to have their political actions changed by an opinion poll? (A)Democrats (B)Republicans (C)Independents (D)There isn't enough information provided to make that determination
(B) Republicans
U2 - Graph: Failure rate for presidential nominees in Congress The graph illustrates which of the following? (A)The operation of federalism to influence national policy making. (B)The power of the Senate confirmation power to influence a president's policy-making ability. (C)The expanse of voting privileges, through the passage of civil rights legislation. (D)The expansion of the federal bureaucracy following the New Deal.
(B) The power of the Senate confirmation power to influence a president's policy-making ability.
U1 - Which of the following is true about block grants? (A)They were introduced as part of the New Deal. (B)They are federal funds distributed to the states with few strings attached. (C)They are federal funds distributed to the states with strict federal guidelines attached. (D)They were declared unconstitutional in McCulloch v. Maryland.
(B) They are federal funds distributed to the states with few strings attached.
U1 - All of the following are true about the Declaration of Independence EXCEPT: (A)It itemizes the abuses of King George III. (B)It recommends a representative form of government. (C)It states that governments derive their authority from the people. (D)It draws upon the ideas of John Locke.
(B)It recommends a representative form of government.
U1 - When ratified in 1789, the Constitution required all of the following EXCEPT (A)that import taxes be imposed uniformly throughout the country (B)that export taxes be imposed uniformly throughout the country (C)that slaves be included in the census used to apportion taxes (D)that all tax measures be initiated in the House of Representatives
(B)that export taxes be imposed uniformly throughout the country
U3 - Which of the following would likely be protected by the Sixth Amendment, as it has been applied to the states in Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)? (A)A defendant's right to represent him or herself in court. (B)A defendant's right to appeal his conviction due to an ineffective attorney. (C)A defendant's right to be represented by a court-appointed attorney when he is unable to afford one on his own. (D)A convicted felons' right to access legal information in a public library.
(C) A defendant's right to be represented by a court-appointed attorney when he is unable to afford one on his own.
U5 - Two images (1st: NAACP anti-lynching banner from the early 20th century; 2nd: Black Lives Matter Protest, 2014) The images above can best be used as evidence of which of the following aspects of political mobilization? (A)Mass media represents an ineffectual method for achieving political change. (B)Political parties are necessary for securing minority rights in the U.S. political system. (C)At various times, protest movements form with the goal of impacting policy making. (D)Protest movements are a relatively recent innovation in U.S. politics.
(C) At various times, protest movements form with the goal of impacting policy making.
U5 - Which of the following best describes the result of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) on PACs and Super PACs? (A)PACs are no longer required to report individual contributions to the Federal Election Commission while Super PACs are. (B)PACs can work directly with individual candidates' campaign staffs while Super PACs cannot. (C)Corporate donations to PACs are limited while corporate donations to Super PACs are not. (D)PACs cannot donate funds to national political parties while Super PACs can.
(C) Corporate donations to PACs are limited while corporate donations to Super PACs are not.
U1 - In the image above, a man holding a bucket labeled "Welfare" is told by a man at the "Federal" door to "Try next door!" where a man dressed in a barrel stands at a door marked "States." Which of the following statements would the creator of this cartoon most likely agree with? (A)All policy initiatives should originate at the state, rather than the federal, level of government. (B)The federal government is ultimately responsible for all major policy initiatives. (C)Federalism offers many points of entry for stakeholders to achieve policy goals, but there is a vast disparity in the resources available to the national government compared to state governments. (D)Federalism is an ineffective form of government because it places too much emphasis on maintaining state power and limits federal decision-making flexibility.
(C) Federalism offers many points of entry for stakeholders to achieve policy goals, but there is a vast disparity in the resources available to the national government compared to state governments.
U4 - "In 1963 a teenage girl was kidnapped and raped on her way home from work. The police later apprehended the rapist. Following a brief interview and an identification lineup; he gave a full confession to the police. The confession was later used in securing his conviction. Three years later, in 1966, the Supreme Court overturned Ernest Miranda's conviction.' The Court found no ground for concluding that Miranda's confession was not freely given or for doubting that he committed the offense. However, the Court did find error in the failure of the police to comply with a set of restrictions on questioning that had simply not existed prior to the Miranda C:lecision. In a unique five to four decision, a decision that I believe could not have been replicated before 1966 or after 1966, the Court departed from recognized constitutional standards and prescribed a new set of non-constitutional procedures for police questioning of suspects in custody." —Stephen J. Markman, Paul Marcus, Miranda Decision Revisited: Did It Give Criminals Too Many Rights? (1988) In the passage, the authors argue that the Miranda decision regarding the rights of people accused of a crime could only happen at a particular historical moment. Given this thesis, what other Supreme Court decision should the authors consider as part of their analysis? (A)Roe v. Wade (B)Schenck v. United States (C)Gideon v. Wainwright (D)McDonald v. Chicago
(C) Gideon v. Wainwright
U4 - All of the following are important sources of political socialization EXCEPT (A)Families (B)Civil society (C)Political campaigns (D)The media
(C) Political campaigns
U5 - Voting for a candidate in hopes that they will end a current international conflict is an example of (A)Prospective voting (B)Party line voting (C)Retrospective voting (D)Candidate appeal voting
(C) Retrospective voting
U5 - Citizens who use social media as a means of gaining knowledge on candidates and issues more often take note of news stories and commentaries supporting their partisan views. This practice is known as (A)Political socialization. (B)Campaigning. (C)Selective attention. (D)Microtargeting.
(C) Selective attention.
U2 - "Another advantage accruing from this ingredient in the constitution of the Senate is, the additional impediment it must prove against improper acts of legislation. No law or resolution can now be passed without the concurrence, first, of a majority of the people, and then, of a majority of the States. It must be acknowledged that this complicated check on legislation may in some instances be injurious as well as beneficial; and that the peculiar defense which it involves in favor of the smaller States, would be more rational, if any interests common to them, and distinct from those of the other States, would otherwise be exposed to peculiar danger. But as the larger States will always be able, by their power over the supplies, to defeat unreasonable exertions of this prerogative of the lesser States, and as the faculty and excess of law-making seem to be the diseases to which our governments are most liable, it is not impossible that this part of the Constitution may be more convenient in practice than it appears to many in contemplation." —Federalist No. 62 In the passage above, the author states that the "complicated check on legislation" caused by the different structures of the Senate and House of Representatives "may in some instances be injurious as well as beneficial." Someone agreeing with this claim might support which of the following reforms? (A)Elimination of the Electoral College (B)A line-item presidential veto (C)Senate seats apportioned by population (D)An equal number of Senate seats for each state
(C) Senate seats apportioned by population
U3 - Roe v. Wade established all of the following EXCEPT: (A)Women could obtain an abortion without government interference during the first three months of a pregnancy. (B)States could intervene to protect a mother's health during the second three months of a pregnancy. (C)States could regulate but not prohibit abortions during the last three months of a pregnancy. (D)Women had a constitutional right to an abortion.
(C) States could regulate but not prohibit abortions during the last three months of a pregnancy.
U2 - Each of the following represents a way that a branch of the federal government can hold the bureaucracy accountable EXCEPT (A)The president can ask for the resignation of the head of the SEC. (B)Congress can launch an investigation into the conduct of the FCC. (C)The U.S. Justice Department can charge a federal judge with bribery. (D)The Supreme Court can find an EPA regulation unconstitutional.
(C) The U.S. Justice Department can charge a federal judge with bribery.
U2 - Which of the following scenarios would likely be justiciable by the federal courts, given the precedent established in Baker v. Carr (1961)? (A)The contention that the Senate did not properly try the impeachment of a federal judge. (B)The question of whether the military should retaliate after a foreign country strikes an ally. (C)The argument that redistricting in a certain state was actually gerrymandering. (D)The claim that the House of Representatives impeached a president improperly.
(C) The argument that redistricting in a certain state was actually gerrymandering.
U1 - All of the following are true about the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT: (A)Congress lacked the power to tax. (B)There was no executive to enforce the will of Congress. (C)Unanimous consent from the state delegations was required to pass legislation. (D)There was no national judiciary.
(C) Unanimous consent from the state delegations was required to pass legislation.
U5 - The image above can be used as evidence for what dynamic related to the media's coverage of modern campaigns? (A)Increased media choices. (B)Concerns about consolidating media ownership. (C)Uncertainty over the credibility of news sources and information. (D)The increase of online media outlets during the first decades of the 21st century.
(C) Uncertainty over the credibility of news sources and information.
U5 - Which of the following scenarios provides an example of the free rider problem? (A)Environmentalists who work on a volunteer basis for Greenpeace. (B)Political candidates who benefit from contributions from pharmaceutical interest groups. (C)Workers in an industry who do not pay dues to a union, but who benefit from the policies' for which the union has lobbied.
(C) Workers in an industry who do not pay dues to a union, but who benefit from the policies' for which the union has lobbied.
U5 - Which of the following is a true statement about modern political campaigns? (A)Because social media news consumption has skyrocketed in recent years, social media sites are now the best place to conduct scientific polls that can predict election results. (B)Candidate appeal takes precedence over demographic coalition building because voters choose their candidates prospectively rather than engaging in rational choice voting. (C)In national elections, political consultants and a professional campaign staff, rather than volunteers, are responsible for running a candidate's campaign. (D)Political consultants typically serve as the primary accounting and legal experts in a political campaign.
(C)In national elections, political consultants and a professional campaign staff, rather than volunteers, are responsible for running a candidate's campaign.
U3 - Based on other rulings, the Supreme Court would likely view a case concerning which of the following as a free speech matter? (A)A religious organization excludes from the clergy any woman who has had an abortion. (B)A public school board requires voters to have a high school education to participate in a board election. (C)A private individual manufactures and sells customized assault rifles. (D)A state outlaws out-of-state corporations from donating to political campaigns within its borders.
(D) A state outlaws out-of-state corporations from donating to political campaigns within its borders.
U2 - Which sorts of government agencies possess quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial authority? (A)All agencies created by Congress. (B)All agencies within the Executive Office of the President. (C)All executive departments. (D)All independent regulatory agencies.
(D) All independent regulatory agencies.
U3 - Which of the following is the most accurate comparison of Supreme Court case rulings and the constitutional clauses used to decide them? (A)Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972): Equal protection clause (B)McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Supremacy clause (C)United States v. Lopez (1995): Necessary and proper clause (D)Engel v. Vitale (1962): Establishment clause
(D) Engel v. Vitale (1962): Establishment clause
U5 - Political parties do all of the following EXCEPT (A)Nominate candidates (B)Serve as watchdogs over the opposing party (C)Raise money (D)Form Political Action Committees
(D) Form Political Action Committees
U2 - Which of the following is/are true about Supreme Court justices? I. are electedII. are appointed by the presidentIII. must be confirmed by the SenateIV. may be impeached (A)I only (B)II only (C)II and III (D)II, III, and IV
(D) II, III, and IV
U4 - Which of the following is an accurate comparison of Keynesian and supply-side economic theories? (A)Keynesian: discourages government regulation; Supply-side: encourages government regulation (B)Keynesian: recommends adjustments to the tax rate; Supply-side: recommends adjustments to the interest rate (C)Keynesian: argues the market can regulate itself; Supply-side: argues the market cannot regulate itself (D)Keynesian: focuses on consumer demand; Supply-side: focuses on business production
(D) Keynesian: focuses on consumer demand; Supply-side: focuses on business production
U1 - In Federalist Paper No. 51, James Madison says: "You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself." He is talking about the relationship between which two political principles? (A)Rule of law and individualism. (B)Limited government and free enterprise. (C)Individualism and constitutionalism. (D)Limited government and rule of law.
(D) Limited government and rule of law.
U3 - I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and, on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted. For why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do? Why, for instance, should it be said that the liberty of the press shall not be restrained, when no power is given by which restrictions may be imposed? I will not contend that such a provision would confer a regulating power; but it is evident that it would furnish, to men disposed to usurp, a plausible pretense for claiming that power. —Federalist No. 84 What Amendment, including in the original Bill of Rights, answers the argument made in the passage? (A)First Amendment (B)Fourth Amendment (C)Fifth Amendment (D)Ninth Amendment
(D) Ninth Amendment
U5 - All of the following may diminish the power of political parties EXCEPT (A)Split-ticket voting (B)Independent voters (C)Political Action Committees (D)Single-member districts
(D) Single-member districts
U3 - In Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), the Supreme Court ruled that schools could take race into account when conducting admissions, but couldn't set definitive racial quotas. In a later case, Grutter v. Bollinger (2003), the Supreme Court decision gave a potential time limit for race-based criteria in admissions, with the opinion reading "the Court expects that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today." What do these two cases suggest about the Court's approach to affirmative action cases? (A)The Supreme Court has always supported affirmative action programs. (B)The Supreme Court once supported affirmative action programs, but later reversed those earlier decisions. (C)The Supreme Court has routinely rejected affirmative-action programs as unconstitutional. (D)Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action are often mixed, with some justices supporting the action and others preferring to reject them.
(D) Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action are often mixed, with some justices supporting the action and others preferring to reject them.
U3 - In your statement you assert that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion? Isn't this like condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil act of robbery?...We must come to see that, as the federal courts have consistently affirmed, it is wrong to urge an individual to cease his efforts to gain his basic constitutional rights because the quest may precipitate violence. Society must protect the robbed and punish the robber. —Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. Which of the following most likely embodies the "constitutional rights" mentioned in passage? (A)The free exercise clause of the First Amendment. (B)The establishment clause of the First Amendment. (C)The Double Jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment. (D)The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
(D) The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
U5 - The graph above can be used as evidence for what factor in Congressional elections? (A)The impact of polling on Congressional elections. (B)The impact of the Electoral College. (C)The impact of closed primaries. (D)The impact of incumbency advantage.
(D) The impact of incumbency advantage.
U2 - All of the following are true about congressional committees EXCEPT: (A)Standing committees are permanent committees. (B)Select committees often are formed to address some temporary or timely concern. (C)Committees may add amendments to a bill before returning it to the membership with a recommendation. (D) The number of Republican and Democratic committee chairs reflects the number of Republicans and Democrats in the chamber as a whole.
(D) The number of Republican and Democratic committee chairs reflects the number of Republicans and Democrats in the chamber as a whole
U2 - In Pollock v. Farmers Loan Trust Co. (1895), the Supreme Court ruled that an income tax was unconstitutional. This decision was later reversed by the passage of the Sixteenth Amendment. This series of events provides an example of which of the following? (A)The way judicial review was established. (B)The operation of stare decisis in the Supreme Court's policy-making process. (C)The power of the executive branch to respond to Supreme Court decisions it doesn't agree with. (D)The power of the legislative branch to respond to Supreme Court decisions it doesn't agree with.
(D) The power of the legislative branch to respond to Supreme Court decisions it doesn't agree with.
U4 - All of the following are generally supported by the Republican Party EXCEPT (A)Strengthening the military (B)Cutting taxes (C)Reducing illegal immigration (D)Toughening air quality standards for industry
(D) Toughening air quality standards for industry
U3 - For which of the following scenarios would the Supreme Court be most likely to rely on the doctrine of selective incorporation? (A)When an individual claims a business is liable for product defects causing injury. (B)When one company sues another alleging that negligence led to an 18-wheeler collision with their office building. (C)When a state sues another state about use of the water of a river that forms the boundary between the two. (D)When an individual claims his Second Amendment right has been infringed upon by a city-wide handgun ban.
(D) When an individual claims his Second Amendment right has been infringed upon by a city-wide handgun ban.
U2 - All of the following are reasons for the growth in the influence of the presidency EXCEPT (A)growing American involvement in international affairs (B)the Great Depression (C)the inherent unity of the executive branch (D)constitutional amendments granting more power to the executive
(D) constitutional amendments granting more power to the executive
U2 - In Dickerson v. United States (2000), the Supreme Court upheld its previous decision in Miranda v. Arizona (1966) that the police had to give proper warnings to criminal suspects about their rights under the Constitution. That provides an example of what judicial concept? (A)First Amendment rights (B)Second Amendment rights (C)divided government (D)stare decisis
(D) stare decisis
