AP U.S. Government and Politics Practice Test

Despite concerns raised by her constituents, a member of the House of Representatives votes in favor of a bill, believing that in the long term it is in the best interest of her constituents. This is an example of which of the following models of representation?

Delegate
Politico
Trustee
Virtual

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the arguments made in The Federalist 10 and Brutus 1?

A
B
C
D

According to the data, both gun owners and non–gun owners

answered similarly regarding the importance of the right to own guns
believed that the right to vote was less critical than freedom of religion
chose freedom of speech as most crucial to their own liberty
demonstrated deep division between one another in most categories

Which of the following best explains how poll respondents regard the relationship between the right to own guns and personal freedom?

The poll shows there is an ongoing debate over whether gun control laws promote or interfere with individual rights.
The poll shows that gun owners and non-gun owners have widely different views over a range of civil liberties issues.
The poll shows that party polarization has a sizable impact on elections and policy making at each level of government.
The poll shows that even the courts have mixed opinions as to whether the second amendment involves individual liberty.

Which of the following powers allows both the federal and state governments to make policies involving taxation?

Concurrent powers
Exclusive powers
Implied powers
Enumerated powers

In which of the following ways could the president try to limit the impact of a Supreme Court decision?

Calling for the removal of the Supreme Court justices
Instructing the Department of Justice to not enforce a provision of the decision
Passing legislation that overrides the Court’s opinion
Changing the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court

The vice of the groupist theory is that it conceals the most significant aspects of the system. The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent. Probably about 90 percent of the people cannot get into the pressure system.

The notion that the pressure system is automatically representative of the whole community is a myth fostered by the universalizing tendency of modern group theories. Pressure politics is a selective process ill designed to serve diffuse interests. The system is skewed, loaded, and unbalanced in favor of a fraction of a minority.

—E. E. Schattschneider, The Semisovereign People, 1960

Which of the following best captures the author’s argument regarding the forms of democracy?

Pluralist democracy, which seeks to shield elites from popular opinion, functions best when individual citizens do not participate in the process.
Participatory democracy, which emphasizes limited participation, marginalizes those who do not have the economic means to participate.
Pluralist democracy, though it involves groups at different stages of the process of developing policy, excludes a significant portion of the population.
Participatory democracy, which emphasizes expanded participation, creates too much conflict within the system.

The vice of the groupist theory is that it conceals the most significant aspects of the system. The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent. Probably about 90 percent of the people cannot get into the pressure system.

The notion that the pressure system is automatically representative of the whole community is a myth fostered by the universalizing tendency of modern group theories. Pressure politics is a selective process ill designed to serve diffuse interests. The system is skewed, loaded, and unbalanced in favor of a fraction of a minority.

—E. E. Schattschneider, The Semisovereign People, 1960

Which of the following statements about interest groups would the author most likely agree with?

Interest groups play the important function of including more people in elections.
Interest groups undermine stability by creating too much conflict and polarization in politics.
Interest groups tend to over-represent elite interests.
Interest groups have less power in American government than political parties have.

The vice of the groupist theory is that it conceals the most significant aspects of the system. The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent. Probably about 90 percent of the people cannot get into the pressure system.

The notion that the pressure system is automatically representative of the whole community is a myth fostered by the universalizing tendency of modern group theories. Pressure politics is a selective process ill designed to serve diffuse interests. The system is skewed, loaded, and unbalanced in favor of a fraction of a minority.

—E. E. Schattschneider, The Semisovereign People, 1960

Which of the following activities would the author most likely be concerned about interest groups engaging in?

Educating and mobilizing citizens around their cause
Introducing legislation that limits the power of others
Representing broad segments of society and sparking emotional political debates
Forming iron triangles with bureaucratic agencies and congressional committees

According to the United States Constitution, all revenue bills must

be passed by a conference committee
originate in the House of Representatives
be passed by two-thirds of the Senate
be reviewed by the Supreme Court

Which of the following illustrates an economic policy most likely supported by an ideologically liberal individual?

The Federal Reserve increasing interest rates
Congress increasing the minimum wage
A bill that would decrease funding for the food stamp program
A state lowering income taxes to attract businesses

Which of the following is the best interpretation of the political cartoon?

Members of Congress are richer than the people they represent.
Members of Congress represent a wide diversity of political and economic interests.
Members of Congress receive political contributions from many special interest groups.
Members of Congress are specialists in economic policy issues.

Which of the following Supreme Court cases is most related to the topic in the cartoon?

United States v. Lopez (1995)
McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
Shaw v. Reno (1993)
Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010)

Which of the following arguments best supports a claim that the electoral college violates democratic principles?

The winner-take-all system encourages candidates to campaign in every state, which limits the attention each state will receive from the candidates.
Electors are chosen by the voters in each state, which gives parties undue influence over candidates’ success.
Smaller states are disproportionately advantaged by the two additional electoral votes granted to each state for its senators.
The electoral college lacks transparency because electors frequently switch their vote during the national convention.

Which of the following best describes the holding in Baker v. Carr (1961)?

Unequal representation of citizens in legislative districts is unconstitutional and may be reviewed by the courts.
Political issues such as reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering are to be resolved by the legislative branch.
Racial gerrymandering is a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause.
Gerrymandering that favors a single party is not subject to legal action because there is no standard to determine how a state legislative district map should be drawn.

AP U.S. Government and Politics Practice Test

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1. Question

Despite concerns raised by her constituents, a member of the House of Representatives votes in favor of a bill, believing that in the long term it is in the best interest of her constituents. This is an example of which of the following models of representation?

2. Question

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the arguments made in The Federalist 10 and Brutus 1?

3. Question

According to the data, both gun owners and non–gun owners

4. Question

Which of the following best explains how poll respondents regard the relationship between the right to own guns and personal freedom?

5. Question

Which of the following powers allows both the federal and state governments to make policies involving taxation?

6. Question

In which of the following ways could the president try to limit the impact of a Supreme Court decision?

7. Question

The vice of the groupist theory is that it conceals the most significant aspects of the system. The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent. Probably about 90 percent of the people cannot get into the pressure system.

—E. E. Schattschneider, The Semisovereign People, 1960

Which of the following best captures the author’s argument regarding the forms of democracy?

8. Question

The vice of the groupist theory is that it conceals the most significant aspects of the system. The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent. Probably about 90 percent of the people cannot get into the pressure system.

—E. E. Schattschneider, The Semisovereign People, 1960

Which of the following statements about interest groups would the author most likely agree with?

9. Question

The vice of the groupist theory is that it conceals the most significant aspects of the system. The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent. Probably about 90 percent of the people cannot get into the pressure system.

—E. E. Schattschneider, The Semisovereign People, 1960

Which of the following activities would the author most likely be concerned about interest groups engaging in?

10. Question

According to the United States Constitution, all revenue bills must

11. Question

Which of the following illustrates an economic policy most likely supported by an ideologically liberal individual?

12. Question

Which of the following is the best interpretation of the political cartoon?

13. Question

Which of the following Supreme Court cases is most related to the topic in the cartoon?

14. Question

Which of the following arguments best supports a claim that the electoral college violates democratic principles?

15. Question

Which of the following best describes the holding in Baker v. Carr (1961)?