AP Government Exam
activation - Answer One of three key consequences of electoral campaigns for voters, in
which the voter is activated to contribute money or ring doorbells instead of just voting.
Adarand Constructors v. Peña - Answer 1995 SuCo decision: Federal programs that
classify based on race should be assumed unconstitutional and put up to strict scrutiny.
They're only okay if they are "narrowly tailored" for a "compelling governmental
interest."
Affirmative Action - Answer A policy designed to give special compensation to a
previously disadvantaged group.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - Answer Requires employers to make
reasonable accommodations for the disabled, and not to discriminate against them in
hiring.
amicus curiae briefs - Answer Briefs submitted to the court by outside parties to
influence the decision.
Anti-Federalists - Answer At the time of the Con, they argued that the Con was a class
based document, would erode fundamental liberties and weaken the states.
antitrust policy - Answer Policy that ensures competition and prevents monopoly.
appropriations bill - Answer Act of Cong that funds programs within authorized limits.
Usually these bills are annual.
Articles of Confederation - Answer First Con, adopted in 1777, enacted in 1781. They
established a national legislature (Continental Congress), but left most authority with the
states.
authorization bill - Answer Act of Cong (type of bill) that makes or continues a
government or entitlement program, also defines budget limits for said program.
Barron v. Baltimore - Answer 1833 SuCo: The Bill of Rights only applies to the National
Gvt.
bicameral legislature - Answer A legislature divided into 2 houses, such as the US
Congress and most state legislatures.
bill - Answer A proposed law written in legal language. Only o member of Congress can
submit one, although anyone can write one.
,Bill of Rights - Answer First 10 Amendments written to satiate Anti-Federalists. They
define basic liberties and rights.
blanket primaries - Answer Primaries in which voters can be from and vote for any
party.
block grants - Answer Federal grants automatically given to states to support broad
programs. (Compared to categorical grants)
Brown v. Board of Education - Answer 1954 SuCo: School segregation is
unconstitutional because it violates the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection.
Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson.
budget - Answer A policy document allocating taxes and expenditures,
budget resolution - Answer The bottom line for all federal spending.
bureaucracy - Answer A system of departments and agencies formed to carry out the
work of government.
cabinet - Answer A group of presidential advisers. Consists of 14 secretaries and the
attorney general.
campaign strategy - Answer Master game plan of a political campaign.
capitalism - Answer An economic system in which individuals and corporations, not the
government, own the principle means of production and seek profit.
casework - Answer Pork barreling, basically. Activities of Congressmen that help
individual constituents.
categorical grants - Answer Federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes.
These grants have strings attached. (Compare to block grants)
congressional caucus - Answer A group of Congressmen sharing an interest or
characteristic. (Not the party version)
state party caucus - Answer A meeting of all state party leaders for selecting delegates
to the national party convention. Usuall organized as a pyramid (Not the congressional
version)
censorship - Answer Government regulation of media content.
census - Answer Demographics report required by the Constitution to be redone every
10 years.
, checks and balances - Answer An important part of the Madisonian model designed to
limit government's power by requiring power to be balanced among different institutions
that check each other's activities.
civic duty - Answer The belief that it is a citizen's duty to vote in order to support
democracy.
civil disobedience - Answer A form of political participation where people consciously
break a law and suffer the consequences to make a point.
civil law - Answer Judicial law not involving criminal charges. Cases are between 2
parties and involve common law.
civil liberties - Answer Legal constitutional protections against government. (compare to
civil rights)
civil rights - Answer Policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or
discriminatory treatment by government.(Compare to civil liberties)
Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Answer Law that made racial discrimination in public places
illegal and forbade many forms of job discrimination. It created the EEOC to monitor
itself, provided for the withholding of federal grants to nonconformers, strengthened
voting rights legislation, and authorized lawsuits that advanced desegregation.
civil rights movement - Answer movement in the United States beginning in the 1960s
and led primarily by Blacks in an effort to establish the civil rights of individual Black
citizens
civil rights policies - Answer Policies that extend government protection to particular
disadvantaged groups.
class action suits - Answer Lawsuits permitting a small number of people to sue on
behalf of all others similarly situated.
Clean Air Act of 1970 - Answer Law that charged the Department of Transportation with
the responsibility of reducing automobile emissions.
Clean Water Act of 1972 - Answer Law intended to clean up the nation's rivers and
lakes.
closed primaries - Answer Primaries in which only registered voters can participate.
collective bargaining - Answer Bargaining between representatives of labor unions and
management to determine acceptable working conditions.
activation - Answer One of three key consequences of electoral campaigns for voters, in
which the voter is activated to contribute money or ring doorbells instead of just voting.
Adarand Constructors v. Peña - Answer 1995 SuCo decision: Federal programs that
classify based on race should be assumed unconstitutional and put up to strict scrutiny.
They're only okay if they are "narrowly tailored" for a "compelling governmental
interest."
Affirmative Action - Answer A policy designed to give special compensation to a
previously disadvantaged group.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - Answer Requires employers to make
reasonable accommodations for the disabled, and not to discriminate against them in
hiring.
amicus curiae briefs - Answer Briefs submitted to the court by outside parties to
influence the decision.
Anti-Federalists - Answer At the time of the Con, they argued that the Con was a class
based document, would erode fundamental liberties and weaken the states.
antitrust policy - Answer Policy that ensures competition and prevents monopoly.
appropriations bill - Answer Act of Cong that funds programs within authorized limits.
Usually these bills are annual.
Articles of Confederation - Answer First Con, adopted in 1777, enacted in 1781. They
established a national legislature (Continental Congress), but left most authority with the
states.
authorization bill - Answer Act of Cong (type of bill) that makes or continues a
government or entitlement program, also defines budget limits for said program.
Barron v. Baltimore - Answer 1833 SuCo: The Bill of Rights only applies to the National
Gvt.
bicameral legislature - Answer A legislature divided into 2 houses, such as the US
Congress and most state legislatures.
bill - Answer A proposed law written in legal language. Only o member of Congress can
submit one, although anyone can write one.
,Bill of Rights - Answer First 10 Amendments written to satiate Anti-Federalists. They
define basic liberties and rights.
blanket primaries - Answer Primaries in which voters can be from and vote for any
party.
block grants - Answer Federal grants automatically given to states to support broad
programs. (Compared to categorical grants)
Brown v. Board of Education - Answer 1954 SuCo: School segregation is
unconstitutional because it violates the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection.
Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson.
budget - Answer A policy document allocating taxes and expenditures,
budget resolution - Answer The bottom line for all federal spending.
bureaucracy - Answer A system of departments and agencies formed to carry out the
work of government.
cabinet - Answer A group of presidential advisers. Consists of 14 secretaries and the
attorney general.
campaign strategy - Answer Master game plan of a political campaign.
capitalism - Answer An economic system in which individuals and corporations, not the
government, own the principle means of production and seek profit.
casework - Answer Pork barreling, basically. Activities of Congressmen that help
individual constituents.
categorical grants - Answer Federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes.
These grants have strings attached. (Compare to block grants)
congressional caucus - Answer A group of Congressmen sharing an interest or
characteristic. (Not the party version)
state party caucus - Answer A meeting of all state party leaders for selecting delegates
to the national party convention. Usuall organized as a pyramid (Not the congressional
version)
censorship - Answer Government regulation of media content.
census - Answer Demographics report required by the Constitution to be redone every
10 years.
, checks and balances - Answer An important part of the Madisonian model designed to
limit government's power by requiring power to be balanced among different institutions
that check each other's activities.
civic duty - Answer The belief that it is a citizen's duty to vote in order to support
democracy.
civil disobedience - Answer A form of political participation where people consciously
break a law and suffer the consequences to make a point.
civil law - Answer Judicial law not involving criminal charges. Cases are between 2
parties and involve common law.
civil liberties - Answer Legal constitutional protections against government. (compare to
civil rights)
civil rights - Answer Policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or
discriminatory treatment by government.(Compare to civil liberties)
Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Answer Law that made racial discrimination in public places
illegal and forbade many forms of job discrimination. It created the EEOC to monitor
itself, provided for the withholding of federal grants to nonconformers, strengthened
voting rights legislation, and authorized lawsuits that advanced desegregation.
civil rights movement - Answer movement in the United States beginning in the 1960s
and led primarily by Blacks in an effort to establish the civil rights of individual Black
citizens
civil rights policies - Answer Policies that extend government protection to particular
disadvantaged groups.
class action suits - Answer Lawsuits permitting a small number of people to sue on
behalf of all others similarly situated.
Clean Air Act of 1970 - Answer Law that charged the Department of Transportation with
the responsibility of reducing automobile emissions.
Clean Water Act of 1972 - Answer Law intended to clean up the nation's rivers and
lakes.
closed primaries - Answer Primaries in which only registered voters can participate.
collective bargaining - Answer Bargaining between representatives of labor unions and
management to determine acceptable working conditions.
