AP US GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
2025/2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | 100% PASS
democracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov by the people, either directly or indirectly,
with free and frequent elections
direct democracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov in which citizens vote on laws and
select officials more directly
representative democracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov that derives its powers
indirectly from the people, who elect those who will govern; also called a
republic
constitutional democracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov that enforces recognized
limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard
through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections
,constitutionalism - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔set of arrangements, including checks
and balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process,
and a bill of rights, that requires leaders to listen, think, bargain, and
explain before they act or make laws. We then hold them politically and
legally accountable for how they exercise their powers.
statism - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the idea that the rights of the nation are supreme
over the rights of the individuals residing in that nation
popular consent - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the idea that a just gov must derive its
powers from the consent of the people it governs
majority rule - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔governance according to the expressed
preferences of the majority
majority - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the candidate or party that wins more than half the
votes cast in an election
plurality - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔candidate or party with the most votes case in an
election, not necessarily more than half
ideology - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔a consistent pattern of beliefs about political
values and the role of gov
,theocracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov by religious leaders, who claim divine
guidance
Articles of Confederation - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the first governing document of
the confederated states, drafted in 1777, ratified in 1781, and replaced by
the present Constitution in 1789
Annapolis Convention - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔A convention held in September
1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation, attended by five states
and important because it issued the call to Congress and the states for
what became the Constitutional Convention
Constitutional Convention - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔The convention in Philadelphia,
May 25-September 17, 1787, that framed the Constitution of the United
States
Shays' Rebellion - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Rebellion by farmers in western
Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures; led by
Daniel Shays and important because it highlighted the need for a strong
national gov just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out
bicameralism - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the principle of a two house legislature
COPYRIGHT©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
3
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, Virginia Plan - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔initial proposal at the Constitutional
Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central gov with a
bicamerl legislature, the lower house to be elected by the voters and the
upper chosen by the lower, representation based on wealth or population
New Jersey Plan - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔proposal at the Constitutional
Convention made by William Paterson of New Jersey for a central gov with
a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented
equally
Connecticut Compromise - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔compromise agreement by
states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a
lower house in which representation would be based on population and an
upper house in which each state would have two senators
Three-Fifths Compromise - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔compromise agreement
between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that
the three fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining
direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives
2025/2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | 100% PASS
democracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov by the people, either directly or indirectly,
with free and frequent elections
direct democracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov in which citizens vote on laws and
select officials more directly
representative democracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov that derives its powers
indirectly from the people, who elect those who will govern; also called a
republic
constitutional democracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov that enforces recognized
limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard
through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections
,constitutionalism - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔set of arrangements, including checks
and balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process,
and a bill of rights, that requires leaders to listen, think, bargain, and
explain before they act or make laws. We then hold them politically and
legally accountable for how they exercise their powers.
statism - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the idea that the rights of the nation are supreme
over the rights of the individuals residing in that nation
popular consent - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the idea that a just gov must derive its
powers from the consent of the people it governs
majority rule - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔governance according to the expressed
preferences of the majority
majority - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the candidate or party that wins more than half the
votes cast in an election
plurality - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔candidate or party with the most votes case in an
election, not necessarily more than half
ideology - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔a consistent pattern of beliefs about political
values and the role of gov
,theocracy - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔gov by religious leaders, who claim divine
guidance
Articles of Confederation - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the first governing document of
the confederated states, drafted in 1777, ratified in 1781, and replaced by
the present Constitution in 1789
Annapolis Convention - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔A convention held in September
1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation, attended by five states
and important because it issued the call to Congress and the states for
what became the Constitutional Convention
Constitutional Convention - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔The convention in Philadelphia,
May 25-September 17, 1787, that framed the Constitution of the United
States
Shays' Rebellion - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Rebellion by farmers in western
Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures; led by
Daniel Shays and important because it highlighted the need for a strong
national gov just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out
bicameralism - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔the principle of a two house legislature
COPYRIGHT©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
3
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, Virginia Plan - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔initial proposal at the Constitutional
Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central gov with a
bicamerl legislature, the lower house to be elected by the voters and the
upper chosen by the lower, representation based on wealth or population
New Jersey Plan - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔proposal at the Constitutional
Convention made by William Paterson of New Jersey for a central gov with
a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented
equally
Connecticut Compromise - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔compromise agreement by
states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a
lower house in which representation would be based on population and an
upper house in which each state would have two senators
Three-Fifths Compromise - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔compromise agreement
between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that
the three fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining
direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives
