AP Gov Semester 1 Exam Review 2025
Questions and Answers
Spin - ANSWER✔✔-a form of propaganda, achieved through providing an interpretation of an
event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public
figure.
10th Amendment - ANSWER✔✔-Constitutional Amendment that states, "powers not delegated to
the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states
respectively, or to the people." For those advocating states' rights, the amendment clearly means that
the national government has only those powers specifically assigned to it by the Constitution.
13th Amendment - ANSWER✔✔-Constitutional amendment that forbade slavery and involuntary
servitude. It stated that, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime
whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place
subject to their jurisdiction."
14th Amendment - ANSWER✔✔-the constitutional amendment that states, "No State shall make
or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;
nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor
deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,527 Groups - ANSWER✔✔-A group that is a type of tax-exempt organization that is named after
"Section 527" of the U.S. International Revenue code. These groups are created primarily to
influence the selection, nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates to federal, state or
local public office.
Affirmative Action - ANSWER✔✔-a policy designed to give special attention to or compensatory
treatment for members of some previously disadvantaged group.
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) - ANSWER✔✔-a law that prohibits discrimination based on
disability. It also requires employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for
people with disabilities.
Bandwagon effect - ANSWER✔✔-a political phrase that refers to the effect that occurs when some
people vote for those candidates or parties who are likely to succeed (or are proclaimed as such by
the media, polls, etc).
Beats - ANSWER✔✔-specific locations from which news frequently emanates, such as Congress or
the White House.
Bill of Rights - ANSWER✔✔-the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which defines the
basic liberties like freedom of religion, free speech and press, and the guarantee of defendant's
rights.
Block Grants - ANSWER✔✔-federal grants given more or less automatically to states that have no
strings attached, no specific condition on how to spend the money.
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Broadcast media - ANSWER✔✔-term that a wide spectrum of different communication methods
such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines and any other materials supplied by the media and
press.
Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) - ANSWER✔✔-_____ vs. ____ _______ _______ was a
1954 Supreme Court decision that held that school segregation was inherently unconstitutional
because it violated the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection. The case was
famous because it marked the end of legal segregation.
California Board of Regents vs. Bakke (1978) - ANSWER✔✔-____ _______ ____ _______ vs
______ forbid rigid racial quotas for medical school admissions. It did not forbid the practice of
considering race as a factor when deciding admissions.
Categorical Grants - ANSWER✔✔-federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes. They
come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions.
Caucus - ANSWER✔✔-a meeting of all state party leaders for selecting delegates to the national
party convention.
Census - ANSWER✔✔-a requirement by the US Constitution, saying that the government must
take an actual enumeration of the population every 10 years.
Civil liberties - ANSWER✔✔-The legal constitutional protections against government. Our civil
liberties are formally layed out in the Bill of Rights, the courts, the police, and the legislatures which
define their meaning.
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
Questions and Answers
Spin - ANSWER✔✔-a form of propaganda, achieved through providing an interpretation of an
event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public
figure.
10th Amendment - ANSWER✔✔-Constitutional Amendment that states, "powers not delegated to
the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states
respectively, or to the people." For those advocating states' rights, the amendment clearly means that
the national government has only those powers specifically assigned to it by the Constitution.
13th Amendment - ANSWER✔✔-Constitutional amendment that forbade slavery and involuntary
servitude. It stated that, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime
whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place
subject to their jurisdiction."
14th Amendment - ANSWER✔✔-the constitutional amendment that states, "No State shall make
or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;
nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor
deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,527 Groups - ANSWER✔✔-A group that is a type of tax-exempt organization that is named after
"Section 527" of the U.S. International Revenue code. These groups are created primarily to
influence the selection, nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates to federal, state or
local public office.
Affirmative Action - ANSWER✔✔-a policy designed to give special attention to or compensatory
treatment for members of some previously disadvantaged group.
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) - ANSWER✔✔-a law that prohibits discrimination based on
disability. It also requires employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for
people with disabilities.
Bandwagon effect - ANSWER✔✔-a political phrase that refers to the effect that occurs when some
people vote for those candidates or parties who are likely to succeed (or are proclaimed as such by
the media, polls, etc).
Beats - ANSWER✔✔-specific locations from which news frequently emanates, such as Congress or
the White House.
Bill of Rights - ANSWER✔✔-the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which defines the
basic liberties like freedom of religion, free speech and press, and the guarantee of defendant's
rights.
Block Grants - ANSWER✔✔-federal grants given more or less automatically to states that have no
strings attached, no specific condition on how to spend the money.
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Broadcast media - ANSWER✔✔-term that a wide spectrum of different communication methods
such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines and any other materials supplied by the media and
press.
Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) - ANSWER✔✔-_____ vs. ____ _______ _______ was a
1954 Supreme Court decision that held that school segregation was inherently unconstitutional
because it violated the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection. The case was
famous because it marked the end of legal segregation.
California Board of Regents vs. Bakke (1978) - ANSWER✔✔-____ _______ ____ _______ vs
______ forbid rigid racial quotas for medical school admissions. It did not forbid the practice of
considering race as a factor when deciding admissions.
Categorical Grants - ANSWER✔✔-federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes. They
come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions.
Caucus - ANSWER✔✔-a meeting of all state party leaders for selecting delegates to the national
party convention.
Census - ANSWER✔✔-a requirement by the US Constitution, saying that the government must
take an actual enumeration of the population every 10 years.
Civil liberties - ANSWER✔✔-The legal constitutional protections against government. Our civil
liberties are formally layed out in the Bill of Rights, the courts, the police, and the legislatures which
define their meaning.
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
