AP Government - Unit 1 Test 2025
Questions and Answers
basic functions of government - ANSWER✔✔-national defense, preserve order, establish and
maintain a legal system, provide services, socialize new generations
government - ANSWER✔✔-the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public
policies
politics - ANSWER✔✔-the effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of government
public policy - ANSWER✔✔-the course of action the government takes in response to an issue or
problem
political system - ANSWER✔✔-the system of government in a nation
political issue - ANSWER✔✔-an issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to
fix it
policy agenda - ANSWER✔✔-a set of issues thought by the public or those in power to merit
action by the government
Robert Dahl - ANSWER✔✔-author of "Who Governs?" and created the idea of a "criteria of
democracy"
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
, the state - ANSWER✔✔-A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically and
with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority.
sovereignty - ANSWER✔✔-supreme or ultimate political power; a sovereign government is one
that is legally and politically independent of any other government
divine right - ANSWER✔✔-belief that a ruler's authority comes directly from God
democracy - ANSWER✔✔-a term used to describe a political system in which the people are said to
rule, directly or indirectly
republic - ANSWER✔✔-a form of democracy in which power is vested in representatives selected
by means of popular competitive elections
democratic centralism - ANSWER✔✔-a government is said to be democratic if it's decisions will
serve the "true interests" of the people wether or not the people affect the decision-making or select
the decision-makers
power - ANSWER✔✔-the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the
first person's intentions
authority - ANSWER✔✔-the right to use power
legitimacy - ANSWER✔✔-political authority conferred by law, public opinion, or constitution
majoritarian theory - ANSWER✔✔-the politics of policy-making in which almost everybody
benefits from a policy and almost everybody pays for it
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
Questions and Answers
basic functions of government - ANSWER✔✔-national defense, preserve order, establish and
maintain a legal system, provide services, socialize new generations
government - ANSWER✔✔-the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public
policies
politics - ANSWER✔✔-the effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of government
public policy - ANSWER✔✔-the course of action the government takes in response to an issue or
problem
political system - ANSWER✔✔-the system of government in a nation
political issue - ANSWER✔✔-an issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to
fix it
policy agenda - ANSWER✔✔-a set of issues thought by the public or those in power to merit
action by the government
Robert Dahl - ANSWER✔✔-author of "Who Governs?" and created the idea of a "criteria of
democracy"
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
, the state - ANSWER✔✔-A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically and
with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority.
sovereignty - ANSWER✔✔-supreme or ultimate political power; a sovereign government is one
that is legally and politically independent of any other government
divine right - ANSWER✔✔-belief that a ruler's authority comes directly from God
democracy - ANSWER✔✔-a term used to describe a political system in which the people are said to
rule, directly or indirectly
republic - ANSWER✔✔-a form of democracy in which power is vested in representatives selected
by means of popular competitive elections
democratic centralism - ANSWER✔✔-a government is said to be democratic if it's decisions will
serve the "true interests" of the people wether or not the people affect the decision-making or select
the decision-makers
power - ANSWER✔✔-the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the
first person's intentions
authority - ANSWER✔✔-the right to use power
legitimacy - ANSWER✔✔-political authority conferred by law, public opinion, or constitution
majoritarian theory - ANSWER✔✔-the politics of policy-making in which almost everybody
benefits from a policy and almost everybody pays for it
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
