AP GOV PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026
House of Representatives - Answers representatives elected by each state, # depends on
population size; advantageous for larger states
Senate - Answers 2 representatives from each state;advantageous for smaller states
bicameral - Answers a legislature divided into 2 houses, US Congress and every US state
legislature except Nebraska's are bicameral
gerrymandering - Answers drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or
group over another
census - Answers tool for understanding demographic changes; Constitution requires an annual
one
redistricting - Answers redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following a
census , to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in
population
reapportionment - Answers process of reallocating seats in the House every 10 years on the
basis of the results of the census
two party system - Answers several political parties exist, but only 2 major political parties
compete for power and dominate elections
single member districts - Answers only one representative is chosen from each district
entitlements - Answers policies for which Congress has obligated itself to pay x level of benefits
to y number of recipients (Social Security)
legislative intent - Answers when creating a legislation, the judiciary branch may be considered
when interpreting the law; judiciary may attempt to assess where legislation is ambiguous
Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Answers law that made racial discrimination against any group in
hotels, motels, and restaurants illegal and forbade many forms of job discrimination
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - Answers law passed that requires employers and
public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for people with disabilities and prohibits
discrimination against these individuals in employment
amendments - Answers revolution of change to a bill, law, or constitution
mandatory spending - Answers required government spending by permanent laws
discretionary spending - Answers spending set by the government through appropriations and
, bills (operating expenses and salaries of gov. employees)
filibuster - Answers strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation
try to talk it to death, based on unlimited debate
incumbency effect - Answers tendency of those already holding office to win reelection due to
advantages because they already hold office
Franking privilege - Answers privilege that allows members of Congress to mail letters and other
materials to constituents postage-free
legislative veto - Answers ability of Congress to override a presidential decision
Speaker of the House - Answers office mandated by the Constitution; Speaker is chosen in
practice by the majority, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed
to the presidency should that office become vacant
Majority Leader - Answers principal position ally of the Speaker of the House or the party's
wheel horse in the Senate; responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments,
and rounding up votes on behalf of the party's legislative positions
Whip - Answers party leaders who work with the majority or minority leader to count votes
beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party
Voter Revolution of 1994 - Answers Republican Party success in 1994; US midterm elections-->
a net gain of 54 seats in the House and 8 seats in the Senate (led by Newt Gingrich)
Rules Committee - Answers determines the rules of debate for bills in the House
plurality - Answers largest # of votes to be received by any candidate (not necessarily more than
half the votes, just most of them.)
fiscal policy - Answers policy that describes the impact of the federal budget- taxes, spending,
and borrowing- on the economy; determined by Congress and president
monetary policy - Answers based on monetarism, it is the manipulation of the supply of money
in private hands by which the government can control the economy
Riders (on a bill) - Answers an addition or amendment added to a bill that often has no relation
to the bill but that may not pass on its own merits
10th Amendment - Answers powers not delegated to the US by the Constitution, nor prohibited
to the states are reserved to the states or the people
informal/inherent powers - Answers powers that exist for the national govt. because the govt. is
sovereign
House of Representatives - Answers representatives elected by each state, # depends on
population size; advantageous for larger states
Senate - Answers 2 representatives from each state;advantageous for smaller states
bicameral - Answers a legislature divided into 2 houses, US Congress and every US state
legislature except Nebraska's are bicameral
gerrymandering - Answers drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or
group over another
census - Answers tool for understanding demographic changes; Constitution requires an annual
one
redistricting - Answers redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following a
census , to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in
population
reapportionment - Answers process of reallocating seats in the House every 10 years on the
basis of the results of the census
two party system - Answers several political parties exist, but only 2 major political parties
compete for power and dominate elections
single member districts - Answers only one representative is chosen from each district
entitlements - Answers policies for which Congress has obligated itself to pay x level of benefits
to y number of recipients (Social Security)
legislative intent - Answers when creating a legislation, the judiciary branch may be considered
when interpreting the law; judiciary may attempt to assess where legislation is ambiguous
Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Answers law that made racial discrimination against any group in
hotels, motels, and restaurants illegal and forbade many forms of job discrimination
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - Answers law passed that requires employers and
public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for people with disabilities and prohibits
discrimination against these individuals in employment
amendments - Answers revolution of change to a bill, law, or constitution
mandatory spending - Answers required government spending by permanent laws
discretionary spending - Answers spending set by the government through appropriations and
, bills (operating expenses and salaries of gov. employees)
filibuster - Answers strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation
try to talk it to death, based on unlimited debate
incumbency effect - Answers tendency of those already holding office to win reelection due to
advantages because they already hold office
Franking privilege - Answers privilege that allows members of Congress to mail letters and other
materials to constituents postage-free
legislative veto - Answers ability of Congress to override a presidential decision
Speaker of the House - Answers office mandated by the Constitution; Speaker is chosen in
practice by the majority, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed
to the presidency should that office become vacant
Majority Leader - Answers principal position ally of the Speaker of the House or the party's
wheel horse in the Senate; responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments,
and rounding up votes on behalf of the party's legislative positions
Whip - Answers party leaders who work with the majority or minority leader to count votes
beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party
Voter Revolution of 1994 - Answers Republican Party success in 1994; US midterm elections-->
a net gain of 54 seats in the House and 8 seats in the Senate (led by Newt Gingrich)
Rules Committee - Answers determines the rules of debate for bills in the House
plurality - Answers largest # of votes to be received by any candidate (not necessarily more than
half the votes, just most of them.)
fiscal policy - Answers policy that describes the impact of the federal budget- taxes, spending,
and borrowing- on the economy; determined by Congress and president
monetary policy - Answers based on monetarism, it is the manipulation of the supply of money
in private hands by which the government can control the economy
Riders (on a bill) - Answers an addition or amendment added to a bill that often has no relation
to the bill but that may not pass on its own merits
10th Amendment - Answers powers not delegated to the US by the Constitution, nor prohibited
to the states are reserved to the states or the people
informal/inherent powers - Answers powers that exist for the national govt. because the govt. is
sovereign
