AP US Government and Politics Quiz

Are you prepping for the AP US Government and Politics Exam? Try your hand at a few practice questions!

AP U.S. Government and Politics Free Practice Question #1
Which of the following documents would the subject of this cartoon most likely use to defend his use of presidential power?
A. Federalist 51
B. Federalist 70
C. Federalist 78
D. Brutus 1


B: This cartoon criticizes President Jackson for abusing his presidential powers. Federalist 70 argued in favor of a strong executive power vested in a single person. Thus, President Jackson (the subject of the cartoon) would likely argue that this essay supported his actions; (B) is correct. Federalist 51 describes the system of checks and balances in the Constitution; if anything, this artist would be in favor of these checks on the authority of a strong executive, so (A) is incorrect. Federalist 78 deals with the judicial branch, not the executive branch, making (C) incorrect. Brutus 1 argues against the idea of a strong central government, so the artist of the cartoon would likely support that argument; (D) is also incorrect.


AP U.S. Government and Politics Free Practice Question #2
Which First Amendment clause was cited in Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)?
A: The free exercise clause
B. The commerce clause
C. The establishment clause
D. The due process clause


A: Yoder established free exercise protections for Amish parents and students, specifically the right for Amish students not to attend public school; it is one of the few cases that the Court has upheld on free exercise grounds. (A) is correct. The commerce clause, found in Article I of the Constitution, was not cited in Yoder; (B) is incorrect. The establishment clause was central to other cases involving school and religion, such as Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971), but not to Yoder, making (C) incorrect. The due process clause, found in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, was also not central to the Yoder decision; (D) is incorrect.


AP U.S. Government and Politics Free Practice Question #3
Which of the following scenarios would the Federal Election Commission most likely consider a violation of campaign finance rules?
A. A super PAC official assisting a candidate with campaign strategy
B. An individual donating $2,000 directly to a political candidate
C. A political candidate asking a private fundraiser for campaign contributions
D. A political candidate donating personal funds to her own campaign


A: The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency responsible for disclosing campaign finance information and enforcing contribution limits. The FEC regulates political action committees, including super PACs. Super PACs are not allowed to directly assist a candidate with campaign strategy. Thus, (A) is correct. Currently, individuals may give up to $2,700 to a candidate per election, making (B) incorrect. Nearly all political candidates attend private fundraisers to solicit campaign contributions, and some candidates donate their own personal funds to their campaigns; (C) and (D) are incorrect.


AP U.S. Government and Politics Free Practice Question #4
Which of the following most accurately describes voter turnout in U.S. elections?
A. Voter turnout is approximately the same for midterm and presidential elections.
B. Voter turnout is consistently higher in primaries than it is in general elections.
C. Voter turnout tends to be higher in federal elections than in state and local elections.
D. A higher level of education has not been shown to correlate with voter turnout.


C: Presidential and congressional candidates draw more media attention and are generally viewed by many voters as more important than candidates in state and local elections. Therefore, turnout is higher in federal elections than it is in state and local elections; (C) is correct. (A) is incorrect because voter turnout is higher for presidential elections than for midterm elections. Voter turnout is also higher in general elections than it is in primary elections; (B) is incorrect. College-educated voters typically turn out in higher percentages than do those without college degrees; (D) is incorrect.


AP U.S. Government and Politics Free Practice Question #5
Which of the following best illustrates the concept of free enterprise?
A. A major grocery store chain buys out its competitors to dominate the market.
B. A state government rules that the price of gasoline may not exceed five dollars per gallon.
C. An entrepreneur opens a new fruit stand and sets produce prices based on the season.
D. Congress votes that any new business must request approval for its inventory and prices.


A: Most Democrats agree with the evidence that carbon emissions, such as those from fossil fuels, are causing global warming. Thus, (A) is correct because Democrats would likely oppose any policy that could exacerbate climate change, such as fracking (also known as hydraulic fracturing, a process that uses chemical-treated water at high pressures to extract hydrocarbons). (B), (C), and (D) are incorrect since these are policies that Democrats would likely support.