AP U.S. Government & Politics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which part of Congress has the sole power to initiate revenue (tax) bills?
- The Senate
- The House of Representatives (Correct answer)
- The Joint Economic Committee
- The President's cabinet
Correct answer: The House of Representatives
The Origination Clause requires that all bills for raising revenue begin in the House of Representatives.
Question 2: A filibuster is a tactic most associated with which body, and it is ended by what mechanism?
- The House, ended by the Rules Committee
- The Senate, ended by a cloture vote (Correct answer)
- The Supreme Court, ended by a writ
- The House, ended by a discharge petition
Correct answer: The Senate, ended by a cloture vote
Filibusters occur in the Senate and can be ended by invoking cloture, typically requiring 60 votes.
Question 3: The Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC (2010) is best known for:
- Banning all corporate political spending
- Allowing unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions (Correct answer)
- Establishing campaign contribution limits
- Requiring voter ID nationwide
Correct answer: Allowing unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions
Citizens United held that limiting independent political expenditures by corporations and unions violated free speech.
Question 4: Which of the following best defines 'divided government'?
- When the judiciary disagrees with Congress
- When one party controls the presidency and another controls at least one chamber of Congress (Correct answer)
- When states refuse to follow federal law
- When the cabinet splits over policy
Correct answer: When one party controls the presidency and another controls at least one chamber of Congress
Divided government occurs when different parties hold the White House and at least one house of Congress.
Question 5: The Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause was central to which landmark case?
- Brown v. Board of Education (Correct answer)
- Gideon v. Wainwright
- Schenck v. United States
- United States v. Lopez
Correct answer: Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board used the Equal Protection Clause to declare racially segregated public schools unconstitutional.
Question 6: Which of the following is a function of political parties in the United States?
- Drafting Supreme Court opinions
- Recruiting candidates and mobilizing voters (Correct answer)
- Setting interest rates
- Issuing executive orders
Correct answer: Recruiting candidates and mobilizing voters
Parties recruit and nominate candidates, organize campaigns, and work to turn out voters.
Question 7: A 'pocket veto' occurs when the President:
- Signs a bill in secret
- Takes no action on a bill and Congress adjourns within ten days (Correct answer)
- Vetoes part of a bill only
- Refers a bill to the courts
Correct answer: Takes no action on a bill and Congress adjourns within ten days
A pocket veto happens when the President does not sign a bill and Congress adjourns before the ten-day window expires, killing the bill.
AP U.S. Government & Politics 3
Which part of Congress has the sole power to initiate revenue (tax) bills?