AP US Government & Politics
2015-2016
Mrs. Rokosny
General Knowledge Inventory
How much do you know about US government and politics?
I. Short Answer
1. What were the Articles of Confederation? What was the original purpose of the constitutional
convention of 1787?
2. What legislative body refers to itself as the world’s greatest deliberative body? (During the
Progressive era it was called the millionaire’s club, based on accusations that rich people bribed
state legislatures for their seats).
3. The speaker of the House of Representatives is the _____________ ranking constitutional
office.
4. Impeachment
 What legislative body has the sole power of impeachment?
 What legislative body has the sole power to try all impeachments?
 Who shall preside over the impeachment proceedings when the President of the U.S. is
tried?
 Only twice in U.S. history has a president been impeached. Identify those presidents.
 The House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach ________________________ in July
1974, but he resigned before the full House voted on the articles of impeachment.
5. What legislative body has a long history of allowing unlimited debate on bills before a vote
can be called? What rule was adopted in 1917 which now limits debate if supported by 60
members?
6. What are the names of the two U.S. senators from New Jersey?
7. Who is the representative from the 5th congressional district (your
representative/congressman)?
8. Who is the Governor of the State of New Jersey?
9. Who is the Governor of the State of New York?
10. The next presidential election will take place in the year ______________. Recent polls,
including Rutgers and Monmouth University polls, continue to show
______________________________________ as the Democratic frontrunner. This Republican,
___________________________________, is currently leading in the polls.
11. What state is the Republican candidate Marco Rubio from?
12. What state is Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders from?
13. What state was Barack Obama a U.S. senator from?
14. How old do you have to be to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives?
15. What federal agency is responsible for administering emergency assistance to states and
cities that have been declared federal disaster areas (hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc.)?
16. What is the name of the newest cabinet level department in the Executive branch?
17. Who is the chief Justice of the Supreme Court? What is the role of the Senate in the judicial
nomination and confirmation process?
18. Identify the following persons:
 Speaker of the House
 Majority leader of the Senate
 US Attorney General
 Secretary of State
 Secretary of Defense
 Secretary of Homeland Security
 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
19. What political party controls the majority number of seats in the U.S. House of
Representatives? Senate?
20. U.S. Senator Cory Booker was among several lawmakers joining President Obama in Selma,
Alabama, in March to commemorate the 50th anniversary of civil rights protests that led to
passage of the 1965 ________________________________ Act.
21. President Obama stated that this international terror group is a “cancer on the world.” What
terror group is considered an “imminent threat and fundamental danger” according to the U.S.
Secretary of Defense?
II. True/False
 The goal of the American Revolution was liberty.
 A strong central government existed under the Articles of Confederation.
 The two central principles of U.S. democracy are separation of powers and equality.
 Federalism discourages the average citizen from becoming involved in political activity
 Today, most commerce is regulated at the state level.
 Equality of results is an important element in the U.S. view of the political system.
 Civic duty is an important element in the U.S. view of the political system.
 Most people are well informed on most political issues.
 Southerners are generally more conservative than people from other parts of the nation.
 Most aspects of voter eligibility are controlled by the states rather than the federal
government
 For most Americans, voting is the least common form of political participation.
 The Founders held a generally favorable view of political parties.
 The U.S. electoral system encourages the formation of third parties.
 Congressional races tend to draw a heavier voter turnout than presidential races.
 While money may not buy votes in Congress, money does buy access.
 When political parties are strong, interest groups are more likely to be strong also.
 College-educated people tend to join more organizations.
 Senators and representatives are prohibited from serving more than two terms of office.
 Only people born in the U.S. are eligible to be president.


Presidents seem to gain more power and more favorable public opinion approval ratings
during their second term.
U.S. Supreme Court justices have a mandatory retirement age of 70.