Test your basic knowledge |

CLEP American Government

Subjects : clep, civics
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Federal and State Courts function in a _____________manner so that federal courts may receive appeals from state courts.






2. The rules and regulations made and applied by federal regulatory agencies and commissions.






3. Although camera are allowed in most trial courts - they are banned from ______________.






4. The Supreme Court has ruled that Congress_________________ take away a person's citizenship unless it is freely renounced.






5. Assistants to the Majority and Minority Leaders of both the House and Senate.






6. The total group from which poll-takers may select a random sample in order to measure public opinion.






7. Powers of government that are specifically granted to the three branches of the federal government under the Constitution.






8. ____________________ define Congressional voting districts acting within constraints set down by Congress and the Supreme Court.






9. Cabinet department oversees nuclear reactors.Established in 1973 in response to the Energy Crisis.






10. Powers specifically outlined in the Constitution as assigned to one branch of government.






11. A method of polling - considered less reliable than a random sample - in which interviewers are instructed to question members of a particular group in proportion to their percentage in the population as a whole.






12. The House appropriations committee has ___ subcommittees.






13. A test established by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes - Jr. - in 1919 to define the point at which speech loses the protection of the First Amendment.






14. Requires reporting of financial information by companies with publicly traded securities






15. Overall spending targets set by the Congress.






16. In 1943 - The Supreme Court upheld the Jehovah's Witnesses right to refrain from saluting the American flag based on their right to _____________.






17. These candidates win re-election to the House 80-90% of the time.






18. Polls taken as people leave voting places. In the past - television networks sometimes used these polls to predict election outcomes before the polls close. In 1992 - the television networks agreed not to project the winner in a state until the major






19. The house armed services and foreign affairs committees each have ___ subcommittees.






20. Guaranteed women the right to vote.






21. Concept of government by the people in which everyone is free to vote - but normally whoever gets the most votes wins the election and represents all the people - including those who voted for the losing candidate.






22. Congress' first step towards allocating funds






23. Established in 1947 as a combined Department of War and Navy.






24. Libel - obscenity - fighting words - and commercial speech - which are not entitled to constitutional protection in all circumstances.






25. Raise Public Awareness - Create Policy Agenda - Prioritize Agenda - Enact Policy - Public Evaluation






26. In his historic decision in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) - Chief Justice Marshall established the principle of _____________.






27. A system of voter registration in which voters must register every year or at other stated intervals.






28. A pluralist theory by C. Wright Mills where a small number of wealthy elite wield most of the power. Fundamental to all governments around the world - the elite rule while they make the lower classes feel like they are involved in democracy. The elit






29. Communication with legislators or other government officials to try to influence their decisions.






30. This controversial clause of the 9th Amendment has allowed government to expand rights to suit its needs.






31. ___________ vote in both the House and Senate may override a Presidential veto of legislation.






32. If 10 days remain in session and the president does not sign an act of Congress - the law is ___________.






33. A philosophy that the Supreme Court should avoid constitutional questions when possible and uphold acts of Congress unless they clearly violate a specific section of the Constitution.






34. This rule established by US v. Leon (1984) angered civil liberties groups by allowing exception to the Exclusionary Rule in instances where probably cause may not fully exist.






35. In Congress - _____________ are informal organizations of individual congressional representatives with like interests or constituencies. Members work together to promote the interests of the groups they represent through legislation - policy - and p






36. A word that comes from two Greek roots - demos - 'the populace -' and kratia - 'rule'






37. Judicial Check on Legislative Branch. Not specifically outlined in the Constitution - but established in the case of Marbury v. Madison through the application of the Supremacy Clause in Article VI.






38. An act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a trial. Constitutionally prohibited.






39. (1781-1789) The written framework for the government of the original 13 states before the Constitution was adopted. Under this - the national government was weak and dominated by the states. There was a unicameral legislature - but no national execut






40. Disapproval of a bill by a chief executive - such as the president or a governor.






41. Agencies that were at one time semi-autonomous but that through legislation have been placed under presidential control since 1945.






42. Things government decides to do - example: taxation - crime control - national defense - education - etc.






43. The concept that political power rests with the people who can create - alter - and abolish government. People express themselves through voting and free participation in government






44. Voting based on looking back and making judgments about the way things have gone and the kind of government experienced during a political leader's time in office.






45. Most states have ___________ legislatures.






46. A legislature with only one house.






47. The executive office established in response to intelligence lapses during WWI. Oversees American foreign policy and includes the President - Vice President - Secretary of State - Secretary of Defense and is lead by the National Security Advisor.






48. _____________ are expected to specialize in a few policy areas rather than claim expertise in the whole range of legislative concerns






49. Most house committees are limited to _____ subcommittees.






50. Which committee assignments would confer the most power and influence on members of the Senate?