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. Voters tendency to identify with a party that shares their views on important issues ignoring the party's stance on issues they deem less important. to be life-long unless there is a major change in the party's platform. 2. Influenced by ra






2. In _______________ cases such as Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) - the Supreme Court has upheld that while Affirmative action policies are legal - race and gender cannot be the only determining factors.






3. Responsibilities include: Coordinating the nation's intelligence activities and Evaluating and disseminating intelligence that affects national security






4. 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






5. Committees appointed for investigative or crisis situations.






6. The practice of victorious politicians to reward their followers with jobs. Also known as the spoils system.






7. Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.






8. Members of this party typically include Conservative Christian groups - higher socio-economic classes - middle-class white collar - and suburban voters.






9. People may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party. Independents cannot participate. Note that because some political parties name themselves independent - the term 'non-partisan' often replaces 'independent' when






10. The power of the president - struck down by the Supreme Court in 1998 - to veto parts of appropriations bills. Most state governors have this power.






11. The possible tendency of some voters or convention delegates to support the candidate who is leading in the polls and seems likely to win.






12. Department established in 1988 by President G.H. Bush.

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13. The power to tax is an example of _______________ powers.






14. The period of time after the election of FDR until the Vietnam War was dominated by the Democratic Party and know as the __________________ Era.






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






16. Political party lead by Andrew Jackson from 1828 to 1856. Campaigned against strong central government and fought to end elitism.






17. A system in which the national government provides grants-in-aid to states using conditions to elicit control.






18. In this essay - James Madison recognized that reconciling the competing interests of various groups was what legislation was all about






19. Puerto Rico has ____________ status.






20. Cabinet department that includes the Coast Guard - Border Patrol - FEMA - Transportation Security Administration - INS and the Secret Service. Established in 2001 in response to 9/11.






21. The responsibility of the President to appoint federal judges when vacancies occur on the bench is referred to as






22. The vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate and so votes for the less objectionable of the two - putting a clothespin over his nose to keep out the unpleasant stench






23. Number of years a Senator must reside in the US prior to taking office






24. Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 as an attempt to form a union of the colonies. Later used to help form the Articles of Confederation.






25. This called for three-fifths of all slaves in a state were counted for purposes of apportioning representation in the House of Representatives.






26. The view of the majority of the Supreme Court that First Amendment rights must be weighed against the competing needs of the community to preserve order.






27. _______________ indicates a citizens' faith and trust in government and their own belief that they can understand and influence political affairs






28. The belief that one can understand politics and therefore participate in politics






29. The reason that electors are chosen in each state by popular vote is ____________.






30. A legislative leader of each party who is responsible for rounding up party members for important votes.






31. After the bill reaches the house floor - if opponents have many changes - they may vote to ______________________.






32. Cabinet department responsible for insuring mortgages and providing housing subsidies. Established in 1965






33. Define US Citizenship as any person born or naturalized in the United States.






34. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendment to bills or provides that only memebers of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments






35. A law passed by Congress in 1973 in an effort to set a time limit on the use of combat forces abroad by a president.






36. The net balance or relationship between total income and total expenditures by the nation in its dealings with the rest of the world - including trade - loans - and investments.






37. The Equal Rights Amendment was defeated in 1982 because ____________________________.






38. The relationship between the total cost of foreign goods imported to this country and sales of U.S. products overseas.






39. The fundamental flaw in plural theory contends that pluralism weakens the backbone of democracy with too many common interest groups attempt to wield power - often leading to standstill because of unwillingness to compromise.






40. A small group of voters chosen by a political campaign for their demographic similarities who are brought together to gauge how the group they represent feels about the candidate.






41. A legal principle of fair dealing - which may provide preventive measures and legal remedies that are unavailable under existing common law and statutory law.






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






43. Smith v. Allwight (1994) was the first vase in which the Supreme Court upheld the voting rights of _____________ in state primary elections.






44. Contacts - coalitions - and interactions across national boundaries






45. Formal approval or consent given to a constitution - constitutional amendment - or treaty before it goes into effect.






46. A provision in a deed to real property prohibiting its sale to a person of a particular race or religion. Judicial enforcement is unconstitutional.






47. There is an _____________ relationship between Presidential approval ratings and unemployment.






48. Legislative opinions on a matter that do not require Presidential signature.






49. A provision of law in which Congress asserts the power to nullify actions of the executive branch. In 1983 the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional - but Congress continued to pass laws containing such provisions.






50. This 1973 ruling gave local communities the authority to determine obscenity - established three part test for obscene material. To qualify as obscene - speech must be considered obscene by the 'average' person - depict or describe material that is a