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. A relaxation of international tensions.






2. Requires the Electoral College to vote for President and Vice President separately.






3. Legislature bills that affect all citizens.






4. To an extent - the press and the government have a relationship that is _______________ and mutually dependent.






5. Literally - a 'friend of the court' brief - filed by an individual or organization to present arguements in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case






6. Clause of the Constitution (Article 1 - Section 10) intended to prohibit state governments from modifying contracts made between individuals; interpreted as prohibiting state governments from taking actions that adversely affect property rights.






7. While the verbiage of the 4th Amendment is vague as to what constitutes 'reasonable'. Police departments must rely on _____________; they cannot act on unfounded suspicion.






8. Age Requirement for House of Representatives.






9. A system of voter registration in which voters must register only once in their district.






10. In some cases where blicity too much publicity surrounds a trial - courts have granted _______________ to help ensure a fair trial. One example is the trial of Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City Bombing.






11. States that arrestees must be informed of their right to remain silent - that anything they say can be held against them in a court - that they have a right to an attorney and that an attorney will be appointed to them if they cannot afford one.






12. The principle that the government - as provided in the Fifth Amendment - can take property for 'public use' with 'just compensation' to the owners.






13. Legislative house whose members were intended to represent the people.






14. What occurs when government adopts a public policy that provides - or distributes - benefits to people or groups.






15. An economy in which most economic decisions result from the interaction of buyers and sellers in markets - but in which the government plays a significant role in the allocation of resources.






16. At one time - the press generally refrained from publishing personal information that would be damaging. FDR - Eisenhower - and JFK all benefited from this reluctance to engage in _____________________. However - the American publics appetite for sen






17. Colonies in which freely elected legislatures chose the governor and the king could not veto laws.






18. The issue of slavery split the Democratic Party into what two factions?






19. The only court specifically outlined in the Constitution.






20. Guarantees the right to a civil trial by jury.






21. During the period from 1976 to 1824 - This party was lead by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. They wanted a stronger national government that would rectify the pitfalls of the Articles of Confederation. Their supporters held a stronghold in New






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






23. 1944 case established that as as long as a person accepted their beliefs in good faith that it is not the government's authority to determine whether those beliefs are valid.






24. In the year 2000 - the Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America had a constitutional right to ban _____________ members.






25. A government that undertakes responsibility for the welfare of its citizens through programs in public health and public housing and pensions and unemployment compensation etc.






26. Proponents of limited government - unregulated free markets - national self-reliance - and conventional social values are best describes as






27. The 1st Amendment states that government cannot issue ______________ - censoring publications before they are published.






28. Presidential management model in which corporate CEO tactics are used employing committees - task forces - and special advisors. Successfully utilized by Clinton and G W Bush.






29. A joint committee of Congress established to help negotiate discrepancies and gain consensus between legislation passed in each house before sending the bill to the President.






30. A policy that takes something away from one person and gives it to someone else -






31. Largest interest group in the US.






32. A ruling by the Supreme Court in 1857






33. A course of action chosen by government officials






34. A term often used to describe the economic and political ties between the military establishment and the defense-aerospace industry.






35. The structure and set of regulations in place to control activity - usually in large organizations and government. it is represented by standardized procedure (rule-following) that dictates the execution of most or all processes within the body - for






36. When neither political party is dominant.






37. Federal categorical grants in which the granting agency has less discretion over how the recipient spends the money.






38. The average voter turnout between 1960 and 2004 was __________ percent






39. This may be done by a national constitutional convention called by Congress on the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures OR By the passage of a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress






40. 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.






41. In his classic study of community power in New Haven - Connecticut - political scientist Robert A. Dahl concluded that the city was a __________ system dominated by many different sets of leaders






42. Germany - Switzerland - and India are examples of countries with a _______________ system of government.






43. Belief in the value of strong government to provide economic secruity and protection for civil rights - combined with a belief in personal freedom from government intervention in social conduct






44. Walter DeVries and Lance Tarrance have concluded that in many elections the outcome is determined by ______________.






45. 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.






46. 1974 Act mandating that all government files about private citizens be kept confidential.






47. ________________ of the Constitution dictates how the Constitution shall be amended.






48. Legislative house responsible for impeachment trials.






49. The right to privacy is ___________ in the Constitution.






50. Committees appointed for investigative or crisis situations.