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 tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals and present them to a candidate or political party as a 'bundle -' thus increasing the PAC's influence.






2. In Sweatt v. Painter (1950) - The Supreme Court upheld that ___________________ was inherently not the case as is applied to the University of Texas Law School.






3. Presidential management model in which the Chief of Staff plays a prominent role as the head of a military style chain of command. Used successfully by Reagan and Eisenhower.






4. Constitutional protection of the accused to not be tried for the same crime twice.






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

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6. A declaration by the President in 1823 that warned European powers to keep out of the Western Hemisphere and pledged that the United States would not intervene in the internal affairs of Europe.






7. This contraversial legal technicality intended to protect civil liberties has allowed criminals to remain free when the courts refuse to admit evidence that may have been obtained illegally.






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






9. This type of government suits a large country with a diverse population






10. Law intended to promote free competition in the market place by outlawing monopolies






11. A federal program established in 1965 to provide hospital and medical services to older people through the Social Security system.






12. Laws passed by state legislatures that are designed to protect reporters from being forced to reveal their news sources.






13. Finding that enough evidence exists to warrant a criminal trial.






14. The right to renounce one's citizenship.






15. Number of current cabinet positions under GW Bush.






16. According to V. O. Key - Jr. - the Populist Party of the 1890s is an example of a ____________________.






17. In the last 30 years - voter turnout among American 18- to 24-year-olds has been






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






19. A writ designed to protect against illegal imprisonment by requiring that a person who is detained be brought before a judge for investigation.






20. Spending determined by the number of qualified recipients and their legally determined need is called






21. Compromise between the large states and small states that established the bicameral Legislature consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives. Also included 3/5 compromise on the status of slaves in representation.






22. Number of Federal District courts across 50 states - DC and Puerto Rico.






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






24. Limitations on this freedom including prohibition of defamation and obscenity - limitation on commercial speech - and restriction of inciting words that may cause immediate danger.






25. The President's role in the armed forces which during the 20th century has allowed Presidents to circumvent Congress' refusal to declare war.






26. A vote in the House of Representatives in which the position of each member is noted and published in the Congressional Record.






27. After a bill is assigned to a committee - the next step is typically a ______________.






28. In 1978 - the Supreme Court - in the 'seven dirty words' case - ruled that the government has the right to prohibit the broadcasting of _______________.






29. Established national income tax.






30. Minor criminal offenses - such as speeding.






31. Federal and State Courts function in a _____________manner so that federal courts may receive appeals from state courts.






32. Method by which federal court judges may lose their position.






33. German sociologist theorized that the engine of government needs bureaucracies to provide expertise in a way that short-term elected or appointed official cannot.






34. Presides over any impeachment trial.






35. Practice by which voters of one party crossing over and voting in the primary of another party - effectively allowing a party to help choose its opposition's candidate.






36. Guarantees that an accused in innocent until proven guilty.






37. This 1963 case extended the right to counsel to all felony cases.






38. Senators have a __________ rate of re-election than Representatives primarily because of their larger constituency and lack of direct involvement with them.






39. A jury of 6 to 12 persons who determine guilt or innocence in a civil or criminal action






40. After a bill has passed both the House and Senate - it goes to _________________ where any differences between the house bill and the senate bill are resolved before sending to the President for signature






41. Independent organizations - but more often the political arms of corporations - labor unions - or interest groups - established to contribute to candidates or to work for general political goals.






42. Love of country and a desire for independence; it can also mean an excessive form of patriotism exploited by political leaders.






43. Formed as a third party on the issue of slavery by many former Whigs in the 1850's. Anti-slavery platform. Supported by farmers - laborers - and newly-freed blacks.






44. Presides over the Senate without voting privileges except in the case of a tie.






45. The 23rd Amendment guaranteed voting rights to whom?






46. An ideology that advocates limits on government power to address economic and social problems - relying instead on economic markets and individual initiative to address problems like health care and education - while promoting government involvement






47. This clause of the 1st amendment establishes a 'wall of separation' between church and state.






48. The Constitution requires that state governments - like the federal government - must be _____________ in form - with final authority resting with the people.






49. 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






50. As part of the negotiations concerning the Constitution - the South fought for and won an agreement forbidding the imposition of _______________.