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. The 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act - the 1965 Highway Beautification Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act are all examples of ____________________.






2. 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.






3. In WV State BOE v Barnette (1943) - the Supreme Court ruled that compelling citizens to salute the flag violates the principles of a free society - upholding which 1st Amendment rights?






4. Loose - competitive relationships among policy experts - interest groups - congressional committees - and federal agencies. Many observers argue that these have replaced iron triangles.






5. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is an example of an






6. 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.






7. While the voting rights act of 1965 did direct the Attorney General to investigate the constitutionality of poll taxes and prohibit literacy tests - it did not expressly prohibit _____________.






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






9. PACs may donate a ______________ amount of indirect or in-kind donations to a campaign. (Ex. placing ads to support their candidate)






10. A compulsory national insurance program - financed by taxes on employers and employees. The insurance falls into four categories: old-age and survivors insurance - disability insurance - Medicare - and unemployment insurance.






11. Government agencies that exercise quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative powers and are administratively independent of both the president and Congress (although politically independent of neither).






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






13. In a 1943 case - the Supreme Court upheld the right to refuse to salute the American flag on the basis of the constitutional guarantee of _________________.






14. This was amended in 1985 to prohibit vote dilution without requiring the proof of discriminatory purpose demanded by the original Act.






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






16. First Roman Catholic elected President.






17. Assigns bills to the appropriate House committee.






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






19. An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on a sharply limited government - promoting a free market economy - a non-interventionist foreign policy - and an absence of regulation in the moral and social spheres.






20. A place of work in which any person may be hired provided that he or she joins the union within a specified time.






21. The principle of civilian control of the military - based on the clear constitutional power of the president as supreme commander of the armed forces.






22. According to the Constitution - the electors in the Electoral College shall be appointed in a manner to be determined by the






23. 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






24. These two Senate standing committees have existed - largely unchanged - since 1816.






25. Legislature bills that affect all citizens.






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






27. Philosopher John Locke - in his 1690 work Civil Government (second treatise) - advised separation of government power between






28. This amendment applied the Bill of Rights to states.






29. Bills passed by Congress to pay for the spending it has authorized.






30. Provisions tacked on to a piece of legislation that are not relevant to the bill.






31. A relaxation of international tensions.






32. The fundamental rights of a free society that are protected by the Bill of Rights against the power of the government - such as freedom of speech - religion - press - and assembly.






33. The term 'Reagan Democrats' has become a generic term for






34. Voters in a political district - or supporters of an elected official; or interest groups or client groups that are either directly regulated by the bureaucracy or vitally affected by its decisions.






35. Legislative house responsible for impeachment trials.






36. Number of Electoral College votes required to win the Presidency.






37. First civil rights organization to use non-violent tactics to promote racial equality and desegregation






38. Federal grants in which the recipient has a lot of discretion over how the money is spent. These grants are issued in support of general government functions such as education and law enforcement.






39. 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.






40. A centralized system of government - such as that of France - where most of the important policy decisions are made by a central government.






41. Head of the Supreme Court.






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






43. President Hoover's laissez-faire approach to the economy during the Great Depression left many poor voters disenfranchised by the Republican Party. They left to join the _______________ Party.






44. Elections that reflect the basic party identification of the voters.






45. Included are Ways and Means - Veteran's Affairs - Transportation and Infrastructure - Standards of Official Conduct - Small Business - Science - Judiciary - Rules - Resources - Oversight of Government Reform - House Administration - Homeland Security






46. A policy of avoiding foreign involvement.






47. During the 1800's and early 1900's - some state and local party committees became ________________ dominating party activities. Committee members would promise new recruits money - jobs - and other benefits for joining and voting the straight party t






48. 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.






49. The provisions of the Constitution that divide power among three constitutionally equal and independent branches of government






50. Political leaders typically try to both lead and follow ____________.