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. Appointed by Eisenhower - this Supreme court justice who played an important role in the court's stance on the advancement of civil rights.






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






3. The permanent committees of a legislature that consider bills and conduct hearings and investigations.






4. Presides over any impeachment trial.






5. 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.






6. A philosophy that Supreme Court justices and other judges should boldly apply the Constitution to social and political questions.






7. A term coined by President Lyndon B. Johnson to describe his own view of the relationship between Washington and the states.






8. Powers not specifically granted to the federal government or denied to the states belong to the states and the people






9. These party members tend to be ideologues who put issues ahead of winning elections and withhold support from candidates who do not share their stance on issues. Very active in special interest groups and caucuses within the party. Willing to break a






10. 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.






11. The ___________ aspects of Federalism include: conflicts between state and national government - economic and racial discrimination - uneven enforcement of law - and dominance of local governments by special interest groups






12. Independent agencies governed by an appointed and confirmed commission. Examples include the Food and Drug Administration - Environmental Protection Agency - and the Securities and Exchange Commission.






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






14. In the Federalist Papers - James Madison proposed that the states under the new Constitution would retain ____________ sovereignty.






15. Cabinet department responsible for managing school lunch programs and food safety. Established in 1862.






16. Guarantees that citizens cannot be compelled by the government to act in a way that is contrary to their religious beliefs. (ex. Conscientious objection to military service required by the draft is the execution of ______________)






17. Most Americans support ______________ primarily as part of their criticism of PACs






18. 3 person executive panel responsible for helping the President develop an economic plan for the nation.






19. 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 _____________.






20. Prompted by the ____________________ - the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.






21. Requests from people or groups for health care for the aged - loans for college students - equal opportunity for minorities - and higher subsidies for farmers are examples of:






22. These voters tend to have a high voter turnout because of their strong since of civic duty due to growing up during an era of political and civil unrest.






23. A legislator who automatically mirrors the will of the majority of his or her constituents.






24. 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.






25. Defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing - pictures






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






27. The estimated number of illegal aliens living in the US.






28. These courts only hear appeals on cases from lower courts.






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






30. The proceeding before a judge in which the formal charges of an indictment or information are read to an accused person - who may plead guilty or not guilty.






31. Type of interest group represented in Washington by another individual or organization. (Ex. Ford Motor Company pays a lobbyist in Washington to represent them.)






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






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






34. Broadly worded warrants used by British soldiers during colonial America to search for contraband and prevent smuggling.






35. Judges in Legislative Courts serve _______ terms and do not require impeachment.






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






37. Powerful standing committee that puts bills on the legislative calendar and establishes the processes by which the bill will be discussed on the floor.






38. Special courts assigned to deal with specific legislative issues such as taxes - military appeals - and international trade.






39. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






40. Act of exchanging favors for mutual gain






41. ______________ refers to the differences in political attitudes and voting behavior between men and women






42. The doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group






43. Decides which bills will be considered.






44. A group of high-level administrators and managers at the top of the government bureaucracy. SES members have less job tenure but are eligible for substantial cash bonuses for merit.






45. High School Dropouts - Blacks - Hispanics - Recent immigrants - and People under 25 or over 75 tend to have a _________ voter turnout.






46. Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.






47. Multi-interest and often multinational corporations that - under one corporate roof - may manufacture a wide variety of products.






48. The introductory statement of the U.S. Constitution - setting forth the general principles of American government and beginning with the words - 'We the people of the United States - in order to form a more perfect union. ...'






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






50. Which branch has the power to stop an executive order?