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. Most likely to board a foreign ship suspected of drug trafficking at a U.S. port






2. A system in which national and state governments are competitors with distinct powers. This system was prominent in the US from the during the 19th century until 1937.






3. In charge of state's legal business. provide advice to other state official and represents the state in court if the state is involved in a lawsuit






4. When neither political party is dominant.






5. The gap between the government's income and outlays.






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






7. The body composed of electors from the 50 states who formally have the power to elect the president and vice president of the United States. Each state has a number of electors and electoral votes equal to its number of senators and representatives i






8. A 1972 treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union limiting the number of defensive missiles each country could build. In 2001 President George W. Bush withdrew the United States from the treaty.






9. Beginning with the election of Abraham Lincoln - the period between 1860 and the Great Depression was dominated by this political party.






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






11. In addition to a quick and speedy trial - the 6th Amendment also guarantees ________________.






12. The practice that allows senators to delay or even kill floor action on legislation - a nomination - or other matters by asking their party leaders not to schedule them.






13. Lobbyists for special interest groups have found ____________________ to be the most direct and effective method to secure their objectives in Congress.






14. Dayton Board of Education v. Brinkman (1979) upheld that bussing programs were an acceptable way to enforce ______________________.






15. An economic system in which the factors of production are owned by the publicand operate for the welfare of all.






16. Act of exchanging favors for mutual gain






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






18. The policy established after the Second World War that America must take an active leadership role in world affairs






19. Raise Public Awareness - Create Policy Agenda - Prioritize Agenda - Enact Policy - Public Evaluation






20. A system - until modified and reformed in the 1970s - that automatically resulted in the selection as committee chair of those members of the majority party in Congress who had the longest continuous service on a committee.






21. 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.






22. First African American appointed to the Supreme Court






23. 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.






24. Grants that an accused may not be held in custody without charge - literally 'You shall have the body'.






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






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






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






28. Prohibits the use of cruel or unusual punishment.






29. In the 1962 case of Robinson v. California - the Supreme Court ruled that incarcerating a drug addict is ______________________ because drug addiction is an illness.






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






31. 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.






32. 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.






33. The claim by presidents of an inherent right to withhold information from Congress and the judiciary.






34. Members of the ______________ committee of a political party work to maintain influence during non election years through congressional campaign committees.






35. Guarantees that any rights not explicitly outlined heretofore are reserved for the states.






36. The median income of women is ___________ percent of men.






37. Plan that proposed unicameral legislature with each state having one vote.






38. James Madison proposed to deal with the threat of political factions by ______________________.






39. 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).






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






41. The 24th amendment banned _____________ - making it harder for states to discriminate against poor and minority voters.






42. Legislative branch incorporating two houses.






43. 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 _____________.






44. _____ out of 9 justices must agree to hear an appellate case brought to them from a lower court.






45. The expansion of cable and satellite tv has _________________ the president's power to influence public opinion.






46. The appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents - such as those in marginal seats or campaign contributors.






47. Lawsuit brought by an individual or group of people on behalf of all those similarly situated






48. 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






49. 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.






50. This act prohibited Discrimination because of race - color - sex - religion - or national origin by employers or labor unions; The adoption by voting registrars of different standards for black and white applicants; and Racial or religious discrimina