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. Southern whites prevented blacks from ____________ through use of poll taxes - literacy tests and intimidation tactics after the Civil War.






2. 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






3. Head of the Supreme Court.






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






5. Tips the balance between two leading candidates by attracting a minority of voters who otherwise might have voted for one of the leading candidates.






6. The action - or actions - taken by government to carry out a policy.






7. Representing - characterized by - or including members from two parties or factions






8. Presidential staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies.






9. A legal principle of fair dealing - which may provide preventive measures and legal remedies that are unavailable under existing common law and statutory law.






10. Private groups that attempt to influence the government to respond to the shared attitudes of their members.






11. States that states may draw reasonable distinctions between the rights of residents and non-residents (ex. In state and out of state tuition)






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






13. Process by which citizens propose an amendment by petition.






14. Number of years a President must reside in the US prior to taking office






15. Lead by Theodore Roosevelt - this party platform focused on women's suffrage - social reform - fair business practices - and direct election of senators. The won 25% of the popular vote in 1911 - splitting the Republican vote and allowing Democrat Wo






16. The practice under which victorious politicians reward their followers with jobs.






17. An individual who does not join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group's influence.






18. When neither political party is dominant.






19. A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his own party affiliation. When voters do not register with a party before the primary - it is called a pick-a-party primary because the voter can select which party's primary he or she w






20. Also known as the Massachusetts ballot - groups candidates according to the office for which they are running






21. First step in the Policy Making Cycle.






22. The Supreme Court has sometimes used a narrow interpretation of the Establishment Clause allowing the government to provide aid to religious groups as long as it remains ______________ and does not promote one religion at the expense of another. This






23. Form of government in which the people are sovereign but their power is exercised by their elected representatives.






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 vagueness of this phrase has allowed juries to exclude specific genders or races in order to affect the outcome of the verdict.






26. Individual contributions to PACs are limited to ______________ dollars per candidate per election with primaries - general and special elections counting separately.






27. Colonies controlled by the British king through governors appointed by him and through the king's veto power over colonial laws.






28. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






29. Year of the 2nd Continental Congress.






30. In 1998 - the Supreme Court struck down the________________ law - declaring it unconstitutional - because Congress did not have the constitutional authority to hand that power to the President.






31. The overall public has a ___________ view of PACS in terms of bought votes and adding to the cost of running for office






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






33. The yearly value of goods and services produced within a country.






34. According to this nineteenth-century British peer and historian - 'power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'






35. Elections that may lead to a basic shift in the party identification of the electorate.






36. The period of time after the election of FDR until the Vietnam War was dominated by the Democratic Party and know as the __________________ Era.






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






38. Number of justices of the Supreme Court.






39. After the Vietnam war - American politics entered an era of __________________ during which neither party maintained control over the government.






40. Makes sure that funds are used safely and wisely. They oversee the state's financial records






41. This rule established by US v. Leon (1984) angered civil liberties groups by allowing exception to the Exclusionary Rule in instances where probably cause may not fully exist.






42. 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






43. Legislative house whose membership was intended to represent the state.






44. In the 1990 case OR State Employment Division v. Smith 1990 - the Supreme court allowed the state to fire employees who use peyote during native American religious ceremonies because it is in violation of drug laws. In this case - which clause of the






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


46. Voters tendency to identify with a party that shares their views on important issues ignoring the party's stance on issues they deem less important. to be life-long unless there is a major change in the party's platform. 2. Influenced by ra






47. The fundamental flaw in plural theory contends that pluralism weakens the backbone of democracy with too many common interest groups attempt to wield power - often leading to standstill because of unwillingness to compromise.






48. The Supreme Court has ruled that Congress_________________ take away a person's citizenship unless it is freely renounced.






49. Authority based on an individual's outstanding traits - which attract followers






50. First proposed in 1789 - this amendment passed in 1992 prohibits Congress from raising their own pay. Pay raises may not take affect until the beginning of the next term.