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 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.






2. Smith v. Allwight (1994) was the first vase in which the Supreme Court upheld the voting rights of _____________ in state primary elections.






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






4. The process by which individuals screen out messages that do not conform to their own biases






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






6. Groups named for the section of the Internal Revenue Service code under which they must report their expenditures. The tax-exempt groups were created to exploit a loophole in the law regulating campaign finance.






7. In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the concept of privacy included the right to a legal abortion?






8. These parties often emerge as off-shoots of major parties or as single-issue parties. They typically act as critic/innovator bringing attention to issues and influencing the platforms of the major parties.






9. The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 restructured the number of ______________ in both the House and Senate.






10. 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.






11. The binding decisions that the government makes whether in the form of laws -regulations - or judicial decisions






12. 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.






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






14. Charge of misconduct brought against a government official.






15. The uprising of farmers angered by crushing debt and taxes that revealed the failure of the Articles of Confederation.

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16. Federal aid that states and localities may use mostly as they wish.






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






18. 19th century case establishing that the Bill of Rights applied only to the federal government - upheld until the 20th century. Ruling allowed stated to engage in activities such as establishing state churches and denying public office to people of ce






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






20. This customary power allows the President to grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses.






21. A ruling by the Supreme Court in 1857






22. The 1896 case of Plessy v. Fergusan established the racial segregation policy of __________________.






23. In 2002 - a federal appeals court struck down the Pledge of Allegiance on the grounds that it violated ________________.






24. The class of independent voters who do not vote according to party affiliation - but who typically have a broader range of concerns than single-issue voters - are known colloquially as






25. The concept that all people are of equal worth - even if not of equal ability.






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






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






28. Which powers of the national government flow from its enumerated powers and from the 'elastic clause' of the Constitution?






29. Legislature bills that affect only a small group of citizens.






30. Organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organizations interests






31. Programs mandated by law and not subject to annual review by Congress or the president.






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






33. 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.






34. President requires their approval to appoint judges - ambassadors and other high officials.






35. A law passed in 1966 that requires federal executive branch and regulatory agencies to make information available to journalists - scholars - and the public unless it falls into one of several confidential categories.






36. A method of polling - considered less reliable than a random sample - in which interviewers are instructed to question members of a particular group in proportion to their percentage in the population as a whole.






37. This 1967 Supreme Court case prohibited illegal eavesdropping and extending the zone of privacy to include the home - office - person - and immediate public arena.






38. Cabinet department responsible for the management of public lands - wildlife - natural resources - and Native American affairs. Established in 1849






39. A policy of avoiding foreign involvement.






40. ___________ vote in both the House and Senate may override a Presidential veto of legislation.






41. 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?






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






43. How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives - including how to get individuals and groups to participate and cooperate.






44. 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.






45. A word that comes from two Greek roots - demos - 'the populace -' and kratia - 'rule'






46. Dissenting Democrats focused on foreign affairs. Aligned with the US Communist Party.

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47. Constitutionally empowered to appoint judges - ambassadors - and other high officials - Constitutionally empowered to make treaties with foreign countries.






48. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 required states in the covered jurisdiction to attain _________________ from the Attorney General before making changes to voting standards - practice - or procedure






49. A relaxation of international tensions.






50. A device that allows the House of Representatives to conduct its business with fewer restrictions on debate and a quorum of only 100 members.