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






2. In 1943 - The Supreme Court upheld the Jehovah's Witnesses right to refrain from saluting the American flag based on their right to _____________.






3. In states using primaries - the most common form of primary election is the ___________ primary.






4. The federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers (including research and soil conservation and efforts to stabilize the farming economy)






5. An extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an absolute duty and not a matter for the official's discretion






6. A place of work in which only union members may be hired.






7. Today the Senate operates with ____ standing and select committees. These select committees - however - are permanent in nature and are treated as standing committees under Senate rules.






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






9. 3 person executive panel responsible for helping the President develop an economic plan for the nation.






10. The formal source of all authority in each major political party. It nominates the party candidates for president and vice president - writes a platform - settles disputes - writes rules - and elects the members of the national committee.






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






12. 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.






13. 1976 Law requiring all governmental agency meetings to be open to the public unless classified information will be discussed.






14. 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






15. Cabinet positions must be ____________ by the Senate






16. Prohibits the use of cruel or unusual punishment.






17. The tendency of presidents to lose support over time.






18. David R. Mayhew has suggested that this influences congressional behavior. The ________________ is the relationship between members of Congress and their constituents.






19. Which historical figure described democracy as 'the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time?'






20. The 15th Amendment - also know as _________________ - was intended to help recently freed blacks from unconstitutional state laws designed to circumvent federal laws.






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






22. 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.






23. ________________ of the Constitution governs the relationships of the states.






24. A nation's set of fundamental beliefs about how government and politics should be conducted.






25. 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.






26. This amendment includes the due process clause - the equal protection clause - and gave rights to former slaves.






27. Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.






28. (1781-1789) The written framework for the government of the original 13 states before the Constitution was adopted. Under this - the national government was weak and dominated by the states. There was a unicameral legislature - but no national execut






29. Court cases that concern crimes committed against the public order.






30. Approximately 33% of American voters identify themselves as _______________ party.






31. A system in which the national government sets requirements that are then implemented by state and local governments.






32. This House committee is responsible for all taxes - tariffs - and other revenue raising measures in addition to social security - child support - Medicare - foster care - and unemployment.






33. This 1957 judgement prohibited pornography material as utterly without redeeming social significance - later reversed in Miller v. California






34. Th joint listing of the presidential and vice presidential candidates on the same ballot as required by the twelfth amendment






35. Important during the Revolution - these bodies organized by the local governments of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution for the purposes of coordinating written communication outside of the colony.






36. A federal law passed by Congress in 1939 to restrict political activities by federal workers. The law prevents federal employees while on duty from taking an active part in party politics or campaigns and also bars federal employees from running for






37. ____________________ define Congressional voting districts acting within constraints set down by Congress and the Supreme Court.






38. After hearings are complete - a congressional subcommittee will usually determine a bill's future in final deliberations known as






39. Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 as an attempt to form a union of the colonies. Later used to help form the Articles of Confederation.






40. Leader of the House of Representatives - elected by the majority party. 2nd in line of succession for the Presidency.






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






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






43. In addition to overseeing the activities of one or more federal agencies - a ___________________may also serve as the authorizing committee for federal agencies' programs and operations.






44. Guaranteed women the right to vote.






45. A form of city government under which power is divided between a mayor and an elected city council.






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






47. First governing document of the Plymouth Colony establishing freedom of religion.






48. Proponents of limited government - unregulated free markets - national self-reliance - and conventional social values are best describes as






49. In 1978 - the Supreme Court - in the 'seven dirty words' case - ruled that the government has the right to prohibit the broadcasting of _______________.






50. Established the Federal Reserve Bank - responsible for conducting the nation's monetary policy - maintaining the stability of the financial system - supervising and regulating banking institutions - and protecting the credit rights of consumers - and






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



Let me suggest you:

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests



Major Subjects

Tests & Exams


AP
CLEP
DSST
GRE
SAT
GMAT

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests