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






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






3. A form of city government under which a council - usually elected on a nonpartisan ticket - hires a professional city manager - who runs the city government and has power to hire and fire officials.






4. An issue on which voters distinguish rival parties by the degree to which they associate each party or candidate with conditions - goals - or symbols the electorate universally approves or disapproves of. Examples of such issues are economic prosperi






5. A Latin phrase meaning 'stand by past decisions -' a principle that judges often use in deciding cases. Ruling based on precedents.






6. The ______________________ were formed to unite the colonists against Britain.






7. This event was an important factor in creating the climate for a new Constitution.

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8. Powers of government that are specifically granted to the three branches of the federal government under the Constitution.






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






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






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






12. Corporations formed by the government to act as a business to produce a product or service. Often monopolies with varying degrees of independence.






13. In Tinker v. Des Moines School District (1969) - the Supreme Court established precedents for ___________________ in schools and government institutions.






14. Its the responsibility of ___________ committees of a political party to solidify the party within each state and organize primary elections






15. 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).






16. When the population's overall feeling of political efficacy is low - voter turnout is _______.






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






18. 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






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






20. These voters are registered as a party member but only participate by voting in primary and general elections. Tend to vote straight-party ticket and follow the leads of local party officials.






21. A government that undertakes responsibility for the welfare of its citizens through programs in public health and public housing and pensions and unemployment compensation etc.






22. Funds spent for or against a candidate by committees not formally connected to the candidate's campaign and without coordination with the campaign.






23. A judicial opinion agreed to by a majority of the members of a court. A majority opinion sets forth the decision of the court and an explanation of the rationale behind the court's decision.






24. Today the South is is a two-party battleground - in which the ______________ often have the upper hand






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






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






27. Economists generally agree that the major responsibility for promoting prosperity and full employment falls on ________________.






28. Presidential management model in which the Chief of Staff plays a prominent role as the head of a military style chain of command. Used successfully by Reagan and Eisenhower.






29. A term popularized by sociologist Floyd Hunter to describe the community leaders who he said determined policy in Atlanta - Georgia. More broadly - the term is used to describe 'power elites' generally.






30. PACs may donate a ______________ amount of indirect or in-kind donations to a campaign. (Ex. placing ads to support their candidate)






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






32. The head of a national political party






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






34. In lieu of an indictment - the state prosecutor may file a _______________ charging the person with a crime.






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






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






37. In a 1943 case - the Supreme Court upheld the right to refuse to salute the American flag on the basis of the constitutional guarantee of _________________.






38. After analyzing 1 -795 platform pledges over a 10-year period - Gerald M. Pomper concluded that almost ____________ of these promises were fulfilled






39. People may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party. Independents cannot participate. Note that because some political parties name themselves independent - the term 'non-partisan' often replaces 'independent' when






40. Formerly known as the Anti-Federalist - this party lead by Thomas Jefferson advocated states rights pressing the causes of the common people and agrarian interest. Dominated the political arena until the Civil War.






41. In the year 2000 - the Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America had a constitutional right to ban _____________ members.






42. To an extent - the press and the government have a relationship that is _______________ and mutually dependent.






43. In 1987 - the FCC abandoned the fairness doctrine on the grounds that it unconstitutionally restricted the ______________ rights of broadcasters.






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






45. The most important committees - always assembled and delegated with the responsibility of handling all bills under their concern. Includes the Ways and Means - Appropriations - Budget - Rules and Agriculture Committees.






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






47. This 1973 ruling gave local communities the authority to determine obscenity - established three part test for obscene material. To qualify as obscene - speech must be considered obscene by the 'average' person - depict or describe material that is a






48. Senators are re-elected every ___ years with 1/3 of the Senate being up for election every 2 years.






49. The amount of money available when the government's income is greater than what it spends in a fiscal year.






50. Formed as a third party on the issue of slavery by many former Whigs in the 1850's. Anti-slavery platform. Supported by farmers - laborers - and newly-freed blacks.






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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