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. According to V. O. Key - Jr. - the Populist Party of the 1890s is an example of a ____________________.






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






3. 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






4. Bills that benefit legislators' home districts - or powerful corporate contributors - with sometimes wasteful or unnecessary public works or other projects.






5. 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






6. Programs of government - universities - and businesses designed to favor minorities and remedy past discrimination.






7. An ideology that advocates limits on government power to address economic and social problems - relying instead on economic markets and individual initiative to address problems like health care and education - while promoting government involvement






8. Senators have a __________ rate of re-election than Representatives primarily because of their larger constituency and lack of direct involvement with them.






9. The Constitution requires that state governments - like the federal government - must be _____________ in form - with final authority resting with the people.






10. 'lame duck' amendment






11. These party members are highly involved in the electoral process. Donate funds to party and candidates - demand a voice in state party agendas and tend to have a strong belief in their party's ideology.






12. Included are Agriculture - Nutrition - and Forestry; Appropriations; Armed Services; Banking - Housing and Urban Affairs; Commerce - Science and Transportation; Energy and Natural Resources; Environment and Public Works; Finance; Health - Education -






13. Voters in a political district - or supporters of an elected official; or interest groups or client groups that are either directly regulated by the bureaucracy or vitally affected by its decisions.






14. The Supremacy Clause appears in ________________ of the Constitution.






15. Agencies that were at one time semi-autonomous but that through legislation have been placed under presidential control since 1945.






16. Powers of government exercised independently by both the federal and state governments - such as the power to tax.






17. The introductory statement of the U.S. Constitution - setting forth the general principles of American government and beginning with the words - 'We the people of the United States - in order to form a more perfect union. ...'






18. First African American appointed to the Supreme Court






19. The only amendments to be ratified through the process of 'ratifying conventions -' not a vote in the state legislatures






20. Federal grants in which the recipient has a lot of discretion over how the money is spent. These grants are issued in support of general government functions such as education and law enforcement.






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






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






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






24. 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.






25. 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






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






27. ____________ often influence political appointments in an effort to influence bureaucracy.






28. Executive office responsible for helping the President write the federal budget and monitoring federal spending.






29. The reason that electors are chosen in each state by popular vote is ____________.






30. 1966 Act allowing citizens to inspect all government records with the exception of classified military or intelligence documents - trade secrets or private personnel files.






31. 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






32. If significant amendments are made to a bill during committee - the bill is sometimes given a new number as a _______________.






33. In an election with more than 2 options - the number of votes for the candidate or party receiving the greatest number - but less that half of the votes.






34. A system of voter registration in which voters must register only once in their district.






35. The issuance of this document by a judge requires probably cause and must be worded so as to allow for the search and seizure of specific evidence.






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






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






38. Define US Citizenship as any person born or naturalized in the United States.






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






40. 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.






41. The Equal Rights Amendment was defeated in 1982 because ____________________________.






42. The right of the Supreme Court - under the Constitution - to hear certain kinds of cases directly - such as cases involving foreign diplomats - or cases in which one of the 50 states is a party.






43. The term most political scientists prefer to describe the bureaucratic process






44. 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.






45. Laws must be administered in a fair manner.






46. A provision of the Federal Communications Act that requires broadcasters to provide the same amount of exposure to all legally qualified political candidates.






47. 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






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






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






50. 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