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. This influential English document refuted divine right of monarchy and made monarchs subject to laws and responsible for crimes






2. Each Senate committee may have ________ subcommittees.






3. A broad concept that may be defined in many ways - but the term is generally used to refer to the basic protection and defense of the nation.






4. This called for three-fifths of all slaves in a state were counted for purposes of apportioning representation in the House of Representatives.






5. Something given in exchange for something else; swap






6. In Schenck v. US (1919) - The Supreme Court ruled that government may prohibit speech that creates an immediate threat of criminal action. Essentially established different standards for speech during wartime than in peacetime. Thus - establishing th






7. The kinds of cases that a court has the authority to decide.






8. Federal grants in which the recipient has little discretion over how the money is spent. The national government sets narrowly defined rules for use of funds and often requires the states or local governments to provide matching funds. These grants a






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






10. Includes the 13th - 14th - and 15th Amendments. Abolished slavery and guaranteed due process and equal protection to all citizens.






11. 'lame duck' amendment






12. Guaranteed women the right to vote.






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






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






15. Popular until the early 20th century when they lost favor to primaries due to corruption - now used in only 12 states.






16. 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.






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






18. The spread of nuclear weapons to new nations






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

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






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






22. The demands of and supports for a political system






23. Units of government under the president - within the executive branch - that are not part of a cabinet department.






24. These dissenting Republicans won 17% of the popular vote in 1924 on a platform for public control of national resources and railways - tax reductions - and changes to the staff of the executive department

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25. Year of the 2nd Continental Congress.






26. The ruling in this case provided that the government must prove a threat to national security in order to impose prior restraint.






27. Philosopher John Locke - in his 1690 work Civil Government (second treatise) - advised separation of government power between






28. A policy adopted by the United States after the Second World War that assumed that if enough nuclear weapons were deployed by the United States - an enemy would not attack for fear of being destroyed in retaliation.






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






30. States that arrestees must be informed of their right to remain silent - that anything they say can be held against them in a court - that they have a right to an attorney and that an attorney will be appointed to them if they cannot afford one.






31. _______________ indicates a citizens' faith and trust in government and their own belief that they can understand and influence political affairs






32. A political group organized under section 527 of the IRS code that may accept and spend unlimited amounts of money on election activities so long as they are not spent on broadcast ads run in the last 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a gene






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






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






35. There are 11 circuit ____________________ who have no original jurisdiction.






36. Capital punishment is also known as the _________________.






37. Most house committees are limited to _____ subcommittees.






38. The body composed of electors from the 50 states who formally have the power to elect the president and vice president of the United States. Each state has a number of electors and electoral votes equal to its number of senators and representatives i






39. This author of Leviathon posited that government is necessary because people are generally in a state of conflict.






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






41. In the 1925 Gitlow case - the Supreme Court began a process of ______________ of the Bill of Rights to the states.






42. The power to tax is an example of _______________ powers.






43. If 10 days remain in session and the president does not sign an act of Congress - the law is ___________.






44. The provisions of the Constitution that divide power among three constitutionally equal and independent branches of government






45. When the President's own party gains power and influence - it more puts pressure on the President to conform to the will of the party - leading to________________ between the President and the party to define their public identities






46. 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.






47. The oldest House committee still in existence.






48. A jury of 6 to 12 persons who determine guilt or innocence in a civil or criminal action






49. Law enacted in 1939 to prohibit civil servants from taking activists roles in partisan campaigns .This act prohibited federal employees from making political contributions - working for a particualr party -or campaining for a particualr canidate






50. In Congress - _____________ are informal organizations of individual congressional representatives with like interests or constituencies. Members work together to promote the interests of the groups they represent through legislation - policy - and p