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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. Powers of government that the national government may exercise simply because it exists as a government - such as the right to conduct foreign relations.






2. 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.






3. The appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents - such as those in marginal seats or campaign contributors.






4. A procedure that in certain circumstances permits voters to remove elected state or local officials from office before their terms have expired.






5. The responsibility of the President to appoint federal judges when vacancies occur on the bench is referred to as






6. This 1st amendment clause prohibits the government from making any law prohibiting the exercise of any religion






7. A series of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton - John Jay - and James Madison under the pseudonym Publius advocating the ratification of the United States Constitution.






8. The only court specifically outlined in the Constitution.






9. A philosophy that Supreme Court justices and other judges should boldly apply the Constitution to social and political questions.






10. Courts of original jurisdiction in federal crimes - civil suits under federal law - civil suits between citizens of different states where the amount in question exceeds $50 -000 - bankruptcy proceedings - cases involving some federal administrative






11. Colonies in which the proprietors (who had obtained their patents from the king) named the governors - subject to the king's approval.






12. Presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. Position awarded to the longest serving Senator from the majority party. 3rd in line of succession for the Presidency.






13. These candidates win re-election to the House 80-90% of the time.






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






15. Article VII of the Constitution outlines the process of ____________________.






16. It is possible either to describe people - government - politics - and power as isolated - static elements - or to look at them as interacting elements in a_______________.






17. 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.






18. This clause of the 1st amendment establishes a 'wall of separation' between church and state.






19. Elections that may lead to a basic shift in the party identification of the electorate.






20. A legislator who automatically mirrors the will of the majority of his or her constituents.






21. First Executive Branch






22. This term refers to the gain in the polls that a candidate often enjoys after a national convention






23. 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.






24. The agency that provides Congress with evaluations of public policies is the






25. Law intended to promote free competition in the market place by outlawing monopolies






26. This author was highly influential on Thomas Jefferson - rejecting divine right - proposing that government is a social contract requiring the consent of the govern and establishing the concept of self-evident rights of life - liberty - and property.






27. 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






28. The principle that the government - as provided in the Fifth Amendment - can take property for 'public use' with 'just compensation' to the owners.






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






30. 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.






31. These voters tend to have a high voter turnout because of their strong since of civic duty due to growing up during an era of political and civil unrest.






32. A strand of American foreign policy that was visible by the end of the 19th century; it included 'gunboat diplomacy' and other forms of military involvement by the United States in various parts of the world.






33. Contacts - coalitions - and interactions across national boundaries






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






35. This category of interest groups has been the strongest and most effective in lobbying Washington






36. 1966 Act allowing citizens to inspect all government records with the exception of classified military or intelligence documents - trade secrets or private personnel files.






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






38. _____________ is responsible for monetary policy.






39. A world economy characterized by the free movement of goods - capital - labor - and information across national borders.






40. States that states may draw reasonable distinctions between the rights of residents and non-residents (ex. In state and out of state tuition)






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






42. 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.






43. High School Dropouts - Blacks - Hispanics - Recent immigrants - and People under 25 or over 75 tend to have a _________ voter turnout.






44. The 1st Amendment states that government cannot issue ______________ - censoring publications before they are published.






45. A coherent set of beliefs about politics - public policy - and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political event - personalities - and policies.






46. Number of years a Senator must reside in the US prior to taking office






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






48. A policy that takes something away from one person and gives it to someone else -






49. _____ out of 9 justices must agree to hear an appellate case brought to them from a lower court.






50. This group of voters historically supported Republicans - a party founded on an anti-slavery platform. During the 1930's they began supporting the New Deal policies of the Democratic party.







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