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. A federal program established in 1965 to provide hospital and medical services to older people through the Social Security system.






2. Charge of misconduct brought against a government official.






3. 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.






4. The rules and regulations made and applied by federal regulatory agencies and commissions.






5. The fundamental flaw in plural theory contends that pluralism weakens the backbone of democracy with too many common interest groups attempt to wield power - often leading to standstill because of unwillingness to compromise.






6. An economy in which most economic decisions result from the interaction of buyers and sellers in markets - but in which the government plays a significant role in the allocation of resources.






7. These two Senate standing committees have existed - largely unchanged - since 1816.






8. 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.






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






10. A declaration by the President in 1823 that warned European powers to keep out of the Western Hemisphere and pledged that the United States would not intervene in the internal affairs of Europe.






11. ______________________is responsible for the management of the federal debt and the printing of currency. It is the major fiscal policy agency.






12. The total group from which poll-takers may select a random sample in order to measure public opinion.






13. Most house committees are limited to _____ subcommittees.






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






15. An immigrant who wished to become a citizen may be naturalized after living in the US for ___ years.






16. Grants that an accused may not be held in custody without charge - literally 'You shall have the body'.






17. 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






18. 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.






19. The 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act banned contributions of soft money to______________.






20. 1944 case established that as as long as a person accepted their beliefs in good faith that it is not the government's authority to determine whether those beliefs are valid.






21. Established national income tax.






22. In the 1964 case of ____________ - the Supreme Court: established 'one person - one vote' -






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






24. Article I of the Constitution establishes the ___________________ branch.






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






26. Signed the executive order banning segregation in the armed forces.






27. 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






28. A technique polling organizations use in which several people from the same neighborhood are interviewed.






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






30. Once the Supreme Court justices have agreed to hear an appeal - they issue a _________________.






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






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






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






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






35. Literally meaning 'right of blood' - confers citizenship to a child from the parents.






36. The attitudes and actions of people that sustain and buttress the political system at all levels and allows the political system to continue to work.






37. Inherent powers of state governments to pass laws to protect health - safety - and welfare; the national government has no directly granted police powers but accomplishes the same goals through other delegated powers.






38. Until the law was changed in 2002 - the term described unregulated campaign funds not subject to the limits of federal law because they went to party committees and not directly to candidates. The 2002 law banned contributions of soft money to nation






39. The uprising of farmers angered by crushing debt and taxes that revealed the failure of the Articles of Confederation.

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


40. Prohibits conviction of a crime that occurred before the act became illegal






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






42. In the 1962 case of Robinson v. California - the Supreme Court ruled that incarcerating a drug addict is ______________________ because drug addiction is an illness.






43. A broadly based coalition that attempts to gain control of the government by winning elections in order to exercise power and reward its members.






44. A system in which national and state governments are competitors with distinct powers. This system was prominent in the US from the during the 19th century until 1937.






45. Most states have ___________ legislatures.






46. The spread of nuclear weapons to new nations






47. Prompted by FDR's 4th election to the Presidency - the 22nd Amendment limited the number of Presidential terms to _____ terms.






48. The name commonly given to a private group - regardless of size - organized to elect political candidates. An organization becomes one by receiving contributions or making expenditures in excess of $1 -000 for the purpose of influencing a federal ele






49. The chair and the heads of the three armed services - and - when Marine Corps matters are under consideration - the commandant of the marines. By law - they advise the president and the secretary of defense and are the chiefs of their respective mili






50. The Supreme Court's broad interpretation of this clause has denied direct aid from the government for religious groups - but does allow religious groups to make use of government services such as police and fire.