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 course of action chosen by government officials






2. The Supreme Court is the only judicial body that may hear disputes between _________________.






3. First step in the Policy Making Cycle.






4. This 1964 case established strict standards for proving slander and libel - court must prove intent of malice on the part of the publisher.






5. Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.






6. The action - or actions - taken by government to carry out a policy.






7. While the voting rights act of 1965 did direct the Attorney General to investigate the constitutionality of poll taxes and prohibit literacy tests - it did not expressly prohibit _____________.






8. While the verbiage of the 4th Amendment is vague as to what constitutes 'reasonable'. Police departments must rely on _____________; they cannot act on unfounded suspicion.






9. A political candidate who is thought to have only an outside chance of gaining the nomination.






10. Literally - a 'friend of the court' brief - filed by an individual or organization to present arguements in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case






11. Prohibits the use of cruel or unusual punishment.






12. 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.






13. A group of writers - journalists - and critics who exposed corporate malfeasance and political corruption in the first decade of the 20th century.






14. First civil rights organization to use non-violent tactics to promote racial equality and desegregation






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






16. Laws - rules - and government programs designed to protect individual rights and specific groups - as well as to benefit society as a whole in such areas as health - worker safety - consumer protection - and the environment.






17. The sum of the goals - decisions - and actions that govern a nation's relations with the rest of the world.






18. Washington v. Chrisman (1982) established the _________________ - allowing police officers to seize evidence without a warrant if the evidence is in obvious sight.






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






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






21. Love of country and a desire for independence; it can also mean an excessive form of patriotism exploited by political leaders.






22. During the period from 1976 to 1824 - This party was lead by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. They wanted a stronger national government that would rectify the pitfalls of the Articles of Confederation. Their supporters held a stronghold in New






23. Established national income tax.






24. When neither political party is dominant.






25. Polls taken as people leave voting places. In the past - television networks sometimes used these polls to predict election outcomes before the polls close. In 1992 - the television networks agreed not to project the winner in a state until the major






26. 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






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






28. Which office serves as a watchdog into waste or fraud in the bureaucracy and conducts investigations at the request of congressional committees






29. Independent organizations - but more often the political arms of corporations - labor unions - or interest groups - established to contribute to candidates or to work for general political goals.






30. 1946 Act requiring bureaucratic agencies to appeal to the affected parties before adopting new policies. Legislative check on Bureaucracy.






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






32. 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.






33. The structure and set of regulations in place to control activity - usually in large organizations and government. it is represented by standardized procedure (rule-following) that dictates the execution of most or all processes within the body - for






34. Requests from people or groups for health care for the aged - loans for college students - equal opportunity for minorities - and higher subsidies for farmers are examples of:






35. Members of this party typically include women who support liberal policies on abortion and equal pay - Jews - Catholics - Blacks and other minorities - Blue-collar working class - urban - labor unions - and intelligensia






36. Age requirement for President






37. 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 -






38. Powers of the national government that flow from its enumerated powers and the 'elastic clause' of the Constitution.






39. The vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate and so votes for the less objectionable of the two - putting a clothespin over his nose to keep out the unpleasant stench






40. Federal and State Courts function in a _____________manner so that federal courts may receive appeals from state courts.






41. The party-column ballot - or Indiana ballot - encourages _______________.






42. An offical who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of the legislator






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






44. 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






45. Several Presidents have been elected without winning the popular vote. As a result - In 1970 and 1979 - Amendments were proposed to disband the ______________ - neither passed.






46. Which two British Acts - passed in 1764 - caused American colonists for the first time to organize protests against the injustices of British rule - and sparked the rallying cry 'no taxation without representation'?






47. Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.






48. The permanent committees of a legislature that consider bills and conduct hearings and investigations.






49. The practice of victorious politicians to reward their followers with jobs. Also known as the spoils system.






50. Decides which bills will be considered.