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. The relationship between the total cost of foreign goods imported to this country and sales of U.S. products overseas.






2. Political theorist proposed the separation of church and state.






3. Executive Check on the Legislative Branch.






4. Responsible for further investigation - hearings - and amendment to a bill






5. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is an example of an






6. Process by which citizens propose an amendment by petition.






7. A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his own party affiliation. When voters do not register with a party before the primary - it is called a pick-a-party primary because the voter can select which party's primary he or she w






8. After analyzing 1 -795 platform pledges over a 10-year period - Gerald M. Pomper concluded that almost ____________ of these promises were fulfilled






9. 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.






10. First African American appointed to the Supreme Court






11. The individuals - institutions - and processes that make the rules for society and possess the power to enforce them.






12. The claim by presidents of an inherent right to withhold information from Congress and the judiciary.






13. First proposed in 1789 - this amendment passed in 1992 prohibits Congress from raising their own pay. Pay raises may not take affect until the beginning of the next term.






14. In 1978 - the Supreme Court - in the 'seven dirty words' case - ruled that the government has the right to prohibit the broadcasting of _______________.






15. Devolutionary system in which the national government returns tax dollars to the state and local governments primarily in the form of block grants.






16. A policy of avoiding foreign involvement.






17. 3 person executive panel responsible for helping the President develop an economic plan for the nation.






18. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendment to bills or provides that only memebers of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments






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






20. Considered the most sacred right in American history. Colonists felt oppressed by the tyranny of the crown but were unable to speak up about it for fear of repercussion.






21. Ruling by the Supreme Court in 1954 that racial segregation in public schools violates the Fourteenth Amendment's requirement of equal protection of the laws for all persons.






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






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






24. In a 1943 case - the Supreme Court upheld the right to refuse to salute the American flag on the basis of the constitutional guarantee of _________________.






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






26. Disapproval of a bill by a chief executive - such as the president or a governor.






27. A form of city government under which a board of city commissioners is popularly elected (often on a nonpartisan ballot). The commissioners make policy as a city council - but they also run city departments as administrators.






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






29. There is an _____________ relationship between Presidential approval ratings and unemployment.






30. A meeting of party leaders to select candidates - elect convention delegates - etc






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






32. How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives - including how to get individuals and groups to participate and cooperate.






33. California measure designed to deny welfare and other benefits to illegal aliens. Overwhelmingly passed the popular vote - but overturned in federal court because it extending beyond the bounds of state rights to attempt to control immigration.






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






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






36. The overall public has a ___________ view of PACS in terms of bought votes and adding to the cost of running for office






37. Electoral college system and other campaign practices make it exceedingly difficult for even popular ______________ candidates to successfully run for the presidency.






38. Included are Ways and Means - Veteran's Affairs - Transportation and Infrastructure - Standards of Official Conduct - Small Business - Science - Judiciary - Rules - Resources - Oversight of Government Reform - House Administration - Homeland Security






39. In WV State BOE v Barnette (1943) - the Supreme Court ruled that compelling citizens to salute the flag violates the principles of a free society - upholding which 1st Amendment rights?






40. Also known as the Indiana ballot - lists the candidates of each party in a row or column - beside or under the party emblem. In most cases - the voter can make one mark at the top of the column - or pull one lever - and thus vote for all the party's






41. Members of this party typically include Conservative Christian groups - higher socio-economic classes - middle-class white collar - and suburban voters.






42. Requires reporting of financial information by companies with publicly traded securities






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






44. This Supreme Court case infamously decided that a slave was not a citizen but property to be 'used in subservience to the interests - the convenience - or the will of his owner'






45. In 1987 - the FCC abandoned the fairness doctrine on the grounds that it unconstitutionally restricted the ______________ rights of broadcasters.






46. Early civil rights leader established the Niagara Movement and helped to establish the NAACP.






47. Judicial Check on Legislative Branch. Not specifically outlined in the Constitution - but established in the case of Marbury v. Madison through the application of the Supremacy Clause in Article VI.






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






49. A White House council created under the National Security Act of 1947 to advise the president and help coordinate American military and foreign policy.






50. Constitutional Article that establishes the Judicial Branch.