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






2. 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


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






4. 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






5. A term often used to describe the economic and political ties between the military establishment and the defense-aerospace industry.






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






7. Powers specifically outlined in the Constitution as assigned to one branch of government.






8. Powers of government exercised independently by both the federal and state governments - such as the power to tax.






9. The power of the president - struck down by the Supreme Court in 1998 - to veto parts of appropriations bills. Most state governors have this power.






10. The period of time after the election of FDR until the Vietnam War was dominated by the Democratic Party and know as the __________________ Era.






11. This branch of government checks Bureaucracy through its control over budget and appointments of leadership.






12. International agreements between the president and foreign heads of state that - unlike treaties - do not require Senate approval.






13. The president - the vice president - the heads of the major executive departments of the government - and certain other senior officials who may hold 'cabinet rank.'






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






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






16. This act prohibited Discrimination because of race - color - sex - religion - or national origin by employers or labor unions; The adoption by voting registrars of different standards for black and white applicants; and Racial or religious discrimina






17. A loose grouping of people and organizations who seek to influence policy formation.






18. A vote in the House of Representatives in which the position of each member is noted and published in the Congressional Record.






19. Plan that proposed bicameral legislature where states were to have representation based on size in both houses.






20. The spread of nuclear weapons to more nations.






21. 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.






22. An opinion of one or more judges expressing disagreement with the majority opinion of the court which gives rise to its judgment.






23. The belief that one is effective when participating in politics - for example that the government will respond to one's demands






24. Government regulation of the economy through its control over the supply of money and the cost and availability of credit. Controlled by the Federal Reserve Board.






25. Requires that a suspect in a federal case be arraigned without unnecessary delay.






26. Between conventions - the governing body of a major political party. Members of this group are chosen in the states and formally elected by the party






27. Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.






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






29. This contraversial legal technicality intended to protect civil liberties has allowed criminals to remain free when the courts refuse to admit evidence that may have been obtained illegally.






30. The view of the majority of the Supreme Court that First Amendment rights must be weighed against the competing needs of the community to preserve order.






31. Powerful standing committee that puts bills on the legislative calendar and establishes the processes by which the bill will be discussed on the floor.






32. The house armed services and foreign affairs committees each have ___ subcommittees.






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






34. A system - until modified and reformed in the 1970s - that automatically resulted in the selection as committee chair of those members of the majority party in Congress who had the longest continuous service on a committee.






35. Concurrent resolution - adopted by both Houses of Congress - that sets forth a Congressional budget plan for the budget year and at least four out-years.






36. The single biggest item in campaign spending at the presidential level is ___________________.






37. Laws passed by state legislatures that are designed to protect reporters from being forced to reveal their news sources.






38. In order to win support for ratification of the Constitution - the Federalists had to promise that the first order of business under a new government would be to _______________.






39. A provision in a deed to real property prohibiting its sale to a person of a particular race or religion. Judicial enforcement is unconstitutional.






40. Define US Citizenship as any person born or naturalized in the United States.






41. This branch of government checks Bureaucracy through its control over the creation and elimination of agencies as well as its control over budget appropriations.






42. A term popularized by sociologist Floyd Hunter to describe the community leaders who he said determined policy in Atlanta - Georgia. More broadly - the term is used to describe 'power elites' generally.






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






44. Clause in the 14th Amendment that forbids any state to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The 5th Amendment also imposes this limitation on the national government.






45. Communication with legislators or other government officials to try to influence their decisions.






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






47. Number of Federal District courts across 50 states - DC and Puerto Rico.






48. Minor criminal offenses - such as speeding.






49. The President's role in the armed forces which during the 20th century has allowed Presidents to circumvent Congress' refusal to declare war.






50. Lobbyists for special interest groups have found ____________________ to be the most direct and effective method to secure their objectives in Congress.