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






2. 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






3. A course of action decided upon by a government






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






5. The foreign policy of the United States during the period after the Second World War - designed to contain the expansion of Soviet power.






6. The principle of civilian control of the military - based on the clear constitutional power of the president as supreme commander of the armed forces.






7. Representatives serve ____ year terms






8. 19th century case establishing that the Bill of Rights applied only to the federal government - upheld until the 20th century. Ruling allowed stated to engage in activities such as establishing state churches and denying public office to people of ce






9. When neither political party is dominant.






10. 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.






11. Most house committees are limited to _____ subcommittees.






12. First African American appointed to the Supreme Court






13. 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.






14. Voting based on looking back and making judgments about the way things have gone and the kind of government experienced during a political leader's time in office.






15. It the job of _________ committees of a political party to hold voter registration drives - recruit new party members and final candidates for city and county positions.






16. Charge of misconduct brought against a government official.






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






18. Elects the President if no candidate receives 270 Electoral College votes.






19. Freedoms that protect the individual from the government.






20. 6 In the view of Robert L. Lineberry - policy analysts focus on the _______________.






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






22. The practice that allows senators to delay or even kill floor action on legislation - a nomination - or other matters by asking their party leaders not to schedule them.






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






24. These party members tend to be ideologues who put issues ahead of winning elections and withhold support from candidates who do not share their stance on issues. Very active in special interest groups and caucuses within the party. Willing to break a






25. Largest interest group in the US.






26. Serious crimes - such as murder - arson - or rape.






27. The primary purpose of _______________consolidate the nation's disability laws and provide for strong federal enforcement of a strengthened disability rights mandate






28. Th joint listing of the presidential and vice presidential candidates on the same ballot as required by the twelfth amendment






29. This controversial clause of the 9th Amendment has allowed government to expand rights to suit its needs.






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






31. Theory of democracy in which competition among common interest groups promote ideas to influence politics






32. The framers of the Constitution created the Senate to function as a check on the ________________.






33. The pursuit and exercise of power






34. Programs are designed to give preferential access to education - employment - health care - or social welfare to groups of people - especially minorities and women - who have historically been discriminated against.






35. A nation's set of fundamental beliefs about how government and politics should be conducted.






36. Type of interest group represented in Washington by another individual or organization. (Ex. Ford Motor Company pays a lobbyist in Washington to represent them.)






37. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






38. In California v. Avecedo (1991) - The Supreme Court established that authorities may search ____________________ without a warrant providing reasonable suspicion.






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






40. When the minority party becomes stronger than the majority party - usually the result of winning a critical election.






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

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42. 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.'






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






44. 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.






45. When the population's overall feeling of political efficacy is low - voter turnout is _______.






46. Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 as an attempt to form a union of the colonies. Later used to help form the Articles of Confederation.






47. An annual meeting held in the spring in many New England towns - at which the townspeople come together to elect a board of selectmen and to discuss local policy questions. It has become a symbol of participatory democracy.






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






49. A provision of law in which Congress asserts the power to nullify actions of the executive branch. In 1983 the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional - but Congress continued to pass laws containing such provisions.






50. Bills that benefit legislators' home districts - or powerful corporate contributors - with sometimes wasteful or unnecessary public works or other projects.