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. Laws must be administered in a fair manner.






2. A group of people - chosen by poll-takers - that is representative of the universe that is being polled.






3. Committees appointed for investigative or crisis situations.






4. Government branch established in Article I of the Constitution.






5. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






6. Number of years a President must reside in the US prior to taking office






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






8. 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






9. The demands of and supports for a political system






10. Article VI - Paragraph 2 - of the Constitution - which declares that the Constitution - and the laws and treaties of the United States made under it - are 'the supreme Law of the Land' and prevail over any conflicting state constitutions or laws.






11. Minimum number of voters per state in the Electoral College.






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






13. An election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election. In other words - one means by which a political party nominate candidates for the following general election.s






14. Programs of government - universities - and businesses designed to favor minorities and remedy past discrimination.






15. Legislature bills that affect only a small group of citizens.






16. Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.






17. Presidential staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies.






18. A policy of avoiding foreign involvement.






19. 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.






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






21. Contacts - coalitions - and interactions across national boundaries






22. A centralized system of government - such as that of France - where most of the important policy decisions are made by a central government.






23. The 24th amendment banned _____________ - making it harder for states to discriminate against poor and minority voters.






24. 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.






25. Beginning with the election of Abraham Lincoln - the period between 1860 and the Great Depression was dominated by this political party.






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






27. ________ of voters identify with one political party in advance of the campaign.






28. An act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a trial. Constitutionally prohibited.






29. A study of Bennington College students in the 1930s illustrated that the influence of the family on political attitudes tends to ______________ as they grow older and come into contact with other groups.






30. Article II of the Constitution establishes the ______________ branch.






31. Cabinet department responsible for the management of public lands - wildlife - natural resources - and Native American affairs. Established in 1849






32. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill.






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






34. Baby boomers - women - and voters with higher levels of education tend to have a ____________ voter turnout.






35. 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.






36. Tests of a voter's ability to read and write - which were often used to keep recent immigrants and blacks from voting.






37. Organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organizations interests






38. 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






39. Provisions tacked on to a piece of legislation that are not relevant to the bill.






40. Legislative house whose membership was intended to represent the state.






41. Article I - Section 8 - of the Constitution - which allows Congress to make all laws that are 'necessary and proper' to carry out the powers of the Constitution.






42. The 1892 platform of the Populist party repudiating laissez-faire and demanding economic and political reform






43. Finding that enough evidence exists to warrant a criminal trial.






44. 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






45. A law passed in 1966 that requires federal executive branch and regulatory agencies to make information available to journalists - scholars - and the public unless it falls into one of several confidential categories.






46. Belief in the value of strong government to provide economic secruity and protection for civil rights - combined with a belief in personal freedom from government intervention in social conduct






47. Cabinet department that includes the Coast Guard - Border Patrol - FEMA - Transportation Security Administration - INS and the Secret Service. Established in 2001 in response to 9/11.






48. A writ designed to protect against illegal imprisonment by requiring that a person who is detained be brought before a judge for investigation.






49. President Hoover's laissez-faire approach to the economy during the Great Depression left many poor voters disenfranchised by the Republican Party. They left to join the _______________ Party.






50. Information sent out in order to observe the reaction of an audience. Used by politicians who deliberately leak information on a policy change under consideration.