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. Process by which citizens propose an amendment by petition.






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






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






4. 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.






5. First governing document of the Plymouth Colony establishing freedom of religion.






6. The case of Gregg v. Georgia set the precedent for a ________________ system in which guilt and sentencing and tried separately.






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






8. Prohibits citizens of one state or foreign country from suing another state.






9. A system in which national and state governments are competitors with distinct powers. This system was prominent in the US from the during the 19th century until 1937.






10. To an extent - the press and the government have a relationship that is _______________ and mutually dependent.






11. Responsibilities include: Coordinating the nation's intelligence activities and Evaluating and disseminating intelligence that affects national security






12. 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






13. 'lame duck' amendment






14. 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






15. This amendment applied the Bill of Rights to states.






16. After a bill has passed both the House and Senate - it goes to _________________ where any differences between the house bill and the senate bill are resolved before sending to the President for signature






17. The process through which an individual acquires a set of political attitudes and forms opinions about political and social issues.






18. Voters in a political district - or supporters of an elected official; or interest groups or client groups that are either directly regulated by the bureaucracy or vitally affected by its decisions.






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






20. Government regulation of the economy through its control over taxes and government spending. Controlled by the Department of Treasury.






21. 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.






22. The term most political scientists prefer to describe the bureaucratic process






23. The number of ______________ a state receives is based on the number Representatives and Senators that the state has in Congress






24. 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.






25. Presidential management model requiring the President to have strong leadership skills and a keen eye for detail. FDR and JFK were well known for this style of leadership.






26. The head of a national political party






27. 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






28. The provisions of the Constitution that divide power among three constitutionally equal and independent branches of government






29. This 1957 judgement prohibited pornography material as utterly without redeeming social significance - later reversed in Miller v. California






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






31. James Madison proposed to deal with the threat of political factions by ______________________.






32. Committees that pull members from both the house and the senate who meet to discuss major policy issues such as economy and taxation.






33. The belief that all people possess certain basic rights that may not be abridged by government.






34. Which committee assignments would confer the most power and influence on members of the Senate?






35. The policy established after the Second World War that America must take an active leadership role in world affairs






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






37. 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






38. This 1st amendment clause prohibits the government from making any law prohibiting the exercise of any religion






39. Law enacted by Congress - or by state legislatures or local legislative bodies.






40. The Supremacy Clause appears in ________________ of the Constitution.






41. This was amended in 1985 to prohibit vote dilution without requiring the proof of discriminatory purpose demanded by the original Act.






42. A system of _______________ - as in Italy - encourages the existence of many parties by allotting seats to competing candidates according to the percentage of votes they win.






43. In addition to overseeing the activities of one or more federal agencies - a ___________________may also serve as the authorizing committee for federal agencies' programs and operations.






44. The principle that the government - as provided in the Fifth Amendment - can take property for 'public use' with 'just compensation' to the owners.






45. A decision of the Supreme Court cannot be ___________.






46. In 1992 - the television networks agreed not to release these until a majority of polling places had closed in each state






47. 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.






48. Each Senate committee may have ________ subcommittees.






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






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