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. Individual contributions to PACs are limited to ______________ dollars per candidate per election with primaries - general and special elections counting separately.






2. To negotiate a complex and politically sensitive trade treaty - a President will often






3. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 required states in the covered jurisdiction to attain _________________ from the Attorney General before making changes to voting standards - practice - or procedure






4. The process by which individuals screen out messages that do not conform to their own biases






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






6. An issue on which voters distinguish rival parties by the degree to which they associate each party or candidate with conditions - goals - or symbols the electorate universally approves or disapproves of. Examples of such issues are economic prosperi






7. Established in 1947 as a combined Department of War and Navy.






8. A federal tax on imports.






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






10. Puerto Rico has ____________ status.






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






12. Cabinet department responsible for collective bargaining and union activity. Established in 1913






13. The strongest factor contributing to an individual's political socialization tends to be






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






15. 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.






16. Executive Check on the Legislative Branch.






17. The coming to power of a new coalition - replacing an old dominant coalition of the other party






18. A strand of American foreign policy that was visible by the end of the 19th century; it included 'gunboat diplomacy' and other forms of military involvement by the United States in various parts of the world.






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. Also known as the Massachusetts ballot - groups candidates according to the office for which they are running






21. A coherent set of beliefs about politics - public policy - and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political event - personalities - and policies.






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






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






24. Laws that were designed to segregate black and white Americans and give legal recognition to discrimination.






25. 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.






26. 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.






27. Procedure typically requiring 3/5 vote of the entire Senate to end a filibuster.






28. The practice of victorious politicians to reward their followers with jobs. Also known as the spoils system.






29. A joint committee of Congress established to help negotiate discrepancies and gain consensus between legislation passed in each house before sending the bill to the President.






30. The party-column ballot - or Indiana ballot - encourages _______________.






31. The Articles of Confederation established a ________________ legislature.






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






33. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






34. The executive office established in response to intelligence lapses during WWI. Oversees American foreign policy and includes the President - Vice President - Secretary of State - Secretary of Defense and is lead by the National Security Advisor.






35. The sum of the goals - decisions - and actions that govern a nation's relations with the rest of the world.






36. 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.






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






38. The gap between the government's income and outlays.






39. The spread of nuclear weapons to more nations.






40. In Argersinger v. Hamlin (1972) - the Supreme Court extended the right to counsel to those accused of misdemeanors if the defendant is _____________.






41. According to one survey - what percentage of Americans belongs to groups that sometimes take a stand on public issues






42. Passed in 1883 - it created a federal civil service so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit rather than patronage.






43. The federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers (including research and soil conservation and efforts to stabilize the farming economy)






44. Number of justices of the Supreme Court.






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






46. Things government decides to do - example: taxation - crime control - national defense - education - etc.






47. ________________ of the Constitution governs the relationships of the states.






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






49. An offical who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of the legislator






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