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






2. The kinds of cases that a court has the authority to decide.






3. This 1932 case established that a case can be too speedy and under-counseled - providing defendants in a capital case the right to a reasonable amount of time to establish a defense.






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






5. An ideology that advocates limits on government power to address economic and social problems - relying instead on economic markets and individual initiative to address problems like health care and education - while promoting government involvement






6. Decides which bills will be considered.






7. In 2002 - a federal appeals court struck down the Pledge of Allegiance on the grounds that it violated ________________.






8. These candidates win re-election to the House 80-90% of the time.






9. 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.






10. A power of the president to kill a bill by taking no action (if Congress adjourns during the 10-day period after the president receives the bill). Some court rulings have suggested that a president may exercise a pocket veto only when Congress adjour






11. 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.






12. There are 11 circuit ____________________ who have no original jurisdiction.






13. While the verbiage of the 4th Amendment is vague as to what constitutes 'reasonable'. Police departments must rely on _____________; they cannot act on unfounded suspicion.






14. Which form of registration prevails in all but a few states?






15. First Executive Branch






16. Theory that a government requires the consent of the governed.






17. A place of work in which any person may be hired provided that he or she joins the union within a specified time.






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






19. A provision of the Federal Communications Act that requires broadcasters to provide the same amount of exposure to all legally qualified political candidates.






20. An economic system of free enterprise with private ownership of the means of production.






21. These dissenting Republicans won 17% of the popular vote in 1924 on a platform for public control of national resources and railways - tax reductions - and changes to the staff of the executive department

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22. The only amendments to be ratified through the process of 'ratifying conventions -' not a vote in the state legislatures






23. 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.






24. Private groups that attempt to influence the government to respond to the shared attitudes of their members.






25. Legislative opinions on a matter that do not require Presidential signature.






26. The ___________ aspects of Federalism include: conflicts between state and national government - economic and racial discrimination - uneven enforcement of law - and dominance of local governments by special interest groups






27. This 1972 Supreme Court case struck down all state laws allowing the death penalty stating that they allowed for too much discretion on the part of the judge and jury resulting in lack of consistent administration of the penalty.






28. Guarantees that any rights not explicitly outlined heretofore are reserved for the states.






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






30. Elections that reflect the basic party identification of the voters.






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






32. The expansion of cable and satellite tv has _________________ the president's power to influence public opinion.






33. Something given in exchange for something else; swap






34. 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






35. Redefined Presidential succession and disability.






36. According to V. O. Key - Jr. - the Populist Party of the 1890s is an example of a ____________________.






37. The practice under which victorious politicians reward their followers with jobs.






38. Presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. Position awarded to the longest serving Senator from the majority party. 3rd in line of succession for the Presidency.






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






40. Designed to protect the individual against the arbitrary power of the state.






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






42. According to this nineteenth-century British peer and historian - 'power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'






43. 1940 Act Prohibiting any person from advocating overthrowing the government through violence or force.






44. 1974 Act mandating that all government files about private citizens be kept confidential.






45. A meeting of party leaders to select candidates - elect convention delegates - etc






46. A pluralist theory by C. Wright Mills where a small number of wealthy elite wield most of the power. Fundamental to all governments around the world - the elite rule while they make the lower classes feel like they are involved in democracy. The elit






47. Constitutional Article that establishes the Judicial Branch.






48. A controversial law overwhelmingly passed by Congress in October 2001 - after the terrorist attacks of September 11 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It greatly expanded the power of federal law enforcement authorities to move against suspe






49. During the 1800's and early 1900's - some state and local party committees became ________________ dominating party activities. Committee members would promise new recruits money - jobs - and other benefits for joining and voting the straight party t






50. An unwritten custom by which individual senators who belong to the same political party as the president exercise an informal veto power over presidential appointments in their states.