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. _____________ are expected to specialize in a few policy areas rather than claim expertise in the whole range of legislative concerns






2. The action - or actions - taken by government to carry out a policy.






3. Its the responsibility of ___________ committees of a political party to solidify the party within each state and organize primary elections






4. The absent colony at the 2nd Continental Congress.






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






6. Most house committees are limited to _____ subcommittees.






7. Agenda that includes issues that affect the daily lives of the people.






8. A law passed by Congress in 1973 in an effort to set a time limit on the use of combat forces abroad by a president.






9. These courts only hear appeals on cases from lower courts.






10. The state officer typically responsible for overseeing federal elections at the state level is the






11. Lawsuit brought by an individual or group of people on behalf of all those similarly situated






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






13. Number of Electoral College votes required to win the Presidency.






14. A test established by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes - Jr. - in 1919 to define the point at which speech loses the protection of the First Amendment.






15. Redefined Presidential succession and disability.






16. The Constitution requires that state governments - like the federal government - must be _____________ in form - with final authority resting with the people.






17. A place of work in which only union members may be hired.






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






19. Legislature bills that affect all citizens.






20. A jury of 6 to 12 persons who determine guilt or innocence in a civil or criminal action






21. Voters tendency to identify with a party that shares their views on important issues ignoring the party's stance on issues they deem less important. to be life-long unless there is a major change in the party's platform. 2. Influenced by ra






22. Executive Check on the Legislative Branch.






23. The European political philosophers whose writings influenced the concepts of liberty and government contained in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution belonged to the intellectual and cultural movement known as






24. Contacts - coalitions - and interactions across national boundaries






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






26. Groups whose views serve as guidelines to an individual's opinion. See also primary groups and secondary groups.






27. The Supreme Court practice of applying most of the provisions of the Bill of Rights to the states under the 14th Amendment.






28. This house committee is responsible for Supervising the authority of the federal government to borrow money - Raising the revenue required to finance the federal government by levying taxes - Overseeing Social Security and other social insurance prog






29. Laws - rules - and government programs designed to protect individual rights and specific groups - as well as to benefit society as a whole in such areas as health - worker safety - consumer protection - and the environment.






30. In his historic decision in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) - Chief Justice Marshall established the principle of _____________.






31. 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






32. Committees appointed for investigative or crisis situations.






33. A policy adopted by the United States after the Second World War that assumed that if enough nuclear weapons were deployed by the United States - an enemy would not attack for fear of being destroyed in retaliation.






34. As part of the negotiations concerning the Constitution - the South fought for and won an agreement forbidding the imposition of _______________.






35. The appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents - such as those in marginal seats or campaign contributors.






36. The fundamental flaw in plural theory contends that pluralism weakens the backbone of democracy with too many common interest groups attempt to wield power - often leading to standstill because of unwillingness to compromise.






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






38. The constitutional requirement (in article II - sec 3) that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed - even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws






39. Members of this party typically include Conservative Christian groups - higher socio-economic classes - middle-class white collar - and suburban voters.






40. A method of polling - considered less reliable than a random sample - in which interviewers are instructed to question members of a particular group in proportion to their percentage in the population as a whole.






41. 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






42. The net balance or relationship between total income and total expenditures by the nation in its dealings with the rest of the world - including trade - loans - and investments.






43. 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






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






45. The reason that electors are chosen in each state by popular vote is ____________.






46. A system in which the national government provides grants-in-aid to states using conditions to elicit control.






47. First Executive Branch






48. In 1998 - the Supreme Court struck down the________________ law - declaring it unconstitutional - because Congress did not have the constitutional authority to hand that power to the President.






49. In 1872 - Susan B Anthony was arrested in Rochester - New York for






50. Number of Federal District courts across 50 states - DC and Puerto Rico.