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Test your basic knowledge |
CLEP American Government
Start Test
Study First
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
Members of Congress
Monopoly
Legislative
5 -000
2. A method of amending state constitutions under which proposed constitutional amendments can be placed on the ballot if enough signatures are obtained on a petition. Almost half the states also employ the initiative on the ballot to allow voters to en
Incumbents
Initiative
Medicare
Elite
3. Although camera are allowed in most trial courts - they are banned from ______________.
state legislatures
Containment
1st Amendment
Federal Courts
4. Committees that pull members from both the house and the senate who meet to discuss major policy issues such as economy and taxation.
Royalists
Writ of Certiorari
Joint Committee
House of Representatives
5. Number of original cabinet positions under George Washington.
Implied Powers
3
Offensive Language
Membership
6. Political party lead by Andrew Jackson from 1828 to 1856. Campaigned against strong central government and fought to end elitism.
Democrats
Soft money
Propose an Amendment
High
7. The attitudes and actions of people that sustain and buttress the political system at all levels and allows the political system to continue to work.
Original Jurisdiction
3
Roe v. Wade
Supports
8. This rule established by US v. Leon (1984) angered civil liberties groups by allowing exception to the Exclusionary Rule in instances where probably cause may not fully exist.
Good Faith Exception
Raiding
Regulatory Federalism
Initiative
9. Author of The Spirit of the Laws advocating balance of power in politics with liberty is dependant upon a separation of the judicial - legislative - and executive branches of government.
Baron de Montesquieu
Virginia Plan
Enumerated Powers
Monetary Policy
10. A compulsory national insurance program - financed by taxes on employers and employees. The insurance falls into four categories: old-age and survivors insurance - disability insurance - Medicare - and unemployment insurance.
Substantive Due Process
Cold War
Social Security
19th Amendment
11. This 1957 judgement prohibited pornography material as utterly without redeeming social significance - later reversed in Miller v. California
Free Rider
State Legislatures
Presidential Veto
Roth v. US
12. Federal categorical grants in which the granting agency has less discretion over how the recipient spends the money.
Soft Money
Formula Grant
10th Amendment
CORE
13. The federal fiscal year begins ___________.
Low
Probable Cause
October 1st
Constitutional Initiative
14. Procedure typically requiring 3/5 vote of the entire Senate to end a filibuster.
Cloture
Impeachment
Discharge Petition
New Federalism
15. Federal aid that states and localities may use mostly as they wish.
General Purpose Grants
Recall
Dual / Layer Cake Federalism
Max Weber
16. Powers specifically given to the federal government by the US Constitution - for example - the authority to print money.
Judicial
Containment
Retrospective Voting
Delegated Powers
17. The term most political scientists prefer to describe the bureaucratic process
Public Administration
Democrats
Free Exercise of Religion
Party Identification
18. Important during the Revolution - these bodies organized by the local governments of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution for the purposes of coordinating written communication outside of the colony.
Writ of Mandamus
Committees of Correspondence
Council-Manager Plan
Free Exercise of Religion
19. Committees of Congress composed of both representatives and senators.
20th
Party Activists
Joint Committees
Republicans
20. 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
Magna Carta
Pocket Veto
Bowers v. Hardwick
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
21. Political commercials that strongly attack a rival candidate.
Free Speech
7
Negative Advertising
Federal District
22. First Roman Catholic elected President.
Privacy Act
Magna Carta
National Security Council
John F. Kennedy
23. The Supremacy Clause appears in ________________ of the Constitution.
Earl Warren
School Desegregation
Legislative
Article VI
24. In this 1972 case - the Supreme Court established four guidelines for determining if a trial was appropriately speedy and fair: cause of delay - length of delay - affect on the outcome - and the defendant's claim to a speedy trial.
Monopoly
Baker v. Wingo
Block Grant
Federal
25. Permitted court authorized wire-tapping and bugging by federal - state - and local authorities and use of such evidence in trial. Later reversed by the Supreme Court based on 4th Amendment rights.
Court of Appeals
Parallel
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act
Enacted
26. Overturning unjust laws is the responsibility of _________________.
Supreme Court
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Plain View
Nuclear Proliferation
27. Most modern political scientists believe there is ________________ between politics and government.
Little Difference
Homeland Security
Grand Jury Indictment
Shay's Rebellion
28. This influential English document signed by King John in 1215 limited the absolute power of the monarchy - established due process - and limited arbitrary seizure of property.
Free Speech
Reference Group
Detente
Magna Carta
29. Compromise between the large states and small states that established the bicameral Legislature consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives. Also included 3/5 compromise on the status of slaves in representation.
Great or Connecticut Compromise
Salient Agenda
Gender Gap
Affirmative Action
30. Established by President Hoover - It is the _______________ job to keep the press informed and orchestrate press conferences
Random Sample
Republicans
National Political Parties
Press Secretary
31. A provision of the Federal Communications Act that requires broadcasters to provide the same amount of exposure to all legally qualified political candidates.
Republicans
Equal Time
Budget Resolution
Selective exposure
32. 1940 Act Prohibiting any person from advocating overthrowing the government through violence or force.
Majority Whip
77
Smith Act
Democratic
33. Legislature bills that affect all citizens.
77
Local
Public Bills
Third Parties
34. The principle that the government - as provided in the Fifth Amendment - can take property for 'public use' with 'just compensation' to the owners.
12
Focus Groups
Veto
Eminent Domain
35. Spending determined by the number of qualified recipients and their legally determined need is called
Universe
Monroe Doctrine
Politics
Entitlement Spending
36. Also known as the Massachusetts ballot - groups candidates according to the office for which they are running
Republicans
Office Column Ballot
Isolationism
Original
37. The action - or actions - taken by government to carry out a policy.
Republicans
Referendum
Veto
Implementation
38. Constitutional protection of the accused to not be tried for the same crime twice.
Laissez-Faire
Electoral Connection
Double Jeopardy
Patriot Act
39. Serious crimes - such as murder - arson - or rape.
Felonies
Members of Congress
Implied
Committees of Correspondence
40. 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
Pre-clearance
Internationalism
2/3
Restrictive Covenant
41. Organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organizations interests
Fixed
Executive
Incumbents
Interest Groups
42. By far - the largest amount of federal aid to state and local governments comes in the form of:
Charter Colonies
Categorical Grants
Dies
Sub-committee
43. 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.
National Security Council
Bill of Attainder
New Jersey Plan
55
44. The appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents - such as those in marginal seats or campaign contributors.
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Pork Barrel Spending
Select Committee
Shay's Rebellion
45. Head of the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice
Party Dealignment
Article V
Gender Gap
46. 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.
Lobbying
Committee of the Whole
Negative
Dual / Layer Cake Federalism
47. This term refers to the gain in the polls that a candidate often enjoys after a national convention
Writ of Certiorari
Feedback
Convention Bounce
Speaker of the House
48. A place of work in which only union members may be hired.
Inputs
Closed Shop
4th Amendment
8 Million
49. A loose grouping of people and organizations who seek to influence policy formation.
Truman
Issue Networks
Catholics
Commonwealth
50. Plan that proposed bicameral legislature where states were to have representation based on size in both houses.
State of the Union
2/3
Virginia Plan
Trial Balloon