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. In states using primaries - the most common form of primary election is the ___________ primary.






2. Wisconsin Republican who exploited public concern for political gain during the 1950's through freewheeling investigations of alleged Communists.






3. Presides over any impeachment trial.






4. First Executive Branch






5. 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.






6. Congress defined the steps for the creation and admission of new states. It forbade slavery while the region remained a territory although citizens could legalize it. First congress would appoint a territorial governor and judges. Second as soon as 5






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






8. An individual who does not join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group's influence.






9. 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.






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






11. Age Requirement for the Senate






12. The response of the rest of society to actions by the authorities.






13. Overturning unjust laws is the responsibility of _________________.






14. Prompted by the ____________________ - the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.






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






16. 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.






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






18. The total group from which poll-takers may select a random sample in order to measure public opinion.






19. During Presidential election years or when the nation is divided on policy agenda - particularly regarding salient issues - voter turnout is _____________






20. 3 person executive panel responsible for helping the President develop an economic plan for the nation.






21. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) - founded in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover to help combat the Great Depression - was the predecessor of which federal agencies?






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






23. Control of a market by a single company.






24. Requests from people or groups for health care for the aged - loans for college students - equal opportunity for minorities - and higher subsidies for farmers are examples of:






25. Constitutionally empowered to appoint judges - ambassadors - and other high officials - Constitutionally empowered to make treaties with foreign countries.






26. In _______________ cases such as Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) - the Supreme Court has upheld that while Affirmative action policies are legal - race and gender cannot be the only determining factors.






27. A legislative leader of each party who is responsible for rounding up party members for important votes.






28. The total amount of money that the United States owes to its creditors.






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






30. A policy of avoiding foreign involvement.






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






32. The practice that allows senators to delay or even kill floor action on legislation - a nomination - or other matters by asking their party leaders not to schedule them.






33. In this essay - James Madison recognized that reconciling the competing interests of various groups was what legislation was all about






34. A legal principle of fair dealing - which may provide preventive measures and legal remedies that are unavailable under existing common law and statutory law.






35. How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives - including how to get individuals and groups to participate and cooperate.






36. ______________________is responsible for the management of the federal debt and the printing of currency. It is the major fiscal policy agency.






37. Units of government under the president - within the executive branch - that are not part of a cabinet department.






38. A loose grouping of people and organizations who seek to influence policy formation.






39. In Tinker v. Des Moines School District (1969) - the Supreme Court established precedents for ___________________ in schools and government institutions.






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






41. The yearly value of goods and services produced within a country.






42. Agencies that were at one time semi-autonomous but that through legislation have been placed under presidential control since 1945.






43. Direct oral or written speech directed at a specific individual or group






44. 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.






45. A group of people who try to influence policy agendas and whose ultimate goal is to run the government by getting their favorite candidates elected.






46. 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.






47. While these voters have traditionally supported the Democrats - some have begun to support Republicans in light of the Democrats liberal policies on abortion.






48. Judges in Legislative Courts serve _______ terms and do not require impeachment.






49. Most Americans support ______________ primarily as part of their criticism of PACs






50. 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.