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. Legislative house whose members were intended to represent the people.






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






3. Communication with legislators or other government officials to try to influence their decisions.






4. Political leaders typically try to both lead and follow ____________.






5. The ______________________ were formed to unite the colonists against Britain.






6. 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.






7. A system of voter registration in which voters must register every year or at other stated intervals.






8. This 1st amendment clause prohibits the government from making any law prohibiting the exercise of any religion






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






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






11. A public assistance program established in 1965 to help pay hospital - doctor - and medical bills for people with low incomes.






12. The demands of and supports for a political system






13. Law enacted in 1939 to prohibit civil servants from taking activists roles in partisan campaigns .This act prohibited federal employees from making political contributions - working for a particualr party -or campaining for a particualr canidate






14. An immigrant who wished to become a citizen may be naturalized after living in the US for ___ years.






15. These party members tend to be ideologues who put issues ahead of winning elections and withhold support from candidates who do not share their stance on issues. Very active in special interest groups and caucuses within the party. Willing to break a






16. ______________ refers to the differences in political attitudes and voting behavior between men and women






17. Laws passed by state legislatures that are designed to protect reporters from being forced to reveal their news sources.






18. Formerly known as the Anti-Federalist - this party lead by Thomas Jefferson advocated states rights pressing the causes of the common people and agrarian interest. Dominated the political arena until the Civil War.






19. Which historical figure described democracy as 'the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time?'






20. 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.






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






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






23. Powers of government that are specifically granted to the three branches of the federal government under the Constitution.






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






25. In an election with more than 2 options - the number of votes for the candidate or party receiving the greatest number - but less that half of the votes.






26. Type of interest group represented in Washington by another individual or organization. (Ex. Ford Motor Company pays a lobbyist in Washington to represent them.)






27. The doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group






28. Most likely to board a foreign ship suspected of drug trafficking at a U.S. port






29. Cabinet department that includes the Coast Guard - Border Patrol - FEMA - Transportation Security Administration - INS and the Secret Service. Established in 2001 in response to 9/11.






30. In the mid-term elections following a President's inauguration - his party tends to ___________ seats in Congress.






31. Raise Public Awareness - Create Policy Agenda - Prioritize Agenda - Enact Policy - Public Evaluation






32. Held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November.






33. What principle - contained in the Fourth Amendment - protects a citizen from unwarranted search and seizure?






34. 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:






35. Economists generally agree that the major responsibility for promoting prosperity and full employment falls on ________________.






36. The fundamental rights of a free society that are protected by the Bill of Rights against the power of the government - such as freedom of speech - religion - press - and assembly.






37. This 1963 case extended the right to counsel to all felony cases.






38. An opinion of one or more judges expressing disagreement with the majority opinion of the court which gives rise to its judgment.






39. Total number of Representatives apportioned to the states based on population and reapportioned with the census every 10 years






40. 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.






41. Which office serves as a watchdog into waste or fraud in the bureaucracy and conducts investigations at the request of congressional committees






42. In some cases where blicity too much publicity surrounds a trial - courts have granted _______________ to help ensure a fair trial. One example is the trial of Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City Bombing.






43. An economic philosophy that advocates both tax and budget cuts to increase incentives to produce in order to expand the total supply of the nation's goods and services.






44. The elected position of President pro tempore of the Senate is almost always held by






45. A political group organized under section 527 of the IRS code that may accept and spend unlimited amounts of money on election activities so long as they are not spent on broadcast ads run in the last 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a gene






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






47. Committees created by Congress to conduct special investigations. Although normally temporary - some become - in effect - permanent.






48. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is an example of an






49. If 10 days remain in session and the president does not sign an act of Congress - the law is ___________.






50. The ruling in this case provided that the government must prove a threat to national security in order to impose prior restraint.