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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. Dayton Board of Education v. Brinkman (1979) upheld that bussing programs were an acceptable way to enforce ______________________.
School Desegregation
Trial Balloon
The Federal Reserve Board
Implied Powers
2. The 19th Century __________ party platform was opposed to the spread of slavery - promoted preservation of the union - supported the abolition of slavery - and promoted post civil was reconstruction.
Republican
US Trade Representatives
Republicans
Petit Jury
3. This body of government has final authority on the meaning of the Constitution.
National Committee
Political Efficacy
1964 Civil Rights Act
Supreme Court
4. _____________ was the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics and helping immigrants (most notably the Irish) rise up in American politics from the 1790s to the 1960s.
Due Process
Tammany Hall
Legislative
Electoral College
5. Prohibits conviction of a crime that occurred before the act became illegal
Conventions
Jim Crow Laws
W.E.B. DuBoise
Ex Post Facto
6. The 15th Amendment - also know as _________________ - was intended to help recently freed blacks from unconstitutional state laws designed to circumvent federal laws.
Incorporation Doctrine
Open
John Locke
Great Compromise
7. Courts of original jurisdiction in federal crimes - civil suits under federal law - civil suits between citizens of different states where the amount in question exceeds $50 -000 - bankruptcy proceedings - cases involving some federal administrative
Federal District
Writ of Assistance
National Political Parties
Quota Sampling
8. Finding that enough evidence exists to warrant a criminal trial.
Economic Interest Groups
Grand Jury Indictment
Deficit
9
9. California measure designed to deny welfare and other benefits to illegal aliens. Overwhelmingly passed the popular vote - but overturned in federal court because it extending beyond the bounds of state rights to attempt to control immigration.
Bundling
Violation of Law
Proposition 187
de jure
10. An individual who does not join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group's influence.
Free Rider
Recorded Vote
Public Bills
89
11. 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.
Maintaining Elections
Contract Clause
Free Exercise Clause
Democratic-Republicans
12. Form of government in which the people are sovereign but their power is exercised by their elected representatives.
30
Situational
Outputs
Republic
13. Established the Federal Reserve Bank - responsible for conducting the nation's monetary policy - maintaining the stability of the financial system - supervising and regulating banking institutions - and protecting the credit rights of consumers - and
Woodrow Wilson
Right to Counsel
Negative
Marshall Plan
14. Devolutionary system in which the national government returns tax dollars to the state and local governments primarily in the form of block grants.
Roe v. Wade
New Federalism
Laissez-Faire
CORE
15. Repealed by the 21st Amendment - this Amendment prohibited alcohol.
President Pro Tempore
18th Amendment
Original
Regulatory Federalism
16. After a bill has passed both the House and Senate - it goes to _________________ where any differences between the house bill and the senate bill are resolved before sending to the President for signature
Recorded Vote
Conference Committee
Preamble
Poll Tax
17. Federal categorical grants in which the granting agency has less discretion over how the recipient spends the money.
Formula Grant
Freedom of Information Act
15
Department of Treasury
18. Established in 1947 as a combined Department of War and Navy.
Equality
Defense
Grand Jury Indictment
State Government
19. The pursuit and exercise of power.
Judicial
Federalist
Politics
State Auditor
20. Beginning with the election of Abraham Lincoln - the period between 1860 and the Great Depression was dominated by this political party.
Policy
Ways and Means Committee
Social Contract
Republicans
21. Number of years a Representative must reside in the US prior to taking office
Party Regulars
Cluster Sampling
7
Monetary Policy
22. The vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate and so votes for the less objectionable of the two - putting a clothespin over his nose to keep out the unpleasant stench
Residual
Clothespin vote
Suburbia
Change of Venue
23. American politics is dominated by a small ___________ who is responsible for most of the important policy decisions
Federal Courts
Free Exercise Clause
Elite
2/3
24. Minimum number of voters per state in the Electoral College.
3
Membership
12th Amendment
Republicans
25. A White House council created under the National Security Act of 1947 to advise the president and help coordinate American military and foreign policy.
Class Action Suit
Libertarianism
Independent
National Security Council
26. Presidential refusal to allow an agency to spend funds that Congress authorized and appropriated.
8th Amendment
Criminal Cases
Impoundment
Random Sample
27. Prohibits citizens of one state or foreign country from suing another state.
Gerrymandering
11th Amendment
Blanket Primary
Social Security
28. In WV State BOE v Barnette (1943) - the Supreme Court ruled that compelling citizens to salute the flag violates the principles of a free society - upholding which 1st Amendment rights?
Free Exercise of Religion
Judicial
Free Rider
Implied Powers
29. Literally meaning 'right of soil' - confers citizenship by place of birth.
Ratification
Separate but Equal
Jus Soli
Proposition 187
30. Presides over the Senate without voting privileges except in the case of a tie.
The Enlightenment
Negative
Vice President
Energy
31. 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.
Proportional Representation
Resolutions
Permanent Registration
Unlimited
32. In the 1990 case OR State Employment Division v. Smith 1990 - the Supreme court allowed the state to fire employees who use peyote during native American religious ceremonies because it is in violation of drug laws. In this case - which clause of the
Home Rule
Probable Cause
Discharge Petition
Free Exercise Clause
33. In 1872 - Susan B Anthony was arrested in Rochester - New York for
Interest Groups
Voting
Executive Agencies
Katz. v US
34. Requires reporting of financial information by companies with publicly traded securities
Securities and Exchange Commission or Securities Act of 1933
Standing Committees
Riders
Interest Groups
35. What occurs when government adopts a public policy that provides - or distributes - benefits to people or groups.
Max Weber
Plurality
Distribution
Commission Plan
36. The pursuit and exercise of power
Police Powers
Veteran's Affairs
Politics
Rules Committee
37. These voters tend to have a high voter turnout because of their strong since of civic duty due to growing up during an era of political and civil unrest.
30
Regulatory Federalism
National Security Council
Baby Boomers
38. The only amendments to be ratified through the process of 'ratifying conventions -' not a vote in the state legislatures
Albany Plan
Bill of Rights
Writ of Certiorari
31
39. 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.
25th Amendment
presidential line-item veto
Pocket Veto
Senate
40. 1944 case established that as as long as a person accepted their beliefs in good faith that it is not the government's authority to determine whether those beliefs are valid.
Majority Whip
Civil Liberties
US v. Ballard
Reynolds v. Sims
41. A term often used to describe the economic and political ties between the military establishment and the defense-aerospace industry.
Military-Industrial Complex
Ways and Mean Committee
Politics
Focus Groups
42. The absent colony at the 2nd Continental Congress.
Rhode Island
7th Amendment
Privacy Act
Veto
43. These candidates win re-election to the House 80-90% of the time.
Ad Hoc Structure
Cruel and Unusual
Recall
Incumbents
44. 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.
Strategic Deterrence
Bureaucracy
Supports
Confirmed
45. Passed in 1883 - it created a federal civil service so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit rather than patronage.
Appropriations
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Iron Triangle
Ad Hoc Structure
46. The belief that one is effective when participating in politics - for example that the government will respond to one's demands
External Efficacy
Judicial
Great or Connecticut Compromise
John Locke
47. The 5th amendment protect against _____________.
presidential line-item veto
Self-Incrimination
Clear and Present Danger
Royalists
48. The gap between the government's income and outlays.
Prior Restraint
Interest groups
Equal Time
Deficit
49. People may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party. Independents cannot participate. Note that because some political parties name themselves independent - the term 'non-partisan' often replaces 'independent' when
Government Corporations
Constitutional Initiative
Supreme Court
Closed
50. If significant amendments are made to a bill during committee - the bill is sometimes given a new number as a _______________.
Closed rule
External Efficacy
Supremacy Clause
Clean bill