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. Court cases that concern crimes committed against the public order.






2. 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






3. Washington v. Chrisman (1982) established the _________________ - allowing police officers to seize evidence without a warrant if the evidence is in obvious sight.






4. Concept of government by the people in which everyone is free to vote - but normally whoever gets the most votes wins the election and represents all the people - including those who voted for the losing candidate.






5. 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.






6. 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






7. 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.






8. Independent organizations - but more often the political arms of corporations - labor unions - or interest groups - established to contribute to candidates or to work for general political goals.






9. A powerful alliance of mutual benefit among an agency or unit of the government - an interest group - and a committee or subcommittee of Congress. Also called a triangle or a subgovernment.






10. The expansion of cable and satellite tv has _________________ the president's power to influence public opinion.






11. Which committee assignments would confer the most power and influence on members of the Senate?






12. Senators are re-elected every ___ years with 1/3 of the Senate being up for election every 2 years.






13. Number of original cabinet positions under George Washington.






14. These party members are highly involved in the electoral process. Donate funds to party and candidates - demand a voice in state party agendas and tend to have a strong belief in their party's ideology.






15. Organizations or groups - such as labor unions or fraternal - professional - or religious groups - that may influence an individual's opinion.






16. James Madison proposed to deal with the threat of political factions by ______________________.






17. 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.






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






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






20. The concentration of economic power in the hands of a relatively few large companies.






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






22. In his classic study of community power in New Haven - Connecticut - political scientist Robert A. Dahl concluded that the city was a __________ system dominated by many different sets of leaders






23. Grants that an accused may not be held in custody without charge - literally 'You shall have the body'.






24. A Latin phrase meaning 'stand by past decisions -' a principle that judges often use in deciding cases. Ruling based on precedents.






25. The concept that political power rests with the people who can create - alter - and abolish government. People express themselves through voting and free participation in government






26. Political commercials that strongly attack a rival candidate.






27. A system in which the power to govern is shared between national and state governments






28. In addition to overseeing the activities of one or more federal agencies - a ___________________may also serve as the authorizing committee for federal agencies' programs and operations.






29. The estimated number of illegal aliens living in the US.






30. Colonies controlled by the British king through governors appointed by him and through the king's veto power over colonial laws.






31. Things government decides to do - example: taxation - crime control - national defense - education - etc.






32. Repealed by the 21st Amendment - this Amendment prohibited alcohol.






33. The right to privacy is ___________ in the Constitution.






34. States that states may draw reasonable distinctions between the rights of residents and non-residents (ex. In state and out of state tuition)






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






36. 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






37. A federal law passed by Congress in 1939 to restrict political activities by federal workers. The law prevents federal employees while on duty from taking an active part in party politics or campaigns and also bars federal employees from running for






38. The way things should be by law






39. This clause of the 1st amendment establishes a 'wall of separation' between church and state.






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






41. Which powers of the national government flow from its enumerated powers and from the 'elastic clause' of the Constitution?






42. A broadly based coalition that attempts to gain control of the government by winning elections in order to exercise power and reward its members.






43. The party-column ballot - or Indiana ballot - encourages _______________.






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






45. Federal categorical grants in which the granting agency has less discretion over how the recipient spends the money.






46. The strongest factor contributing to an individual's political socialization tends to be






47. 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






48. Guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial.






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






50. After analyzing 1 -795 platform pledges over a 10-year period - Gerald M. Pomper concluded that almost ____________ of these promises were fulfilled