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. Considered the most sacred right in American history. Colonists felt oppressed by the tyranny of the crown but were unable to speak up about it for fear of repercussion.






2. Tax legislation must originate in this house.






3. The term 'Reagan Democrats' has become a generic term for






4. Constitutional Article that establishes the Judicial Branch.






5. Baby boomers - women - and voters with higher levels of education tend to have a ____________ voter turnout.






6. Age requirement for President






7. The drawing of the lines of congressional districts - or of any other political district - in order to favor one political party or group over another.






8. An official document - published every weekday - which lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies.






9. Number of Federal District courts across 50 states - DC and Puerto Rico.






10. Which branch has the power to stop an executive order?






11. Libel - obscenity - fighting words - and commercial speech - which are not entitled to constitutional protection in all circumstances.






12. The ___________ aspects of Federalism include: conflicts between state and national government - economic and racial discrimination - uneven enforcement of law - and dominance of local governments by special interest groups






13. The kinds of cases that a court has the authority to decide.






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






15. A decision of the Supreme Court cannot be ___________.






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






17. 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.






18. This branch of government checks Bureaucracy through its control over the creation and elimination of agencies as well as its control over budget appropriations.






19. Federal grants in which the recipient has little discretion over how the money is spent. The national government sets narrowly defined rules for use of funds and often requires the states or local governments to provide matching funds. These grants a






20. The president - the vice president - the heads of the major executive departments of the government - and certain other senior officials who may hold 'cabinet rank.'






21. An interest group organization that represents a specific group of people (Ex. NAACP - AARP)






22. First African American appointed to the Supreme Court






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






24. The view of the majority of the Supreme Court that First Amendment rights must be weighed against the competing needs of the community to preserve order.






25. A system in which the national government sets requirements that are then implemented by state and local governments.






26. 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.






27. 1940 Act Prohibiting any person from advocating overthrowing the government through violence or force.






28. The net balance or relationship between total income and total expenditures by the nation in its dealings with the rest of the world - including trade - loans - and investments.






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






30. ________ of voters identify with one political party in advance of the campaign.






31. In addition to a quick and speedy trial - the 6th Amendment also guarantees ________________.






32. A policy of avoiding foreign involvement.






33. 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.






34. 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.






35. According to this nineteenth-century British peer and historian - 'power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'






36. 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.






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






38. Legislative branch incorporating two houses.






39. Multi-interest and often multinational corporations that - under one corporate roof - may manufacture a wide variety of products.






40. 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.






41. In his historic decision in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) - Chief Justice Marshall established the principle of _____________.






42. Bills passed by Congress to pay for the spending it has authorized.






43. Voter turnout is usually ____________ when there is a binding referendum on the ballot.






44. The single biggest item in campaign spending at the presidential level is ___________________.






45. Members of this party typically include women who support liberal policies on abortion and equal pay - Jews - Catholics - Blacks and other minorities - Blue-collar working class - urban - labor unions - and intelligensia






46. Political commercials that strongly attack a rival candidate.






47. The overall public has a ___________ view of PACS in terms of bought votes and adding to the cost of running for office






48. The name commonly given to a private group - regardless of size - organized to elect political candidates. An organization becomes one by receiving contributions or making expenditures in excess of $1 -000 for the purpose of influencing a federal ele






49. A place of work in which only union members may be hired.






50. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments provide for _____________.