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. The spread of nuclear weapons to more nations.






2. Amendment that delegated the election of Senators to popular vote.






3. The binding decisions that the government makes whether in the form of laws -regulations - or judicial decisions






4. The uprising of farmers angered by crushing debt and taxes that revealed the failure of the Articles of Confederation.

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5. Form of government in which the people are sovereign but their power is exercised by their elected representatives.






6. 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






7. Minimum number of voters per state in the Electoral College.






8. 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






9. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






10. The Jacksonian Era marked an important change in the process used to nominate Presidential candidates with the emergence of party _________________ - eliminating caucuses.






11. A system - until modified and reformed in the 1970s - that automatically resulted in the selection as committee chair of those members of the majority party in Congress who had the longest continuous service on a committee.






12. The main mechanism used by modern political parties to nominate their candidate for President.






13. This powerful House committee is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor.






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






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






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






17. The Supreme Court is the only judicial body that may hear disputes between _________________.






18. Federal and State Courts function in a _____________manner so that federal courts may receive appeals from state courts.






19. The 1892 platform of the Populist party repudiating laissez-faire and demanding economic and political reform






20. 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.






21. Approximately 33% of American voters identify themselves as _______________ party.






22. Prohibits conviction of a crime that occurred before the act became illegal






23. After hearings are complete - a congressional subcommittee will usually determine a bill's future in final deliberations known as






24. A series of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton - John Jay - and James Madison under the pseudonym Publius advocating the ratification of the United States Constitution.






25. In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the concept of privacy included the right to a legal abortion?






26. Act of exchanging favors for mutual gain






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






28. An issue on which voters distinguish rival parties by the degree to which they associate each party or candidate with conditions - goals - or symbols the electorate universally approves or disapproves of. Examples of such issues are economic prosperi






29. In 1987 - the FCC abandoned the fairness doctrine on the grounds that it unconstitutionally restricted the ______________ rights of broadcasters.






30. A system in which the national government provides grants-in-aid to states using conditions to elicit control.






31. While both Asian and Hispanic immigrants experience various types of discrimination - Hispanic immigrants are more likely to experience economic discrimination. This explains why most Hispanics identify with the ____________ party - while Asians do n






32. This article of the Constitution establishes the Executive Branch.






33. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 required states in the covered jurisdiction to attain _________________ from the Attorney General before making changes to voting standards - practice - or procedure






34. A test established by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes - Jr. - in 1919 to define the point at which speech loses the protection of the First Amendment.






35. First civil rights organization to use non-violent tactics to promote racial equality and desegregation






36. The principle that the government - as provided in the Fifth Amendment - can take property for 'public use' with 'just compensation' to the owners.






37. The number of ______________ a state receives is based on the number Representatives and Senators that the state has in Congress






38. Tips the balance between two leading candidates by attracting a minority of voters who otherwise might have voted for one of the leading candidates.






39. In Argersinger v. Hamlin (1972) - the Supreme Court extended the right to counsel to those accused of misdemeanors if the defendant is _____________.






40. 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.






41. A form of city government under which power is divided between a mayor and an elected city council.






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






43. A relaxation of international tensions.






44. 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.






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






46. At one time - the press generally refrained from publishing personal information that would be damaging. FDR - Eisenhower - and JFK all benefited from this reluctance to engage in _____________________. However - the American publics appetite for sen






47. Government regulation of the economy through its control over taxes and government spending. Controlled by the Department of Treasury.






48. A procedure that in certain circumstances permits voters to remove elected state or local officials from office before their terms have expired.






49. Decides which bills will be considered.






50. A group of independent states or nations that come together for a common purpose and whose central authority is usually limited to defense and foreign relations.