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. Powers of government exercised independently by both the federal and state governments - such as the power to tax.






2. Overturning unjust laws is the responsibility of _________________.






3. The possible tendency of some voters or convention delegates to support the candidate who is leading in the polls and seems likely to win.






4. Formed as a third party on the issue of slavery by many former Whigs in the 1850's. Anti-slavery platform. Supported by farmers - laborers - and newly-freed blacks.






5. Beginning with the election of Abraham Lincoln - the period between 1860 and the Great Depression was dominated by this political party.






6. 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






7. An offical who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of the legislator






8. Colonies in which freely elected legislatures chose the governor and the king could not veto laws.






9. Lead by Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. Dedicated to defending federal authority and high tariffs. Gained supports of merchants - bankers - industrialists and planters.






10. In Congress - _____________ are informal organizations of individual congressional representatives with like interests or constituencies. Members work together to promote the interests of the groups they represent through legislation - policy - and p






11. The only amendments to be ratified through the process of 'ratifying conventions -' not a vote in the state legislatures






12. The executive office established in response to intelligence lapses during WWI. Oversees American foreign policy and includes the President - Vice President - Secretary of State - Secretary of Defense and is lead by the National Security Advisor.






13. 1917 Reincarnation of the Sedition Act during WWI






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






15. A centralized system of government - such as that of France - where most of the important policy decisions are made by a central government.






16. American politics is dominated by a small ___________ who is responsible for most of the important policy decisions






17. President Hoover's laissez-faire approach to the economy during the Great Depression left many poor voters disenfranchised by the Republican Party. They left to join the _______________ Party.






18. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) - founded in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover to help combat the Great Depression - was the predecessor of which federal agencies?






19. An unwritten custom by which individual senators who belong to the same political party as the president exercise an informal veto power over presidential appointments in their states.






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






21. Cabinet department responsible for the management of public lands - wildlife - natural resources - and Native American affairs. Established in 1849






22. Number of justices of the Supreme Court.






23. A course of action decided upon by a government






24. Prohibits citizens of one state or foreign country from suing another state.






25. Age Requirement for House of Representatives.






26. 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.






27. There is an _____________ relationship between Presidential approval ratings and unemployment.






28. States that arrestees must be informed of their right to remain silent - that anything they say can be held against them in a court - that they have a right to an attorney and that an attorney will be appointed to them if they cannot afford one.






29. Elections that reflect the basic party identification of the voters.






30. Most states have ___________ legislatures.






31. First proposed in 1789 - this amendment passed in 1992 prohibits Congress from raising their own pay. Pay raises may not take affect until the beginning of the next term.






32. Today the South is is a two-party battleground - in which the ______________ often have the upper hand






33. Puerto Rico has ____________ status.






34. Disapproval of a bill by a chief executive - such as the president or a governor.






35. First Roman Catholic elected President.






36. High School Dropouts - Blacks - Hispanics - Recent immigrants - and People under 25 or over 75 tend to have a _________ voter turnout.






37. Cabinet department responsible for managing school lunch programs and food safety. Established in 1862.






38. Redefined Presidential succession and disability.






39. The 23rd Amendment guaranteed voting rights to whom?






40. Political strategists believe that presidential elections will normally be won or lost in _______________states.






41. In California v. Avecedo (1991) - The Supreme Court established that authorities may search ____________________ without a warrant providing reasonable suspicion.






42. Powerful standing committee that puts bills on the legislative calendar and establishes the processes by which the bill will be discussed on the floor.






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






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






45. Smith v. Allwight (1994) was the first vase in which the Supreme Court upheld the voting rights of _____________ in state primary elections.






46. Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.






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






48. In presidential campaigns - federal matching funds are provided to candidates who ______________.






49. In the view of W. Lance Bennett - the people who hold and express opinions are constantly changing - as are the issues and conditions to which the public responds. As a result - Bennett suggests that public opinion is______________.






50. In this case - a gay man from Georgia charged with committing sodomy in his own home with a consenting adult. The court ruled that the Constitution does not explicitly grant the right for homosexuals to practice their lifestyle and that laws against