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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 state officer typically responsible for overseeing federal elections at the state level is the






2. The agency that provides Congress with evaluations of public policies is the






3. 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.






4. The issue of slavery split the Democratic Party into what two factions?






5. This branch of government checks Bureaucracy through its control over budget and appointments of leadership.






6. The class of independent voters who do not vote according to party affiliation - but who typically have a broader range of concerns than single-issue voters - are known colloquially as






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






8. 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






9. Each Senate committee may have ________ subcommittees.






10. 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.






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






12. Voters tendency to identify with a party that shares their views on important issues ignoring the party's stance on issues they deem less important. to be life-long unless there is a major change in the party's platform. 2. Influenced by ra






13. The right to renounce one's citizenship.






14. According to one survey - what percentage of Americans belongs to groups that sometimes take a stand on public issues






15. Laws on Schools - Marriage - and owning property;Licensee Lawyers - Doctors - and Teachers.






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






17. Ruling by the Supreme Court in 1954 that racial segregation in public schools violates the Fourteenth Amendment's requirement of equal protection of the laws for all persons.






18. 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






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






20. The 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act banned contributions of soft money to______________.






21. Cabinet department that includes the FAA and the National Hwy Traffic Safety Administration. Established in 1966.






22. A technique polling organizations use in which several people from the same neighborhood are interviewed.






23. 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






24. An economic system in which the factors of production are owned by the publicand operate for the welfare of all.






25. 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.






26. In 1992 - the television networks agreed not to release these until a majority of polling places had closed in each state






27. The pursuit and exercise of power






28. The 15th Amendment - also know as _________________ - was intended to help recently freed blacks from unconstitutional state laws designed to circumvent federal laws.






29. This rule established by US v. Leon (1984) angered civil liberties groups by allowing exception to the Exclusionary Rule in instances where probably cause may not fully exist.






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






31. Procedure typically requiring 3/5 vote of the entire Senate to end a filibuster.






32. Presidential management model in which the Chief of Staff plays a prominent role as the head of a military style chain of command. Used successfully by Reagan and Eisenhower.






33. Federal grants in which the recipient has a lot of discretion over how the money is spent. These grants are issued in support of general government functions such as education and law enforcement.






34. A method available in most states that allows voters - in effect - to 'veto' a bill passed by the legislature or to accept or reject a proposal - such as a bond issue - made by a government agency.






35. Popular until the early 20th century when they lost favor to primaries due to corruption - now used in only 12 states.






36. Also known as the Massachusetts ballot - groups candidates according to the office for which they are running






37. The right of the Supreme Court - under the Constitution - to hear certain kinds of cases directly - such as cases involving foreign diplomats - or cases in which one of the 50 states is a party.






38. 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?






39. This contraversial legal technicality intended to protect civil liberties has allowed criminals to remain free when the courts refuse to admit evidence that may have been obtained illegally.






40. Cabinet department responsible for insuring mortgages and providing housing subsidies. Established in 1965






41. A group of high-level administrators and managers at the top of the government bureaucracy. SES members have less job tenure but are eligible for substantial cash bonuses for merit.






42. A law passed in 1966 that requires federal executive branch and regulatory agencies to make information available to journalists - scholars - and the public unless it falls into one of several confidential categories.






43. The ___________ aspects of Federalism include: diversity/diffusion of power - more access points for political participation - fostering of experimentation and innovation - and allowing local governments to manage local problems effectively






44. A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his own party affiliation. When voters do not register with a party before the primary - it is called a pick-a-party primary because the voter can select which party's primary he or she w






45. Which of the following factors is likely to be the weakest indicator of an individual's political beliefs and opinions? Age - Race - Intelligence - or Religion






46. This controversial clause of the 9th Amendment has allowed government to expand rights to suit its needs.






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






48. Broadly worded warrants used by British soldiers during colonial America to search for contraband and prevent smuggling.






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






50. Senators have a __________ rate of re-election than Representatives primarily because of their larger constituency and lack of direct involvement with them.







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