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. These candidates win re-election to the House 80-90% of the time.






2. A philosophy that Supreme Court justices and other judges should boldly apply the Constitution to social and political questions.






3. This House committee is responsible for all taxes - tariffs - and other revenue raising measures in addition to social security - child support - Medicare - foster care - and unemployment.






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






5. This 1964 case established strict standards for proving slander and libel - court must prove intent of malice on the part of the publisher.






6. Powers of government that the national government may exercise simply because it exists as a government - such as the right to conduct foreign relations.






7. Political party lead by Andrew Jackson from 1828 to 1856. Campaigned against strong central government and fought to end elitism.






8. Article II of the Constitution establishes the ______________ branch.






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






10. (1945-1991) The period after the Second World War marked by rivalry and tension between the two nuclear superpowers - the United States and the communist government of the Soviet Union. The Cold War ended when the Soviet government collapsed in 1991.






11. 1917 Reincarnation of the Sedition Act during WWI






12. Gave authority over atomic energy from military to civilians.






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






14. As part of the negotiations concerning the Constitution - the South fought for and won an agreement forbidding the imposition of _______________.






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






16. In this 1972 case - the Supreme Court established four guidelines for determining if a trial was appropriately speedy and fair: cause of delay - length of delay - affect on the outcome - and the defendant's claim to a speedy trial.






17. 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






18. Leader of the House of Representatives - elected by the majority party. 2nd in line of succession for the Presidency.






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






20. A White House council created under the National Security Act of 1947 to advise the president and help coordinate American military and foreign policy.






21. The fundamental flaw in plural theory contends that pluralism weakens the backbone of democracy with too many common interest groups attempt to wield power - often leading to standstill because of unwillingness to compromise.






22. Practice by which voters of one party crossing over and voting in the primary of another party - effectively allowing a party to help choose its opposition's candidate.






23. 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.






24. 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






25. A tax on voting abolished by the Twenty-fourth Amendment in 1964 - long used by southern states to keep blacks (and - in some cases - poor whites) from participating in elections.






26. An act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a trial. Constitutionally prohibited.






27. The 1896 case of Plessy v. Fergusan established the racial segregation policy of __________________.






28. The 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine that prompted King George III's Prohibitory Act and the sending of mercenaries to the colonies.






29. Most likely to board a foreign ship suspected of drug trafficking at a U.S. port






30. The Supreme Court has sometimes used a narrow interpretation of the Establishment Clause allowing the government to provide aid to religious groups as long as it remains ______________ and does not promote one religion at the expense of another. This






31. A system of voter registration in which voters must register only once in their district.






32. The vagueness of this phrase has allowed juries to exclude specific genders or races in order to affect the outcome of the verdict.






33. A compulsory national insurance program - financed by taxes on employers and employees. The insurance falls into four categories: old-age and survivors insurance - disability insurance - Medicare - and unemployment insurance.






34. Lobbyists for special interest groups have found ____________________ to be the most direct and effective method to secure their objectives in Congress.






35. The Democrats control over politics during the 20th century ended with this President's unpopular handling of the Vietnam War.






36. A term coined by President Lyndon B. Johnson to describe his own view of the relationship between Washington and the states.






37. In the mid-term elections following a President's inauguration - his party tends to ___________ seats in Congress.






38. First governing document of the Plymouth Colony establishing freedom of religion.






39. The permanent committees of a legislature that consider bills and conduct hearings and investigations.






40. 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.






41. Eisenhower's philosophy of being liberal in all things human and being conservative with all things fiscal. Appealed to both Republicans and Democrats.






42. The policy established after the Second World War that America must take an active leadership role in world affairs






43. An economic system of free enterprise with private ownership of the means of production.






44. Number of original cabinet positions under George Washington.






45. Committees of Congress composed of both representatives and senators.






46. The head of a national political party






47. A declaration by the President in 1823 that warned European powers to keep out of the Western Hemisphere and pledged that the United States would not intervene in the internal affairs of Europe.






48. In charge of all state funds. Supervises the collection of taxes and payment of state's bill






49. 1946 Act requiring bureaucratic agencies to appeal to the affected parties before adopting new policies. Legislative check on Bureaucracy.






50. The 1803 case in which the Supreme Court - by declaring a portion of an act of Congress unconstitutional - first firmly set forth and established the power of judicial review.