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. Cabinet department oversees nuclear reactors.Established in 1973 in response to the Energy Crisis.






2. _____________ was the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics and helping immigrants (most notably the Irish) rise up in American politics from the 1790s to the 1960s.






3. In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the 1964 Civil Rights Act does not prohibit private affirmative action programs?






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






5. The expression of attitudes about government and politics.






6. Representatives serve ____ year terms






7. Provisions tacked on to a piece of legislation that are not relevant to the bill.






8. Programs are designed to give preferential access to education - employment - health care - or social welfare to groups of people - especially minorities and women - who have historically been discriminated against.






9. Laws passed by state legislatures that are designed to protect reporters from being forced to reveal their news sources.






10. Literally meaning 'right of soil' - confers citizenship by place of birth.






11. A legal principle of fair dealing - which may provide preventive measures and legal remedies that are unavailable under existing common law and statutory law.






12. Under this governing document - national government lacked authority to set up tariffs - regulate commerce - levy taxes - control international relations - establish common currency






13. The pursuit and exercise of power






14. Wisconsin Republican who exploited public concern for political gain during the 1950's through freewheeling investigations of alleged Communists.






15. Units of government under the president - within the executive branch - that are not part of a cabinet department.






16. A power of the president to kill a bill by taking no action (if Congress adjourns during the 10-day period after the president receives the bill). Some court rulings have suggested that a president may exercise a pocket veto only when Congress adjour






17. A broadly based coalition that attempts to gain control of the government by winning elections in order to exercise power and reward its members.






18. Executive Check on the Legislative Branch.






19. Legislative branch incorporating two houses.






20. The 19th Century __________ party platform was opposed to the spread of slavery - promoted preservation of the union - supported the abolition of slavery - and promoted post civil was reconstruction.






21. Constitutionally empowered to appoint judges - ambassadors - and other high officials - Constitutionally empowered to make treaties with foreign countries.






22. Petition that - if signed by a majority of the members of the House of Representatives - will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration






23. These two Senate standing committees have existed - largely unchanged - since 1816.






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






25. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






26. 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.






27. Special courts assigned to deal with specific legislative issues such as taxes - military appeals - and international trade.






28. Responsible for determining which bills will be considered on the House floor - and when they will be considered.






29. An individual who does not join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group's influence.






30. A political group organized under section 527 of the IRS code that may accept and spend unlimited amounts of money on election activities so long as they are not spent on broadcast ads run in the last 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a gene






31. 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.






32. After analyzing 1 -795 platform pledges over a 10-year period - Gerald M. Pomper concluded that almost ____________ of these promises were fulfilled






33. In 1998 - the Supreme Court struck down the________________ law - declaring it unconstitutional - because Congress did not have the constitutional authority to hand that power to the President.






34. An annual meeting held in the spring in many New England towns - at which the townspeople come together to elect a board of selectmen and to discuss local policy questions. It has become a symbol of participatory democracy.






35. A philosophy that the Supreme Court should avoid constitutional questions when possible and uphold acts of Congress unless they clearly violate a specific section of the Constitution.






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






37. When the population's overall feeling of political efficacy is low - voter turnout is _______.






38. This called for three-fifths of all slaves in a state were counted for purposes of apportioning representation in the House of Representatives.






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






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






41. An extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an absolute duty and not a matter for the official's discretion






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






43. 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.






44. Members of this party typically include Conservative Christian groups - higher socio-economic classes - middle-class white collar - and suburban voters.






45. Established by President Hoover - It is the _______________ job to keep the press informed and orchestrate press conferences






46. A system of voter registration in which voters must register every year or at other stated intervals.






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






48. Assigns bills to the appropriate House committee.






49. Held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November.






50. The 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act - the 1965 Highway Beautification Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act are all examples of ____________________.