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. This 1972 Supreme Court case struck down all state laws allowing the death penalty stating that they allowed for too much discretion on the part of the judge and jury resulting in lack of consistent administration of the penalty.






2. Federal categorical grants in which the granting agency has much discretion over how the recipient spends the money.






3. 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.






4. The Articles of Confederation established a ________________ legislature.






5. A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals and present them to a candidate or political party as a 'bundle -' thus increasing the PAC's influence.






6. Define US Citizenship as any person born or naturalized in the United States.






7. A government that undertakes responsibility for the welfare of its citizens through programs in public health and public housing and pensions and unemployment compensation etc.






8. The strongest factor contributing to an individual's political socialization tends to be






9. Elects the President if no candidate receives 270 Electoral College votes.






10. 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.






11. Loose - competitive relationships among policy experts - interest groups - congressional committees - and federal agencies. Many observers argue that these have replaced iron triangles.






12. _____ out of 9 justices must agree to hear an appellate case brought to them from a lower court.






13. 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?






14. Responsibilities include: Coordinating the nation's intelligence activities and Evaluating and disseminating intelligence that affects national security






15. Courts of original jurisdiction in federal crimes - civil suits under federal law - civil suits between citizens of different states where the amount in question exceeds $50 -000 - bankruptcy proceedings - cases involving some federal administrative






16. During Presidential election years or when the nation is divided on policy agenda - particularly regarding salient issues - voter turnout is _____________






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






18. The way things should be by law






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






20. The median income of women is ___________ percent of men.






21. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill.






22. State legislation designed to outlaw the union shop - passed by 21 states acting under Section 14B of the federal Taft-Hartley Act.






23. Government employees who publicly expose evidence of official waste or corruption that they have learned about in the course of their duties.






24. Legislature bills that affect all citizens.






25. The process by which individuals screen out messages that do not conform to their own biases






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






27. The ruling in this case provided that the government must prove a threat to national security in order to impose prior restraint.






28. A policy that takes something away from one person and gives it to someone else -






29. 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.






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






31. While the verbiage of the 4th Amendment is vague as to what constitutes 'reasonable'. Police departments must rely on _____________; they cannot act on unfounded suspicion.






32. 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






33. An economy in which most economic decisions result from the interaction of buyers and sellers in markets - but in which the government plays a significant role in the allocation of resources.






34. Formal approval or consent given to a constitution - constitutional amendment - or treaty before it goes into effect.






35. ________________ of the Constitution dictates how the Constitution shall be amended.






36. Members of this party typically include women who support liberal policies on abortion and equal pay - Jews - Catholics - Blacks and other minorities - Blue-collar working class - urban - labor unions - and intelligensia






37. Concurrent resolution - adopted by both Houses of Congress - that sets forth a Congressional budget plan for the budget year and at least four out-years.






38. Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.






39. The process through which an individual acquires a set of political attitudes and forms opinions about political and social issues.






40. Court cases that concern crimes committed against the public order.






41. In the last 30 years - voter turnout among American 18- to 24-year-olds has been






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






43. A Latin phrase meaning 'stand by past decisions -' a principle that judges often use in deciding cases. Ruling based on precedents.






44. According to V. O. Key - Jr. - the Populist Party of the 1890s is an example of a ____________________.






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






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






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






48. 1925 Supreme Court case overturned Baron v. Baltimore and applied the Bill of Rights to states.






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






50. In this essay - James Madison recognized that reconciling the competing interests of various groups was what legislation was all about