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






2. Government regulation of the economy through its control over the supply of money and the cost and availability of credit. Controlled by the Federal Reserve Board.






3. 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






4. 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.






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






6. Concept of the British statesman Edmund Burke that legislators should act according to their own consciences.






7. Theory of democracy in which competition among common interest groups promote ideas to influence politics






8. ______________________is responsible for the management of the federal debt and the printing of currency. It is the major fiscal policy agency.






9. 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.






10. Article I of the Constitution establishes the ___________________ branch.






11. Representatives serve ____ year terms






12. Which office serves as a watchdog into waste or fraud in the bureaucracy and conducts investigations at the request of congressional committees






13. The uprising of farmers angered by crushing debt and taxes that revealed the failure of the Articles of Confederation.

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


14. A legislative leader of each party who is responsible for rounding up party members for important votes.






15. An immigrant who wished to become a citizen may be naturalized after living in the US for ___ years.






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






17. This group of voters historically supported Republicans - a party founded on an anti-slavery platform. During the 1930's they began supporting the New Deal policies of the Democratic party.






18. This term refers to the gain in the polls that a candidate often enjoys after a national convention






19. The Supreme Court is the only judicial body that may hear disputes between _________________.






20. Programs of government - universities - and businesses designed to favor minorities and remedy past discrimination.






21. Serious crimes - such as murder - arson - or rape.






22. Age requirement for President






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






24. Most modern political scientists believe there is ________________ between politics and government.






25. Bills passed by Congress to pay for the spending it has authorized.






26. Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 as an attempt to form a union of the colonies. Later used to help form the Articles of Confederation.






27. Until the law was changed in 2002 - the term described unregulated campaign funds not subject to the limits of federal law because they went to party committees and not directly to candidates. The 2002 law banned contributions of soft money to nation






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






29. Guarantees the right to bare arms.






30. A group of people - chosen by poll-takers - that is representative of the universe that is being polled.






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






32. A provision of the Federal Communications Act that requires broadcasters to provide the same amount of exposure to all legally qualified political candidates.






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






34. Communication with legislators or other government officials to try to influence their decisions.






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






36. The estimated number of illegal aliens living in the US.






37. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






38. In addition to the doctrine of implied powers - Chief Justice Marshall - in his decision in the Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) - established the key concept of:






39. This 1967 Supreme Court case prohibited illegal eavesdropping and extending the zone of privacy to include the home - office - person - and immediate public arena.






40. The pursuit and exercise of power






41. Laws must be administered in a fair manner.






42. 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?






43. Belief in the value of strong government to provide economic secruity and protection for civil rights - combined with a belief in personal freedom from government intervention in social conduct






44. 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.






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






46. Contacts - coalitions - and interactions across national boundaries






47. A coherent set of beliefs about politics - public policy - and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political event - personalities - and policies.






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






49. After hearings are complete - a congressional subcommittee will usually determine a bill's future in final deliberations known as






50. 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.