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. First step in the Policy Making Cycle.






2. In the area of foreign affairs - _______________ often have the advantage because






3. An official document - published every weekday - which lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies.






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






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






6. Executive office responsible for negotiating trade with foreign powers.






7. Th joint listing of the presidential and vice presidential candidates on the same ballot as required by the twelfth amendment






8. In the 1990 case OR State Employment Division v. Smith 1990 - the Supreme court allowed the state to fire employees who use peyote during native American religious ceremonies because it is in violation of drug laws. In this case - which clause of the






9. Number of Electoral College votes required to win the Presidency.






10. An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other - so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted






11. Voting based on looking back and making judgments about the way things have gone and the kind of government experienced during a political leader's time in office.






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






13. 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.






14. A strand of American foreign policy that was visible by the end of the 19th century; it included 'gunboat diplomacy' and other forms of military involvement by the United States in various parts of the world.






15. Formed as a third party on the issue of slavery by many former Whigs in the 1850's. Anti-slavery platform. Supported by farmers - laborers - and newly-freed blacks.






16. The federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers (including research and soil conservation and efforts to stabilize the farming economy)






17. Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.






18. 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.






19. 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.






20. Constitutional protection of the accused to not be tried for the same crime twice.






21. A vote in the House of Representatives in which the position of each member is noted and published in the Congressional Record.






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






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






24. Number of years a Senator must reside in the US prior to taking office






25. The gap between the government's income and outlays.






26. This contraversial 2001 law allows anti-terrorism authorities to monitor e-mail and Internet traffic in order to prevent terrorist attacks. The government argues that cyberspace is public domain and that no warrants should be needed to access informa






27. The action - or actions - taken by government to carry out a policy.






28. 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:






29. The 5th amendment protect against _____________.






30. The term 'Reagan Democrats' has become a generic term for






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






32. A series of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton - John Jay - and James Madison under the pseudonym Publius advocating the ratification of the United States Constitution.






33. 6 In the view of Robert L. Lineberry - policy analysts focus on the _______________.






34. The coming to power of a new coalition - replacing an old dominant coalition of the other party






35. These courts only hear appeals on cases from lower courts.






36. _____________ is responsible for monetary policy.






37. Cabinet positions must be ____________ by the Senate






38. Cabinet department responsible for collective bargaining and union activity. Established in 1913






39. _______________ indicates a citizens' faith and trust in government and their own belief that they can understand and influence political affairs






40. The practice under which victorious politicians reward their followers with jobs.






41. The belief that one is effective when participating in politics - for example that the government will respond to one's demands






42. This amendment includes the due process clause - the equal protection clause - and gave rights to former slaves.






43. A place of work in which any person may be hired provided that he or she joins the union within a specified time.






44. 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.






45. Money spent by individuals or gorups not asociated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office






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






47. First civil rights organization to use non-violent tactics to promote racial equality and desegregation






48. The net balance or relationship between total income and total expenditures by the nation in its dealings with the rest of the world - including trade - loans - and investments.






49. How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives - including how to get individuals and groups to participate and cooperate.






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