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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. Electoral college system and other campaign practices make it exceedingly difficult for even popular ______________ candidates to successfully run for the presidency.






2. Guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial.






3. 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.






4. Literally - a 'friend of the court' brief - filed by an individual or organization to present arguements in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case






5. After a bill is assigned to a committee - the next step is typically a ______________.






6. Cabinet department that includes the FAA and the National Hwy Traffic Safety Administration. Established in 1966.






7. A technique polling organizations use in which several people from the same neighborhood are interviewed.






8. According to the Speedy Trial Act of 1974 - federal trials must commence within _______ days of arrest with the exception of delay for mental health testing of the defendant and illness of the defendant or key witness.






9. This clause of the 1st amendment establishes a 'wall of separation' between church and state.






10. Senators have a __________ rate of re-election than Representatives primarily because of their larger constituency and lack of direct involvement with them.






11. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was somewhat undermined by racist practices in the real estate market such as _____________ and ______________ - which continued illegally in many areas following passage of the Act.






12. 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.






13. Contacts - coalitions - and interactions across national boundaries






14. The spread of nuclear weapons to new nations






15. Appointed by Eisenhower - this Supreme court justice who played an important role in the court's stance on the advancement of civil rights.






16. In Congress - _____________ are informal organizations of individual congressional representatives with like interests or constituencies. Members work together to promote the interests of the groups they represent through legislation - policy - and p






17. 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






18. Designed to protect the individual against the arbitrary power of the state.






19. Popular until the early 20th century when they lost favor to primaries due to corruption - now used in only 12 states.






20. Requests from people or groups for health care for the aged - loans for college students - equal opportunity for minorities - and higher subsidies for farmers are examples of:






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






22. The Supreme Court's broad interpretation of this clause has denied direct aid from the government for religious groups - but does allow religious groups to make use of government services such as police and fire.






23. The total group from which poll-takers may select a random sample in order to measure public opinion.






24. The Supremacy Clause appears in ________________ of the Constitution.






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






26. Largest interest group in the US.






27. 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.






28. This influential English document signed by King John in 1215 limited the absolute power of the monarchy - established due process - and limited arbitrary seizure of property.






29. Presidential refusal to allow an agency to spend funds that Congress authorized and appropriated.






30. This 1973 ruling gave local communities the authority to determine obscenity - established three part test for obscene material. To qualify as obscene - speech must be considered obscene by the 'average' person - depict or describe material that is a






31. An election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election. In other words - one means by which a political party nominate candidates for the following general election.s






32. Literally meaning 'right of blood' - confers citizenship to a child from the parents.






33. The sum of the goals - decisions - and actions that govern a nation's relations with the rest of the world.






34. In Sweatt v. Painter (1950) - The Supreme Court upheld that ___________________ was inherently not the case as is applied to the University of Texas Law School.






35. Article VI - Paragraph 2 - of the Constitution - which declares that the Constitution - and the laws and treaties of the United States made under it - are 'the supreme Law of the Land' and prevail over any conflicting state constitutions or laws.






36. A system in which the national government provides grants-in-aid to states using conditions to elicit control.






37. Law enacted in 1939 to prohibit civil servants from taking activists roles in partisan campaigns .This act prohibited federal employees from making political contributions - working for a particualr party -or campaining for a particualr canidate






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






39. Powers of government exercised independently by both the federal and state governments - such as the power to tax.






40. In the view of W. Lance Bennett - the people who hold and express opinions are constantly changing - as are the issues and conditions to which the public responds. As a result - Bennett suggests that public opinion is______________.






41. A judicial opinion agreed to by a majority of the members of a court. A majority opinion sets forth the decision of the court and an explanation of the rationale behind the court's decision.






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






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






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






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






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






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






48. Inherent powers of state governments to pass laws to protect health - safety - and welfare; the national government has no directly granted police powers but accomplishes the same goals through other delegated powers.






49. Government agencies that exercise quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative powers and are administratively independent of both the president and Congress (although politically independent of neither).






50. The expression of attitudes about government and politics.







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