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. In the mid-term elections following a President's inauguration - his party tends to ___________ seats in Congress.






2. A centralized system of government - such as that of France - where most of the important policy decisions are made by a central government.






3. Southern whites prevented blacks from ____________ through use of poll taxes - literacy tests and intimidation tactics after the Civil War.






4. 3 person executive panel responsible for helping the President develop an economic plan for the nation.






5. Powers not specifically granted to the federal government or denied to the states belong to the states and the people






6. German sociologist theorized that the engine of government needs bureaucracies to provide expertise in a way that short-term elected or appointed official cannot.






7. Corporations formed by the government to act as a business to produce a product or service. Often monopolies with varying degrees of independence.






8. Limitations on this freedom including prohibition of defamation and obscenity - limitation on commercial speech - and restriction of inciting words that may cause immediate danger.






9. Overturning unjust laws is the responsibility of _________________.






10. Responsible for assigning bills to committee in the Senate.






11. The framers of the Constitution created the Senate to function as a check on the ________________.






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






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






14. (1781-1789) The written framework for the government of the original 13 states before the Constitution was adopted. Under this - the national government was weak and dominated by the states. There was a unicameral legislature - but no national execut






15. 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.






16. This amendment applied the Bill of Rights to states.






17. ________ of voters identify with one political party in advance of the campaign.






18. 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.






19. 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).






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






21. Puerto Rico has ____________ status.






22. Raise Public Awareness - Create Policy Agenda - Prioritize Agenda - Enact Policy - Public Evaluation






23. Elections in which the majority party (according to party identification) is defeated in a temporary reversal.






24. Bills that benefit legislators' home districts - or powerful corporate contributors - with sometimes wasteful or unnecessary public works or other projects.






25. Groups named for the section of the Internal Revenue Service code under which they must report their expenditures. The tax-exempt groups were created to exploit a loophole in the law regulating campaign finance.






26. States that arrestees must be informed of their right to remain silent - that anything they say can be held against them in a court - that they have a right to an attorney and that an attorney will be appointed to them if they cannot afford one.






27. Includes the 13th - 14th - and 15th Amendments. Abolished slavery and guaranteed due process and equal protection to all citizens.






28. 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






29. First proposed in 1789 - this amendment passed in 1992 prohibits Congress from raising their own pay. Pay raises may not take affect until the beginning of the next term.






30. Which branch has the power to stop an executive order?






31. Political theorist proposed the separation of church and state.






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






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






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

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35. James Madison proposed to deal with the threat of political factions by ______________________.






36. The possible tendency of some voters or convention delegates to support the candidate who is leading in the polls and seems likely to win.






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






38. Dissenting Democrats focused on foreign affairs. Aligned with the US Communist Party.

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39. The Supreme Court has ruled that Congress_________________ take away a person's citizenship unless it is freely renounced.






40. Information sent out in order to observe the reaction of an audience. Used by politicians who deliberately leak information on a policy change under consideration.






41. Control of a market by a single company.






42. During the 1800's and early 1900's - some state and local party committees became ________________ dominating party activities. Committee members would promise new recruits money - jobs - and other benefits for joining and voting the straight party t






43. An opinion of one or more judges expressing disagreement with the majority opinion of the court which gives rise to its judgment.






44. Groups whose views serve as guidelines to an individual's opinion. See also primary groups and secondary groups.






45. This contraversial legal technicality intended to protect civil liberties has allowed criminals to remain free when the courts refuse to admit evidence that may have been obtained illegally.






46. Committees appointed for investigative or crisis situations.






47. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments provide for _____________.






48. A form of city government under which a council - usually elected on a nonpartisan ticket - hires a professional city manager - who runs the city government and has power to hire and fire officials.






49. Leader of the House of Representatives - elected by the majority party. 2nd in line of succession for the Presidency.






50. In 1872 - Susan B Anthony was arrested in Rochester - New York for