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 his classic study of community power in New Haven - Connecticut - political scientist Robert A. Dahl concluded that the city was a __________ system dominated by many different sets of leaders






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






3. The President's role in the armed forces which during the 20th century has allowed Presidents to circumvent Congress' refusal to declare war.






4. Also known as the Indiana ballot - lists the candidates of each party in a row or column - beside or under the party emblem. In most cases - the voter can make one mark at the top of the column - or pull one lever - and thus vote for all the party's






5. In California v. Avecedo (1991) - The Supreme Court established that authorities may search ____________________ without a warrant providing reasonable suspicion.






6. A public policy that takes something away from one person or group and gives it to another person or group.






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






8. The principle - established by Chief Justice John Marshall in 1819 in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland - that the Constitution must be interpreted flexibly to meet changing conditions.






9. A political candidate who is thought to have only an outside chance of gaining the nomination.






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






11. A public assistance program established in 1965 to help pay hospital - doctor - and medical bills for people with low incomes.






12. Contacts - coalitions - and interactions across national boundaries






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






14. Included are Agriculture - Nutrition - and Forestry; Appropriations; Armed Services; Banking - Housing and Urban Affairs; Commerce - Science and Transportation; Energy and Natural Resources; Environment and Public Works; Finance; Health - Education -






15. A small group of voters chosen by a political campaign for their demographic similarities who are brought together to gauge how the group they represent feels about the candidate.






16. Total number of Representatives apportioned to the states based on population and reapportioned with the census every 10 years






17. Representing - characterized by - or including members from two parties or factions






18. This house committee is responsible for Supervising the authority of the federal government to borrow money - Raising the revenue required to finance the federal government by levying taxes - Overseeing Social Security and other social insurance prog






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






20. Political party lead by Andrew Jackson from 1828 to 1856. Campaigned against strong central government and fought to end elitism.






21. Agencies that were at one time semi-autonomous but that through legislation have been placed under presidential control since 1945.






22. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






23. Organizations or groups - such as labor unions or fraternal - professional - or religious groups - that may influence an individual's opinion.






24. Procedure typically requiring 3/5 vote of the entire Senate to end a filibuster.






25. At one time - the press generally refrained from publishing personal information that would be damaging. FDR - Eisenhower - and JFK all benefited from this reluctance to engage in _____________________. However - the American publics appetite for sen






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






27. When the President's own party gains power and influence - it more puts pressure on the President to conform to the will of the party - leading to________________ between the President and the party to define their public identities






28. 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






29. A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendment to bills or provides that only memebers of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments






30. A legislature with only one house.






31. This Supreme Court case infamously decided that a slave was not a citizen but property to be 'used in subservience to the interests - the convenience - or the will of his owner'






32. The European political philosophers whose writings influenced the concepts of liberty and government contained in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution belonged to the intellectual and cultural movement known as






33. The Constitution requires that state governments - like the federal government - must be _____________ in form - with final authority resting with the people.






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






35. Petition that - if signed by a majority of the members of the House of Representatives - will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration






36. The power to tax is an example of _______________ powers.






37. The Equal Rights Amendment was defeated in 1982 because ____________________________.






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






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






40. Federal grants in which the recipient has little discretion over how the money is spent. The national government sets narrowly defined rules for use of funds and often requires the states or local governments to provide matching funds. These grants a






41. Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.






42. Political commercials that strongly attack a rival candidate.






43. 1798 Act that criminalized speech that was derisive to the government. Later ruled unconstitutional - Andrew Jackson issued blanket pardon in 1801






44. Article VII of the Constitution outlines the process of ____________________.






45. Broadly worded warrants used by British soldiers during colonial America to search for contraband and prevent smuggling.






46. Powers of the national government that flow from its enumerated powers and the 'elastic clause' of the Constitution.






47. The principle that the government - as provided in the Fifth Amendment - can take property for 'public use' with 'just compensation' to the owners.






48. In Argersinger v. Hamlin (1972) - the Supreme Court extended the right to counsel to those accused of misdemeanors if the defendant is _____________.






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






50. Test whereby the Supreme Court established criteria by which state may provide aid to religious groups.