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. New Jersey v. TLO (1985) established that school authorities may search students without _____________ as long as they are reasonable.






2. Provisions tacked on to a piece of legislation that are not relevant to the bill.






3. Direct oral or written speech directed at a specific individual or group






4. The spread of nuclear weapons to more nations.






5. A law passed in 1966 that requires federal executive branch and regulatory agencies to make information available to journalists - scholars - and the public unless it falls into one of several confidential categories.






6. An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on a sharply limited government - promoting a free market economy - a non-interventionist foreign policy - and an absence of regulation in the moral and social spheres.






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






8. The 24th amendment banned _____________ - making it harder for states to discriminate against poor and minority voters.






9. The responsibility of the President to appoint federal judges when vacancies occur on the bench is referred to as






10. 1925 Supreme Court case overturned Baron v. Baltimore and applied the Bill of Rights to states.






11. A Latin phrase meaning 'stand by past decisions -' a principle that judges often use in deciding cases. Ruling based on precedents.






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






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






14. Organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organizations interests






15. The pursuit and exercise of power.






16. High School Dropouts - Blacks - Hispanics - Recent immigrants - and People under 25 or over 75 tend to have a _________ voter turnout.






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






18. This House committee is responsible for all taxes - tariffs - and other revenue raising measures in addition to social security - child support - Medicare - foster care - and unemployment.






19. Prohibits citizens of one state or foreign country from suing another state.






20. 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






21. Court cases that involve relations between individuals and organizations - such as a divorce action - or a suit for damages arising from an automobile accident or for violation of a business contract.






22. Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.






23. Age Requirement for the Senate






24. Government branch established in Article I of the Constitution.






25. An annual meeting held in the spring in many New England towns - at which the townspeople come together to elect a board of selectmen and to discuss local policy questions. It has become a symbol of participatory democracy.






26. Lead by Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. Dedicated to defending federal authority and high tariffs. Gained supports of merchants - bankers - industrialists and planters.






27. Number of justices of the Supreme Court.






28. Today the Senate operates with ____ standing and select committees. These select committees - however - are permanent in nature and are treated as standing committees under Senate rules.






29. Also known as the Massachusetts ballot - groups candidates according to the office for which they are running






30. 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.






31. 1940 Act Prohibiting any person from advocating overthrowing the government through violence or force.






32. The Supreme Court has sometimes used a narrow interpretation of the Establishment Clause allowing the government to provide aid to religious groups as long as it remains ______________ and does not promote one religion at the expense of another. This






33. Plan that proposed bicameral legislature where states were to have representation based on size in both houses.






34. The 1892 platform of the Populist party repudiating laissez-faire and demanding economic and political reform






35. The fundamental rights of a free society that are protected by the Bill of Rights against the power of the government - such as freedom of speech - religion - press - and assembly.






36. The reason that electors are chosen in each state by popular vote is ____________.






37. The vagueness of this phrase has allowed juries to exclude specific genders or races in order to affect the outcome of the verdict.






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






39. Compromise between the large states and small states that established the bicameral Legislature consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives. Also included 3/5 compromise on the status of slaves in representation.






40. While both Asian and Hispanic immigrants experience various types of discrimination - Hispanic immigrants are more likely to experience economic discrimination. This explains why most Hispanics identify with the ____________ party - while Asians do n






41. Guarantees that an accused in innocent until proven guilty.






42. A group of high-level administrators and managers at the top of the government bureaucracy. SES members have less job tenure but are eligible for substantial cash bonuses for merit.






43. A federal law passed by Congress in 1939 to restrict political activities by federal workers. The law prevents federal employees while on duty from taking an active part in party politics or campaigns and also bars federal employees from running for






44. Prohibits conviction of a crime that occurred before the act became illegal






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






46. The way things actually are.






47. In charge of state's legal business. provide advice to other state official and represents the state in court if the state is involved in a lawsuit






48. Practice by which voters of one party crossing over and voting in the primary of another party - effectively allowing a party to help choose its opposition's candidate.






49. Lead by Theodore Roosevelt - this party platform focused on women's suffrage - social reform - fair business practices - and direct election of senators. The won 25% of the popular vote in 1911 - splitting the Republican vote and allowing Democrat Wo






50. In his historic decision in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) - Chief Justice Marshall established the principle of _____________.






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



Let me suggest you:

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests



Major Subjects

Tests & Exams


AP
CLEP
DSST
GRE
SAT
GMAT

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests