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. The total amount of money that the United States owes to its creditors.






2. 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.






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






4. Walter DeVries and Lance Tarrance have concluded that in many elections the outcome is determined by ______________.






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






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






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






8. Colonies in which the proprietors (who had obtained their patents from the king) named the governors - subject to the king's approval.






9. The single biggest item in campaign spending at the presidential level is ___________________.






10. 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.






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






12. The ___________ aspects of Federalism include: conflicts between state and national government - economic and racial discrimination - uneven enforcement of law - and dominance of local governments by special interest groups






13. Individual contributions to PACs are limited to ______________ dollars per candidate per election with primaries - general and special elections counting separately.






14. Presidential management model in which corporate CEO tactics are used employing committees - task forces - and special advisors. Successfully utilized by Clinton and G W Bush.






15. A system of voter registration in which voters must register every year or at other stated intervals.






16. A place of work in which only union members may be hired.






17. Theory that a government requires the consent of the governed.






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






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






20. The most important committees - always assembled and delegated with the responsibility of handling all bills under their concern. Includes the Ways and Means - Appropriations - Budget - Rules and Agriculture Committees.






21. A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his own party affiliation. When voters do not register with a party before the primary - it is called a pick-a-party primary because the voter can select which party's primary he or she w






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






23. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






24. This branch of government checks Bureaucracy through its control over lawsuits filed against the agency.






25. Authority based on an individual's outstanding traits - which attract followers






26. _____________ are expected to specialize in a few policy areas rather than claim expertise in the whole range of legislative concerns






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






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






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






30. A powerful alliance of mutual benefit among an agency or unit of the government - an interest group - and a committee or subcommittee of Congress. Also called a triangle or iron triangle.






31. Powers of government that are specifically granted to the three branches of the federal government under the Constitution.






32. 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






33. During the period from 1976 to 1824 - This party was lead by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. They wanted a stronger national government that would rectify the pitfalls of the Articles of Confederation. Their supporters held a stronghold in New






34. This 1972 Supreme Court case struck down all state laws allowing the death penalty stating that they allowed for too much discretion on the part of the judge and jury resulting in lack of consistent administration of the penalty.






35. _____ out of 9 justices must agree to hear an appellate case brought to them from a lower court.






36. A procedure that in certain circumstances permits voters to remove elected state or local officials from office before their terms have expired.






37. The pursuit and exercise of power






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






39. The 1st Amendment states that government cannot issue ______________ - censoring publications before they are published.






40. Committees created by Congress to conduct special investigations. Although normally temporary - some become - in effect - permanent.






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






42. ____________________ define Congressional voting districts acting within constraints set down by Congress and the Supreme Court.






43. This powerful House committee is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor.






44. The case of Gregg v. Georgia set the precedent for a ________________ system in which guilt and sentencing and tried separately.






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






46. Overall spending targets set by the Congress.






47. Cabinet department responsible for managing school lunch programs and food safety. Established in 1862.






48. These two Senate standing committees have existed - largely unchanged - since 1816.






49. Control of a market by a single company.






50. An ideology that advocates limits on government power to address economic and social problems - relying instead on economic markets and individual initiative to address problems like health care and education - while promoting government involvement