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. A method available in most states that allows voters - in effect - to 'veto' a bill passed by the legislature or to accept or reject a proposal - such as a bond issue - made by a government agency.






2. Committees that pull members from both the house and the senate who meet to discuss major policy issues such as economy and taxation.






3. 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.






4. 1974 Act mandating that all government files about private citizens be kept confidential.






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






6. The practice that allows senators to delay or even kill floor action on legislation - a nomination - or other matters by asking their party leaders not to schedule them.






7. Defamation by written or printed words - pictures - or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.






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






9. 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






10. Legislative house whose membership was intended to represent the state.






11. In this essay - James Madison recognized that reconciling the competing interests of various groups was what legislation was all about






12. This influential English document refuted divine right of monarchy and made monarchs subject to laws and responsible for crimes






13. A term coined by President Lyndon B. Johnson to describe his own view of the relationship between Washington and the states.






14. Constitutional Article that establishes the Judicial Branch.






15. 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.






16. A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals and present them to a candidate or political party as a 'bundle -' thus increasing the PAC's influence.






17. Prompted by FDR's 4th election to the Presidency - the 22nd Amendment limited the number of Presidential terms to _____ terms.






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






19. (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






20. These parties often emerge as off-shoots of major parties or as single-issue parties. They typically act as critic/innovator bringing attention to issues and influencing the platforms of the major parties.






21. Government employees who publicly expose evidence of official waste or corruption that they have learned about in the course of their duties.






22. A word that comes from two Greek roots - demos - 'the populace -' and kratia - 'rule'






23. 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






24. What principle - contained in the Fourth Amendment - protects a citizen from unwarranted search and seizure?






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






26. The way things actually are.






27. Federal and State Courts function in a _____________manner so that federal courts may receive appeals from state courts.






28. 19th century case establishing that the Bill of Rights applied only to the federal government - upheld until the 20th century. Ruling allowed stated to engage in activities such as establishing state churches and denying public office to people of ce






29. The separation of people by race.






30. 1966 Act allowing citizens to inspect all government records with the exception of classified military or intelligence documents - trade secrets or private personnel files.






31. Responsibilities include: Coordinating the nation's intelligence activities and Evaluating and disseminating intelligence that affects national security






32. The right to renounce one's citizenship.






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






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






35. 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






36. ________________ of the Constitution dictates how the Constitution shall be amended.






37. A broad concept that may be defined in many ways - but the term is generally used to refer to the basic protection and defense of the nation.






38. 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






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






40. Which form of registration prevails in all but a few states?






41. The federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers (including research and soil conservation and efforts to stabilize the farming economy)






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






43. 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.






44. Year of the 2nd Continental Congress.






45. The median income of women is ___________ percent of men.






46. The pursuit and exercise of power.






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






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






49. Most modern political scientists believe there is ________________ between politics and government.






50. The belief that one is effective when participating in politics - for example that the government will respond to one's demands