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 overall public has a ___________ view of PACS in terms of bought votes and adding to the cost of running for office






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






3. The issue of slavery split the Democratic Party into what two factions?






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






5. First governing document of the Plymouth Colony establishing freedom of religion.






6. A course of action chosen by government officials






7. Serious crimes - such as murder - arson - or rape.






8. Concurrent resolution - adopted by both Houses of Congress - that sets forth a Congressional budget plan for the budget year and at least four out-years.






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






10. The 15th Amendment - also know as _________________ - was intended to help recently freed blacks from unconstitutional state laws designed to circumvent federal laws.






11. Electoral college system and other campaign practices make it exceedingly difficult for even popular ______________ candidates to successfully run for the presidency.






12. In states using primaries - the most common form of primary election is the ___________ primary.






13. ________________ of the Constitution governs the relationships of the states.






14. A White House council created under the National Security Act of 1947 to advise the president and help coordinate American military and foreign policy.






15. The view of the majority of the Supreme Court that First Amendment rights must be weighed against the competing needs of the community to preserve order.






16. The ruling in this case provided that the government must prove a threat to national security in order to impose prior restraint.






17. ___________ vote in both the House and Senate may override a Presidential veto of legislation.






18. Laws - rules - and government programs designed to protect individual rights and specific groups - as well as to benefit society as a whole in such areas as health - worker safety - consumer protection - and the environment.






19. These voters tend to have a high voter turnout because of their strong since of civic duty due to growing up during an era of political and civil unrest.






20. Head of the Supreme Court.






21. 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 -






22. These party members tend to be ideologues who put issues ahead of winning elections and withhold support from candidates who do not share their stance on issues. Very active in special interest groups and caucuses within the party. Willing to break a






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






24. Number of Federal District courts across 50 states - DC and Puerto Rico.






25. Federal aid that states and localities may use mostly as they wish.






26. A court decision in an earlier case with facts and legal issues similar to a dispute currently before a court.






27. A system in which the national government sets requirements that are then implemented by state and local governments.






28. In a 1943 case - the Supreme Court upheld the right to refuse to salute the American flag on the basis of the constitutional guarantee of _________________.






29. The provisions of the Constitution that divide power among three constitutionally equal and independent branches of government






30. Established the Federal Reserve Bank - responsible for conducting the nation's monetary policy - maintaining the stability of the financial system - supervising and regulating banking institutions - and protecting the credit rights of consumers - and






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






32. 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.






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






34. The term most political scientists prefer to describe the bureaucratic process






35. 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.






36. When neither political party is dominant.






37. 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






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






39. The constitutional requirement (in article II - sec 3) that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed - even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws






40. Executive check on Legislative Branch.






41. These courts only hear appeals on cases from lower courts.






42. After hearings are complete - a congressional subcommittee will usually determine a bill's future in final deliberations known as






43. Devolutionary system in which the national government returns tax dollars to the state and local governments primarily in the form of block grants.






44. Federal grants in which the recipient has a lot of discretion over how the money is spent. These grants are issued in support of general government functions such as education and law enforcement.






45. Law enacted by Congress - or by state legislatures or local legislative bodies.






46. The estimated number of illegal aliens living in the US.






47. The concept that political power rests with the people who can create - alter - and abolish government. People express themselves through voting and free participation in government






48. A method of polling - considered less reliable than a random sample - in which interviewers are instructed to question members of a particular group in proportion to their percentage in the population as a whole.






49. Tax legislation must originate in this house.






50. David R. Mayhew has suggested that this influences congressional behavior. The ________________ is the relationship between members of Congress and their constituents.