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. This rule established by US v. Leon (1984) angered civil liberties groups by allowing exception to the Exclusionary Rule in instances where probably cause may not fully exist.






2. Article I - Section 8 - of the Constitution - which allows Congress to make all laws that are 'necessary and proper' to carry out the powers of the Constitution.






3. Communication with legislators or other government officials to try to influence their decisions.






4. This author of Leviathon posited that government is necessary because people are generally in a state of conflict.






5. Voter turnout is usually ____________ when there is a binding referendum on the ballot.






6. As part of the negotiations concerning the Constitution - the South fought for and won an agreement forbidding the imposition of _______________.






7. A series of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton - John Jay - and James Madison under the pseudonym Publius advocating the ratification of the United States Constitution.






8. 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.






9. 1944 case established that as as long as a person accepted their beliefs in good faith that it is not the government's authority to determine whether those beliefs are valid.






10. A 1972 treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union limiting the number of defensive missiles each country could build. In 2001 President George W. Bush withdrew the United States from the treaty.






11. The pursuit and exercise of power.






12. People may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party. Independents cannot participate. Note that because some political parties name themselves independent - the term 'non-partisan' often replaces 'independent' when






13. A system in which the power to govern is shared between national and state governments






14. According to this nineteenth-century British peer and historian - 'power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'






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






16. The 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine that prompted King George III's Prohibitory Act and the sending of mercenaries to the colonies.






17. In Schenck v. US (1919) - The Supreme Court ruled that government may prohibit speech that creates an immediate threat of criminal action. Essentially established different standards for speech during wartime than in peacetime. Thus - establishing th






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






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






20. Government regulation of the economy through its control over taxes and government spending. Controlled by the Department of Treasury.






21. Elections that reflect the basic party identification of the voters.






22. Infamous 1735 English case established the precedent for Freedom of the Press in the US.






23. California measure designed to deny welfare and other benefits to illegal aliens. Overwhelmingly passed the popular vote - but overturned in federal court because it extending beyond the bounds of state rights to attempt to control immigration.






24. 14th Amendment is often used to support the right to ____________.






25. 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






26. 6 In the view of Robert L. Lineberry - policy analysts focus on the _______________.






27. An election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election. In other words - one means by which a political party nominate candidates for the following general election.s






28. Head of the Supreme Court.






29. A term popularized by sociologist Floyd Hunter to describe the community leaders who he said determined policy in Atlanta - Georgia. More broadly - the term is used to describe 'power elites' generally.






30. 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.






31. Includes expressive conduct/assembly/actions and symbolic behavior (ex. Picketing or burning the flag) Based on our country history of symbolic acts such as the Boston Tea Party - courts almost always uphold symbolic acts of speech unless they are cr






32. Cabinet department that includes the Coast Guard - Border Patrol - FEMA - Transportation Security Administration - INS and the Secret Service. Established in 2001 in response to 9/11.






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






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






35. The possible tendency of some voters or convention delegates to support the candidate who is leading in the polls and seems likely to win.






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






37. Minimum number of voters per state in the Electoral College.






38. Type of interest group represented in Washington by another individual or organization. (Ex. Ford Motor Company pays a lobbyist in Washington to represent them.)






39. The yearly value of goods and services produced within a country.






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






41. Special courts assigned to deal with specific legislative issues such as taxes - military appeals - and international trade.






42. Constitutionally required address by the President typically given in a joint session of Congress.






43. The separation of people by race.






44. The appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents - such as those in marginal seats or campaign contributors.






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






46. 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.






47. In this 1972 case - the Supreme Court established four guidelines for determining if a trial was appropriately speedy and fair: cause of delay - length of delay - affect on the outcome - and the defendant's claim to a speedy trial.






48. While these voters have traditionally supported the Democrats - some have begun to support Republicans in light of the Democrats liberal policies on abortion.






49. Theory of democracy in which competition among common interest groups promote ideas to influence politics






50. Article II of the Constitution establishes the ______________ branch.