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 1803 case in which the Supreme Court - by declaring a portion of an act of Congress unconstitutional - first firmly set forth and established the power of judicial review.






2. This type of government suits a large country with a diverse population






3. This 1st amendment clause prohibits the government from making any law prohibiting the exercise of any religion






4. In order to win support for ratification of the Constitution - the Federalists had to promise that the first order of business under a new government would be to _______________.






5. The 5th amendment protect against _____________.






6. Washington v. Chrisman (1982) established the _________________ - allowing police officers to seize evidence without a warrant if the evidence is in obvious sight.






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






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






9. Elects the President if no candidate receives 270 Electoral College votes.






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






11. The average voter turnout between 1960 and 2004 was __________ percent






12. 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






13. Grants that an accused may not be held in custody without charge - literally 'You shall have the body'.






14. Senators are re-elected every ___ years with 1/3 of the Senate being up for election every 2 years.






15. The practice of victorious politicians to reward their followers with jobs. Also known as the spoils system.






16. A coherent set of beliefs about politics - public policy - and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political event - personalities - and policies.






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






18. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments provide for _____________.






19. Legislature bills that affect all citizens.






20. Elections that may lead to a basic shift in the party identification of the electorate.






21. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) - founded in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover to help combat the Great Depression - was the predecessor of which federal agencies?






22. 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.






23. After the Vietnam war - American politics entered an era of __________________ during which neither party maintained control over the government.






24. 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.






25. A system in which the national government provides grants-in-aid to states using conditions to elicit control.






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






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






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






29. These dissenting Republicans won 17% of the popular vote in 1924 on a platform for public control of national resources and railways - tax reductions - and changes to the staff of the executive department

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30. Information sent out in order to observe the reaction of an audience. Used by politicians who deliberately leak information on a policy change under consideration.






31. In the year 2000 - the Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America had a constitutional right to ban _____________ members.






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






33. The structure and set of regulations in place to control activity - usually in large organizations and government. it is represented by standardized procedure (rule-following) that dictates the execution of most or all processes within the body - for






34. 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.






35. Literally - a 'friend of the court' brief - filed by an individual or organization to present arguements in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case






36. The proceeding before a judge in which the formal charges of an indictment or information are read to an accused person - who may plead guilty or not guilty.






37. A course of action decided upon by a government






38. This customary power allows the President to grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses.






39. A system in which national and state government have shared or overlapping powers. FDR's New Deal legislation established this system in the US.






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






41. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 required states in the covered jurisdiction to attain _________________ from the Attorney General before making changes to voting standards - practice - or procedure






42. Because there is no Senate Rules Committee - Senators can debate a bill for an _________________ time.






43. Beginning with the election of Abraham Lincoln - the period between 1860 and the Great Depression was dominated by this political party.






44. This contraversial 2001 law allows anti-terrorism authorities to monitor e-mail and Internet traffic in order to prevent terrorist attacks. The government argues that cyberspace is public domain and that no warrants should be needed to access informa






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






46. The name commonly given to a private group - regardless of size - organized to elect political candidates. An organization becomes one by receiving contributions or making expenditures in excess of $1 -000 for the purpose of influencing a federal ele






47. 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






48. An economy in which most economic decisions result from the interaction of buyers and sellers in markets - but in which the government plays a significant role in the allocation of resources.






49. Formed as a third party on the issue of slavery by many former Whigs in the 1850's. Anti-slavery platform. Supported by farmers - laborers - and newly-freed blacks.






50. A legislative leader of each party who is responsible for rounding up party members for important votes.