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 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






2. This 1689 English Document made the monarch






3. The only amendments to be ratified through the process of 'ratifying conventions -' not a vote in the state legislatures






4. Total number of Representatives apportioned to the states based on population and reapportioned with the census every 10 years






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






6. Form of government in which the people are sovereign but their power is exercised by their elected representatives.






7. The policy established after the Second World War that America must take an active leadership role in world affairs






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






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






10. 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






11. Formal approval or consent given to a constitution - constitutional amendment - or treaty before it goes into effect.






12. 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.






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






14. Procedure typically requiring 3/5 vote of the entire Senate to end a filibuster.






15. Between 1909 and 2002 - the number of daily newspapers in the United States______________.






16. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments provide for _____________.






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






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






19. An economic system of free enterprise with private ownership of the means of production.






20. A compulsory national insurance program - financed by taxes on employers and employees. The insurance falls into four categories: old-age and survivors insurance - disability insurance - Medicare - and unemployment insurance.






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






22. 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






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






24. The binding decisions that the government makes whether in the form of laws -regulations - or judicial decisions






25. Responsible for further investigation - hearings - and amendment to a bill






26. A form of city government under which a board of city commissioners is popularly elected (often on a nonpartisan ballot). The commissioners make policy as a city council - but they also run city departments as administrators.






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






28. An unwritten custom by which individual senators who belong to the same political party as the president exercise an informal veto power over presidential appointments in their states.






29. This body of government has final authority on the meaning of the Constitution.






30. This amendment includes the due process clause - the equal protection clause - and gave rights to former slaves.






31. An economic philosophy that advocates both tax and budget cuts to increase incentives to produce in order to expand the total supply of the nation's goods and services.






32. 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.






33. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






34. An individual who does not join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group's influence.






35. 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.






36. Petition that - if signed by a majority of the members of the House of Representatives - will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration






37. This house committee is responsible for Supervising the authority of the federal government to borrow money - Raising the revenue required to finance the federal government by levying taxes - Overseeing Social Security and other social insurance prog






38. A small group of voters chosen by a political campaign for their demographic similarities who are brought together to gauge how the group they represent feels about the candidate.






39. Organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organizations interests






40. 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






41. Which office serves as a watchdog into waste or fraud in the bureaucracy and conducts investigations at the request of congressional committees






42. Constitutionally empowered to appoint judges - ambassadors - and other high officials - Constitutionally empowered to make treaties with foreign countries.






43. 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.






44. Federal laws limit the amount of ___________ that can be donated directly to campaign coffers.






45. Voters tendency to identify with a party that shares their views on important issues ignoring the party's stance on issues they deem less important. to be life-long unless there is a major change in the party's platform. 2. Influenced by ra






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






47. Requires the Electoral College to vote for President and Vice President separately.






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






49. This 1964 case established strict standards for proving slander and libel - court must prove intent of malice on the part of the publisher.






50. 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 -