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 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.






2. 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.






3. Freedoms that protect the individual from the government.






4. Political strategists believe that presidential elections will normally be won or lost in _______________states.






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






6. 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.






7. An offical who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of the legislator






8. PACs may donate a ______________ amount of indirect or in-kind donations to a campaign. (Ex. placing ads to support their candidate)






9. Head of the Supreme Court.






10. 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.






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






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






13. An official document - published every weekday - which lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies.






14. This article of the Constitution establishes the Executive Branch.






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






16. Congress defined the steps for the creation and admission of new states. It forbade slavery while the region remained a territory although citizens could legalize it. First congress would appoint a territorial governor and judges. Second as soon as 5






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






18. Laws passed by state legislatures that are designed to protect reporters from being forced to reveal their news sources.






19. A political group organized under section 527 of the IRS code that may accept and spend unlimited amounts of money on election activities so long as they are not spent on broadcast ads run in the last 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a gene






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






21. First African American appointed to the Supreme Court






22. Which committee assignments would confer the most power and influence on members of the Senate?






23. A system - until modified and reformed in the 1970s - that automatically resulted in the selection as committee chair of those members of the majority party in Congress who had the longest continuous service on a committee.






24. _____________ is responsible for monetary policy.






25. An issue on which voters distinguish rival parties by the degree to which they associate each party or candidate with conditions - goals - or symbols the electorate universally approves or disapproves of. Examples of such issues are economic prosperi






26. The 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act - the 1965 Highway Beautification Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act are all examples of ____________________.






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






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






29. Assistants to the Majority and Minority Leaders of both the House and Senate.






30. 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.






31. The expansion of cable and satellite tv has _________________ the president's power to influence public opinion.






32. Unwritten law based on custom and tradition.






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






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






35. The 19th Century __________ party platform was opposed to the spread of slavery - promoted preservation of the union - supported the abolition of slavery - and promoted post civil was reconstruction.






36. Which historical figure described democracy as 'the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time?'






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






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






39. In an election with more than 2 options - the number of votes for the candidate or party receiving the greatest number - but less that half of the votes.






40. ____________________ define Congressional voting districts acting within constraints set down by Congress and the Supreme Court.






41. (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






42. The spread of nuclear weapons to new nations






43. Proponents of limited government - unregulated free markets - national self-reliance - and conventional social values are best describes as






44. The gap between the government's income and outlays.






45. The strongest factor contributing to an individual's political socialization tends to be






46. Practice by which voters of one party crossing over and voting in the primary of another party - effectively allowing a party to help choose its opposition's candidate.






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






48. The only instance in which the government can prohibit religious activities






49. 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.






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