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






2. Between conventions - the governing body of a major political party. Members of this group are chosen in the states and formally elected by the party






3. The FCC's equal time policy applies to _____________.






4. A controversial law overwhelmingly passed by Congress in October 2001 - after the terrorist attacks of September 11 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It greatly expanded the power of federal law enforcement authorities to move against suspe






5. A nation's set of fundamental beliefs about how government and politics should be conducted.






6. Term limit for House of Representatives.






7. Requires reporting of financial information by companies with publicly traded securities






8. Approximately 33% of American voters identify themselves as _______________ party.






9. Age Requirement for House of Representatives.






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






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






12. The Equal Rights Amendment was defeated in 1982 because ____________________________.






13. Test whereby the Supreme Court established criteria by which state may provide aid to religious groups.






14. Limitations on this freedom including prohibition of defamation and obscenity - limitation on commercial speech - and restriction of inciting words that may cause immediate danger.






15. Which of the following factors is likely to be the weakest indicator of an individual's political beliefs and opinions? Age - Race - Intelligence - or Religion






16. Loose - competitive relationships among policy experts - interest groups - congressional committees - and federal agencies. Many observers argue that these have replaced iron triangles.






17. Literally meaning 'right of soil' - confers citizenship by place of birth.






18. The introductory statement of the U.S. Constitution - setting forth the general principles of American government and beginning with the words - 'We the people of the United States - in order to form a more perfect union. ...'






19. A primary in which any registered voter is able to vote for candidates from more than one party. A voter - for example - may vote for a Democrat for U.S. senator and for a Republican for governor. In 2000 - the Supreme Court struck down the blanket p






20. In the last 30 years - voter turnout among American 18- to 24-year-olds has been






21. The process through which an individual acquires a set of political attitudes and forms opinions about political and social issues.






22. Representatives serve ____ year terms






23. A course of action decided upon by a government






24. 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






25. In his historic decision in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) - Chief Justice Marshall established the principle of _____________.






26. The net balance or relationship between total income and total expenditures by the nation in its dealings with the rest of the world - including trade - loans - and investments.






27. The agency that provides Congress with evaluations of public policies is the






28. The practice that allows senators to delay or even kill floor action on legislation - a nomination - or other matters by asking their party leaders not to schedule them.






29. Committees created by Congress to conduct special investigations. Although normally temporary - some become - in effect - permanent.






30. Federal categorical grants in which the granting agency has less discretion over how the recipient spends the money.






31. Constitutional Article that establishes the Judicial Branch.






32. A government that undertakes responsibility for the welfare of its citizens through programs in public health and public housing and pensions and unemployment compensation etc.






33. Most likely to board a foreign ship suspected of drug trafficking at a U.S. port






34. In 1992 - the television networks agreed not to release these until a majority of polling places had closed in each state






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






36. Which powers of the national government flow from its enumerated powers and from the 'elastic clause' of the Constitution?






37. Law intended to promote free competition in the market place by outlawing monopolies






38. Prohibits the use of cruel or unusual punishment.






39. A broad concept that may be defined in many ways - but the term is generally used to refer to the basic protection and defense of the nation.






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






41. The fundamental flaw in plural theory contends that pluralism weakens the backbone of democracy with too many common interest groups attempt to wield power - often leading to standstill because of unwillingness to compromise.






42. Responsible for determining which bills will be considered on the House floor - and when they will be considered.






43. The sum of the goals - decisions - and actions that govern a nation's relations with the rest of the world.






44. The House appropriations committee has ___ subcommittees.






45. Ruling by the Supreme Court in 1954 that racial segregation in public schools violates the Fourteenth Amendment's requirement of equal protection of the laws for all persons.






46. New Jersey v. TLO (1985) established that school authorities may search students without _____________ as long as they are reasonable.






47. The philosophy that government should intervene as little as possible in economic affairs.






48. 1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.






49. Judges in Legislative Courts serve _______ terms and do not require impeachment.






50. Assigns bills to the appropriate House committee.







Sorry!:) No result found.

Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?


Let me suggest you:

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests



Major Subjects

Tests & Exams


AP
CLEP
DSST
GRE
SAT
GMAT

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests