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. Article II of the Constitution establishes the ______________ branch.






2. Prohibits the use of cruel or unusual punishment.






3. Overturning unjust laws is the responsibility of _________________.






4. 19th century case establishing that the Bill of Rights applied only to the federal government - upheld until the 20th century. Ruling allowed stated to engage in activities such as establishing state churches and denying public office to people of ce






5. The framers of the Constitution created the Senate to function as a check on the ________________.






6. A law passed in 1966 that requires federal executive branch and regulatory agencies to make information available to journalists - scholars - and the public unless it falls into one of several confidential categories.






7. What occurs when government adopts a public policy that provides - or distributes - benefits to people or groups.






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






9. 'lame duck' amendment






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






11. Contacts - coalitions - and interactions across national boundaries






12. Gave authority over atomic energy from military to civilians.






13. Units of government under the president - within the executive branch - that are not part of a cabinet department.






14. 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






15. 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






16. The Constitution requires that state governments - like the federal government - must be _____________ in form - with final authority resting with the people.






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






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






19. 1925 Supreme Court case overturned Baron v. Baltimore and applied the Bill of Rights to states.






20. Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 as an attempt to form a union of the colonies. Later used to help form the Articles of Confederation.






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






22. 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.






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






24. In Woodson v. North Carolina - the Supreme Court struck down mandatory sentencing of capital punishment as ______________________ because it does not allow for any discretion.






25. 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.






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






27. Cabinet department responsible for the management of public lands - wildlife - natural resources - and Native American affairs. Established in 1849






28. Political party lead by Andrew Jackson from 1828 to 1856. Campaigned against strong central government and fought to end elitism.






29. Presides over the Senate without voting privileges except in the case of a tie.






30. 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.






31. Dayton Board of Education v. Brinkman (1979) upheld that bussing programs were an acceptable way to enforce ______________________.






32. Powers specifically outlined in the Constitution as assigned to one branch of government.






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






34. 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?






35. Signed the executive order banning segregation in the armed forces.






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






37. The concentration of economic power in the hands of a relatively few large companies.






38. By far - the largest amount of federal aid to state and local governments comes in the form of:






39. Age requirement for President






40. 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






41. 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.






42. 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






43. The executive office established in response to intelligence lapses during WWI. Oversees American foreign policy and includes the President - Vice President - Secretary of State - Secretary of Defense and is lead by the National Security Advisor.






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. Th joint listing of the presidential and vice presidential candidates on the same ballot as required by the twelfth amendment






46. These party members take active non-leadership roles such as working polls or contributing money to campaigns. Tend to compromise on important issues and are mostly concerned about winning elections.






47. Number of Electoral College votes required to win the Presidency.






48. The 1st Amendment states that government cannot issue ______________ - censoring publications before they are published.






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






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