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 group of people - chosen by poll-takers - that is representative of the universe that is being polled.






2. Representing - characterized by - or including members from two parties or factions






3. Money spent by individuals or gorups not asociated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office






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






5. First African American appointed to the Supreme Court






6. A provision of the Federal Communications Act that requires broadcasters to provide the same amount of exposure to all legally qualified political candidates.






7. Number of years a Senator must reside in the US prior to taking office






8. Includes the 13th - 14th - and 15th Amendments. Abolished slavery and guaranteed due process and equal protection to all citizens.






9. ___________ vote in both the House and Senate may override a Presidential veto of legislation.






10. Article I of the Constitution establishes the ___________________ branch.






11. The ___________ aspects of Federalism include: diversity/diffusion of power - more access points for political participation - fostering of experimentation and innovation - and allowing local governments to manage local problems effectively






12. Congress' first step towards allocating funds






13. The concept that all people are of equal worth - even if not of equal ability.






14. The absent colony at the 2nd Continental Congress.






15. Government branch established in Article I of the Constitution.






16. The class of independent voters who do not vote according to party affiliation - but who typically have a broader range of concerns than single-issue voters - are known colloquially as






17. Powers of the national government that flow from its enumerated powers and the 'elastic clause' of the Constitution.






18. The Supreme Court has ruled that Congress_________________ take away a person's citizenship unless it is freely renounced.






19. A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals and present them to a candidate or political party as a 'bundle -' thus increasing the PAC's influence.






20. When the minority party becomes stronger than the majority party - usually the result of winning a critical election.






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






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






23. In charge of state's legal business. provide advice to other state official and represents the state in court if the state is involved in a lawsuit






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






25. _____________ was the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics and helping immigrants (most notably the Irish) rise up in American politics from the 1790s to the 1960s.






26. Number of justices of the Supreme Court.






27. In California v. Avecedo (1991) - The Supreme Court established that authorities may search ____________________ without a warrant providing reasonable suspicion.






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






29. The right of the Supreme Court - under the Constitution - to hear certain kinds of cases directly - such as cases involving foreign diplomats - or cases in which one of the 50 states is a party.






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






31. Federal grants in which the recipient has a lot of discretion over how the money is spent. These grants are issued in support of general government functions such as education and law enforcement.






32. Which branch has the power to stop an executive order?






33. 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.






34. The state officer typically responsible for overseeing federal elections at the state level is the






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






36. These courts only hear appeals on cases from lower courts.






37. Colonies in which freely elected legislatures chose the governor and the king could not veto laws.






38. The right to privacy is ___________ in the Constitution.






39. A policy adopted by the United States after the Second World War that assumed that if enough nuclear weapons were deployed by the United States - an enemy would not attack for fear of being destroyed in retaliation.






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






41. The amount of money available when the government's income is greater than what it spends in a fiscal year.






42. Presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. Position awarded to the longest serving Senator from the majority party. 3rd in line of succession for the Presidency.






43. During Presidential election years or when the nation is divided on policy agenda - particularly regarding salient issues - voter turnout is _____________






44. Number of years a President must reside in the US prior to taking office






45. David R. Mayhew has suggested that this influences congressional behavior. The ________________ is the relationship between members of Congress and their constituents.






46. A term popularized by sociologist Floyd Hunter to describe the community leaders who he said determined policy in Atlanta - Georgia. More broadly - the term is used to describe 'power elites' generally.






47. These voters are registered as a party member but only participate by voting in primary and general elections. Tend to vote straight-party ticket and follow the leads of local party officials.






48. A place of work in which any person may be hired provided that he or she joins the union within a specified time.






49. The response of the rest of society to actions by the authorities.






50. This 1957 judgement prohibited pornography material as utterly without redeeming social significance - later reversed in Miller v. California