CLEP EXAM 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Influences of the Constitution? - ANSWER✔✔--The Enlightenment
-John Locke: natural rights- Life, Liberty and Property
-Montesquieu: separation of powers
John Locke - ANSWER✔✔-philosopher; natural rights- life, liberty and property
Montesquieu - ANSWER✔✔-philosopher; father of separation of powers; the reason we
have three branches
1. legislative
2. Judicial
3. Executive
Legislative Branch - ANSWER✔✔-Congress, Senate, House of Representatives; makes
laws
Judicial Branch - ANSWER✔✔-Supreme court and federal courts; Interprets laws
Executive Branch - ANSWER✔✔-President; enforces laws
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,example of separation of powers? - ANSWER✔✔-Congress declares war and creates
laws, but the president is commander in chief and enforces laws
Articles of Confederation - ANSWER✔✔-very first governed document; created a very
weak central government
Shays Rebellion - ANSWER✔✔-demonstrated the weakness of the articles → showed
we needed a STRONG government (Constitution) to keep order
Wall of Separation - ANSWER✔✔-Idea advocated by Thomas Jefferson, not written in
the constitution; "separation of church and state;" religion and government are
separated
Purpose of Checks and Balances? - ANSWER✔✔-To keep one branch from becoming
too powerful
Checks and Balances MUST involve ____ branches - ANSWER✔✔-two
Examples of Checks and Balances - ANSWER✔✔-1. Congress impeaching the President
2. The Senate can confirm a Supreme Court Justice with a Simple Majority (51)
3. The Supreme Court CANNOT declare an amendment unconstitutional
If congress disagrees with a supreme court decision, what is their only solution? -
ANSWER✔✔-create an amendment
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, What is not an example of Checks and Balances? - ANSWER✔✔-The Supreme court
overturning a lower court decision
Federalism - ANSWER✔✔-The division of power between federal (national) and state
governments
10th Amendment - ANSWER✔✔-what really creates Federalism; powers not given to
the national governments are reserved for states
Elastic Clause (of the Constitution) - ANSWER✔✔-allows the federal government to
makes laws that are "necessary and proper"
Alexander Hamilton uses the _________ Elastic Clause as his argument to create The
Bank of the United States - ANSWER✔✔-Elastic Clause
Cooperative Federalism - ANSWER✔✔-often the federal government and states share
power - ie. law enforcement
Devolution - ANSWER✔✔-giving powers back to state governments; this became super
popular under Ronald Regan in the 1980s
Grants - ANSWER✔✔-money given by the national government to an organization or
individual; do not need to be repaid
Categorical Grants - ANSWER✔✔-A federal grant given to state and local government
that are based on application; Think projects
COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ANSWERS
Influences of the Constitution? - ANSWER✔✔--The Enlightenment
-John Locke: natural rights- Life, Liberty and Property
-Montesquieu: separation of powers
John Locke - ANSWER✔✔-philosopher; natural rights- life, liberty and property
Montesquieu - ANSWER✔✔-philosopher; father of separation of powers; the reason we
have three branches
1. legislative
2. Judicial
3. Executive
Legislative Branch - ANSWER✔✔-Congress, Senate, House of Representatives; makes
laws
Judicial Branch - ANSWER✔✔-Supreme court and federal courts; Interprets laws
Executive Branch - ANSWER✔✔-President; enforces laws
COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,example of separation of powers? - ANSWER✔✔-Congress declares war and creates
laws, but the president is commander in chief and enforces laws
Articles of Confederation - ANSWER✔✔-very first governed document; created a very
weak central government
Shays Rebellion - ANSWER✔✔-demonstrated the weakness of the articles → showed
we needed a STRONG government (Constitution) to keep order
Wall of Separation - ANSWER✔✔-Idea advocated by Thomas Jefferson, not written in
the constitution; "separation of church and state;" religion and government are
separated
Purpose of Checks and Balances? - ANSWER✔✔-To keep one branch from becoming
too powerful
Checks and Balances MUST involve ____ branches - ANSWER✔✔-two
Examples of Checks and Balances - ANSWER✔✔-1. Congress impeaching the President
2. The Senate can confirm a Supreme Court Justice with a Simple Majority (51)
3. The Supreme Court CANNOT declare an amendment unconstitutional
If congress disagrees with a supreme court decision, what is their only solution? -
ANSWER✔✔-create an amendment
COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, What is not an example of Checks and Balances? - ANSWER✔✔-The Supreme court
overturning a lower court decision
Federalism - ANSWER✔✔-The division of power between federal (national) and state
governments
10th Amendment - ANSWER✔✔-what really creates Federalism; powers not given to
the national governments are reserved for states
Elastic Clause (of the Constitution) - ANSWER✔✔-allows the federal government to
makes laws that are "necessary and proper"
Alexander Hamilton uses the _________ Elastic Clause as his argument to create The
Bank of the United States - ANSWER✔✔-Elastic Clause
Cooperative Federalism - ANSWER✔✔-often the federal government and states share
power - ie. law enforcement
Devolution - ANSWER✔✔-giving powers back to state governments; this became super
popular under Ronald Regan in the 1980s
Grants - ANSWER✔✔-money given by the national government to an organization or
individual; do not need to be repaid
Categorical Grants - ANSWER✔✔-A federal grant given to state and local government
that are based on application; Think projects
COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
