American Government CLEP - PETERSEN'S ONLINE PRACTICE TEST 1-3
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Which of the following is not a standing committee of the United States Congress?
a. Agriculture b. Appropriations c. Veterans' Affairs d. Investigations e. Budget - The correct
answer is D. There is no committee for investigations, although Congress may create
committees to conduct investigations if the need arises. All of the other answer choices are
standing (permanent) committees of both the House and Senate.
Federal district court judges are
a. nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. b. nominated by the Chief Justice
and confirmed by the Senate. c. elected by standing judges of the same circuit. d. nominated by
a senator and confirmed by the entire Senate. e. elected by the citizens of the district in which
they will serve. - The correct answer is A. Judges of the Federal Court system—Supreme Court
justices, court of appeals judges, and district court judges—are nominated by the President and
confirmed by the United States Senate. This process is outlined in the Constitution and neither
the public nor the judiciary itself can be formally involved in the process.
The state officer typically responsible for overseeing federal elections at the state level is the
a. Secretary of State. b. Attorney General. c. State Auditor. d. Governor. e. State Treasurer. - The
correct answer is A. The Secretary of State is appointed by the Governor to supervise the
election process. For example, in the controversial 2000 presidential election, it was Florida's
Secretary of State Katherine Harris (appointed by Governor Jeb Bush) who was responsible for
making sure that Florida's election was free, fair, and impartial.
Most Americans believe that
, a. the needs of the individual should be subordinate to those of the community. b. everyone
should enjoy equal opportunities for personal and material success. c. the government should
provide free healthcare for all citizens. d. the government rather than industry should be
responsible for national economic development. e. Congress rather than the President should
determine foreign policy. - The correct answer is B. The Declaration of Independence states that
all men should have the rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Today, most
Americans take these words to mean that every American should enjoy equal opportunities for
personal and material success.
All of the following are principles upon which the United States Constitution was founded
EXCEPT:
a. Every state is equal and the national government cannot give special rights to an individual
state. b. There should be three branches of government to make, execute, and interpret the
nation's laws. c. All men are equal before the law regardless of social standing. d. The best
government is a government by laws not by men. e. All citizens should have the right to keep
and bear arms. - The correct answer is E. The right to bear arms is the Second Amendment in
the Bill of Rights; it was not a founding principle of the U.S. Constitution. All of the other
answers deal with general principles of American governmental philosophy and structure rather
than particular rights.
The Department of Commerce promotes
a. domestic aggregate demand and supply. b. international trade and economic growth. c. fair
prices and stable markets for producers and consumers. d. improved technology through
research, development, and demonstration. e. better working conditions and improved
relations between labor and management. - The correct answer is B. The Department of
Commerce is primarily concerned with ensuring the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. The
Department provides businesses with information, administers programs to protect U.S. firms
from unfair international competition, and provides standards of measure for U.S. industry.
Which of the following Supreme Court cases refuted the doctrine of "separate but equal"?
a. Baker v. Carr b. McCulloch v. Maryland c. Garcia v. San Antonio d. Brown v. Board of
Education e. Miranda v. Arizona - The correct answer is D. The 1954 case of Brown v. Board of
,Education overturned the 1896 ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson, which had approved the standard of
"separate but equal." In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decided that separate
schooling could never be equal and ordered that all schools be desegregated.
All of the following are typical stances of American liberals EXCEPT
a. support for abortion rights. b. concern for the rights of the accused. c. resistance to state
involvement with religious institutions. d. support for international organization such as the
United Nations. e. opposition to the expansion of governmental activity and regulation. - The
correct answer is E. Liberals tend to see a larger role for the government than do traditional
conservatives, particularly in the regulation of business and industry. All of the other answer
choices form core beliefs of the American political left.
Which of the following Amendments to the United States Constitution were repealed?
I. The 18th Amendment (Prohibition)
II. The 4th Amendment (Search and Seizure)
III. The 19th Amendment (The Right to Vote)
a. I only b. II only c. I and II only d. II and III only e. I, II, and III - The correct answer is A. The
18th Amendment—prohibiting the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic
beverages—was repealed with the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. It was the only
Amendment to the Constitution to be repealed.
Which Executive department was created first?
a. Commerce b. Defense c. Labor d. Transportation e. State - The correct answer is E. The
Department of State was created in 1789. The Departments of Commerce, Labor, and
Transportation were all created in the twentieth century. In 1947, the Department of Defense
was made by combining the Departments of War, Navy, and Air Force.
Which of the following is NOT considered a civil liberty?
, a. Freedom of speech b. The right of equal protection c. The right of due process d. Freedom of
religion e. The right to work - The correct answer is E. There is no "right to work" included in the
Constitution; it is not a civil liberty.
Which of the following is NOT considered a civil liberty?
a. Freedom of speech b. The right of equal protection c. The right of due process d. Freedom of
religion e. The right to work - The correct answer is E. There is no "right to work" included in the
Constitution; it is not a civil liberty.
Which of the following does NOT actively lobby Congress?
a. Labor unions b. Political parties c. Corporations d. Foreign governments e. Senior citizens -
The correct answer is B. Political parties do not lobby Congress. Most interest group lobbies are
created specifically to petition Congress to change or maintain specific government policies or
laws.
The strongest factor contributing to an individual's political socialization tends to be
a. family. b. peers. c. media. d. school. e. religion. - The correct answer is A. The family
environment is the dominant factor in the political socialization of an individual. Children tend
to adopt the same political perspectives as their parents as well as the same party affiliation.
Which of the following explain why the founders of the Constitution decided upon a bicameral
rather than a unicameral legislature?
I. It balanced the interests of low- and high-population states by giving smaller states a voice in
the Senate that their low populations would not grant them in the House of Representatives.
II. Either legislature could block legislation approved by the other, thereby strengthening the
American system of checks and balances.
Complete Exam Review Bundle | Midterm, Final & Bonus Questions with A+
Rated Solutions
Fully
Which of the following is not a standing committee of the United States Congress?
a. Agriculture b. Appropriations c. Veterans' Affairs d. Investigations e. Budget - The correct
answer is D. There is no committee for investigations, although Congress may create
committees to conduct investigations if the need arises. All of the other answer choices are
standing (permanent) committees of both the House and Senate.
Federal district court judges are
a. nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. b. nominated by the Chief Justice
and confirmed by the Senate. c. elected by standing judges of the same circuit. d. nominated by
a senator and confirmed by the entire Senate. e. elected by the citizens of the district in which
they will serve. - The correct answer is A. Judges of the Federal Court system—Supreme Court
justices, court of appeals judges, and district court judges—are nominated by the President and
confirmed by the United States Senate. This process is outlined in the Constitution and neither
the public nor the judiciary itself can be formally involved in the process.
The state officer typically responsible for overseeing federal elections at the state level is the
a. Secretary of State. b. Attorney General. c. State Auditor. d. Governor. e. State Treasurer. - The
correct answer is A. The Secretary of State is appointed by the Governor to supervise the
election process. For example, in the controversial 2000 presidential election, it was Florida's
Secretary of State Katherine Harris (appointed by Governor Jeb Bush) who was responsible for
making sure that Florida's election was free, fair, and impartial.
Most Americans believe that
, a. the needs of the individual should be subordinate to those of the community. b. everyone
should enjoy equal opportunities for personal and material success. c. the government should
provide free healthcare for all citizens. d. the government rather than industry should be
responsible for national economic development. e. Congress rather than the President should
determine foreign policy. - The correct answer is B. The Declaration of Independence states that
all men should have the rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Today, most
Americans take these words to mean that every American should enjoy equal opportunities for
personal and material success.
All of the following are principles upon which the United States Constitution was founded
EXCEPT:
a. Every state is equal and the national government cannot give special rights to an individual
state. b. There should be three branches of government to make, execute, and interpret the
nation's laws. c. All men are equal before the law regardless of social standing. d. The best
government is a government by laws not by men. e. All citizens should have the right to keep
and bear arms. - The correct answer is E. The right to bear arms is the Second Amendment in
the Bill of Rights; it was not a founding principle of the U.S. Constitution. All of the other
answers deal with general principles of American governmental philosophy and structure rather
than particular rights.
The Department of Commerce promotes
a. domestic aggregate demand and supply. b. international trade and economic growth. c. fair
prices and stable markets for producers and consumers. d. improved technology through
research, development, and demonstration. e. better working conditions and improved
relations between labor and management. - The correct answer is B. The Department of
Commerce is primarily concerned with ensuring the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. The
Department provides businesses with information, administers programs to protect U.S. firms
from unfair international competition, and provides standards of measure for U.S. industry.
Which of the following Supreme Court cases refuted the doctrine of "separate but equal"?
a. Baker v. Carr b. McCulloch v. Maryland c. Garcia v. San Antonio d. Brown v. Board of
Education e. Miranda v. Arizona - The correct answer is D. The 1954 case of Brown v. Board of
,Education overturned the 1896 ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson, which had approved the standard of
"separate but equal." In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decided that separate
schooling could never be equal and ordered that all schools be desegregated.
All of the following are typical stances of American liberals EXCEPT
a. support for abortion rights. b. concern for the rights of the accused. c. resistance to state
involvement with religious institutions. d. support for international organization such as the
United Nations. e. opposition to the expansion of governmental activity and regulation. - The
correct answer is E. Liberals tend to see a larger role for the government than do traditional
conservatives, particularly in the regulation of business and industry. All of the other answer
choices form core beliefs of the American political left.
Which of the following Amendments to the United States Constitution were repealed?
I. The 18th Amendment (Prohibition)
II. The 4th Amendment (Search and Seizure)
III. The 19th Amendment (The Right to Vote)
a. I only b. II only c. I and II only d. II and III only e. I, II, and III - The correct answer is A. The
18th Amendment—prohibiting the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic
beverages—was repealed with the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. It was the only
Amendment to the Constitution to be repealed.
Which Executive department was created first?
a. Commerce b. Defense c. Labor d. Transportation e. State - The correct answer is E. The
Department of State was created in 1789. The Departments of Commerce, Labor, and
Transportation were all created in the twentieth century. In 1947, the Department of Defense
was made by combining the Departments of War, Navy, and Air Force.
Which of the following is NOT considered a civil liberty?
, a. Freedom of speech b. The right of equal protection c. The right of due process d. Freedom of
religion e. The right to work - The correct answer is E. There is no "right to work" included in the
Constitution; it is not a civil liberty.
Which of the following is NOT considered a civil liberty?
a. Freedom of speech b. The right of equal protection c. The right of due process d. Freedom of
religion e. The right to work - The correct answer is E. There is no "right to work" included in the
Constitution; it is not a civil liberty.
Which of the following does NOT actively lobby Congress?
a. Labor unions b. Political parties c. Corporations d. Foreign governments e. Senior citizens -
The correct answer is B. Political parties do not lobby Congress. Most interest group lobbies are
created specifically to petition Congress to change or maintain specific government policies or
laws.
The strongest factor contributing to an individual's political socialization tends to be
a. family. b. peers. c. media. d. school. e. religion. - The correct answer is A. The family
environment is the dominant factor in the political socialization of an individual. Children tend
to adopt the same political perspectives as their parents as well as the same party affiliation.
Which of the following explain why the founders of the Constitution decided upon a bicameral
rather than a unicameral legislature?
I. It balanced the interests of low- and high-population states by giving smaller states a voice in
the Senate that their low populations would not grant them in the House of Representatives.
II. Either legislature could block legislation approved by the other, thereby strengthening the
American system of checks and balances.
