CLEP American Government Exam |
Questions and Verified Answers Rated
A+ | Latest 2025/2026 Guide
The principal source of presidents' political influence is their
(A) constitutional authority to declare war
(B) power to convene Congress
(C) constitutional authority to execute public policies
(D) power to dictate diplomatic relations with other countries
(E) constitutional authority to grant pardons - Correct Answer - (C)
constitutional authority to execute public policies
Among the expressed powers of the federal government enumerated in
the Constitution of the United States is the power to
(A) monitor discrimination in the workplace
(B) establish national political parties
(C) standardize the licensing of lawyers
(D) regulate interstate trade and commerce
(E) standardize high school curriculums across states - Correct Answer -
(D) regulate interstate trade and commerce
Which of the following accounts for the greatest percentage of
expenditure for state and local governments in the United States?
(A) Elementary and secondary education
(B) Public welfare
(C) Highways
,(D) Health and hospitals
(E) Police - Correct Answer - (A) Elementary and secondary education
The use of initiative and referendum illustrates which of the following
theories of governance?
(A) Separation of powers
(B) Representative democracy
(C) Direct democracy
(D) Virtual democracy
(E) Abusive democracy - Correct Answer - (C) Direct democracy
In the United States political system, the situation when one party
controls the presidency while the opposing party controls both houses of
Congress is known as
(A) separation of powers
(B) checks and balances
(C) divided government
(D) dual federalism
(E) power elite - Correct Answer - (C) divided government
In The Federalist paper number 10, James Madison argued that
(A) the growth of factions was inevitable in a democracy
(B) federalism would curb ambition among political leaders
(C) the Supreme Court is the least dangerous branch of government
(D) the Articles of Confederation would ensure the safety of the nation
(E) the government should restrict the growth of interest groups through
legislation - Correct Answer - (A) the growth of factions was inevitable in
a democracy
,Which of the following is true of the Articles of Confederation?
(A) They were written shortly before the Declaration of Independence.
(B) They formed a national government with supremacy over the states.
(C) They included a bill of rights that was applied to the states.
(D) They provided for three branches of government.
(E) They created a national government with a legislature but no
executive or judiciary. - Correct Answer - (E) They created a national
government with a legislature but no executive or judiciary.
Which of the following statements is historically true of the electoral
college?
(A) The electoral college was added to the Constitution as an
amendment and has been used only since the 1920s.
(B) Third-party candidates are often overrepresented in the electoral
college results.
(C) The winner of the electoral college also usually wins the popular
vote.
(D) The electoral college allows small states to become swing states
because each state gets two electoral college votes.
(E) In the rare case of a tie vote in the electoral college, the winner is
chosen by the popular vote results. - Correct Answer - (C) The winner of
the electoral college also usually wins the popular vote.
Which of the following actions gives the president an advantage over
Congress in promoting policy?
(A) Using the franking privilege
(B) Impounding funding for projects of which the president disapproves
(C) Invoking senatorial courtesy
(D) Utilizing the media through the bully pulpit
, (E) Invoking the power to end a filibuster - Correct Answer - (D) Utilizing
the media through the bully pulpit
Which of the following is true of political parties?
(A) They are highly centralized organizations that rely very little on state
participants.
(B) They establish guidelines of behavior and insist that their candidates
follow these guidelines.
(C) They require all members to pay dues.
(D) They try to gain control of government by winning elections.
(E) They generally concentrate their efforts on a single policy area. -
Correct Answer - (D) They try to gain control of government by winning
elections.
Which of the following best defines political culture?
(A) It is the process by which one acquires opinions about government.
(B) It is the shared attitudes of a people regarding government.
(C) It is the belief that no one person can effect change in government.
(D) It is the willingness of people to accept government's right to rule.
(E) It is a statement by government officials about how citizens should
behave. - Correct Answer - (B) It is the shared attitudes of a people
regarding government.
Which of the following is the strongest determinant of an individual's
voting behavior?
(A) His or her socioeconomic background
(B) Suggestions from family members
(C) Newspaper and media endorsements
(D) Political party affiliation
Questions and Verified Answers Rated
A+ | Latest 2025/2026 Guide
The principal source of presidents' political influence is their
(A) constitutional authority to declare war
(B) power to convene Congress
(C) constitutional authority to execute public policies
(D) power to dictate diplomatic relations with other countries
(E) constitutional authority to grant pardons - Correct Answer - (C)
constitutional authority to execute public policies
Among the expressed powers of the federal government enumerated in
the Constitution of the United States is the power to
(A) monitor discrimination in the workplace
(B) establish national political parties
(C) standardize the licensing of lawyers
(D) regulate interstate trade and commerce
(E) standardize high school curriculums across states - Correct Answer -
(D) regulate interstate trade and commerce
Which of the following accounts for the greatest percentage of
expenditure for state and local governments in the United States?
(A) Elementary and secondary education
(B) Public welfare
(C) Highways
,(D) Health and hospitals
(E) Police - Correct Answer - (A) Elementary and secondary education
The use of initiative and referendum illustrates which of the following
theories of governance?
(A) Separation of powers
(B) Representative democracy
(C) Direct democracy
(D) Virtual democracy
(E) Abusive democracy - Correct Answer - (C) Direct democracy
In the United States political system, the situation when one party
controls the presidency while the opposing party controls both houses of
Congress is known as
(A) separation of powers
(B) checks and balances
(C) divided government
(D) dual federalism
(E) power elite - Correct Answer - (C) divided government
In The Federalist paper number 10, James Madison argued that
(A) the growth of factions was inevitable in a democracy
(B) federalism would curb ambition among political leaders
(C) the Supreme Court is the least dangerous branch of government
(D) the Articles of Confederation would ensure the safety of the nation
(E) the government should restrict the growth of interest groups through
legislation - Correct Answer - (A) the growth of factions was inevitable in
a democracy
,Which of the following is true of the Articles of Confederation?
(A) They were written shortly before the Declaration of Independence.
(B) They formed a national government with supremacy over the states.
(C) They included a bill of rights that was applied to the states.
(D) They provided for three branches of government.
(E) They created a national government with a legislature but no
executive or judiciary. - Correct Answer - (E) They created a national
government with a legislature but no executive or judiciary.
Which of the following statements is historically true of the electoral
college?
(A) The electoral college was added to the Constitution as an
amendment and has been used only since the 1920s.
(B) Third-party candidates are often overrepresented in the electoral
college results.
(C) The winner of the electoral college also usually wins the popular
vote.
(D) The electoral college allows small states to become swing states
because each state gets two electoral college votes.
(E) In the rare case of a tie vote in the electoral college, the winner is
chosen by the popular vote results. - Correct Answer - (C) The winner of
the electoral college also usually wins the popular vote.
Which of the following actions gives the president an advantage over
Congress in promoting policy?
(A) Using the franking privilege
(B) Impounding funding for projects of which the president disapproves
(C) Invoking senatorial courtesy
(D) Utilizing the media through the bully pulpit
, (E) Invoking the power to end a filibuster - Correct Answer - (D) Utilizing
the media through the bully pulpit
Which of the following is true of political parties?
(A) They are highly centralized organizations that rely very little on state
participants.
(B) They establish guidelines of behavior and insist that their candidates
follow these guidelines.
(C) They require all members to pay dues.
(D) They try to gain control of government by winning elections.
(E) They generally concentrate their efforts on a single policy area. -
Correct Answer - (D) They try to gain control of government by winning
elections.
Which of the following best defines political culture?
(A) It is the process by which one acquires opinions about government.
(B) It is the shared attitudes of a people regarding government.
(C) It is the belief that no one person can effect change in government.
(D) It is the willingness of people to accept government's right to rule.
(E) It is a statement by government officials about how citizens should
behave. - Correct Answer - (B) It is the shared attitudes of a people
regarding government.
Which of the following is the strongest determinant of an individual's
voting behavior?
(A) His or her socioeconomic background
(B) Suggestions from family members
(C) Newspaper and media endorsements
(D) Political party affiliation
