American Government CLEP -
PETERSEN'S ONLINE PRACTICE
TEST 1-3 Exam 2026 Questions and
Answers
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 -
Correct answer-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.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVE 1
,elected by the citizens of the district in which they will serve. - Correct answer-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. - Correct answer-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
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVE 2
,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. - Correct
answer-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. - Correct
answer-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
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVE 3
, 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. - Correct
answer-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 - Correct answer-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
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVE 4
PETERSEN'S ONLINE PRACTICE
TEST 1-3 Exam 2026 Questions and
Answers
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 -
Correct answer-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.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVE 1
,elected by the citizens of the district in which they will serve. - Correct answer-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. - Correct answer-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
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVE 2
,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. - Correct
answer-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. - Correct
answer-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
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVE 3
, 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. - Correct
answer-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 - Correct answer-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
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVE 4
