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CLEP American Government Exam 2025 – Official Study
Guide, Practice Tests, and Key Concepts for College Credit
Ace your CLEP American Government Exam 2025 with this complete study guide and
practice test collection. Covers U.S. Constitution, federalism, civil rights, political processes,
and public policy to help you earn college credit fast.
• CLEP American Government exam
• CLEP American Government study guide
• CLEP Government practice test
• CLEP political science test prep
Throughout most of the twentieth century, which of the following was most likely to occur in midterm
congressional elections?
(A) The party of the president typically lost seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president was a
Republican or a Democrat.
(B) The party of the president typically gained seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president
was a Republican or a Democrat.
(C) The Democratic Party gained seats in Congress, whereas the Republican Party lost seats.
(D) The Republican Party gained seats in Congress, whereas the Democratic Party lost seats.
(E) Voter turnout was typically higher than in presidential elections. - ANSWER-(A) The party of the
president typically lost seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president was a Republican or a
Democrat.
Delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions are primarily chosen:
(A) by local party leaders
(B) in primaries
,2|Page
(C) in state caucuses
(D) by members of Congress
(E) by lottery - ANSWER-(B) in primaries
The chart above supports which of the following statements?
I. Both Republicans and Democrats have more trust in the federal government to do a better job than
state governments.
II. Most groups trust their own state governments more than the federal government.
III. Democrats trust the federal government more than Republicans.
IV. Liberals believe in big government.
(A) I only
(B) III only
(C) II and III only
(D) II and IV only
(E) I, II, III, and IV - ANSWER-(C) II and III only
Under which of the following conditions are interest groups most likely to influence policymaking?
(A) When a problem has been dramatized by television network news
(B) When the president has made a major address on the subject
(C) When the parties in Congress have opposing positions on the issue
(D) When presidential candidates have been disagreeing with one another on the subject
(E) When the issue is a highly technical one requiring very detailed legislation - ANSWER-(E) When the
issue is a highly technical one requiring very detailed legislation
All of the following help to explain the president's difficulty in controlling cabinet-level agencies EXCEPT:
(A) Agencies often have political support from interest groups.
(B) Agency staff often have information and technical expertise that the president and presidential
advisers lack.
(C) The president cannot dismiss appointees after they have been confirmed by the Senate.
(D) Civil servants who remain in their jobs through changes of administration develop loyalties to their
agencies.
, 3|Page
(E) Congress is a competitor for influence over the bureaucracy - ANSWER-(C) The president cannot
dismiss appointees after they have been confirmed by the Senate.
In the Constitution as originally ratified in 1788, the provisions regarding which of the following most
closely approximate popular, majoritarian democracy?
(A) Election of members of the House of Representatives
(B) Election of members of the Senate
(C) Election of the president
(D) Ratification of treaties
(E) Confirmation of presidential appointments - ANSWER-(A) Election of members of the House of
Representatives
The most likely and often the most powerful policy coalition of interests is likely to include a federal
agency plus which of the following?
(A) Related agencies in the bureaucracy and a congressional committee chairperson
(B) Congress and the president
(C) An interest group and the president
(D) An interest group and a congressional subcommittee
(E) An interest group and the majority party - ANSWER-(D) An interest group and a congressional
subcommittee
Which of the following political philosophers most influenced the writing of the United States
Constitution?
(A) Plato
(B) Machiavelli
(C) Locke
(D) Rousseau
(E) Marx - ANSWER-(C) Locke
CLEP American Government Exam 2025 – Official Study
Guide, Practice Tests, and Key Concepts for College Credit
Ace your CLEP American Government Exam 2025 with this complete study guide and
practice test collection. Covers U.S. Constitution, federalism, civil rights, political processes,
and public policy to help you earn college credit fast.
• CLEP American Government exam
• CLEP American Government study guide
• CLEP Government practice test
• CLEP political science test prep
Throughout most of the twentieth century, which of the following was most likely to occur in midterm
congressional elections?
(A) The party of the president typically lost seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president was a
Republican or a Democrat.
(B) The party of the president typically gained seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president
was a Republican or a Democrat.
(C) The Democratic Party gained seats in Congress, whereas the Republican Party lost seats.
(D) The Republican Party gained seats in Congress, whereas the Democratic Party lost seats.
(E) Voter turnout was typically higher than in presidential elections. - ANSWER-(A) The party of the
president typically lost seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president was a Republican or a
Democrat.
Delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions are primarily chosen:
(A) by local party leaders
(B) in primaries
,2|Page
(C) in state caucuses
(D) by members of Congress
(E) by lottery - ANSWER-(B) in primaries
The chart above supports which of the following statements?
I. Both Republicans and Democrats have more trust in the federal government to do a better job than
state governments.
II. Most groups trust their own state governments more than the federal government.
III. Democrats trust the federal government more than Republicans.
IV. Liberals believe in big government.
(A) I only
(B) III only
(C) II and III only
(D) II and IV only
(E) I, II, III, and IV - ANSWER-(C) II and III only
Under which of the following conditions are interest groups most likely to influence policymaking?
(A) When a problem has been dramatized by television network news
(B) When the president has made a major address on the subject
(C) When the parties in Congress have opposing positions on the issue
(D) When presidential candidates have been disagreeing with one another on the subject
(E) When the issue is a highly technical one requiring very detailed legislation - ANSWER-(E) When the
issue is a highly technical one requiring very detailed legislation
All of the following help to explain the president's difficulty in controlling cabinet-level agencies EXCEPT:
(A) Agencies often have political support from interest groups.
(B) Agency staff often have information and technical expertise that the president and presidential
advisers lack.
(C) The president cannot dismiss appointees after they have been confirmed by the Senate.
(D) Civil servants who remain in their jobs through changes of administration develop loyalties to their
agencies.
, 3|Page
(E) Congress is a competitor for influence over the bureaucracy - ANSWER-(C) The president cannot
dismiss appointees after they have been confirmed by the Senate.
In the Constitution as originally ratified in 1788, the provisions regarding which of the following most
closely approximate popular, majoritarian democracy?
(A) Election of members of the House of Representatives
(B) Election of members of the Senate
(C) Election of the president
(D) Ratification of treaties
(E) Confirmation of presidential appointments - ANSWER-(A) Election of members of the House of
Representatives
The most likely and often the most powerful policy coalition of interests is likely to include a federal
agency plus which of the following?
(A) Related agencies in the bureaucracy and a congressional committee chairperson
(B) Congress and the president
(C) An interest group and the president
(D) An interest group and a congressional subcommittee
(E) An interest group and the majority party - ANSWER-(D) An interest group and a congressional
subcommittee
Which of the following political philosophers most influenced the writing of the United States
Constitution?
(A) Plato
(B) Machiavelli
(C) Locke
(D) Rousseau
(E) Marx - ANSWER-(C) Locke
