American Government CLEP
Exam Latest Version 2025| 300
Questions and Verified Answers
100% Verified Answers
According to the Constitution, Congress may not
(A) Discipline itself
(B) Grant titles of nobility
(C) Regulate interstate commerce
(D) Declare war
(E) Govern Washington, D.C. CORRECT ANSWER: (B) Grant titles of nobility
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the media and citizens?
(A) Most media are independent and unbiased, allowing citizens to form their own
opinions.
(B) The media are regulated by the government to ensure that consumers receive
factually accurate information.
(C) The media have greater influence in shaping the political ideology of citizens than
any other factor does.
(D) Citizens have little choice about how to consume media because of the consolidation
of media ownership.
(E) Citizens tend to seek out media that reinforce rather than challenge existing
ideological views. CORRECT ANSWER: (E) Citizens tend to seek out media that
reinforce rather than challenge existing ideological views.
The Supreme Court's decision in Arizona v. United States (2012), which held that
Congress, not the states, has the sole authority to regulate immigration, best illustrates
which of the following features of the Constitution?
(A) Federalism
(B) Republicanism
(C) Popular sovereignty (D) Checks and balances (E) Separation of powers CORRECT
ANSWER: (A) Federalism
When judicial nominees come before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify, the
Senate is fulfilling which of its roles?
(A) Oversight
(B) Advice and consent
(C) Appropriations
(D) Judicial review
(E) Ratification CORRECT ANSWER: (B) Advice and consent
,The Supreme Court decision in McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010), which upheld the
Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense, best exemplifies the
doctrine of
(A) freedom of association (B) privileges and immunities (C) equal protection
(D) selective incorporation (E) selective exclusiveness CORRECT ANSWER: (D)
selective incorporation
Which of the following best describes the impact that public policy issues have on
campaigns and elections in the United States?
(A) Candidates running for office rarely take policy positions on issues that matter to the
general public.
(B) Candidates with sophisticated policy positions historically win more elections than
their opposition.
(C) During campaign season, the media provide the public with a detailed and thorough
education on each candidate's policy platform.
(D) A candidate's ability to relate to voters has a greater impact on the candidate's
success than does command of policy issues.
(E) Candidates are required to have public debates on policy issues during the general
election cycle of their political campaigns. CORRECT ANSWER: (D) A candidate's
ability to relate to voters has a greater impact on the candidate's success than does
command of policy issues.
Which of the following is a consequence of the increase in the number of political action
committees (PACs) ?
(A) Challengers are winning more elections than incumbents.
(B) More citizens are turning out to vote in mid-term elections.
(C) There is more cooperation and bipartisanship in Congress.
(D) There has been an expansion of corporate influence in elections.
(E) The number of registered independents has increased. CORRECT ANSWER: (D)
There has been an expansion of corporate influence in elections.
During the Civil Rights era, when the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) was unsuccessful at traditional lobbying techniques, they
turned to which of the following strategies to influence public policy?
(A) Litigation in the federal courts
(B) Mass mailing campaigns
(C) Providing information to lawmakers on the benefits of their proposals
(D) Entertaining lawmakers with expensive food and drink
(E) Giving campaign contributions to members of Congress CORRECT ANSWER: (A)
Litigation in the federal courts
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.
(E) Congress is a competitor for influence over the bureaucracy CORRECT ANSWER:
C
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 CORRECT ANSWER: A
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 CORRECT ANSWER: D
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. CORRECT
ANSWER: A
Delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions are primarily chosen
(A) by local party leaders
(B) in primaries
(C) in state caucuses
(D) by members of Congress
(E) by lottery CORRECT ANSWER: B
TRUST IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VERSUS YOUR OWN STATE
GOVERNMENT TO DO A BETTER JOB RUNNING THINGS
TOTAL: State = 63, Federal = 25
LIBERAL: State = 49, Federal = 37
, DEMOCRATS: State = 48, Federal = 36
REPUBLICANS: State = 70, Federal = 17
CONSERVATIVES: State = 71, Federal = 16
ADULTS: State = 72, Federal = 21
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 CORRECT ANSWER: C
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 CORRECT ANSWER: C
The concept of responsible party government emphasizes which of the following about
elections?
(A) Political parties will take positions similar to each other.
(B) Political parties will take clear, unambiguous positions.
(C) Voters will decide how to vote on the basis of how well the incumbent party satisfied
them.
(D) Voters will vote mostly according to past identification.
(E) Special interest groups provide platforms and policy positions to political parties
and their candidates. CORRECT ANSWER: B
Which of the following is a difference between the House of Representatives and the
Senate?
(A) Seniority is more important in the Senate than in the House.
(B) Leadership is more centralized in the Senate than in the House.
(C) The Senate has the exclusive power to ratify treaties.
(D) The Senate has more committees than does the House.
(E) The Senate may veto laws passed by the House, but the House may not veto
senatorial legislation. CORRECT ANSWER: C
Exam Latest Version 2025| 300
Questions and Verified Answers
100% Verified Answers
According to the Constitution, Congress may not
(A) Discipline itself
(B) Grant titles of nobility
(C) Regulate interstate commerce
(D) Declare war
(E) Govern Washington, D.C. CORRECT ANSWER: (B) Grant titles of nobility
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the media and citizens?
(A) Most media are independent and unbiased, allowing citizens to form their own
opinions.
(B) The media are regulated by the government to ensure that consumers receive
factually accurate information.
(C) The media have greater influence in shaping the political ideology of citizens than
any other factor does.
(D) Citizens have little choice about how to consume media because of the consolidation
of media ownership.
(E) Citizens tend to seek out media that reinforce rather than challenge existing
ideological views. CORRECT ANSWER: (E) Citizens tend to seek out media that
reinforce rather than challenge existing ideological views.
The Supreme Court's decision in Arizona v. United States (2012), which held that
Congress, not the states, has the sole authority to regulate immigration, best illustrates
which of the following features of the Constitution?
(A) Federalism
(B) Republicanism
(C) Popular sovereignty (D) Checks and balances (E) Separation of powers CORRECT
ANSWER: (A) Federalism
When judicial nominees come before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify, the
Senate is fulfilling which of its roles?
(A) Oversight
(B) Advice and consent
(C) Appropriations
(D) Judicial review
(E) Ratification CORRECT ANSWER: (B) Advice and consent
,The Supreme Court decision in McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010), which upheld the
Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense, best exemplifies the
doctrine of
(A) freedom of association (B) privileges and immunities (C) equal protection
(D) selective incorporation (E) selective exclusiveness CORRECT ANSWER: (D)
selective incorporation
Which of the following best describes the impact that public policy issues have on
campaigns and elections in the United States?
(A) Candidates running for office rarely take policy positions on issues that matter to the
general public.
(B) Candidates with sophisticated policy positions historically win more elections than
their opposition.
(C) During campaign season, the media provide the public with a detailed and thorough
education on each candidate's policy platform.
(D) A candidate's ability to relate to voters has a greater impact on the candidate's
success than does command of policy issues.
(E) Candidates are required to have public debates on policy issues during the general
election cycle of their political campaigns. CORRECT ANSWER: (D) A candidate's
ability to relate to voters has a greater impact on the candidate's success than does
command of policy issues.
Which of the following is a consequence of the increase in the number of political action
committees (PACs) ?
(A) Challengers are winning more elections than incumbents.
(B) More citizens are turning out to vote in mid-term elections.
(C) There is more cooperation and bipartisanship in Congress.
(D) There has been an expansion of corporate influence in elections.
(E) The number of registered independents has increased. CORRECT ANSWER: (D)
There has been an expansion of corporate influence in elections.
During the Civil Rights era, when the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) was unsuccessful at traditional lobbying techniques, they
turned to which of the following strategies to influence public policy?
(A) Litigation in the federal courts
(B) Mass mailing campaigns
(C) Providing information to lawmakers on the benefits of their proposals
(D) Entertaining lawmakers with expensive food and drink
(E) Giving campaign contributions to members of Congress CORRECT ANSWER: (A)
Litigation in the federal courts
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.
(E) Congress is a competitor for influence over the bureaucracy CORRECT ANSWER:
C
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 CORRECT ANSWER: A
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 CORRECT ANSWER: D
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. CORRECT
ANSWER: A
Delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions are primarily chosen
(A) by local party leaders
(B) in primaries
(C) in state caucuses
(D) by members of Congress
(E) by lottery CORRECT ANSWER: B
TRUST IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VERSUS YOUR OWN STATE
GOVERNMENT TO DO A BETTER JOB RUNNING THINGS
TOTAL: State = 63, Federal = 25
LIBERAL: State = 49, Federal = 37
, DEMOCRATS: State = 48, Federal = 36
REPUBLICANS: State = 70, Federal = 17
CONSERVATIVES: State = 71, Federal = 16
ADULTS: State = 72, Federal = 21
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 CORRECT ANSWER: C
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 CORRECT ANSWER: C
The concept of responsible party government emphasizes which of the following about
elections?
(A) Political parties will take positions similar to each other.
(B) Political parties will take clear, unambiguous positions.
(C) Voters will decide how to vote on the basis of how well the incumbent party satisfied
them.
(D) Voters will vote mostly according to past identification.
(E) Special interest groups provide platforms and policy positions to political parties
and their candidates. CORRECT ANSWER: B
Which of the following is a difference between the House of Representatives and the
Senate?
(A) Seniority is more important in the Senate than in the House.
(B) Leadership is more centralized in the Senate than in the House.
(C) The Senate has the exclusive power to ratify treaties.
(D) The Senate has more committees than does the House.
(E) The Senate may veto laws passed by the House, but the House may not veto
senatorial legislation. CORRECT ANSWER: C
