American Government CLEP Exam | Questions & Answers (100 %Score) Latest Updated
2024/2025 Comprehensive Questions A+ Graded Answers | With Expert Solutions
Pluralist theory - Public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing
groups
Elitist Theory - a theory that a few top leaders make the key decisions without reference
to popular desires
What goods are available to all without direct payment? - public goods
Common goods - goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply
Private goods - goods provided by private businesses that can be used only by those
who pay for them
Toll good - a good that is available to many people but is used only by those who can
pay the price to do so
What is generally the most significant influence on an individual's identification with a
particular political party? - Family
latent preferences - beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to and
that change over time
intense preferences - beliefs and preferences based on strong feelings regarding an
issue that someone adheres to over time
What kinds of people are most likely to become active in politics or community service?
- People with higher levels of education and income
Social capital - connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them
John Locke - Greatly influenced the political thought of British colonists in North
America; social contract theory
How did the delegates of the Constitutional Convention resolve their disagreement
regarding slavery? - It was agreed that 60 percent of a state's slave population would be
counted for purposes of both representation and taxation.
enumerated powers - The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution.
New Jersey Plan - a plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state
would receive one vote
, Virginia Plan - A plan at the constitutional convention to base representation in the
legislature on population.
reserved powers - Powers given to the state government alone
Three-Fifths Compromise - Compromise between northern and southern states at the
Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for
determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.
Why were the Federalist Papers written? - To encourage New York to ratify the
Constitution.
What argument did Alexander Hamilton use to convince people that it was not
dangerous to place power in the hands of one man? - One man could respond to crises
more quickly than a group of men like Congress.
It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group.
What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve? - The Fourteenth Amendment gave
citizenship to African Americans and made all Americans equal before the law
regardless of race or color. Over the years it has also been used to require states to
guarantee their residents the same protections as those granted by the federal
government in the Bill of Rights
bill of attainder - a legislative action declaring someone guilty without a trial; prohibited
under the Constitution
Devolution - A process in which powers from the government in a unitary system are
delegates to sub national units
Elastic Clause (Necessary and Proper Clause) - The clause in Article I, Section 8, that
grants Congress the power to do whatever is necessary to execute its specifically
delegated powers.
ex post facto law - a law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it
was committed
Full Faith and Credit Clause - Section of Article IV of the Constitution that ensures
judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in any
other state.
Privileges and Immunities Clause - prevents a state from treating citizens of other states
in a discriminatory manner; found in Article IV section 2
writ of habeas corpus - a petition that enables someone in custody to petition a judge to
determine whether that person's detention is legal
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