Kennedy, Johnson, & Nixon Test

This is an excerpt from the ruling in a 1974 Supreme Court decision. "Neither the doctrine of separation of powers nor the generalized need for confidentiality of high-level communications can sustain an absolute, unqualified presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process under all circumstances. Absent a claim of need to protect military, diplomatic, or sensitive security secrets, the confidentiality of presidential communications is not significantly diminished by producing material for a criminal trial...." How did this ruling impact President Nixon’s presidency?

• He was forced to hand over tapes that implicated him in the Watergate affair.

• He was denied the right to escalate the Vietnam War by the War Powers Act of 1973.

• He was unable to appoint Gerald Ford as vice president without the Senate’s approval.

• He was granted the ability to use an executive order to implement a trade deal with China.

This statement was made by Dan Rather, a respected and longtime anchor of the CBS News. "The record clearly shows that the cover-up would have worked if the press hadn't done its job. Congress and the courts didn't have a clue about the Watergate crimes, and federal investigators wised up only after repeated and constant coverage by journalists." Rather's statement highlights what role of the media in a democratic society?

• assist the government by influencing public opinion in favor of new policies

• use influence to persuade people to support particular candidates for office

• serve as a watchdog and expose corruption and wrongdoing

• report on trials and legal issues related to the government

Which U.S. President was not elected to the office of President or Vice President?

• Gerald Ford

• Harry Truman

• Lyndon Johnson

• Jimmy Carter

What was the purpose of federal legislation such as Title IX (1972) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)?

• to extend voting rights to greater numbers of Americans

• to guarantee equal pay for equal work

• to expand social welfare programs

• to extend civil rights protections to more Americans

To what does the Saturday Night Massacre refer?

• President Nixon firing a Watergate special prosecutor and his staff in October 1973

• suicide bombings in Libya in October 1983

• Regan's military actions in Columbia

• the destruction of files related to the Iran-Contra affair

What program did President Nixon establish as a response to the first Earth Day celebration?

• Environmental Protection Agency

• Endangered Species Act

• Clean Air Act

• Clean Water Act

How has the American population shifted in the years since World War II ended?

• A large portion of the population moved out of the West and Southwest.

• Americans built more unique and individualized homes.

• The wealthiest citizens were concentrated in the center of cities.

• Many middle-class families moved to the suburbs.

What led to the growth of the suburbs in the 1950s?

• an increase in immigration from Europe

• the development of an interstate highway system

• large amounts of pollution in urban areas

• a reduction in the use of private automobiles

Which statement regarding the American family of the 20th century is the most accurate?

• a) The 1930s saw the emergence of the nuclear family.

• b) Families became smaller at the end of the 1940s.

• c) The 1950s saw the weakening of the extended family structure.

• d) Blended families rapidly increased, beginning in the early 1970s.

What idea was upheld in the Supreme Court's ruling in United States v. Nixon?

• Presidents have extended powers during wartime.

• Congress can override a line-item veto.

• Presidents cannot be subpoenaed while in office.

• No individual is above the law.