Unit 2A Test

Which of the following best explains why the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) was a necessary piece of legislation despite the earlier ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment?

• The 15th Amendment was not a federal law and thus could not be enforced by the US Government, a power the VRA possessed.

• The Fifteenth Amendment only applied to federal elections, while the VRA extended voting rights to state and local elections.

• The Fifteenth Amendment's passage was symbolic and did not actually grant the right to vote, a right only secured by the VRA.

• The Fifteenth Amendment, while prohibiting racial discrimination, lacked specific enforcement mechanisms, whereas the VRA provided proactive tools like preclearance and federal oversight.

Analyze the historical context of the late 19th century and early 20th century. Which of the following best explains why the Fifteenth Amendment's guarantee of voting rights for African American men was systematically undermined, necessitating the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

• Southern states enacted "Jim Crow" laws, such as poll taxes and literacy tests, that were technically race-neutral but were deliberately and disproportionately enforced to disenfranchise African American voters. These discriminatory practices were reinforced by intimidation and violence from white supremacist groups.

• The Supreme Court, in cases like Plessy v. Ferguson, ruled the Fifteenth Amendment unconstitutional, allowing states to legally prevent African Americans from voting until the Civil Rights Movement.

• The federal government withdrew all troops from the South after the Civil War, leading to a complete collapse of Reconstruction efforts and the immediate and total disenfranchisement of African Americans across the region.

• The Fifteenth Amendment was never properly ratified by all states, leading to its uneven application and allowing for discrimination to continue in certain regions.

What key aspect of the Constitution relates to voting?

• It contains amendments that prohibit states from preventing certain people from voting.

• It prohibits the states from determining who can vote.

• It requires citizens to be 21 years old to vote.

• It specifies how long a person must be a citizen in order to vote.

The Twenty-sixth Amendment greatly increased the number of Americans eligible to vote by

• eliminating discriminatory voting laws.

• lowering the voting age to 18.

• passing grandfather clauses.

• requiring voters to pass a literacy test.

Over time, political parties in the United States have undergone evolution. Which of these parties evolved from the anti-slavery Whig party?

• Know-Nothings

• Northern Democrats

• Republicans

• Southern Democrats

Who was the first Republican to be elected President of the US in 1860?

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Theodore Roosevelt

• Andrew Jackson

• Abraham Lincoln

A person who supports government-run social programs and also believes that businesses should be free to operate without regulation might call herself which of these?

• Conservative (Republican)

• Liberal (Democrat)

• Radical Liberal

• Moderate (Middle of the Political Road)

After the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment -

• poll taxes became illegal

• some states implemented grandfather clauses

• women had the right to vote

• women did not face the discriminatory voting laws that African Americans did

Which Constitutional Amendment outlawed poll taxes as a requirement for voting?

• 15th Amendment

• 19th Amendment

• 21st Amendment

• 24th Amendment

A person argues that the government has a moral obligation to regulate industries to combat climate change and fund social programs to address homelessness. However, this same person also believes that a free market and low taxes are essential for economic prosperity. Which of the following best analyzes the complex political ideology held by this individual?

• This person likely identifies as a libertarian, as their belief in low taxes and a free market aligns with the core principles of that ideology.

• This person's views reflect a modern liberal or centrist stance, which often supports government intervention for social and environmental issues while maintaining a commitment to capitalist economic principles.

• This person's ideology combines elements of both social conservatism and fiscal liberalism, making them a political moderate.

• This person's views are inherently contradictory and do not align with any established political ideology.