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US History Regents MC 2018

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 22mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

During the colonial period in British North America, the major geographic barrier to westward expansion was the

a)

Ohio River

b)

Great Plains

c)

Rocky Mountains

d)

Appalachian Mountains

2.

The United States purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803 was geographically important because it

a)

assured sole ownership of the Great Lakes

b)

ended Spanish control of the Southwest

c)

provided full access to the Mississippi River

d)

allowed completion of the first railroad in California

3.

The Mayflower Compact (1620) and the Virginia House of Burgesses (1619) are early examples of

a)

restrictions on religious freedom (

b)

steps toward representative government

c)

resistance to British rule

d)

economic systems in the colonies

4.

In writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson was most directly influenced by the social contract theory of

a)

Benjamin Franklin

b)

James Madison

c)

John Locke

d)

Baron de Montesquieu

5.

One way in which the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the original United States Constitution (1789) are similar is that both documents

a)

include a specific bill of rights

b)

guarantee voting rights to all persons

c)

list grievances against the British monarchy

d)

state that government receives its power from the people

6.

One way the original Constitution of the United States addressed the issue of congressional representation was by

a)

not counting women as part of a state’s population for representation

b)

counting three-fifths of the enslaved population when determining representation

c)

setting a four-year term of office for all members of Congress

d)

giving every state the same number of representatives in the House

7.

To what expedient [method], then, shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the Constitution? The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places. . . .


Which principle of the United States Constitution is most directly described in this passage?

a)

States rights

b)

checks and balances

c)

the elastic clause

d)

concurrent powers

8.

Most of the amendments to the United States Constitution have dealt with

a)

expanding the powers of the presidency

b)

setting immigration restrictions

c)

strengthening the authority of state governments

d)

guaranteeing civil and political rights

9.

Which statement is a fact rather than an opinion?

a)

The power of judicial review was established by a Supreme Court decision.

b)

Supreme Court Justices should have a mandatory retirement age

c)

The Supreme Court achieved its greatest accomplishments under the leadership of Chief Justice John Marshall.

d)

The Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade is its most controversial decision

10.

An example of the unwritten constitution is the

a)

impeachment process

b)

two-house legislature

c)

residential veto power

d)

formation of political parties

11.

Alexander Hamilton believed that creation of the Bank of the United States would help the nation’s economy by

a)

providing for a stable currency

b)

reducing tariffs on foreign imports

c)

prohibiting foreign investment in United States businesses

d)

loaning money to monopolies

12.

A major goal of the Monroe Doctrine (1823) was to

a)

encourage immigration from Latin American nations

b)

strengthen the national commitment to Manifest Destiny

c)

prevent further European colonization in the Western Hemisphere

d)

improve trade opportunities with Asian nations

13.

Which event most directly contributed to the growth of New York City as the nation’s leading trade center?

a)

use of steamboats on the Mississippi River

b)

passage of the Pacific Railway Act

c)

opening of the Erie Canal

d)

construction of the National Road

14.

Which statement was included in the Declaration of Sentiments written at Seneca Falls in 1848?

a)

“. . . We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; . . .”

b)

. . . I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

c)

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. . .

d)

. . I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. . . .

15.

What was one result of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)?

a)

Sectional tension increased.

b)

The slave trade was abolished

c)

Northern states were more willing to compromise

d)

Southern states immediately seceded from the Union.

16.

Which situation was a direct result of the Civil War?

a)

emergence of the United States as a world power

b)

rapid growth of industry in the North

c)

elimination of all Jim Crow laws

d)

end of the sharecropping system

17.

Which heading best completes the partial outline below?

I. _________________________________

A. Protective tariffs

B. Railroad subsidies

C. Use of troops to end strikes

a)

The New South

b)

Government Support of Big Business

c)

Technology of the Industrial Revolution

d)

Use of Collective Bargaining

18.

In the late 1800s, major industrialists formed trusts as a way to

a)

secure government loans

b)

negotiate more effectively with labor unions

c)

influence lawmakers to lower taxes

d)

limit competition

19.

One way the “new immigrants” of the late 1800s differed from the “old immigrants” of the early 1800s was that the “new immigrants”

a)

were generally better educated

b)

settled on Midwestern farms

c)

came from southern and eastern Europe

d)

adopted American culture more quickly

20.

During the late 19th century, labor union members generally believed that immigrants would

a)

help workers achieve higher wages

b)

provide necessary skills for the labor force

c)

create a threat to their job security

d)

refuse to become United States citizens

21.

Which action by the federal government would Progressive reformers be most likely to support?

a)

regulating business practices to protect consumers and workers

b)

ending federal regulation of the banking system

c)

passing high tariffs to protect domestic industries from foreign competition

d)

authorizing tax breaks for large corporations

22.

What was the major reason that African Americans migrated to northern cities during and after World War I?

a)

A surplus of cotton led to widespread farm foreclosures in the South.

b)

Discrimination had been eliminated in the North

c)

Political opportunities had expanded in the South.

d)

Industrial jobs were available in the North

23.

What was a goal of Progressive Era reforms such as recall, referendum, and the direct primary?

a)

supporting third-party candidates

b)

increasing citizens’ control of their government

c)

establishing term limits for congressmen

d)

reducing campaign spending

24.

One major goal of President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points (1918) was to

a)

collect war reparations for the United States

b)

maintain United States naval superiority

c)

punish the nations that started World War I

d)

create a League of Nations to prevent future wars

25.

. . . It has been impossible in so short a space to review the entire menace of the internal revolution in this country as I know it, but this may serve to arouse the American citizen to its reality, its danger, and the great need of united effort to stamp it out, under our feet, if needs be. It is being done. The Department of Justice will pursue the attack of these “Reds” upon the Government of the United States with vigilance, and no alien, advocating the overthrow of existing law and order in this country, shall escape arrest and prompt deportation. . . .


Based on this passage, in 1920 the Attorney General of the United States advocated the deportation of

a)

communist and anarchist immigrants

b)

men who avoided the draft in World War I

c)

citizens who criticized the government

d)

wartime workers from Latin America

26.

The alleged danger during the Red Scare of the 1920's contributed to the

a)

elimination of the military draft

b)

ratification of the Treaty of Versailles

c)

changing of United States immigration policy

d)

failure of the American Federation of Labor

27.
a)

Before 1920, many states allowed women some voting privileges

b)

Before 1920, southern states allowed women full voting rights.

c)

Western states lagged behind other states in granting women voting rights

d)

Suffrage was not sought by American women until 1920

28.

During the 1920s, the Scopes trial and the dispute over Prohibition showed the clash between

a)

rich people and poor people

b)

traditional values and modernism

c)

business owners and labor unions

d)

the national government and state governments

29.

Which economic condition of the 1920s was a major cause of the Great Depression?

a)

Farm prices rose dramatically.

b)

Industry overproduced consumer goods

c)

Banks were reluctant to lend money

d)

Demand increased faster than supply

30.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal reflected his belief that during a depression the federal government should

a)

assume ownership of failed corporations

b)

return to laissez-faire capitalistic principles

c)

take a leadership role in economic recovery

d)

help farmers instead of industrial workers

31.

The conditions shown in this 1936 photograph were caused mainly by

a)

periods of widespread flooding

b)

deforestation and overgrazing

c)

global warming

d)

drought and poor farming techniques

32.

. . . There are many such interventionists in America, but there are more people among us of a different type. That is why you and I are assembled here tonight. There is a policy open to this nation that will lead to success—a policy that leaves us free to follow our own way of life, and to develop our own civilization. It is not a new and untried idea. It was advocated by Washington. It was incorporated in the Monroe Doctrine. . . . — Charles Lindbergh, April 23, 1941


In this 1941 passage, Charles Lindbergh is supporting the idea that the United States should

a)

isolate itself from the war

b)

decrease its military spending

c)

commit to the defense of East Asia

d)

enter the war on the side of the democratic nations

33.

The primary goal of this World War II poster was to convince the American public to

a)

register for the draft

b)

provide financial support for the war

c)

support the internment of Italian Americans

d)

defeat congressmen who voted to go to war

34.

In what way did the traditional role of many women change during World War II?

a)

They won leadership roles in Congress

b)

They accepted high-level management positions in war industries

c)

They were assigned to combat positions in the armed forces

d)

They took jobs in support of the war effort.

35.

Which Soviet Union action led to the situation shown in this cartoon?

a)

blockade of Berlin

b)

creation of the Warsaw Pact

c)

reunification of Germany

d)

construction of the Berlin Wall

36.

A goal of the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was to

a)

eliminate discrimination in housing

b)

implement job-training programs

c)

increase equal rights for African Americans

d)

end barriers to voting faced by African Americans

37.

Which two issues led to protests and riots in many American cities during the 1960s?

a)

space exploration and environmental pollution

b)

the Vietnam War and racial injustice

c)

inadequate health care and women’s liberation

d)

gasoline shortages and illegal immigration

38.

What is the main idea of this cartoon?

a)

Special interest groups often influence elections.

b)

Lobbyists have limited influence on candidates.

c)

Candidates seeking reelection are harmed by campaign restrictions

d)

Federal laws have banned private interests from lobbying Congress.

39.

After the Watergate scandal of the 1970s, Congress made an effort to deal with the problem of lobbyist influence by

a)

banning wealthy individuals from financing their own campaigns

b)

requiring that all elections be financed by the federal government

c)

limiting donations to campaigns by individuals and political action committees

d)

requiring all candidates to spend the same amount on campaigns

40.

Which statement regarding Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency best describes his growing support of the Vietnam War?

a)

Domestic program spending continued as the the main priority in previous budgets

b)

Domestic programs were eliminated during the 1960s

c)

Military spending had negatively affected domestic programs by cutting funds

d)

Military spending was completely eliminated to fund domestic programs.

41.

The terms brinkmanship, peaceful coexistence, and détente are most closely associated with

a)

periodic border disputes between Canada and the United States

b)

problems the United States experienced with Germany prior to its reunification

c)

techniques used by terrorists to intimidate United States citizens

d)

Cold War relations between the United States and the Soviet Union

42.

Which United States foreign policy action best illustrates the concept of containment?

a)

adopting the Truman Doctrine in 1947

b)

ratifying the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963

c)

returning control of the Panama Canal to Panama in 1978

d)

granting diplomatic recognition to the People’s Republic of China in 1979

43.

Which development has resulted from the creation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the 1990s?

a)

growth in membership of labor unions in the United States

b)

greater global economic interdependence

c)

fewer industries leaving the United States

d)

more protective tariffs between the member nations

44.

The Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Nixon (1974) upheld the principle that the president

a)

is not above the law

b)

can be allowed greater powers during national emergencies

c)

must accept limits on his veto power

d)

can freely dismiss members of his cabinet

45.

Based on American turbulent experiences in Iran, Egypt, Iraq, and Afghanistan is can be summarized that

a)

Middle Eastern leaders favor isolationism over international cooperation

b)

Middle Eastern leaders prefer representative government to military dictatorship.

c)

The peoples of the Middle East are well prepared for democratic rule

d)

The United States version of government is unlikely to work in the Middle East

46.

“. . . They call it a ‘negotiated peace.’ Nonsense! Is it a negotiated peace if a gang of outlaws surrounds your community and on threat of extermination makes you pay tribute to save your own skins? . . .” — President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Fireside Chat, December 29, 1940


In this quotation, the expression “gang of outlaws” was meant to apply to

a)

North Korean invaders of South Korea

b)

communist revolutionaries in Poland

c)

Maoist rebels in China

d)

fascist dictators in Europe

47.

Samuel Gompers, John L. Lewis, and Cesar Chavez are best known for their efforts to

a)

create a universal health-care system

b)

ensure the profits of farm owners

c)

expand the rights of workers

d)

promote the development of big business

48.

Which constitutional issue was tested by President Abraham Lincoln’s suspension of habeas corpus and the Supreme Court case Korematsu v. United States (1944)?

a)

use of military tribunals during wartime

b)

limits on antiwar protests

c)

supremacy of federal laws over state laws

d)

restriction of civil liberties during wartime

49.

Before entry into World War I and before entry into World War II, the United States adopted foreign policies that

a)

stopped the spread of European aggression

b)

supported peace efforts of international organizations

c)

favored democratic nations but were officially neutral

d)

encouraged war by signing collective security treaties

50.

Which conclusion most accurately explains the election results found on this table?

a)

A candidate can win the popular vote and lose the election.

b)

Candidates who won the popular vote won the presidency.

c)

The House of Representatives chose the winner in each of these elections.

d)

The Supreme Court determined the outcome of each of these elections