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American Studies Semester 2 Exam Review

Total questions: 80

Worksheet time: 40mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Yellow Journalism” was used to gain American support for Cuban rebels in their fight for independence from Spain. What is “Yellow Journalism”?

a)

political cartoons that report news

b)

exaggerated news reports

c)

. truthful news reports

d)

communistic slant on news reports

2.

In February of 1898, a United States battleship mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor, Cuba. Three months later, America declared war on Spain. What was the name of this battleship that sunk?

a)

USS North Carolina

b)

USS Arizona

c)

USS Maine

d)

USS California

3.

Which of the following was NOT a result of the Spanish American War?

a)

Cuba received its freedom from Spain.

b)

Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico became possessions of the U.S.

c)

Cuba became a United States territory

d)

United States became a world power.

4.

Which of the following was a factor in President McKinley’s decision to ask Congress to declare war against Spain?

a)

McKinley was an imperialist who wanted to build an empire.

b)

The U.S. signed a treaty saying that the U.S. would help Cuba overthrow Spain.

c)

Newspaper publishers were putting pressure on McKinley.

d)

McKinley wanted to make Puerto Rico a state.

5.

Which future president led the Rough Riders at San Juan Hill?

a)

Teddy Roosevelt

b)

Franklin Roosevelt

c)

Woodrow Wilson

d)

Calvin Coolidge

6.

What is the name of the treaty that officially ends the Spanish – American War?

a)

Treaty of Havana

b)

Treaty of Manila

c)

Treaty of Barcelona

d)

Treaty of Paris

7.

What was the nickname given journalists who attempted to expose problems in government and business?

a)

Muckrakers

b)

Socialists

c)

Imperialists

d)

Sharks

8.

Theodore Roosevelt eventually left the Republican Party and helped create a 3rd party for America in 1912. What was the nickname of his party?

a)

Roughriders

b)

Teddies

c)

Bull Moose Party

d)

Socialists

9.

What was the name of the Upton Sinclair novel which helped expose the issues within the meatpacking industry during the Progressive Era?

a)

The Uprising

b)

The Meat Industry

c)

Rotten Meat

d)

The Jungle

10.

What was the nickname given for Teddy Roosevelt's progressive plan for the American people after he became President?

a)

New Deal

b)

Square Deal

c)

Deal or No Deal

d)

Progressive Deal

11.

A progressive reform which allowed voters to accept or reject measures proposed by the legislature is called a ________________________________.

a)

Law

b)

Bill

c)

Referendum

d)

Act

12.

The progressive reform which created the Federal Reserve System which issues paper money controlled by the banks

a)

Meat Inspection Act

b)

National Reclamation Act

c)

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

d)

Federal Reserve Act

13.

A policy which tended to control thinking in America during the Industrial Age and that progressives reacted to and literally meant "hands off"

a)

laissez – faire

b)

tributary

c)

nativism

d)

socialism

14.

W.E.B Dubois founded this organization which worked for equal rights for all Americans and disagreed with the "separate but equal" philosophy which was common to the US at the time

a)

IWW

b)

National Black Alliance

c)

AFL

d)

NAACP

15.

During the progressive period, a new form of city government was developed in which the elected city officials hired a professionally trained administrator to run the government. This administrator was usually known as the

a)

Strong Mayor

b)

City Manager

c)

Municipal Commissioner

d)

Urban Administrative Specialist

16.

What countries were The Central Powers in WW I?

a)

Russia, Romania, and Serbia

b)

Belgium, France, and Italy

c)

France, Great Britain, Russia, Japan, Italy, and USA

d)

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and The Ottoman Empire

17.

What countries were considered to be The Allies in WW I?

a)

Russia, Romania, and Serbia

b)

Belgium, France, and Italy

c)

France, Great Britain, Russia, Japan, Italy, and USA

d)

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and The Ottoman Empire

18.

What is propaganda?

a)

When a spy gets caught telling secrets to another country.

b)

The spread of ideas that help one country and hurt another

c)

When two countries share borders

d)

When two countries declare war against each other

19.

Whose death sparked World War I?

a)

Queen Victoria

b)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

c)

Kaiser Wilhelm

d)

Archbishop Ussher

20.

Which of these ships was sunk by a German submarine?

a)

Andrea Doria

b)

Lusitania

c)

Titanic

d)

Arizona

21.

Which of these nations was neutral in World War I?

a)

England

b)

Italy

c)

Germany

d)

Norway

22.

Which of these people was a spy in World War I?

a)

Benedict Arnold

b)

Mata Hari

c)

Serge Plekhanov

d)

James Bond

23.

Which weapon was first used at the Battle of the Somme in World War I?

a)

Chariot

b)

Jet Fighter

c)

Tank

d)

Submarine

24.

World War I ended in:

a)

1920

b)

1915

c)

1925

d)

1918

25.

Why did the United States government create the War Industries Board?

a)

To ensure that factories produced enough military supplies for the war

b)

To educate soldiers

c)

To ensure that young men registered for the military draft

d)

To boost food production

26.

Which of the following nations would have entered World War I if the Zimmerman plot had succeeded?

a)

Serbia

b)

Switzerland

c)

Spain

d)

Mexico

27.

Which of the following was NOT a characteristic of trench warfare?

a)

Heavy artillery bombardments

b)

Attacks and counterattacks across open land

c)

Short battles with relatively few deaths

d)

Use of poison gases on enemy troops

28.

What role did President Wilson want the United States to play at the start of World War I?

a)

Cutting off American supplies to every warring nation

b)

Entering the war on the side of Great Britain

c)

Arranging peace talks between the two sides

d)

Entering the war on Germany’s side

29.

The League of Nations was created after World War I as a forum for resolving international conflicts. However, the League was largely unsuccessful at this task. One factor that contributed to the ineffectiveness of the League was the

a)

Breakup of colonial empires in Africa and Asia

b)

Decision of the U.S. not to join the League

c)

Opposition of League members to the Treaty of Versailles

d)

Rise of the Cold War between the U.S. and USSR

30.

The Zimmerman Telegram was a secret telegram sent by Germany to the leaders of Mexico. Why did the Zimmerman Telegram cause outrage among Americans?

a)

It revealed that Mexico was getting ready to enter the war on the German side

b)

It promised Mexico that Germany would help it reclaim territory in the United States if the United States entered the war against Germany

c)

Zimmerman was passing American secrets to Germany with the help of Mexican leaders

d)

The telegram contained secret messages sent by American leaders to its commanders on European battlefields

31.

Much of the domestic legislation of the New Deal period was based on the idea that the federal government should

a)

favor big business over labor and farming.

b)

assume some responsibility for the welfare of people.

c)

own and operate the major industries of the country.

d)

require local communities to be responsible for social welfare programs.

32.

In the 1930s, shantytowns, often called “Hoovervilles,” sprang up across the United States because of President Herbert Hoover’s

a)

support for federal programs to provide jobs for the unemployed

b)

refusal to provide direct federal aid to the homeless

c)

efforts to help the residents return to their farms

d)

emergency relief program to provide food to the poor

33.

The New Deal tried to solve many problems of the Great Depression by

a)

providing federal aid to many sectors of the economy

b)

reducing taxes on big business to stimulate job creation

c)

lowering federal spending to maintain a balanced budget

d)

decreasing foreign competition by raising tariffs

34.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt tried to pack the United States Supreme Court, but Congress did not support him. This situation is an example of

a)

Congress undermining the separation of powers

b)

the president using the unwritten constitution

c)

the use of the system of checks and balances

d)

how federalism was preserved by one branch of government

35.

New Deal programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) were primarily intended to help

a)

Farmers

b)

Homeowners

c)

Businesses

d)

Unemployed Workers

36.

Which event is most closely associated with the end of the Great Depression?

a)

passage of the Social Security Act

b)

beginning of World War II

c)

reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940

d)

announcement of the Marshall Plan

37.

The Social Security Act (1935) is considered an important program because it

a)

brought about a quick end to the Great Depression

b)

provided employment for those in need of a job

c)

established a progressive income tax

d)

extended support to elderly

38.

The New Deal changed political thinking in the United States because it supported the idea that the

a)

rights of workers are less important than the interests of business

b)

Supreme Court should have an important role to play in the economy

c)

government should become more involved in the social and economic life of the people

d)

president’s foreign policy is more important than his domestic policy

39.

During the Great Depression, expressions such as Hoovervilles and Hoover Blankets showed that President Hoover

a)

was seen as a role model

b)

used the military to aid the unemployed

c)

was blamed for the suffering of the poor

d)

supported relief and public housing for the needy

40.

A lasting effect of the New Deal has been a belief that government should

a)

own the principal means of producing goods and services

b)

allow natural market forces to determine economic conditions

c)

maintain a balanced federal budget during hard economic times

d)

assume responsibility for the well-being of its citizens

41.

World War II began when Germany invaded

a)

Russia

b)

Austria

c)

France

d)

Poland

42.

During the war British ships travelled in convoys because

a)

they were afraid of German submarine attacks

b)

they had a lot of goods to carry

c)

they used American ships

d)

they could be seen better from the air

43.

General Charles de Gaulle went to Great Britain and told Frenchmen

a)

to give up when the Germans came

b)

to continue fighting against the Germans

c)

to join the German army

d)

to try to escape to Great Britain

44.

Why was island hopping important?

a)

It was a popular dance during the 1940s that helped lift morale on the home front

b)

It helped increase trade between America and the Caribbean islands during WW

c)

It enabled island tribes to move between islands to escape the fighting during WWII

d)

It allowed America to capture key islands in the Pacific and use them to get closer to Japan

45.

What was most important about The Battle of the Bulge?

a)

It proved that both the Axis and Allies had a strong resolve to win the war

b)

It allowed the Americans to capture Iwo Jima

c)

It helped a lot of people lose weight

d)

It was the last major Nazi offensive

46.

During WWII, which countries made up the Allied Powers?

a)

Japan, Germany and Italy

b)

France, Germany and America

c)

The Soviet Union, Great Britain, Japan and Canada

d)

America, Great Britain, The Soviet Union and Canada

47.

Which countries did America declare war on in 1941?

a)

Japan, Italy and Germany

b)

Japan, Italy and France

c)

The Soviet Union, Britain and Germany

d)

The Soviet Union, Italy and Japan

48.

Why did America enter WWII?

a)

Germany declared war on Japan.

b)

We wanted to end the Holocaust.

c)

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

d)

Europe needed help to beat Stalin.

49.

This battle was the “turning point in the Pacific.”

a)

Midway

b)

Iwo Jima

c)

Tarawa

d)

Coral Sea

50.

The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the _______________________

a)

use of island hopping

b)

assassination of Tojo

c)

surrender of Japan

d)

surrender of Germany

51.

U.S. fears about the spread of communism were increased when ____ became a Communist nation in 1949.

a)

Soviet Union

b)

Yugoslavia

c)

Poland

d)

Monaco

52.

The “Bay of Pigs” refers to

a)

The Soviet Union’s invasion of Hungary.

b)

A U.S. attempt to overthrow the Cuban government

c)

The Russian resort city in which Eastern European nations met to form the CENTO alliance.

d)

The Soviet Union’s attempt to install nuclear weapons in Haiti.

53.

The Warsaw Pact sought to

a)

Create a military alliance between the Soviet Union and various Eastern European nations.

b)

Prevent Soviet expansion into Poland and Denmark.

c)

Provide economic assistance to Polish Jews after World War II.

d)

Create a plan for the reduction of nuclear weapons in Europe.

54.

The Berlin Wall was built in order to

a)

Stop the flow of supplies from West Germany to West Berlin.

b)

Prevent food from entering Poland

c)

Prevent the smuggling of arms to anti-Soviet forces

d)

Prevent East Germans from defecting to West Germany

55.

The “détente” phase of relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union ended with the Soviet invasion of

a)

Afghanistan.

b)

South Vietnam.

c)

South Korea.

d)

Poland.

56.

Why was geography important during the Cuban missile crisis?

a)

The communist government took over American businesses on the island.

b)

The island is located just 90 miles from the coast of Florida.

c)

The Soviets gave financial aid to the communist government of Cuba.

d)

The Bay of Pigs invasion failed to overthrow Castro.

57.

How did the United States respond to the Soviet Union’s Berlin blockade?

a)

airlifted supplies to the people of Berlin

b)

withdrew its troops from Germany

c)

sent troops into the Soviet zone of Germany

d)

built a wall between East Berlin and West Berlin

58.

Which of the following phrases best defines the term Cold War?

a)

conflict between armed opponents

b)

competition for economic and political power

c)

conflict that involves exchange of atomic weapons

d)

competition for petroleum resources in the Arctic

59.

What act caused the United States to lead a United Nations military force into Korea?

a)

Communist forces from South Korea invaded North Korea.

b)

Communist forces from China invaded South Korea.

c)

Communist forces from China invaded North Korea.

d)

Communist forces from North Korea invaded South Korea.

60.

Which of the following nations was a member of the Warsaw Pact?

a)

Yugoslavia

b)

Poland

c)

China

d)

Monaco

61.

Which of the following affirmed the legality of racial segregation and prompted the passage of the Jim Crow laws?

a)

The Fourteenth Amendment

b)

The Civil Rights Act of 1875

c)

The decision in Plessy v. Ferguson

d)

The decision in Morgan v. Virginia

62.

Which doctrine relating to public education was overturned by the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education?

a)

Due process of law.

b)

"separate but equal".

c)

"all deliberate speed"

d)

Equal protection of the law.

63.

What was the main type of pressure exerted by the Montgomery Improvement Association in response to segregation on buses?

a)

Social

b)

Economic

c)

Political

d)

Physical force

64.

To achieve victory in the struggle for civil rights, Martin L. King, Jr., and other members of SCLC encouraged a policy of

a)

Armed confrontation.

b)

Lawsuits.

c)

Nonviolent protest.

d)

National strikes.

65.

Appealing to many African Americans' anger and frustration over a lack of social and economic power, ___ preached a militant approach to civil rights.

a)

Martin Luther King, Jr.

b)

Malcolm X

c)

Medgar Evars.

d)

Fannie Lou Hamer.

66.

Civil rights activists used this technique to force segregated establishments (businesses) to serve African Americans.

a)

Freedom rides.

b)

Boycotts.

c)

Sit-ins.

d)

The March on Washington.

67.

The greatest achievement of the NAACP during the Civil Rights movement was winning the Brown v. Board of Education decision which

a)

Ordered public schools to desegregate.

b)

Allowed black-white marriages.

c)

Ended segregation of transportation.

d)

Protected blacks’ rights to vote.

68.

The brutality against blacks in Birmingham prompted Kennedy to

a)

Vote for a fair housing bill.

b)

Propose a strong civil rights bill.

c)

Jail several southern Democratic senators.

d)

Release Martin Luther King on bail.

69.

"we will match your capacity to inflict suffering with our capacity to endure suffering... we will not hate you, but we cannot obey your unjust laws..." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The above quotation advocates:

a)

Segregation.

b)

Anarchy.

c)

Prohibition.

d)

Civil disobedience.

70.

The "I Have a Dream" speech of Martin Luther King, Jr., during the March on Washington, in August 1963, appealed to African Americans because

a)

It coined the phrase "black pride"

b)

Many had long been deprived of their civil rights

c)

It caused nostalgia for life in the Old South

d)

It called for a violent revolution

71.

What parallel line divided North Vietnam and South Vietnam?

a)

38th

b)

17th

c)

15th

d)

36th

72.

Which European country had controlled Indochina but was forced out by 1954?

a)

Great Britain

b)

Spain

c)

United States

d)

France

73.

Over which of these did the North Vietnamese primarily supply their troops fighting in the south?

a)

Mekong River

b)

Ho Chi Minh Trail

c)

Salween River

d)

South China Sea

74.

Which of these granted President Johnson the right to wage war in Vietnam?

a)

The Tonkin Gulf Resolution

b)

The Geneva Accords

c)

The Containment Decree

d)

The Fulbright Resolution

75.

In 1968 North Vietnamese troops attacked the South in a surprise daring attack on numerous cities. What was this attack, widely believed to be a turning point in the war, called?

a)

The demarcation

b)

The Tet Offensive

c)

The Christmas Attack

d)

The January Attack

76.

Which of these was a leaf-killing toxic chemical later found to cause cancer in humans?

a)

Napalm

b)

DDT

c)

Agent Orange

d)

Green Bacteria

77.

Which American president tried the strategy of Vietnamization, or turning active combat over to the South Vietnamese, as a way to withdraw?

a)

Johnson

b)

Kennedy

c)

Nixon

d)

Ford

78.

According to what Cold War philosophy did the United States believe that, if Vietnam fell to communism, all of southeastern Asia would fall to communism?

a)

attrition

b)

domino theory

c)

social contract

d)

socialism

79.

The Ohio National Guard shot and killed student anti-war protestors on the campus of what college in 1970?

a)

Kent State University

b)

Miami University

c)

Ohio State University

d)

University of Toledo

80.

When did Saigon fall to the North Vietnamese?

a)

1972

b)

1973

c)

1974

d)

1975