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AMERICAN HISTORY FALL SEMESTER FINAL EXAM

Total questions: 84

Worksheet time: 44mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

How did the Dawes Act strike at the heart of American Indian culture?

a)

by requiring American Indian groups to keep a census of their populations

b)

by establishing American Indian boarding schools, in which American Indian children assimilated into “civilization”

c)

by forcing American Indians to relocate from their homelands to reservations west of the Mississippi

d)

by breaking up American Indian reservations into individual, rather than group, plots of land

2.

What was a problem that the advent of railroads created for farmers in the mid-19th century?

a)

railroads increased competition for farmers by bringing many immigrants to the West

b)

railroads hurt farmer’s yields by running through rich farmland

c)

railroads charged excessive rates to ship farmers crops to market

d)

all of these answers are correct

3.

Why were many farmers upset with the gold standard?

a)

The gold standard kept both prices and farmers’ incomes down.

b)

Few farmers had gold and thus remained beholden to the bankers who did.

c)

The gold standard kept railroad rates higher than farmers desired.

d)

The discovery of gold in California had depreciated the value of the currency and hurt farmers.

4.

Why was the Sherman Antitrust Act unsuccessful at breaking up trusts and monopolies?

a)

The vague language of the law allowed big business to beat it in court.

b)

The law was designed only to go after private business, leaving public companies untouched.

c)

Although the law was in place, many government officials were unwilling to carry it out.

d)

all of these answers are correct

5.

Which labor union adopted the socialist theories of Karl Marx?

a)

American Federation of Labor

b)

Knights of Labor

c)

Haymarket Socialists' Coalition

d)

Industrial Workers of the World

6.

How did the immigration station at Angel Island differ from the one at Ellis Island?

a)

Immigrants underwent a lengthier, more detailed legal interview at Angel Island.

b)

Immigrants at the Angel Island station were mostly coming from European

c)

More immigrants who passed through Angel Island had their names shortened or respelled.

d)

Immigrants that did not pass the "six-second exam" were immediately deported at Angel Island.

7.

What did Upton Sinclair expose to readers with his 1906 novel The Jungle?

a)

the unsanitary conditions in the meat packing plants

b)

the large homeless youth population in New York City

c)

the inadequate urban infrastructure of the city slums

d)

the dangerous work conditions in factories

8.

By the 1900s, industrialization had greatly impacted the natural environment. One major contribution to this was the

a)

rise of extractive industries.

b)

disappearance of ranching and farming.

c)

shift from oil drilling to oil welling.

d)

all of these answers are correct

9.

What was the purpose of the Pendleton Act?

a)

to require the use of secret ballots

b)

to institute the federal income tax

c)

to reform the civil service system

d)

to allow the direct election of senators

10.

Why did many African Americans migrate to urban cities in the late 1800s?

a)

Laws forbade them from settling in the South.

b)

It was a response to violence and racism in the South.

c)

Industry workers often went to the South and recruited them.

d)

all of these answers are correct

11.

Which of these progressive reforms was designed to give voters more power to choose candidates for public office?

a)

direct primary

b)

political convention

c)

recall election

d)

secret ballot

12.

Which progressive reform allows citizens of a state to propose and pass a law without involving their state legislature?

a)

initiative

b)

recall election

c)

referendum

d)

secret ballot

13.

Which of the following was NOT a goal of the NAACP during the Progressive Era?

a)

to secure the passage of anti-lynching laws

b)

to use the legal system to fight segregation

c)

to ensure equal rights for all African Americans

d)

to urge accommodation among African Americans

14.

Progressives fought political corruption fiercely at the state level. Which election reform did progressives advocate in order to return power to the people?

a)

secret ballot

b)

secret primary

c)

direct initiative

d)

all of these answers are correct

15.

What was NOT one of the ways in which progressives improved conditions in the workplace?

a)

restricting or banning child labor

b)

providing benefits to workers who were injured on the job

c)

limiting the number of hours men could work per week

d)

limiting the number of hours woman could work per week

16.

At the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, a group of 300 women and men met to discuss women’s rights. Why was the right to vote so important to many of the woman at the Seneca Falls Convention?

a)

They believed the power to make laws was the right through which all other rights could be secured.

b)

They believed that the right to vote would immediately increase their ability to obtain an education.

c)

Although woman nationwide achieved suffrage in 1850, many woman still felt they faced inequality.

d)

all of these answers are correct

17.

How did Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson work to protect the environment?

a)

by setting aside land for national parks

b)

by creating a federal agency to monitor pollution

c)

by requiring factories to clean up their toxic waste

d)

by protecting wilderness lands from development

18.

Why did President Wilson establish the Federal Reserve System?

a)

to help the federal government keep the budget balanced

b)

to give trusts more opportunities to expand their businesses

c)

to create banks that could collect the new federal income tax

d)

to regulate the money supply and prevent future economic panics

19.

What action ruined Taft’s reputation as a progressive?

a)

implementing the Square Deal

b)

raising the working class' taxes

c)

signing a bill that increased tariffs

d)

adding land to the national forests

20.

Which of the following was an aspect of President Wilson’s New Freedom progressive reform plan?

a)

transferring power from trusts to small businesses

b)

increasing the role of the federal government

c)

lowering taxes on large businesses and monopolies

d)

protecting the rights and wants of labor unions

21.

In addition to the Pure Food and Drug Act, what other laws were put in place to protect people?

a)

New laws banned women from the workforce entirely in the interest of protecting their health.

b)

Child labor laws banned certain types of companies from hiring workers younger than 14.

c)

So-called "lemon laws" protected consumers who had bought defective automobiles.

d)

New laws limited how much manufacturers could raise prices on consumer goods.

22.

Of the following, who were the advocates of prohibition?

a)

socialists and communists

b)

Democrats and labor unions

c)

the Roman Catholic Church and the Anti-Saloon League

d)

Protestant churches and the Women's Christian Temperance Union

23.

What argument finally convinced President Wilson to accept women's suffrage?

a)

Giving women the vote was a wartime measure to allow them to do their duties on the home front.

b)

The framers of the Constitution had been morally wrong to deny women the right to vote.

c)

Women should be rewarded for their patience in waiting such a long time for the vote.

d)

Other progressive nations such as Great Britain had already given women the vote.

24.

What is one reason why Roosevelt's support of Taft diminished after Taft became president?

a)

Taft signed the Payne-Aldrich Bill, which raised tariffs.

b)

Taft sold most of the land held in the national forest system.

c)

Taft declared that he would run as the socialist candidate for president in 1912.

d)

Taft announced he would return to the bench as a judge shortly after taking office.

25.

Which of the following is NOT an argument in support of imperialism?

a)

The United States should become a world-class power.

b)

The United States should expand to compete economically.

c)

The United States should respect other people's right to liberty.

d)

The United States should spread its ideals to other parts of the world.

26.

Which of the following newspaper headlines best illustrates the practice of yellow journalism in 1898?

a)

"266 Killed in USS Maine Accident"

b)

"USS Maine Sinks in Havana Harbor"

c)

"USS Maine Destroyed by Spanish Treachery"

d)

"Investigators Search for Cause of USS Maine Explosion"

27.

Read the following excerpt. This excerpt is MOST LIKELY part of which document?


"The government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at certain specified points to be agreed upon with the President of the United States."

a)

the de Lôme letter

b)

the Platt Amendment

c)

the Roosevelt Corollary

d)

the Treaty of Paris

28.

Examine the map below. What do the islands labeled on the map have in common?

a)

They were all battle sites during the Spanish-American War.

b)

They all gained their independence after the Spanish-American War.

c)

They all became U.S. spheres of influence after the Spanish-American War.

d)

They were all territories ceded to the United States after the Spanish-American War.

29.

Examine the flowchart of events in Hawaiian history below. Which of the following events belongs in the box with the question mark?

a)

The United States helps overthrow Queen Liliuokalani.

b)

Queen Liliuokalani agrees to make Hawaii a republic.

c)

Native Hawaiians remove Queen Liliuokalani from power.

d)

Queen Liliuokalani petitions the U.S. government for protectorate status.

30.

In 1899, the United States urged other nations to allow free trade in China. This approach to dealing with China was known as the

a)

Monroe Doctrine.

b)

Open Door Policy.

c)

Teller Amendment.

d)

Roosevelt Corollary.

31.

Why did the United States support Panama's rebellion against Colombia?

a)

to protect American farmers in Panama

b)

to annex Panama as an American territory

c)

to promote American investments in Panama

d)

to build an American-owned canal across Panama

32.

Examine the political cartoon below. Which foreign policy is illustrated in the cartoon?

a)

Big Stick Policy

b)

Dollar Diplomacy

c)

Moral Diplomacy

d)

Open Door Policy

33.

What aspect of foreign policy did William Howard Taft focus on during his presidency?

a)

economic

b)

military

c)

cultural

d)

ethical

34.

President Woodrow Wilson’s foreign policy focused on

a)

working quietly and patiently in oversea affairs, but using force.

b)

encouraging trade and investment in Latin American and Asia.

c)

using warfare to conquer most of the land in Latin American and Asia.

d)

taking a moral approach by promoting democratic ideals abroad.

35.

What provoked war between the United States and the Philippines in 1899?

a)

The Philippines attempted to become allies with France and England to fight against the United States

b)

The United States refused to export their goods to the Philippines to weaken the Filipinos' economy.

c)

The United States would not grant the Philippines independence after the Spanish-American War.

d)

The Philippines had sided and fought with the Spanish during the Spanish-American War.

36.

Analyze the map. The route chosen for the Panama Canal took advantage of

a)

natural wind patterns that would assist ships.

b)

natural currents from the oceans.

c)

natural waterways such as lakes and rivers.

d)

natural passes created by mountains.

37.

The __________________________________ policy asserted the right of the United States to act as a police power in the Western Hemisphere and stop further imperialism there.

a)

Roosevelt Corollary

b)

Big Stick Policy

c)

Open Door Policy

d)

Monroe Doctrine

38.

Which of the following BEST describes a negative aspect of industrialism depicted in the image below?

a)

Work in factories was repetitive and often dangerous.

b)

A limited number of factory owners became millionaires.

c)

There were more factory workers than agricultural workers.

d)

The number of factories built between 1880 and 1890 increased steadily.

39.

A business organized as a corporation is owned by its

a)

customers.

b)

employees.

c)

entrepreneurs.

d)

stockholders.

40.

What revolutionary process depicted in the image below transformed how iron was turned into steel?

a)

the Stanley Process

b)

oil wells

c)

the Bessemer process

d)

railroad construction

41.

What is the writer of this poem discussing?


“Nearly any hour on the East Side of New York City you can see them––pallid boy or spindling girl––their faces dulled, their backs bent under a heavy load of garments piled on head and shoulders.”

––Edwin Markham, 1907

a)

He is trying to piece together an artful description of the children who work in the factories.

b)

He is describing a typical industrial street scene and bringing attention to child labor.

c)

He is praising the fact that employing children increases the work force for factory efficiency.

d)

He is condemning child labor and vowing to devote his future efforts to improving work conditions.

42.

Which statement BEST characterizes life in the United States for European immigrants?

a)

Most immigrants continued their agricultural lifestyles by starting farms in the Midwest.

b)

Many immigrants were isolated from others who shared the same language and culture.

c)

They arrived with little money or few possessions and therefore had to work hard to make a living.

d)

They received a warm welcome to U.S. society because they brought diversity and new ideas.

43.

Which of the following progressive reforms was enacted by a constitutional amendment?

a)

women's suffrage

b)

consumer protection

c)

regulation of monopolies

d)

conservation of the environment

44.

Look at the photograph below of American Indian children studying in a boarding school. Which of the following concepts is illustrated in this photograph?

a)

allotment

b)

assimilation

c)

expansionism

d)

nativism

45.

Farmers began finding their political voice through different organizations. One of these was the Greenback Party whose main goal was to increase the money supply. By increasing the money supply, Greenbackers hoped to fuel _______, or a general ______ in prices.

a)

deflation; drop

b)

inflation; rise

c)

deflation; rise

d)

inflation; drop

46.

Which of the following was NOT a contributing factor to the outbreak of war in Europe in 1914?

a)

a policy of militarism

b)

a complex system of alliances

c)

a growing sense of nationalism

d)

a shift in public opinion toward isolationism

47.

Which of these statements is a way in which other countries and the United States tried to gain support during the war?

a)

They attacked any opposing countries.

b)

They launched propaganda campaigns.

c)

They promised tax-free imports to allies.

d)

They refused to trade with any neutral nations.

48.

In the Zimmermann note, what did Germany promise Mexico in return for its support during World War I?

a)

Germany would cede territory in Africa to Mexico.

b)

Germany would not attack Mexican merchant ships.

c)

Germany would help Mexico regain territory in the United States.

d)

Germany would loan Mexico money to jump-start its economy.

49.

In his April 1917 message to Congress, what reason did President Wilson give to explain why the United States should join the war?

a)

to punish the Germans

b)

to support the Allies

c)

to preserve world democracy

d)

to avenge lives lost in U-boat attacks

50.

How did the government raise most of the funds for World War I?

a)

They raised income taxes and taxes on excess profits.

b)

They gave tax cuts to citizens who donated money.

c)

They increased import tariffs for non-allied nations.

d)

They sold bonds to ordinary American citizens.

51.

Which of the following statements is NOT true of the fighting methods during World War I?

a)

The rifle was the most widely used weapon on the battlefields.

b)

The use of the nuclear bomb made the war more dangerous.

c)

Chemical weapons became widely used in World War I.

d)

Improvements to airplanes brought fighting to the sky.

52.

Which of the following is true about President Wilson’s Fourteen Points? CHOOSE THE THREE (3) CORRECT ANSWERS.

a)

It demanded the removal of economic barriers to promote free trade between countries.

b)

It proposed a League of Nations, an organization that would resolve conflicts between countries.

c)

It called for freedom of the seas, the right for merchant ships to travel freely in international waters.

d)

It demanded that all nations involved in World War I disarm all of their weapons and reduce their militaries to no more than 100,000 men.

53.

What is the objective of this poster?

a)

Raise funds for the war effort

b)

Work instead of staying at home if you're a woman

c)

Work in a wartime industry, even switch from your regular job

d)

Enlist or support relatives that are fighting

54.

The Red Scare was a response to

a)

Prohibition.

b)

the Russian Revolution.

c)

the Teapot Dome scandal.

d)

the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

55.

Marcus Garvey led a movement to

a)

segregate African Americans in northern cities.

b)

unionize African American workers.

c)

build up African American self-respect and economic power.

d)

create new African American homelands in the Caribbean Islands.

56.

What notable legal contest exposed the widening cultural rift between religion and modern science during the twentieth century?

a)

Plessy v. Ferguson

b)

The Scopes trial

c)

The Sacco and Vanzetti Trial

d)

Korematsu v. United States

57.

In the Teapot Dome scandal, a government official received bribes for

a)

allowing private interests to lease lands containing U.S. Navy oil reserves.

b)

allowing lumber companies to cut trees in national forests.

c)

allowing private interests to drill for oil in a national park.

d)

promising immunity for businessmen who overcharged the U.S. Navy.

58.

The popularity of newspapers and radios during the 1920s

a)

promoted a mass migration to rural areas.

b)

encouraged Americans to work longer hours.

c)

promoted the creation of a national culture.

d)

simplified life for most Americans.

59.

The economy grew in the 1920s as consumers

a)

carefully conserved electricity.

b)

invested most of their money in government bonds.

c)

learned to ignore advertisements.

d)

began to buy goods on credit.

60.

One result of Prohibition during the 1920s was

a)

an increase in alcoholism.

b)

a decline in dancing and socializing.

c)

the rise of organized crime.

d)

the creation of urban artistic colonies.

61.

Which development most contributed to increasing social independence of Americans in the early 20th century?

a)

Rise of the populist movement

b)

Emergence of Victorian ideals

c)

Improved telecommunications

d)

Greater access to automobiles

62.

The literature of the Harlem Renaissance

a)

explored the pains and joys of being black in America.

b)

was written by Marcus Garvey.

c)

explored the origins of jazz.

d)

argued for the separation of races.

63.

The radio had which significant impact on U.S. society?

a)

It transformed attitudes toward gender roles.

b)

It increased access to news and entertainment.

c)

It stimulated greater readership of newspapers.

d)

It heightened consumer interest in television.

64.

Which of these best describes the "New Women" and flappers of the 1920s?

a)

They wore shorter skirts, bobbed their hair, and went to speakeasies.

b)

They rejected the idea of suffrage.

c)

They stayed home and cooked and cleaned.

d)

They preferred the same fashions as their parents.

65.

How was Henry Ford able to reduce the sale price of the Model T?

a)

with the use of the assembly line

b)

importing all raw materials

c)

changing locations

d)

increasing the wages of his workers

66.

Historian Frederick Lewis Allen wrote this description of what historical circumstance? "It was an era of lawless and disorderly defense of law and order, of unconstitutional defense of the Constitution, of suspicion and civil conflict - in a very literal sense, a reign of terror"

a)

The Red Scare and the Palmer Raids

b)

The American conquest of the Philippines

c)

Violent labor strikes at Coeur d'Alene and Homestead Steel

d)

The execution of Sacco and Vanzetti

67.

In 1927, people around the world were thrilled by radio reports of Charles Lindbergh's successful solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Movie newsreels featuring the young, handsome pilot helped make him an international hero. What was a larger impact of Lindbergh's accomplishment?

a)

It improved relations between the United States and France.

b)

It demonstrated the airplane's ability to be used as a long-range bomber.

c)

It made people realize the United States could not isolate itself from world events.

d)

It helped launch the age of commercial passenger aviation.

68.

The poem above was published in 1926. Which statement best supports the author's view of African Americans in the United States?

a)

The author accepts the discrimination of African Americans.

b)

The author is hopeful that conditions will improve for African Americans in the future.

c)

The author believes the treatment of African Americans will worsen in the future.

d)

The author believes that African Americans are not discriminated against.

69.

What effect did the Harlem Renaissance have on white Americans?

a)

It made them aware of the cultural contributions of African Americans.

b)

It inspired Progressive leaders to take up the cause of civil rights.

c)

It encouraged them to end unfair discriminatory practices.

d)

It led them to participate in non-violent protests and demonstrations.

70.

Warren G. Harding won the presidency by appealing to Americans' desire to

a)

reform society.

b)

become a world power.

c)

return to normal life after World War I.

d)

repeal Prohibition.

71.

All of the following political cartoons were drawn in reaction to America's intolerance of immigrants and the tightening of immigration restrictions EXCEPT

a)
b)
c)
d)
72.

Which of the following WAS NOT a pull factor for the Great Migration?

a)

"Newark as a manufacturing center ranks ahead of thirty states in the aggregate value of its manufactured products . . . Wages paid employees average $747 yearly."

b)

". . . from January 1918 to August 1919, there were bombings of colored homes and houses occupied by Negroes outside of the 'Black Belt.'"

c)

"[Newark's] schools greatly enlarged and improved, are among the best. Its beautiful churches are sufficient to give attractive seats to all who would attend. Its superb water supply is not surpassed in quality."

d)

"Steel workers are wanted badly by the United States Emergency Fleet Corporation in Newark, N.J., one of the great war plants that is rising magic-like out of the meadows along Newark Bay . . . "

73.

What was the main significance of the 14th Amendment in U.S. political history?

a)

It established the rights of all citizens to hold property.

b)

It promised equal legal protection to former slaves.

c)

It granted women the right to participate in political organizations.

d)

It declared slavery and all other forms of servitude illegal.

74.

What was the legacy of the era depicted in this 19th century illustration?

a)

The Emancipation Proclamation

b)

Grandfather clauses & poll taxes

c)

The Dred Scott v. Sanford & Plessy v. Ferguson decisions

d)

Fugitive slave laws

75.

To support the claim that the 15th Amendment failed to fulfill its promise for nearly a century, a historian would most likely cite which of the following as evidence?

a)

Athletic opportunities were still unequal.

b)

Public schools were still segregated.

c)

Employment practices were still racially discriminatory.

d)

Voting rights were still being denied.

76.

Which of the following demanded total equality, voting rights, land, and education for former slaves?

a)

President Andrew Johnson

b)

President Abraham Lincoln

c)

Union Army veterans

d)

Radical Republicans

77.

Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction called for

a)

punishing Southern armies.

b)

reconciling with the South.

c)

revolutionizing Southern habits.

d)

trying Southern leaders for treason.

78.

The Radical Republicans opposed President Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan, saying it was too

a)

lenient on the South.

b)

generous to the freed people.

c)

difficult to carry out.

d)

harsh on the South.

79.

What was the verdict in President Johnson’s impeachment trial?

a)

He was found guilty.

b)

He was removed from office.

c)

He escaped conviction by one vote.

d)

He was forced to confess his guilt.

80.

In the election of 1868, Ulysses S. Grant won several Southern states, because

a)

Robert E. Lee endorsed Grant for the presidency.

b)

Union troops in the South allowed African Americans to vote.

c)

Southern voters respected his leadership abilities.

d)

Congress kept a candidate from the South to enter the race.

81.

The Freedmen’s Bureau succeeded in

a)

electing African Americans to southern state governments.

b)

redistributing white-owned land to black southerners.

c)

keeping ex-Confederate supporters out of office.

d)

giving clothing, medicine, food, & education to freed slaves.

82.

The main goal of the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction was to

a)

improve conditions for poor whites.

b)

gain control of state legislatures.

c)

prevent African Americans from exercising their rights.

d)

restore the Confederacy.

83.

Southern state governments restricted the rights of former slaves by

a)

refusing to pass the Thirteenth Amendment.

b)

passing black codes.

c)

holding constitutional conventions.

d)

refusing to pay war debts.

84.

As white southerners regained control of state governments, they began to

a)

compensate former slaves.

b)

join the Republican party.

c)

refuse to pay war debts.

d)

reverse Reconstruction era reforms.