American history sample questions answers (1)

Directions: Choose the best answer to each question. Question 1 is based on the following passage.
As
time went on, the form of monarchy became more complex. In ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq),
for example, a form of monarchy called theocracy emerged, in which government was presumed to be
based on divine authority. Kings were believed to get their power from the gods, and in some
instances it was believed that they represented the gods.
1. What is the BEST definition of theocracy?
A. Rule by a small group
B. Rule by all eligible members of a population
C. Rule by divine right
D. Rule based on land ownership
2. Why did the pharaohs require the assistance of a bureaucracy?
A. To help manage the affairs of the kingdom
B. To perform religious rites
C. To satisfy the demand for jewelry and pottery
D. To lead armies into battle
3. What led to the development of democracy?
A. The development of more complicated agricultural techniques
B. The demand of the lower class to have a say in government
C. The emergence of the aristocracy
D. The demand for luxury goods
4. Directions: Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Pericles, a statesman of
ancient Athens, made this speech at a public funeral after the first battle of the Peloponnesian War in
431 BC
4.Which phrase from the excerpt BEST expresses a central idea of democracy?
A. “Our government does not copy our neighbors’”
B. “administration is in the hands of the many”
C. “we are not suspicious of one another”
D. “a spirit of reverence pervades our public acts”
5. Which phrase BEST completes the chart?
A. Equal justice for all
B. Competition with other governments
C. Discrimination against the poor
D. Better treatment for the wealthy

6. According to Pericles, one responsibility of a citizen in a democracy is to do which of the following?
A. Elect only the wealthy to public office.
B. Never share opinions with others.
C. Operate a private business.
D. Take part in the civic affairs of the nation.
7. Directions: Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow.
Polybius (puh LIH bee uhs) was an ancient Greek historian best known for writing about the Roman
Republic in his work The Histories. In Book 6 of The Histories, Polybius describes the structure of the
Roman government as a balance of interests between the consuls, the Roman Senate, and the
plebeians’ assemblies and officials, known as tribunes. He outlined how each part of the government
had ways to check, or limit, the powers of the other two parts. For example, the Senate had the power
to pass laws, but the people’s assembly had the power to approve or reject laws. The consuls had the
power to direct the government and the army, but consuls were limited to a one-year term and each
consul had the power to veto the actions of the other. While the consuls could command the army, only
the people’s assembly and tribunes had the power to decide to go to war, and only the Senate had the
power to fund the military. Polybius’s work would later influence the framers of the US Constitution.
Several of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention, including James Madison, were familiar with
Polybius and had studied The Histories. The system of checks and balances that the framers built into
the Constitution was based in part on Polybius’s analysis of the structure of the Roman government.
Based on the passage, which statement BEST supports the conclusion that the structure of Roman
government influenced the framers of the US Constitution?
A. James Madison studied The Histories.
B. The framers outlined a system of checks and balances in the Constitution.
C. Polybius described checks and balances in Rome’s government.
D. Roman senators had the power to pass laws.
8. What evidence does the passage provide to support the claim that Polybius’s work had an impact on
the framers of the Constitution?
A. Polybius invented the Roman Republic’s system of checks and balances.
B. The framers rejected the idea of a system of checks and balances.
C. Polybius outlined the structure of the Roman government.
D. Several framers had studied The Histories.
9. In the US system of checks and balances, Congress checks the power of the executive branch by
controlling taxes and spending. Based on the passage, what feature of Roman government is MOST
similar to this check?
A. The Senate had the power to pass laws.
B. Consuls were limited to one-year terms.
C. The Senate had the power to fund the military.
D. The consuls commanded the military.
Directions: Choose the best answer to each question.
10. Why did English monarchs object to the idea of granting civil rights?
A. It would create disorder in society.
B. It would lead to civil war.
C. It would require the writing of new laws.
D. It would limit the king’s power.
Question 11 is based on the following passage.
Excerpt from the English Bill of Rights, 1689 . . .
suspending the laws or the execution of laws by regal authority without consent of Parliament is
illegal. . . .
11.Which form of government does the passage support?
A. Rule by divine right
B. Limited monarchy
C. Absolute rule
D. Dictatorship
Question 12is based on the following passage.
Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence, 1776
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness.
12. Based on the passage and what you have read in “The Rise of Modern Government,” what inference
can be made about some of the ideas in the Declaration of Independence?
A. They were shaped by the philosophy of John Locke.

B. They were based on the work of Thomas Hobbes.
C. They reflected a belief in the divine right of kings.
D. They established a constitutional monarchy
Directions: Read the passages. Then answer the questions that follow.
Excerpt from the Fifteenth Amendment, Ratified in 1870 The right of citizens of the United States to
vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or
previous condition of servitude.
Excerpt from the Nineteenth Amendment, Ratified in 1920 The right of citizens of the United States to
vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Excerpt from the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, Ratified in 1971 The right of citizens of the United States,
who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or
by any State on account of age
13. Which group got the right to vote first?
A. White female citizens
B. African American male citizens
C. African American female citizens
D. 18-year-old citizens
14. Which of the following governments did NOT influence the writing of the US Constitution?
A. The Roman Republic
B. Athenian democracy
C. The Russian imperial government
D. The English Parliament
15. Which of the following would act as a check on judicial power?
A. The Senate approves an ambassador’s appointment.
B. The president vetoes a bill.
C. Congress impeaches the president.
D. The president nominates a Supreme Court justice

Directions: Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow.
Excerpt from the Magna Carta No freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, disseised, outlawed, banished,
or in any way destroyed, nor will We proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgment
of his peers or by the law of the land. To no one will We sell, to no one will We deny or delay, right or
justice.
16. Based on the excerpt, which of the following is the BEST example of “lawful judgment”?
A. A king who banishes a subject for stealing
B. A jury finding a man guilty of murder
C. A teacher taking a phone away from a student for disrupting the class
D. A judge inventing a punishment to fit a crime
17. Based on the excerpt, which of the following would NOT be a denial of justice?
A. A defendant buying his way out of criminal charges
B. A government denying an accused person a trial
C. A judge postponing a trial for months without reason
D. A jury failing to reach a verdict

18. What is the BEST
definition of the phrase “combine ourselves together into a civil body politic”?
A. Start a new religion
B. Declare independence
C. Form a government
D. Rebel against the king
19. Based on the excerpt, what does the phrase “enact, constitute, and frame” refer to?
A. Making laws
B. Choosing a new king
C. Building houses
D. Rejecting government
20. The Mayflower Compact can BEST be described as
A. a royal order to establish a colony.
B. a written framework for self-government.
C. a plan for planting new crops.
D. an agreement to name a new king.

21.Directions: Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political
bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the
separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to
the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government
becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to
institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such
form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. . .
The introduction of the Declaration is the paragraph that begins with “When in the Course of human
events.” The introduction identifies that the purpose of the Declaration is to
A. describe the system of government the new nation will have.
B. announce the reasons causing the colonies to separate from the British Empire.
C. argue that the colonies should be allowed to name their own king.
D. present terms for a peace treaty between the colonies and Britain.
22. The paragraph that follows the introduction of the Declaration is known as the preamble. According
to the preamble, where does a government get its power?
A. From God
B. From an absolute ruler
C. From the consent of the people it represents
D. From a wealthy upper class
23. The preamble of the Declaration states that the purpose of government is to
A. expand national territory.
B. add to a nation’s wealth.
C. make and carry out laws.
D. protect the rights of the people.

24. Directions: Read the information provided. Then answer the questions that follow.
Write your answer in the blank. These first ten amendments are known as the
________________________________
25. Circle the rights guaranteed by the Fifth and Sixth Amendments:
• right to an attorney
• right to a fair trial
• right to a re-trial
• right to a speedy trial
• freedom from self-incrimination (right to remain silent)
• right to privacy
26. Which of the following is a major difference between the Articles of Confederation and the
Constitution?
A. Under the Articles of Confederation, each state had one vote in Congress, but under the Constitution
each state has four votes in Congress.
B. Under the Constitution, Congress can declare war, while under the Articles of Confederation, only the
president could declare war.
C. The Constitution allows the federal government to levy taxes on its citizens, while the Articles of
Confederation did not.
D. The Articles of Confederation were supposed to be only temporary, while the Constitution is intended
to be permanent.
27. Directions: Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow.
Excerpt from the Supreme Court Ruling on Plessy v. Ferguson
We consider the underlying fallacy of the plaintiff’s argument to consist in the assumption that the
enforced separation of the two races stamps the colored race with a badge of inferiority. If this be so,
it is not by reason of anything found in the act, but solely because the colored race chooses to put that
construction upon it. . . . The argument also assumes that social prejudice may be overcome by
legislation, and that equal rights cannot be secured . . . except by an enforced commingling of the two
races. We cannot accept this proposition. . . . Legislation is powerless to eradicate racial instincts or to
abolish distinctions based upon physical differences, and the attempt to do so can only result in
accentuating the difficulties of the present situation. If the civil and political rights of both races be
equal, one cannot be inferior to the other civilly or politically. If one race be inferior to the other
socially, the Constitution of the United States cannot put them upon the same plane. . . .
In this case, the plaintiff argued that the law that enforced segregation created “a badge of inferiority”.
In the Court’s view, where did that idea come from?
A. “because the colored race chooses to put that construction upon it”
B. “social prejudice may be overcome by legislation”
C. “Legislation is powerless to eradicate racial instincts”
D. “one cannot be inferior to the other civilly or politically”
28. This Supreme Court implied that the "colored race" is inferior to the white race in what way?
A. Philosophically
B. Socially
C. Morally
D. Intellectually
29. Directions: Match each case to the correct Warren Court ruling. 2 marks
On a traditional political spectrum, which of these groups would

appear furthest to the left?
Radicals
Reactionaries
Liberals
Conservatives
Moderates
1. Jill is the best person for the position, but she might not be promoted because
of her race. There are several instances of the same discrimination by the
management. The same decision occurred again and Jill was not promoted. This
time, the decision made her very frustrated and she decided to fight against the
decision of the management.
Which law can really help Jill?
 A. Labor law
 B. HR law
 C. Equal Employment Opportunity
 D. Women Rights law
Question was not answered

Answer C is correct.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 is the act which gives the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) authority to sue in federal courts
when it finds reasonable cause to believe that there has been employment
discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
2. Which of the following people would be considered unemployed?

 A. It depends
 B. A person who works two part-time jobs but is looking for a full-time job
 C. A person who quits work to care for aging parents
 D. A person who stayed home to raise kids and now started looking for
work
Answer D is correct.
A person who stayed home to raise kids and now started looking for work.
3. The ban on the production, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages

established with the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
 A. Prohibitiont
 B. Scopes Trial
 C. Hoovervilles
 D. It's not clear
Answer A is correct.
Prohibition in the United States was a nationwide constitutional ban on the
production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages from
1920 to 1933.
4. In the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, what is the meaning of the phrase
“We the People”?
 A. The people express their will through political parties
 B. The people express their will by directly creating laws.
 C. The government receives taxes from the people and exists to support
them.
 D. Government receives its power from the people and exists to serve
them.
D correct
“We the People” is a reference to popular sovereignty, which means that the
government exists because the people consent to its establishment.
The U.S. government is created by the people and serves the people’s needs.
5. Which of the following did NOT take place during the Great Depression?
 A. a decrease in the amount of money flowing in the economy
 B. a worldwide recession
 C. an increase in manufacturing
 D. an increase in unemployment
During the economic downturn that took place during the 1930s, a period is
known as the Great Depression, major economies around the world experienced
a decline in manufacturing output.
6. Unlike the president, the vice president does not need to have been born a
United States citizen.
 A. True
 B. False
Answer B is correct.
The vice president needs to have been born a United States citizen.
7. What does supply refer to?

 A. amount of goods sold
 B. amount of good that is produced
 C. consumer tastes and preferences
 D. It depends
When economists talk about supply, they mean the amount of some good or
service a producer is willing to supply at each price.
8. Which individual protection is found in the Fifth Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution?
 A. forced internment
 B. privacy rights
 C. property rights
 D. civil disobedience
Property rights is the correct answer. The Fifth Amendment states that the
government must pay individuals when it takes property for public use (eminent
domain). The Fifth Amendment protects the individual right to be compensated
when the government takes private property.
9. The Executive Branch is headed by the?
 A. Supreme Court
 B. Congress
 C. President of the United States
 D. Military
The Executive Branch is headed by the President of the United States.
10. During the Holocaust, the Jews experienced which of the following?
 A. forced labor
 B. mass killings in concentration camps
 C. confinement in ghettos
 D. all of the above
Answer D
During the Holocaust, the Jews experienced forced labor, confinement in ghettos
and mass killings in concentration camps.
11. A system of mountains in eastern North America. Which region is it?

 A. It's not clear
 B. Rocky Mountains
 C. Appalachian Mountains
 D. Pacific West
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a system of
mountains in eastern North America.
12. Where can a description of U.S. citizens’ civil liberties be found?

 A. Pledge of Allegiance
 B. Preamble to the Constitution
 C. Declaration of Independence
 D. Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is an enumeration (listing) of civil liberties. The Bill of Rights was
developed to limit federal government power and to protect individuals from
abuse of federal government power.
13. An industry with a single supplier is known as a

 A. pure competition
 B. monopoly
 C. oligopoly
 D. cartel
An industry with a single supplier is known as a monopoly.
14. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects American citizens against:
 A. Identify theft
 B. Discrimination
 C. Double jeopardy
 D. Self-incrimination
Answer B
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects American citizens against discrimination
based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin in the workplace.
15. How many representatives are in the United States House of Representatives?
 A. 50
 B. 100
 C. 1200
 D. 435
Answer D
Representation in the House of Representatives is based on the population of the
state, however by statue; only 435 votes may be cast per legislation.
16. The statement below is from a historical document.

'We the People of the United States... do ordain and establish this Constitution for
the United States of America.'
How is this statement reflected in the modern American political system?
 A. Voters elect Congress members.

 B. The Electoral College elects Congress.
 C. Congress enforces policies.
 D. The president enacts policies.
The U.S. Constitution as it was written allowed voters to elect members of the U.S.
House of Representatives while the U.S. Senators were to be elected by state
legislatures.
The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1913, now provides for
voters to elect both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate which
are, together, the Congress.
17. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a measure of what?

 A. The total wealth of a country
 B. The percentage of people living in poverty in a country
 C. How many goods are exported from a country
 D. The wealth of an average citizen in a country
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a measure of the total wealth of a country.
18. A market economy is based on…

 A. the Gross Domestic Product
 B. microeconomics
 C. supply and demand
A market economy is based on supply and demand.
1. What term refers to the system that gives each government branch some
power over the others?
 A. Checks and Balances
 B. Articles of Confederation
 C. Federalism
 D. Ratification
Just like the phrase sounds, the point of checks and balances is to make sure no
one branch would be able to control too much power, and it creates a separation
of powers.
2. Which option presents a clear point of view?

 A. symbolism
 B. metaphor
 C. bias
 D. propaganda
Bias is the correct answer. This is the correct response because bias is an opinion
that clearly supports one point of view over another.
3. According to the law of demand, when prices increase, demand will decrease.
 A. True
 B. False
 C. It depends
 D. It's not clear
According to the law of demand, when prices increase, demand will decrease.
4. Since the year 1990-1991, the number of students graduating from public high
schools has increased. Public high schools receive funds from federal and state
governments. Analyze the given data in the following graph and predict how
increasing graduation rates could be connected with other U.S. policy objectives.
Which long-term U.S. domestic policy objective is reflected in the following
graph?
 A. career preparation
 B. physical fitness
 C. racial equality
 D. public safety
This is the best response because a high school diploma is required for a large
percentage of jobs. Increased career preparation is connected to increased
percentages of high school graduates among public high school students.
5. Which is a constitutional requirement to run for Congress?

 A. at least 21 years old
 B. U.S. citizencorrect
 C. at least 25 years old
 D. U.S. permanent resident
U.S. citizenship is required to be a member of both chambers of Congress
6. “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the
same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-
appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” –
James Madison
From this quote, we can assume that James Madison supports:
 A. Separation of powers
 B. Freedom of Speech
 C. The group of advisers to the President
James Madison supported the separation of powers.
Madison believed that keeping the three branches separated was fundamental to
the preservation of liberty.
7. What is the name for a change or addition to the Constitution?

 A. It depends
 B. Ratification
 C. Amendment
 D. Veto
A constitutional amendment is a modification of the constitution of a polity,
organization or another type of entity.
8. The statement is part of the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution. Identify how
today’s political system follows the purposes of government found in the
Preamble of the U.S. Constitution.
"We the People of the United States... do ordain and establish this Constitution
for the United States of America."
 A. The President enacts policies.

 B. Voters elect Congress members
 C. The Electoral College elects Congress.
 D. Congress enforces policies.
The U.S. Constitution as it was written allowed voters to elect members of the U.S.
House of Representatives while the U.S. Senators were to be elected by state
legislatures. The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1913, now
provides for voters to elect both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S.
Senate which are, together, the Congress.
9. The poster below was placed in public buildings, businesses, and schools by a
civil rights group.
What is a long term policy goal of the interest group?
 A. electing candidates
 B. regulating elections
 C. improving citizens’ lives
 D. influencing political appointments
When citizens vote they are communicating with government as to what they
want government to do in the long-term and short-term. If more people vote,
government officials will be more responsive to citizens’ policy demands.
10. Who has veto power?
 A. President
 B. Vice President
 C. Congress
 D. Secretary of State
The power of the President to refuse to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus
prevent its enactment into law is the veto.
11. The desire to own something and the ability to pay for it.
 A. supply
 B. demand
 C. income
 D. revenue
Demand is the desire to own something and the ability to pay for it.
12. Which department is responsible for monitoring the United States border?
 A. The Department of the Interior
 B. The Department of Homeland Security
 C. The State Department
 D. The Department of Defense
Formed in 2003, DHS is responsible for monitoring the United States borders.
This effort involves many agencies, and so DHS was specifically created to be the
responsible agent capable of cutting across jurisdiction boundaries among
agencies in order to be more efficient.
13. Goods used in place of one another are

 A. It depends
 B. substitutes
 C. demographics
 D. complements
Goods used in place of one another are substitutes.
14. Which is a synonym for the word Veto?

 A. It depends
 B. Accept
 C. Pass
 D. Reject
The veto is an official power to reject something.
15. Which characteristic serves as a long-term protection against tyranny and is a

foundation of liberty in the United States?
 A. the commerce clause
 B. the elastic clause
 C. the right to trial
 D. the rule of law
The rule of law is the constitutional principle that holds everyone accountable
under the law including those people who make and enforce laws. In a tyranny,
rulers can create any laws that they want which is a form of tyranny and threatens
liberty.
16. A country with very strong economic ties to the United States is allowing
human rights violations to take place. Based on U.S. foreign policy, which is an
appropriate first response?
 A. Initiate a trade ban
 B. Initiate public protests
 C. Initiate diplomatic talks
 D. Initiate a military operation
A
The Department of State usually initiates diplomatic talks before the United
States takes more severe measures to resolve an international conflict.
17. Identify the term that links the group below.
Plessy v. Ferguson, Marbury v. Madison, Brown v. Board of Education
 A. Women's Suffrage
 B. US Foreign Policy
 C. Supreme Court Cases
 D. Abolitionist Movement
c
The Magna Carta was __________

Possible Answers:
signed between the King and English nobles in the seventeenth century.
signed between English nobles and the common man in the fifteenth century.
signed between the King and English nobles in the thirteenth century.
signed between the English government and the common man in the eighteenth
century.
signed between the English government and the American colonies to protect colonial
independence in the eighteenth century.
Correct answer:
signed between the King and English nobles in the thirteenth century.
Explanation:
The Magna Carta was a document signed between King John II and the English
nobility in the thirteenth century. It was intended to prevent the King from abusing his
power and aimed to protect certain rights of the nobility. It is often considered the
beginning of English democracy and thus American democracy.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : United States History
The Magna Carta was signed in __________
Possible Answers:
1215.
1676.
1781.
1415.
1776.
Correct answer:
1215.
Explanation:
The Magna Carta was signed in 1215 between English nobles and King John II. The
Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, and the Articles of Confederation
were signed into practice in 1781.
Report an Error
In which country was The Magna Carta signed?
Possible Answers:
England
France
Rome
Greece
The United States
Correct answer:
England
Explanation:
The Magna Carta (1215) was the first legal attempt to check the power of the English
monarchy and to guarantee certain rights for some of the population. Seen as the
founding moment of English democracy, it is worth considering that it only protected
the nobles and other aristocrats from the abuses of the monarchy, and it would be a
few hundred years before any true democracy began to take shape in England. Still, it
is a seminal moment in the progression from autocratic monarchy to representative
democracy in the English-speaking world.
Report an Error
The pilgrims who signed the Mayflower Compact travelled to America to __________
Possible Answers:
make their fortune and achieve economic autonomy.
establish a military base in the war between England and France.
colonize the continent of America for the British crown.
flee religious persecution in Europe.
establish a free and fully democratic society.
Correct answer:
flee religious persecution in Europe.
Explanation:
The pilgrims who arrived in Massachusetts from Europe were fleeing religious
persecution in England under King James I. They signed the Mayflower Compact
which essentially stated they were an autonomous and self-governing people.
Report an Error
Example Question #181 : Ged Social Studies
According to the United States Declaration of Independence, a government derives its "just
Powers" from what?
Possible Answers:
The "Right of the Governors Birth"
The "Authority of God"
The "Wishes of the Elite"
The "Consent of the Governed"
The "Might of the King"
Correct answer:
The "Consent of the Governed"
Explanation:
The opening text of the Declaration of Independence reads:
We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,
Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness—-That to secure these Rights, Governments are
instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed,
that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the
Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government...
The Declaration of Independence was inspired by the burgeoning liberal tradition
which held that it was nobody's natural right to rule over a people regardless of their
wishes. Political legitimacy, instead of being based upon divine right or noble birth, is
a matter of self-determination among those who consent to being governed.
Report an Error
Which of these Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Possible Answers:
John Adams
Alexander Hamilton
James Madison
John Hancock
Thomas Jefferson
Correct answer:
Thomas Jefferson
Explanation:
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson. He famously
adapted John Locke’s views that all men have the right to "life, liberty, and property"
to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Report an Error
The Federalist Papers were written to __________.
Possible Answers:
garner support for the Revolutionary war effort
highlight the deficiencies of the Constitution
support the ratification of the Constitution
support the Articles of Confederation
highlight the dangers of the Revolutionary war effort
Correct answer:
support the ratification of the Constitution
Explanation:
The Federalist Papers were written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John
Jay in 1790 and 1791 as a series of newspaper editorials. The Federalist Papers were a
series of essays written to support the ratification of the Constitution and garner
support for a strong and centralized national government.
Report an Error
Example Question #2 : Constitution
Where in the Constitution is it stated that all powers not reserved for the federal
government fall to the states?
Possible Answers:
The Fifth Amendment
Article V
The Elastic Clause
Article II
The Tenth Amendment
Correct answer:
The Tenth Amendment
Explanation:
In the American system of federalism, the federal government makes the supreme law
of the nation that all the states must follow; however, to prevent a tyranny of the
national government (something greatly feared by the states and the Constitutional
framers) the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution declares that all powers that are
not explicitly reserved for the federal government fall to the state governments.
Report an Error
The Establishment Clause __________.
Possible Answers:
defines the limit of Congressional power
allows Congress to establish any laws necessary for abiding by the Constitution
prohibits the United States’ government from establishing a state religion
allows the President to act with increased power during times of war or national
emergency
allows the United States’ government to establish a state religion
Correct answer:
prohibits the United States’ government from establishing a state religion
Explanation:
For many Americans the freedom to practice their religion was one of the reasons why
they moved to the colonies in the first place. Many colonists had been persecuted for
their religion in Europe, and so when it came time to establish their own government,
freedom of religion was considered extremely important. The Establishment Clause in
the Constitution prohibits the government from establishing a state religion.
Report an Error
The Free Exercise Clause in the Constitution is related to __________.
Possible Answers:
freedom of the press
freedom of assembly
freedom of religion
freedom of speech
All of these answers
Correct answer:
freedom of religion
Which two clauses of the American Constitution are related to the freedom of religion?
Possible Answers:
The Necessary and Proper Clause and the Free Exercise Clause
The Reserved Powers Clause and the Free Exercise Clause
The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause
The Reserved Powers Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause
The Establishment Clause and the Reserved Powers Clause
Correct answer:
The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause
Explanation:
The Establishment Clause of the Constitution states that the government can make no
law establishing a state religion, and the Free Exercise Clause says that the
government cannot stop any American group or individual from freely practicing their
religious beliefs.
Report an Error
In Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court established which controversial legal doctrine
that stood for over 50 years until overturned by the court's decision in Brown v. Board of
Education.
Possible Answers:
Judicial Review
Separate but equal
One person, one vote
Equal protection under the law
Clear and present danger
Correct answer:
Separate but equal
Explanation:
Plessy v. Ferguson was a case that focused on the matter of racial segregation policy
in the city of New Orleans, Louisianna. Homer Plessy, a man of Creole descent, and
his allies on the New Orleans Committee of Citizens staged an act of civil
disobedience when Plessy attempted to ride on a white's only railroad car within the
city. At the time, New Orleans had implemented a number of policies aimed at
keeping whites separate from people of color in public. In Plessy, the court ruled
against Homer Plessy and held that racial segregation was legal as long as people of
color were provided with equal accomodations while being held separate in public.
Over 50 years later, in Brown v. Board of Education, the court reversed precedent and
ruled that separate facilities were inherently unequal, especially in the case of schools.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Notable Court Cases
In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court found that segregation
violated __________.
Possible Answers:
the Necessary and Proper Clause
the Tenth Amendment
the Free Exercise Clause
the Fourteenth Amendment
the Second Amendment
Correct answer:
the Fourteenth Amendment
Explanation:
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) is one of the most famous Supreme Court cases
in American history. Certainly it is the most famous case of the civil rights era. It
overturned the 1896 decision of Plessy v. Ferguson, which had originally ruled that
segregation was legal under the "separate, but equal" idea. The Court ruled in Brown
v. Board of Education that "separate but equal" segregation was inherently not equal
and violated the Equal Protection Clause established in the Fourteenth Amendment.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Notable Court Cases
The case of the Scottsboro boys demonstrated __________.
Possible Answers:
the prevalence of racial injustice in the American legal system of the 1930s
the abusive treatment of rape victims in the American legal system
the negative impact of the media on the outcome of highly publicized trials
the ease and frequency with which the death penalty was employed
the lack of equality and rights available to women in the American legal system
Correct answer:
the prevalence of racial injustice in the American legal system of the 1930s
Explanation:
The case of the Scottsboro boys centered around a group of African-Americans who
were found guilty of raping two white teenage girls on a train in 1931 and were
sentenced to the death penalty. The case was appealed on numerous occasions on the
grounds that the boys had been denied a fair and equal trial process. It has come to
represent the extent of institutionalized racism in the American legal system during
the first half of the twentieth century.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Other Historic Documents
Who wrote the pamphlet, Common Sense?
Possible Answers:
John Jay
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
Thomas Paine
Benjamin Franklin
Correct answer:
Thomas Paine
Explanation:
The revolutionary pamphlet, Common Sense, was written by Thomas Paine in 1776. It
is considered to be the most important document for galvanizing public support for
the cause of the Revolutionary War that was published in the early years of the
American War for Independence.
Report an Error
The pamphlet, Common Sense, primarily argued __________
Possible Answers:
in favor of American involvement in the Spanish-American War.
against the revolutionary war and in support of the British Empire.
that America needed to protect democratic and capitalist interest by intervening in
World War Two on the side of the Allies.
in favor of American independence from the British Empire.
that America should remain out of the Vietnam War.
Correct answer:
in favor of American independence from the British Empire.
Explanation:
Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine during the early stages of the
Revolutionary War with Britain. The pamphlet argued that America had both the right
to seek independence from Britain and the means to achieve this goal. It was
important for swaying countless individuals to side with the revolutionaries and for
convincing common Americans that their goal could be achieved.
Report an Error
The Gettysburg Address was delivered by __________
Possible Answers:
Alexander Hamilton.
George Washington.
Abraham Lincoln.
Robert E. Lee.
Andrew Jackson.
Correct answer:
Abraham Lincoln.
Explanation:
The Gettysburg Address was a speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, during
the height of the Civil War conflict. It is generally considered one of the greatest
speeches in American history.
Report an Error
The Gettysburg Address speech primarily focused on __________
Possible Answers:
arguing in favor of abolition, but also trying to avoid direct conflict and separation
from the American states in the South.
reaffirming the American principles of universal equality and framing the Civil War
as a conflict to preserve the unity of the American republic.
improving American morale in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack during World
War Two.
outlining the benefits for increased American imperial action in the years immediately
before the Spanish-American War.
arguing in favor of American independence from Britain and convincing skeptics that
victory could be achieved.
Correct answer:
reaffirming the American principles of universal equality and framing the Civil War
as a conflict to preserve the unity of the American republic.
Explanation:
The Gettysburg Address was a speech given in the middle of the Civil War by
President Abraham Lincoln. It is a very short speech, but one that focuses on
reaffirming the ideas of universal equality that are espoused in the American
Constitution, while also framing the Civil War as a conflict to protect these rights and
to preserve the unity of the young American republic.
Report an Error
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions primarily asserted that __________
Possible Answers:
factionalism was the most dangerous threat to the maintenance of American
democracy.
the states have the right to nullify Federal laws they deem unconstitutional.
America should remain out of any European conflict.
the United States government can make no law establishing an official state religion.
slavery should not be allowed to spread into newly acquired territories.
Correct answer:
the states have the right to nullify Federal laws they deem unconstitutional.
Explanation:
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions were written, in secret, by Thomas Jefferson
and James Madison, in response to the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798
and 1799. What they essentially stated was that the states have the right to nullify
Federal laws they deem unconstitutional. Many American politicians at the time,
including George Washington, considered this to be a very dangerous precedent, and
although the nullification issue continued to be problematic in the early years of the
American republic, it is now considered not to be right reserved for the states.
Report an Error
The Federalist Papers were written to __________
Possible Answers:
argue that states have the right to nullify Federal laws they deem unconstitutional.
demand an inclusion of a Bill of Rights in the United States’ Constitution.
advocate the ratification of the United States’ Constitution.
encourage a declaration of war against Britain prior to the War of 1812.
undermine the Articles of Confederation.
Correct answer:
advocate the ratification of the United States’ Constitution.
Which of these men did not contribute to the Federalist Papers?

Possible Answers:
Thomas Jefferson
John Jay
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
All of these men contributed to the Federalist Papers.
Correct answer:
Thomas Jefferson
Explanation:
The Federalist Papers were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John
Jay. Thomas Jefferson, as a leading anti-federalist, cannot be expected to have
contributed to the Federalist Papers.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Revolutionary War
The battles of Lexington and Concord occurred at the beginning of __________.
Possible Answers:
The Revolutionary War
The War of 1812
World War Two
World War One
The Mexican-American War
Correct answer:
Explanation:
The battles of Lexington and Concord occurred in 1775, at the beginning of the
Revolutionary War. They were the first two battles of the war.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Founding Fathers And
Constitutional Framers
Which of these American Presidents presided over the Louisiana Purchase?
Possible Answers:
James Madison
Martin Van Buren
Andrew Jackson
Thomas Jefferson
George Washington
Correct answer:
Thomas Jefferson
Explanation:
The Louisiana Purchase took place in 1803, during the Presidency of Thomas
Jefferson. Jefferson purchased the massive Louisiana territory from Napoleon and the
French Empire for the sum of fifteen million dollars. Interestingly, given Jefferson’s
stance on limiting the power of the Federal government and the President, it
established a precedent that the President and the government had greater power than
that which was accorded in the Constitution.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Revolutionary Era
The First Barbary War was fought by which American President?
Possible Answers:
Martin Van Buren
William Henry Harrison
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Jackson
Correct answer:
Thomas Jefferson
Explanation:
The First Barbary War was fought by the American navy against the pirate forces of
the Barbary States in North Africa. The war was the first major foreign militaristic
action taken by the young United States from 1801 to 1805. It was fought during the
administration of Thomas Jefferson.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Founding Fathers And
Constitutional Framers
Which of these men was not a Constitutional Framer or Founding Father?
Possible Answers:
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Franklin
Henry Clay
John Jay
Correct answer:
Henry Clay
Explanation:
All of these men are considered Founding Fathers or Constitutional Framers, except
Henry Clay, who was a prominent politician for a few decades in the first half of the
nineteenth century. Henry Clay was a longtime Speaker of the House and also served
as Secretary of State from 1825 until 1829.
Report an Error
Poor Richard’s Almanack was published by __________.
Possible Answers:
John Jay
Patrick Henry
Adam Smith
Edmund Burke
Benjamin Franklin
Correct answer:
Benjamin Franklin
Explanation:
Poor Richard’s Almanack was written and published by Benjamin Franklin. The
almanac made Franklin rich and famous, and it helped spread Enlightenment ideas to
the common people.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Other Revolutionary History
What was the name given to a grant from the English King to establish a colony in the New
World in the years before independence?
Possible Answers:
reproachment.
pact.
appellate.
charter.
embargo.
Correct answer:
charter.
Explanation:
A charter was a legal document granted by the English King, or British government,
that granted an individual or corporation the right to establish a colony in the New
World in the years before independence. There were different types of charters—
proprietary charters gave control of land to one man, who was effectively autonomous
but owed allegiance to the British crown; a joint stock charter allowed a corporation,
or group of individuals, collectively to own land and establish a colony; royal charters
created colonies directly controlled by the crown.
Report an Error
American attempts to ensure safe passage for American merchants by engaging the
US Navy with the pirate fleets of North Africa were called __________.
Possible Answers:
The Gulf Wars
The Wars of Impressment
The Barbary Wars
The Spanish-American War
The XYZ Affair
Correct answer:
The Barbary Wars
Explanation:
The Barbary Wars, first in 1801, during the administration of Thomas Jefferson, and
again in 1815, during the presidency of James Madison, were fought to ensure safe
and free passage for American merchant ships in North Africa. At the time American
merchant ships were subject to harassment and capture by pirate ships in the
Mediterranean, near North Africa. The Barbary Wars were fought by the United
States Navy against these pirates and resulted in an American victory.
Report an Error
The Proclamation of 1763 declared that __________.
Possible Answers:
American colonists could not settle beyond the Appalachian mountains
American colonists could not purchase goods that were not sold or manufactured in
Great Britain
the financial burden for the French-Indian War would be assumed by the British
population
the American population was in open rebellion against the British government
American colonists had to quarter British troops in their houses during wartime and
occasionally in peacetime
Correct answer:
American colonists could not settle beyond the Appalachian mountains
Explanation:
The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by the British government very shortly after the
French-Indian War ended. It stated that the American colonists were now prohibited
from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains. This was done mostly to appease
the Native-American allies of the British government, but it greatly angered the
colonists. The end of the French-Indian War is considered the turning point that led to
the American Revolution. Because the victory of the British over the French removed
the threat of French invasion of the American colonies, the colonists no longer had to
rely on British protection; furthermore, the British government felt that the colonists
ought to be paying the cost of defending their lands, whereas the colonists felt that the
British government had no right to tax them without allowing them representation in
government. This situation led to a rapid and significant loss of faith between the two
peoples, and revolution broke out a little more than a decade later.
Report an Error
Which of these English laws most directly led to the First Continental Congress?
Possible Answers:
The Intolerable Acts
The Sugar Act
The Impressment Acts
The Stamp Act
The Tea Act
Correct answer:
The Intolerable Acts
Explanation:
The Intolerable Acts were passed by the British Empire in the wake of the Boston Tea
Party and were designed to deter future potential rebels from contemplating
revolution; however, this only served to heighten the angered feelings of the colonists
and contributed directly to the calling together of the First Continental Congress.
The Wilmot Proviso __________.

Possible Answers:
provided funding to help African Americans attend higher education in the twentieth
century
was supported heavily in the South, but could not pass Congress due to Northern
opposition
succeeded in establishing the policy of popular sovereignty regarding the extension of
slavery into new territories
provided relief and economic assistance to freed slaves in the immediate aftermath of
the Civil War
tried to ban the extension of slavery into any territory acquired in the Mexican-
American War
Correct answer:
tried to ban the extension of slavery into any territory acquired in the Mexican-
American War
Explanation:
The Wilmot Proviso was first proposed in 1847 as a provision on a larger bill. It was
an attempt at banning the extension of slavery into any territories acquired from the
Mexican-American War; however, it was blocked in Congress by Southern opposition
in the Senate. It is considered a major moment in the attempts to unify the disparate
economies and social systems of the North and South by compromising on the issue
of slavery prior to the Civil War.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Slavery
Who was the commander of the Confederate Army during the Civil War?
Possible Answers:
William Tecumseh Sherman
Robert E. Lee
Jefferson Davis
Stonewall Jackson
Ulysses S. Grant
Correct answer:
Robert E. Lee
Explanation:
Jefferson Davis was the President of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Ulysses S.
Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman were generals in the Union Army. Robert E.
Lee was the commander of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The
leadership of the Confederate army was considered one of the strengths of the South
during the Civil War.
Report an Error
Example Question #3 : Civil War
The system of routes and safe houses used by slaves escaping from the South to the North
was called the __________.
Possible Answers:
Highway to Heaven
Emancipation Station
Underground Railroad
Escape to Liberty
The Cotton Road
Correct answer:
Underground Railroad
Explanation:
The Underground Railroad is a metaphor for a system of known routes and safe
houses used by slaves escaping from the South to the North. The Railroad was used
by several tens of thousands of escaped slaves in the years immediately before and
during the Civil War.
Report an Error
The American Civil War took place during the __________
Possible Answers:
1850s.
1820s.
1880s.
1890s.
1860s.
Correct answer:
1860s.
Explanation:
The American Civil War took place from 1861 to 1865. The war broke out between
the North and the South over a series of issues. Popular history tends to remember the
issue of slavery as being the most important, but the primary reason why the South
seceded from the Union was that they no longer felt they could be adequately
represented in government. The population of the North at the time was almost three
times as large as the South, and the economic and industrial interests of the country
were all rooted in the North.
Report an Error
The American Civil War ended in __________.
Possible Answers:
1850
1851
1861
1863
1865
Correct answer:
1865
Explanation:
The American Civil War was fought from 1861 until 1865, between the Union
(North) and the Confederacy (South). The primary reason for the outbreak of conflict
was that the South no longer felt that it had any say in the running of the national
government; they felt marginalized and that their economic interests (particularly the
institution of slavery) were under threat. The war ended with a Union victory and the
maintenance of the United States of America as one whole country.
Report an Error
Jim Crow Laws were designed to __________
Possible Answers:
provide funding for affirmative action programs during and after the Civil Rights Era.
improve the condition of poor black families’ living standards during the early
twentieth century.
prevent women from voting or holding office prior to the passage of the Nineteenth
Amendment.
help ease returning veterans back into American society after World War Two.
enforce segregation of whites and blacks in the Reconstruction-era South.
Correct answer:
enforce segregation of whites and blacks in the Reconstruction-era South.
Explanation:
Jim Crow Laws were designed to enforce racial segregation of whites and blacks in
the Reconstruction-era South. They were also designed to try and prevent blacks from
voting or from achieving social mobility. Most of the Jim Crow Laws were in effect
for much of the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth
century.
Report an Error
The Reconstruction period of American history occurred __________
Possible Answers:
after the end of the War of 1812.
after the end of World War One.
during and immediately after the Great Depression.
in the decades after the Civil War.
during the Cold War.
Correct answer:
in the decades after the Civil War.
Explanation:
The Reconstruction period of American history occurred in the decades after the Civil
War. It is named after the attempts by the United States government not only to
reconstruct the internal infrastructure and industry of the nation, but also to
"reconstruct" the feeling of unity and solidarity between the North and the South. It is
a period of time marked by existing intense sectionalism and racial segregation.
Report an Error
Whose Presidential veto overturned the Wade-Davis Bill?
Possible Answers:
Ulysses S. Grant's
Andrew Johnson's
Andrew Jackson's
Millard Fillmore's
Abraham Lincoln's
Correct answer:
Abraham Lincoln's
Explanation:
The Wade-Davis Bill was proposed by radical Republicans in 1864, when it was
becoming clear that the Confederacy was going to lose the Civil War. The Wade-
Davis Bill represented an attempt to make it more difficult, and more humiliating, for
the states of former Confederate politicians to reintegrate themselves into the Union.
The Bill was opposed by Abraham Lincoln, who favored a ten-percent plan, which
required only ten-percent of those who had voted in 1860 to swear allegiance to the
Union government. Lincoln felt that the Wade-Davis Bill would hinder the
development of positive relationships between the North and South and so employed
his veto.
Report an Error
Following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson became President of the
United States. What was the nature of his relationship with the radical Republicans in
Congress?
Possible Answers:
Positive; the radical Republicans helped the President integrate the former
Confederacy smoothly.
Negative; the radical Republicans disagreed on how easily to reintegrate the South
into the Union.
Neutral; the radical Republicans worked with the President on some occasions, but
there was little enthusiastic support.
Positive; the radical Republicans favored the President’s policy of punishing the
Confederacy and making reintegration humiliating.
Positive; the radical Republicans favored the President’s policy of punishing the
Confederacy and making reintegration humiliating.
Neutral; the radical Republicans worked with the President on some occasions, but
there was little enthusiastic support.
Negative; the radical Republicans favored maintaining a strong army and spending a
large amount of the budget on arms and soldiers.
Positive; the radical Republicans helped the President integrate the former
Confederacy smoothly.
Correct answer:
Negative; the radical Republicans disagreed on how easily to reintegrate the South
into the Union.
Explanation:
Given that Andrew Johnson was the first President to be impeached (his trial
famously failed to convict in the Senate by one vote) and that radical Republicans
controlled the House after the Civil War, it is obvious that their relationship would
have been negative. The radical Republicans wanted harsh terms imposed on the
former Confederate states, whereas Johnson favored reintegrating smoothly and
easily. The disagreement between the two groups led to the impeachment of Andrew
Johnson in 1867.
Report an Error
Which of these proposed bills attempted to enforce strict terms of reentrance into the
Union on former Confederate states and politicians, but was vetoed by Abraham Lincoln?
Possible Answers:
The Gadsden Purchase
The Wade-Davis Bill
The Wilmot Proviso
The Ten-Percent Plan
The G.I. Bill
Correct answer:
The Wade-Davis Bill
The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed in which year?

Possible Answers:
1911
1901
1881
1869
1824
Correct answer:
1869
Explanation:
During the second half of the nineteenth century, the United States engaged in a
massive railroad construction project. This linked communities over vast distances for
the first time in American history. The First Transcontinental Railroad was built
between 1863 and 1869 and finished in 1869, with the initial first destination being
San Francisco.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Amendments And Emancipation
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued during __________.
Possible Answers:
The Vietnam War
World War One
World War Two
The Civil War
Correct answer:
The Civil War
Explanation:
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, in the middle of the Civil War,
by President Abraham Lincoln. The Proclamation formally stated that the slaves
living in the territories currently in open rebellion were now and forever free.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : World Wars I And Ii
The Balfour Declaration proposed to __________
Possible Answers:
assure American troops would remain out of conflict during World War One.
create the United Nations.
create a Jewish state in the territory of Palestine.
abolish the League of Nations.
prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Correct answer:
create a Jewish state in the territory of Palestine.
Explanation:
The Balfour Declaration was published in 1917 and proposed to create a new nation
for the Jewish people in the territory of Palestine. This nation would come to be called
Israel. It represents a massive milestone in the Zionist movement to achieve an
independent Jewish nation.
Report an Error
The World War Two agreement between the United States and Great Britain about the
nature of the post-war world and the state of self-determination in the world was
called __________.
Possible Answers:
The Atlantic Charter
The Allied Powers Act
The Warsaw Pact
The Yalta Agreement
The League of Nations
Correct answer:
The Atlantic Charter
Explanation:
The Atlantic Charter was an agreement signed between the United States and Great
Britain in 1941. It proposed the ideal manner in which the war and the post-war world
should be conducted and shaped. It was later supported by the other allied powers and
led to the creation of the United Nations.
Report an Error
Which of these countries was not a member of the Axis Powers in World War Two?
Possible Answers:
Japan
All of these nations were members of the Axis Powers
The Soviet Union
Germany
Italy
Correct answer:
The Soviet Union
Explanation:
In World War Two, the Axis Powers were Germany, Japan, and Italy. They fought
against the Allied Powers of Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union.
Report an Error
Example Question #2 : Alliances
The Potsdam Conference was __________
Possible Answers:
convened to divide the territories of Africa among the various Imperialist European
powers.
abandoned following a series of terrorist attacks.
the first meeting of democratic Russia and the United States after the fall of the Soviet
Union.
the meeting in which the treaty ending the Korean War in a stalemate was signed.
the last wartime meeting between the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States
during World War Two.
Correct answer:
the last wartime meeting between the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States
during World War Two.
Explanation:
The Potsdam Conference took place in occupied Germany during the waning days of
the Second World War. It was attended by all the Allied Powers, although focus tends
to go towards President Truman, representing the United States, Josef Stalin,
representing the Soviet Union, and Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and later
Clement Attlee, representing Great Britain. The Allied Powers met to decide how to
punish Germany and how to rebuild the world after the war.
Report an Error
Example Question #3 : Alliances
In the system of alliances that arose immediately prior to World War I, which group of
countries formed the Triple Entente?
Possible Answers:
Germany, Italy, and Japan
Russia, France, and the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States
France, Spain, and Italy
Germany, Austria, and the Ottoman Empire
Correct answer:
Russia, France, and the United Kingdom
Explanation:
The Triple Entente, entente meaning "friendship" in French, was cemented by the
signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907. The French and Russians had already
entered into an alliance in 1894, while the UK and Frace had put an end to centuries
of imperial animosity in 1904. In addition to ending competition between the three
constituent powers, the alliance that formed on the basis of the agreements provided
for military cooperation as well. The Triple Entente also came about as a geo-political
counterweight to the power wielded over Central Europe by the Triple Alliance of
Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. The web of alliances that spread over most of
Europe has long been thought to have been one of the precipitating factors that led to
the spread of war across the continent in WWI.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Russian Revolution
In the Russian Revolution __________
Possible Answers:
the Russian monarchy fell and was replaced by representative democracy.
the Russian monarchy fell and was replaced by a communist government.
communism declined in influence and was replaced by democracy.
the Russian monarchy fell and was replaced by full democracy.
Russia lost its foreign colonies and became a republic.
Correct answer:
the Russian monarchy fell and was replaced by a communist government.
Explanation:
The Russian Revolution took place in 1917 and witnessed the decline of the
longstanding Russian monarchy to be replaced with a communist government. The
primary cause for the Russian revolution was the extended suffering of the Russian
people during World War One. The Russian Revolution caused Russia to withdraw
from World War One and precipitated the rise of the Soviet Union.
Report an Error
Example Question #2 : Russian Revolution
Czar Nicholas II __________
Possible Answers:
was killed by Josef Stalin.
was the last monarch of Russia.
abolished serfdom in Russia.
was exiled to communist China.
presided over the Russian war effort in World War Two.
Correct answer:
was the last monarch of Russia.
Explanation:
Czar Nicholas II was the last monarch of Russia. When the Russian monarchy fell
during the Russian Revolution of 1917, Nicholas and his family were executed. Czar
Alexander II abolished serfdom and is therefore sometimes known as Alexander the
Liberator. Josef Stalin presided over the Soviet war effort during World War Two.
Report an Error
The first leader of the Soviet Union was __________
Possible Answers:
Pol Pot.
Vladimir Lenin.
Josef Stalin.
Nikita Khrushchev.
Czar Alexander II.
Correct answer:
Vladimir Lenin.
Explanation:
The first leader of the Soviet Union, which began in 1922, was Vladimir Lenin. Lenin
was one of the leaders of the Russian Revolution, in which the monarchy was
overthrown and replaced with socialism. He would serve as leader of the Soviet Union
until his death, when he was replaced by Josef Stalin. Stalin in turn would reign
throughout the thirties and forties until his death led to the leadership of Nikita
Khrushchev.
For what accomplishment, primarily, was Woodrow Wilson awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize?
Possible Answers:
Founding the League of Nations
The Geneva Convention
Founding the United Nations
Establishing the Red Cross
Signing a nuclear non-proliferation pact with the Soviet Union
Correct answer:
Founding the League of Nations
Explanation:
In 1919, Woodrow Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work founding
the League of Nations, although the League was hampered by the refusal of Wilson’s
Congress to ratify American participation in the it.
Report an Error
Example Question #2 : Treaty Of Versailles
The Dawes Plan was designed to __________.
Possible Answers:
provide food and aid to Berlin during the blockade of 1948
divide Europe between a Western, American influenced, capitalist bloc and an
Eastern, Soviet influenced, socialist bloc
prevent the spread of socialism in Central and South America by providing financial
support to capitalists, republicans, and dictators alike
rebuild the economies of Western Europe in the aftermath of World War Two to
prevent them from sliding into socialism
remedy the international problem arising from German debt in the aftermath of World
War One
Correct answer:
remedy the international problem arising from German debt in the aftermath of World
War One
Explanation:
In the immediate aftermath of World War One, the Entente powers sought to make
Germany responsible for the financial and human costs of the conflict. The Treaty of
Versailles essentially placed all blame for the conflict with the German government,
insisting that the Germans pay astronomical reparations. This caused hyperinflation in
Germany along with the rise of radical and reactionary ideologies (like Nazism). In an
attempt to remedy this situation, the Dawes Plan was established to provide a
staggered payment plan and a substantial financial loan from the United States.
Report an Error
Example Question #141 : Content Areas
The Fourteen Points and the League of Nations were the ideas of which American
President?
Possible Answers:
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Chester Arthur
Woodrow Wilson
Theodore Roosevelt
Richard Nixon
Correct answer:
Woodrow Wilson
Explanation:
The League of Nations was an idea proposed by Woodrow Wilson in the aftermath of
World War One. It was part of Wilson’s Fourteen Points, which he published with the
aim of preventing a large scale international conflict from breaking out in the future.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Isolationism And Neutrality
In the League of Nations the United States __________
Possible Answers:
took a backseat to the major European powers of the day who guided the direction of
the league.
contributed a massive amount of troops and financial support but stayed out of the
decisions taken by the league.
was never a full member because Congress refused to ratify American membership.
was willing to participate in the diplomatic process but refused to commit troops and
financial support.
adopted a leading position and guided the direction it took until the outbreak of World
War Two dissolved the league.
Correct answer:
was never a full member because Congress refused to ratify American membership.
Explanation:
Despite being the brainchild of American President Woodrow Wilson, the United
States never formally entered the League of Nations. This is because Congress did not
ratify American membership in the league. In United States law any treaties or
foreign-relations decisions taken by the United States President have to be approved
by Congress before they can be enacted. Many historians believe that America’s
failure to join the League of Nations contributed to its ineffectiveness and swift
decline.
Report an Error
Example Question #3 : Isolationism And Neutrality
The United States’ foreign policy belief that America should remain out of international
conflicts and disputes is called __________
Possible Answers:
imperialism.
Manifest Destiny.
separatism.
jingoism.
isolationism.
Correct answer:
isolationism.
Explanation:
For the majority of the nineteenth century, United States’ foreign policy, particularly
with Europe, revolved around the belief that America should not involve itself in any
international conflicts or disputes. This policy is called "isolationism." It faded from
preeminence towards the beginning of the twentieth century, when the United States
ascended as a world power and began to embark on its own path of imperialist
conquest. Isolationism has occasionally resurfaced throughout American history, such
as around the time of World War One and of World War Two.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Fascism And Totalitarianism
Which of these is not a central component of Fascism?
Possible Answers:
All of these are central components of Fascism.
State-controlled media
Extreme nationalism
Denial of individual rights
A totalitarian leader
Correct answer:
All of these are central components of Fascism.
Explanation:
In the first half of the twentieth century there were competing ideologies about how
best to govern a nation—democracy, fascism, and socialism. Fascism— particularly
as seen in Spain under Franco and Italy under Mussolini—is defined by an extreme
form of nationalism in which the media is under complete control of the state and
individual rights are limited. It also generally features a totalitarian leader whose
authority cannot be questioned.
Report an Error
Example Question #2 : Fascism And Totalitarianism
Which of these countries did not succumb to Fascism in the twentieth century?
Possible Answers:
Russia
Brazil
Italy
All of these countries succumbed to Fascism.
Spain
Correct answer:
Russia
Explanation:
All of these countries were ruled by Fascism at some point in the twentieth century
except Russia, which transitioned first from monarchy to socialism, and then towards
the end of the twentieth century (with the fall of the Soviet Union) to limited
democracy.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Holocaust
The deliberate and organized killing of a social, national, religious, or ethnic group is
called __________.
Possible Answers:
heresy
ostracize
speculation
genocide
excommunication
Correct answer:
genocide
Explanation:
A government or military policy of deliberately killing a group of people based on
social, religious, ethnic, or national reasons is called genocide. Genocides have
occurred throughout human history but were particularly prominent in the twentieth
century. The Holocaust was a genocide of Europe's Jews and Romani perpetrated by
Nazi Germany. Hersey is speaking out against organized religious doctrine; to be
ostracized means to be banished or sent away from a community; excommunication is
a form of banishment carried out by the Catholic Church where individuals, or whole
communities, can be shut off from the salvation provided by and through the Church.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Japanese Internment
Executive Order 9066
"Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States,
and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct the
Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time
designate, whenever he or any designated Commander deems such action necessary or
desirable, to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the
appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be
excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to enter, remain in, or leave
shall be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military
Commander may impose in his discretion. The Secretary of War is hereby authorized to
provide for residents of any such area who are excluded therefrom, such transportation,
food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary, in the judgment of the
Secretary of War or the said Military Commander, and until other arrangements are
made, to accomplish the purpose of this order. The designation of military areas in any
region or locality shall supersede designations of prohibited and restricted areas by the
Attorney General under the Proclamations of December 7 and 8, 1941, and shall supersede
the responsibility and authority of the Attorney General under the said Proclamations in
respect of such prohibited and restricted areas."
Which of the following most accurately represents the result of this order?
Possible Answers:
None of these answers are correct
The 16th Amendment
Pearl Harbor
Japanese Internment
Correct answer:
Japanese Internment
Explanation:
The correct answer is "Japanese Internment." Executive Order 9066 (partially
reproduced above) authorized the military to forcefully relocate and corral, well,
anyone-it was completely discretionary. Of course, it was used almost solely to
relocate those of Japanese descent and place them into "internment" camps;
essentially, it was the forced relocation and detainment of those of Japanese descent,
in large part a response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941).
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Effects Of World War I
The peace treaty that ended World War One is called __________
Possible Answers:
The Treaty of Yalta.
The Treaty of Potsdam.
The Treaty of Versailles.
The Berlin Conference.
The Treaty of Paris.
Correct answer:
The Treaty of Versailles.
Which of these Presidents has received a Nobel Peace Prize?
Possible Answers:
Abraham Lincoln
Bill Clinton
Ronald Reagan
Woodrow Wilson
John F. Kennedy
Correct answer:
Woodrow Wilson
Explanation:
The Nobel Peace Prize was first given out in 1901, so Abraham Lincoln is
immediately disqualified, regardless of his wonderful accomplishments. The correct
answer is that Woodrow Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919, for his
work in founding the League of Nations in the years immediately after World War
One.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Effects Of World War Ii
Decolonization primarily took place __________
Possible Answers:
during the Great Depression.
in the aftermath of World War One.
during the later years of the Cold War.
in the aftermath of World War Two.
during the Civil Rights Era.
Correct answer:
in the aftermath of World War Two.
Explanation:
Decolonization, in which the majority of European powers lost most of their foreign
colonies, either willingly or unwillingly, took place in the years immediately after
World War Two. Primarily this took place from 1946 to 1966. It was a time period
that witnessed Britain and France in particular, but all the European powers,
abandoning their massive imperial landholdings and returning to small nation-states.
The primary motivating factors were the declining wealth and influence of European
powers following the horrors of World War Two; the increased importance placed on
individual and national rights in the second half of the twentieth century; and pressure
from the United Nations and the United States.
Report an Error
The GI Bill was designed to __________
Possible Answers:
improve the conditions of factory workers who were providing ammunition and
vehicles for the American war effort during World War Two.
help returning American veterans from World War Two reintegrate into society by
providing access to higher education.
increase the number of Americans who could be drafted during World War One.
increase the number of Americans who could be drafted during World War Two.
improve the medical conditions and healthcare of American troops during World War
Two.
Correct answer:
help returning American veterans from World War Two reintegrate into society by
providing access to higher education.
Explanation:
The GI Bill was issued in 1944 as part of an extended program to help returning
World War Two veterans reintegrate into American society. It provided, among other
things, housing loans and grants for access to higher education. It is considered a very
important factor in the creation of the massive American middle class.
Report an Error
The language from the following Act is characteristic of which view during WWII?
"Providing for the prohibition of the export of arms, ammunition, and implements of war
to belligerent countries; the prohibition of the transportation of arms, ammunition, and
implements of war by vessels of the United States for the use of belligerent states; for the
registration and licensing of persons engaged in the business of manufacturing, exporting,
or importing arms, ammunition, or implements of war; and restricting travel by American
citizens on belligerent ships during war."
Possible Answers:
"War Hawkishness"
"Isolationism"
"Peace at All Costs"
"Belligerence"
Correct answer:
"Isolationism"
Explanation:
The correct answer is "Isolationism." Put simply, the US was rather gun shy after the
first world war. The unequaled level of destruction and loss of life of the first world
war really put war into perspective, for both citizens and government, and led to a
brief period of isolationism. In addition to the fact that WWI had just ended, the fact
that the beginning of the second world war took place entirely in Europe (exactly like
WWI) led isolationists to believe that intervention was the worst possible course of
action. Thus, isolationists counseled avoidance of conflict at all cost.
This is reflected in the preface of the "Neutrality Act" of 1935 (reproduced above).
Note that the Act utterly and totally prohibits the export of arms to any belligerent,
regardless of whether they were friend or foe.
Report an Error
The United States was the first country to use a(n) __________________ in warfare; the US
used this weapon against the Japanese Empire in World War II.
Possible Answers:
None of these
Atomic Bomb
Panzer Tank
Carpet Bombing
Correct answer:
Atomic Bomb
Explanation:
"Atomic Bomb" is the correct answer. The United States became the first country to
employ an atomic bomb in warfare, to great--if very controversial--success. The
bombs dropped by the Enola Gay (the plane carrying both bombs) cause
unprecedented destruction and eventually led to the surrender of the Japanese Empire,
and the complete end of WWII.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Communism, Socialism, And
Capitalism
The Cold War was primarily a conflict between __________
Possible Answers:
capitalism and communism.
democracy and socialism.
fascism and capitalism.
the East and the West.
Europe and America.
Correct answer:
capitalism and communism.
Explanation:
The Cold War, which waged from the end of the Second World War until the fall of
the Soviet Union, was primarily a conflict between capitalism and communism. It was
essentially a conflict to see which economic system would become dominant in the
world following the Second World War. The terms "democracy" and "socialism" are
the two political systems that usually match with the economic systems of capitalism
and communism, although it is possible to have a society that is both democratic and
communist.
Report an Error
Capitalism
Who was the first leader of communist China?
Possible Answers:
Ye Jianying.
Li Xiannian.
Pol Pot.
Mao Zedong.
Deng Xiaoping.
Correct answer:
Mao Zedong.
Explanation:
The first leader of Communist China was Mao Zedong. Mao was the founder of the
Chinese Communist Party and the first ruler of the People’s Republic of China, which
he governed from 1949 until 1976—when he died. Mao is notable for his role in the
Chinese Civil War, leading the attack against the nationalists led by Chiang Kai-Shek.
He is also notable for committing numerous atrocities, such as the Cultural
Revolution, and for instituting the Great Leap Forward, designed to modernize the
Chinese economy and solidify the hold of communism.
Report an Error
Capitalism
Perestroika is the name given to __________
Possible Answers:
the declining influence of the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s.
Josef Stalin’s attempts to improve the Soviet economy.
Leon Trotsky’s vision for a true communist society.
Mikhail Gorbachev’s plans to restructure the Soviet economy.
America’s policy of investing heavily in the space race following the Sputnik Crisis.
Correct answer:
Mikhail Gorbachev’s plans to restructure the Soviet economy.
Explanation:
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, ushered the country out of the
Cold War and into an era of reforms and diminishing influence. His two major
reforms are referred to as Glasnost and Perestroika. Glasnost was Gorbachev’s
attempts to allow for greater political freedom; Perestroika was his attempt to
restructure the soviet economy.
Report an Error
Capitalism
Joseph McCarthy famously __________
Possible Answers:
undermined the Civil Rights movement with a series of Supreme Court rulings.
led American forces to a catastrophic defeat in Vietnam.
led the crusade against prominent American communists.
proposed a plan to rebuild the economies of Europe in the aftermath of World War
Two.
ran for President on the platform of nuclear disarmament.
Correct answer:
led the crusade against prominent American communists.
Explanation:
Joseph McCarthy was a United States senator in the late 1940s and early 1950s who
famously led the crusade against prominent American communists. This period of
American history is often referred to as The Red Scare, and the policy of attacking
any known or suspected communists in Congress is called McCarthyism.
Report an Error
Capitalism
The Nationalist Party in China was led by __________
Possible Answers:
Deng Xiaoping
Emperor Hirohito.
Chiang Kai-Shek.
Pol Pot.
Mao Zedong.
Correct answer:
Chiang Kai-Shek.
Explanation:
The Nationalist Party was led by Chiang Kai-Shek. During the Chinese Civil War the
Nationalists faced off against the Communists, led by Mao Zedong. The Nationalists
were eventually defeated and set up government in Taiwan.
Which of these countries is not a member of NATO?
Possible Answers:
Canada.
Russia.
Britain.
United States.
Turkey.
Correct answer:
Russia.
Explanation:
NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) emerged after the end of the Second
World War as the primarily alliance of the capitalist world during the Cold War. It
was opposed by the Warsaw Pact, which was signed by the various communist
nations of Europe and the Soviet Union. The current state of Russia remains excluded
from NATO.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Cold War
The idea that two antagonistic countries possessing nuclear weapons actually lowers the
probability of an outbreak of war is called __________.
Possible Answers:
Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Mutually Assured Destruction
Warsaw Pact
Nuclear Non-Aggression Pact
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Correct answer:
Mutually Assured Destruction
Explanation:
Mutually Assured Destruction is the term used to describe the nuclear relationship
between the United States of America and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Essentially it suggests that because both nations possess stocks of nuclear weapons,
warfare is considerably less likely, because if one nation launches a nuclear attack on
another nation it will result in the destruction of both nations. Nuclear Non-
Proliferation refers to an agreement that no new nations will be allowed to access
nuclear weaponry.
Report an Error
Example Question #3 : Nato
Which of these best summarizes the idea of disarmament?
Possible Answers:
An agreement between two or more nations to reduce their supply of weapons
The continuation of British political and legal traditions in the American republic
The increased spending on the military that has occurred at various times throughout
American history
A policy designed to favor one social, ethnic, or religious group over another
A piece of legislation designed to provide for greater religious toleration
Correct answer:
An agreement between two or more nations to reduce their supply of weapons
Explanation:
Disarmament is the term used to describe an agreement between two or more nations
to downgrade their stockpile of weapons. Particularly, it is used to describe
agreements between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Nato
In exchange for the Soviet Union removing its missiles from Cuba, during the Cuban
Missile Crisis, the United States was forced to remove missiles from __________.
Possible Answers:
Czechoslovakia
Turkey
East Germany
China
Poland
Correct answer:
Turkey
Explanation:
In exchange for the Soviet Union removing its missiles from Cuba, during the Cuban
Missile Crisis, the United States removed its missiles from Turkey. Its possible you
did not know this information, but you should have been able to make a reasonable
guess based on the answer choices available. Turkey was a major ally of the United
States and Western Europe during the Cold War and was a member of NATO,
whereas East Germany, China, Poland, and Czechoslovakia were all countries under
either the direct control of the Soviet Union or, in the case of China, under a
communist government.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Truman Doctrine And Marshall Plan
The Truman Doctrine stated that __________
Possible Answers:
The United States would not interfere in the affairs of foreign nations.
The United States would support England in any conflict with Germany or Italy.
The United States would provide economic and military aid to any country threatened
by communism.
The United States had the right to expand across the whole of the North American
continent.
the President had the sole power to use the power of the atomic bomb in a state of
war.
Correct answer:
The United States would provide economic and military aid to any country threatened
by communism.
Explanation:
The Truman Doctrine was issued at the beginning of the Cold War by President Harry
Truman. It stated that the United States would provide economic and military aid to
any nation that was threatened by the internal or external spread of communism. The
country that benefited most from the aid offered by the Truman Doctrine was Greece.
Report an Error
The Marshall Plan __________
Possible Answers:
attempted to rid the United States of any internal communist influences.
attempted to block the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the early years of the Cold
War.
proposed a system of alliances with all the major democratic and capitalist nations in
the early years of the Cold War.
proposed to make sweeping improvements to the internal infrastructure in America in
the aftermath of World War Two.
was a system established to reconstruct Western Europe following the damage of
World War Two.
Correct answer:
was a system established to reconstruct Western Europe following the damage of
World War Two.
Explanation:
The Marshall Plan was a system established by American Secretary of State George
Marshall to rebuild the economies and infrastructure of Western Europe following the
damage of World War Two. The goal was to rebuild the European economy and
reestablish Western Europe as a major trade partner of America, not to mention one
that would have similar goals regarding the promotion of capitalism and the
elimination of communism.
Report an Error
Example Question #171 : Content Areas
The American policy of trying to prevent the expansion of communism to other nations
__________
Possible Answers:
containment.
manifest destiny.
The Truman Doctrine.
mutually assured destruction.
reproachment.
Correct answer:
containment.
Explanation:
During the Cold War, the primary foreign policy of the United States was to try and
prevent the spread of communism to other nations. This policy was called
containment. It led to directly to the United States’ involvement in Korea and
Vietnam, as well as other smaller conflicts.
Report an Error
The Domino Theory states that __________
Possible Answers:
once one country acquires nuclear weapons, they will ultimately spread to any country
that wishes to possess them.
if one country falls to communism, the neighboring country will likely fall next.
if capitalism can be spread to parts of a communist country, it will eventually
consume the entire nation.
The United States cannot allow communist ideology to spread internally if it wishes to
remain a capitalist society.
people from a democratic country will never approve of war with another democracy.
Correct answer:
if one country falls to communism, the neighboring country will likely fall next.
Explanation:
The Domino Theory relates to the Truman Doctrine and the policy of containment
that was the most important part of American foreign policy during the majority of the
Cold War. The Domino Theory states that if one country falls to communism it will
very likely spread to any neighboring countries. As such, America must prevent any
country from falling to communism by any means that it can—or so the theory goes.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Presidents Of The Cold War
The Fair Deal program of domestic reforms is associated with which United States
President?
Possible Answers:
Lyndon B. Johnson
John F. Kennedy
Harry Truman
Richard Nixon
Correct answer:
Harry Truman
Explanation:
The Fair Deal was a series of domestic reforms encouraged by President Harry
Truman. It represents a sort of extension of the New Deal program of his predecessor
Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Fair Deal was concerned with establishing a higher
minimum wage and ending unemployment.
Report an Error
The normalization of relations between the United States and China occurred during the
Presidency of __________
Possible Answers:
Richard Nixon.
George W. Bush.
Bill Clinton.
Jimmy Carter.
John F. Kennedy.
Correct answer:
Richard Nixon.
Explanation:
During the early years of the Cold War, the United States and China had almost no
diplomatic contact and certainly no trade agreements. China was firmly sided with the
Soviet Union against the United States; however, in 1972 President Richard Nixon
made a formal visit to China in an attempt to reopen trade between the two nations
and normalize relations. The visit is considered the greatest foreign policy success of
the Nixon administration.
Which of these major conflicts in American history occurred most recently?

Possible Answers:
The Civil War
The Korean War
World War Two
The Vietnam War
The Spanish-American War
Correct answer:
The Vietnam War
Explanation:
The answer which occurred the most recently is the Vietnam War. The Civil War was
fought from 1861 until 1865; the Spanish-American War was fought in 1898; World
War Two was fought from 1939 until 1945; The Korean War was fought from 1950
until 1953; the Vietnam War was fought from 1965 until 1976. The Vietnam War
began during the Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson and did not end until after Nixon
had been forced out of office by the Watergate scandal.
Report an Error
The Domino Theory was first proposed by which American President?
Possible Answers:
Richard Nixon
John F. Kennedy
Harry Truman
Dwight Eisenhower
Correct answer:
Dwight Eisenhower
Explanation:
The Domino Theory was an important part of American foreign policy throughout
much of the Cold War. It states that, if one country falls under the influence of
communism, the neighboring countries are likely to follow suit. The theory was first
suggested by President Eisenhower to try and encourage support for the French forces
in Vietnam.
Report an Error
Who was the leader of the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Possible Answers:
Leonid Brezhnev.
Nikita Khrushchev.
Vladimir Lenin.
Josef Stalin.
Mikhail Gorbachev.
Correct answer:
Nikita Khrushchev.
Explanation:
The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in 1962, when the Soviet Union installed nuclear
weapons in Cuba, less than ninety miles from United States’ soil. The American
President at the time was John F. Kennedy, and the leader of the Soviet Union was
Nikita Khrushchev. The result of the incident was that the Soviet Union ended up
withdrawing it’s nuclear weapons from Cuba under the agreement that the United
States would remove its from Turkey. For the short period of time that the Cuban
Missile Crisis raged, it is generally considered to be the closest that the two
superpowers got to nuclear annihilation during the long Cold War.
Report an Error
Example Question #2 : Arms And Technology Races
What was Sputnik?
Possible Answers:
It was a Soviet propaganda program that bred discontent in capitalist countries.
It was a Soviet satellite and was the first man-made object to orbit the earth.
It was an American spy plane that crashed in the Soviet Union and sparked a
diplomatic crisis.
It was a Soviet spy plane that crashed in Canada and almost led to nuclear war.
It was an American space ship that was the first to touch down on the surface of the
moon.
Correct answer:
It was a Soviet satellite and was the first man-made object to orbit the earth.
Explanation:
Sputnik was a Soviet satellite. It was the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth. This
took place in 1957 and began the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the
United States. Sputnik was important, geopolitically speaking, for promoting panic in
the United States that America was getting left behind by the more scientifically and
technologically advanced Soviets. It can be seen as the reason why America landed on
the moon only twelve years later.
Report an Error
The Bay of Pigs Invasion took place during the Presidency of __________
Possible Answers:
John F. Kennedy.
Lyndon B. Johnson.
Harry Truman.
Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Correct answer:
John F. Kennedy.
Explanation:
Although the Bay of Pigs Invasion was planned during the Presidency of Dwight
Eisenhower, it was not actually carried out until 1961, during the Presidency of John
F. Kennedy. It was a failed American invasion of Cuba and is important in the larger
context of the Cold War for solidifying the complete deterioration of American
relations with Cuba and for precipitating the Cuban Missile Crisis only a year later.
Report an Error
Example Question #21 : Cold War
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was meant to overthrow the government of __________
Possible Answers:
Nikita Khrushchev.
General Tito.
Fidel Castro.
Ayatollah Khomeini.
Saddam Hussein.
Correct answer:
Fidel Castro.
Explanation:
The Bay of Pigs invasion took place in 1961. The CIA trained exiled Cuban troops
that then touched down on Cuban soil with the intention of overthrowing the Cuban
government and assassinating Fidel Castro. It did not succeed.
Report an Error
Yuri Gagarin __________
Possible Answers:
was the first human in outer space.
defected to the United States and sold Soviet secrets.
crashed a spy plane on United States’ soil.
assassinated Josef Stalin.
was assassinated on the commands of Josef Stalin for attempting to sell state secrets.
Correct answer:
was the first human in outer space.
Explanation:
Yuri Gagarin was the first human in outer space. He was a citizen of the Soviet Union
and was the first man to orbit the earth in 1961. His achievement was part of the early
years of the Space Race when the Soviet Union was the first nation to put a satellite
into orbit and the first to put a man into space.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Effects Of The Cold War
The Warsaw Pact emerged __________
Possible Answers:
in opposition to NATO.
immediately following the Russian Revolution.
into prominence following the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931.
after the fall of the Soviet Union, in order to promote democracy in the former
European states of the U.S.S.R.
during the Second World War between Germany and the Soviet Union.
Correct answer:
in opposition to NATO.
Explanation:
The Warsaw Pact is the name given to the treaty and alliance formed between the
various communist states of Europe and the Soviet Union in response to the signing of
NATO between the capitalist states of Western Europe and America.
Report an Error
Example Question #2 : Effects Of The Cold War
The fall of the Soviet Union occurred in the __________
Possible Answers:
1990s.
1980s.
1950s.
2000s.
1960s.
Correct answer:
1990s.
Explanation:
The fall of the Soviet Union, and therefore the end of the Cold War, occurred in 1991.
This represents the end of the great competition between capitalism and communism
that had raged for forty-five years since the end of World War Two. Although it is
worth noting that there are still communist nations in the world—China and North
Korea are two prominent examples.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Women's Rights
Why is the Seneca Falls Convention important in US history?
Possible Answers:
It was the first organized meeting to promote women's’ rights.
It was the first organized meeting to promote social equality and justice for minorities.
It led to the adoption of the Articles of Confederation.
It led to prohibition of alcohol.
It led to the age of conscription being lowered from twenty-one to eighteen.
Correct answer:
It was the first organized meeting to promote women's’ rights.
Explanation:
The Seneca Falls Convention took place in 1848. It was the first large-scale organized
meeting promoting the advancement of women’s rights.
he Equal Pay Act of 1963 __________.

Possible Answers:
established that Congress could not make adjustments to its own pay structure
made it illegal to pay minorities less than whites for working in the same position
established that the Presidency would not be a salaried position, allowing people other
than the extremely wealthy to run for office
made it illegal to fire a woman for taking maternity leave
made it illegal to pay women less than men for working in the same position
Correct answer:
made it illegal to pay women less than men for working in the same position
Explanation:
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 attempted to prohibit the disparity that existed in almost
all businesses between the wages given to men and women. It made it illegal to pay a
woman less than a man if they did the same amount of work in the same position. It is
an important early law of the Civil Rights Era.
Report an Error
Female oral contraception, known as “the Pill” first became available in __________.
Possible Answers:
The 1700s
The 1920s
The 1960s
The 1850s
The 1990s
Correct answer:
The 1960s
Explanation:
The Pill was made widely available for the first time in 1960. The release of a daily
oral female contraceptive is perhaps one of the most significant turning points in the
movement towards gender equality. For the first time women had near complete
control over their own bodies, when they would have children, and their sexual
freedom (at least in theory). It allowed women to plan when (and if) they would have
children around their careers and life decisions. It led to a dramatic increase in women
in the workplace, especially in technical and skilled career paths, and provided much
of the impetus for later legal amendments to provide for guaranteed female equality.
Report an Error
The first birth-control clinic in the United States was opened in the __________.
Possible Answers:
1910s
1940s
1890s
1960s
1930s
Correct answer:
1910s
Explanation:
Although the birth-control pill was not legally available to women until 1960, the first
birth-control clinic in the United States was opened in New York City in 1916. This
was a major development in the improvement of women’s rights and in the autonomy
available to women in society as for the first time some women could control if and
when they would have children.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Civil Rights Movement
The domestic reforms of the Great Society are associated with which United States
President?
Possible Answers:
Richard Nixon.
Harry Truman.
Lyndon B. Johnson.
John F. Kennedy.
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Correct answer:
Lyndon B. Johnson.
Explanation:
The Great Society was a series of domestic programs and reforms instituted under
President Lyndon B. Johnson. These are not to be confused with the New Deal
programs of Franklin D. Roosevelt, although the two had somewhat similar goals.
Part of the Great Society reforms were the extension of Medicare and Medicaid, the
Civil Rights Acts, and the War on Poverty.
Report an Error
The Democratic National Convention of 1968 is notable for __________
Possible Answers:
the assassination of Robert Kennedy, allowing Richard Nixon to claim the Presidency.
the delegates voting to pass a resolution to make the prevention of nuclear
proliferation the number one foreign-policy goal of their party.
the delegates voting to fully abandon America’s policy of stockpiling nuclear
weapons and losing the election as a result.
The assassination of John F. Kennedy, allowing Lyndon B. Johnson to assume the
Presidency.
the delegates voting against a resolution to end the war in Vietnam and sparking
massive anti-war protests.
Correct answer:
the delegates voting against a resolution to end the war in Vietnam and sparking
massive anti-war protests.
Explanation:
The Democratic National Convention of 1968 is notable primarily for the fact that the
delegates in attendance voted against a resolution to end the war in Vietnam—
refusing to make it part of their electoral platform. This sparked a massive
conflagration between protesters and armed police, as well as national guardsmen.
Although Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, this did not take place at the
Democratic National Convention.
Report an Error
The Kent State Massacre involved the killing of four students who were
protesting __________.
Possible Answers:
the lack of equality for African Americans in American society
American involvement in the Gulf War
the lack of equality for women in American society
American involvement in World War Two
American involvement in the Vietnam War
Correct answer:
American involvement in the Vietnam War
Explanation:
The Kent State Massacre took place in 1970. The late 1960s and early 1970s was a
period of intense student activism in the United States. Students were protesting for
advances in civil rights and equality, but also for an end to American involvement in
the Vietnam War. Many students believed that it was absurd and immoral that so
many young people should die in a war that did not directly affect American lives.
The Kent State Massacre involved the killing of four students by the Ohio National
Guard and furthered the divide between the mainstream and the counter-culture in
American society.
Report an Error
Who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court during the Civil Rights Era?
Possible Answers:
John Jay
John Marshall
Roger Taney
Earl Warren
Thurgood Marshall
Correct answer:
Earl Warren
Explanation:
The Warren Court of the 1950s and 1960s was lead by Chief Justice Earl Warren.
During this era, the Supreme Court overturned many laws and precedents that had
entrenched racial and gender divides in society. The most famous ruling of this time
period is Brown v. Board of Education which ruled that the doctrine in place in much
of the South and Midwest “Separate, but equal” was inherently unconstitutional. This
overturned decades of precedent which had been established in 1896 with the
Supreme Court case, Plessy v. Ferguson.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Court Cases And Civil Rights
The Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade __________
Possible Answers:
legalized same-sex marriage.
criminalized same-sex marriage.
overturned the separate but equal precedent established by Plessy v. Ferguson.
criminalized abortion.
legalized abortion.
Correct answer:
legalized abortion.
Explanation:
The Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade (1973), decided that the right to abortion was a
fundamental right of all women in the United States. The court case has ramifications
to this day, and despite the issue presumably having been settled in the courts, it
remains extremely polarizing in America—dividing many people into pro-life and
pro-choice camps, and inspiring a seemingly endless number of grassroots movements
and campaigns.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Minorities In The United States
Rosa Parks was __________
Possible Answers:
the first African American on the Supreme Court.
a United States Civil Rights leader.
a famous opera singer during the roaring 20s.
the first female to hold office in the Senate.
a leader in the movement for female emancipation.
Correct answer:
a United States Civil Rights leader.
Explanation:
Rosa Parks was a United States Civil Rights leader who famously refused to give up
her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. In the majority of the South at this time
blacks and whites were segregated in public, and in refusing to give up her seat Rosa
Parks was violating the law. Her refusal helped spark and give momentum to the
burgeoning civil rights movement. The first African American on the Supreme Court
was Thurgood Marshall.
Report an Error
Example Question #11 : Civil Rights And Demographics
The Supreme Court case, Dred Scott v. Sandford __________
Possible Answers:
ruled that African Americans could serve in public office.
found that the doctrine of separate, but equal was inherently unconstitutional.
established the precedent of separate, but equal.
ruled that African Americans were not citizens of the United States.
forbade the extension of slavery into the territories.
Correct answer:
ruled that African Americans were not citizens of the United States.
Explanation:
The Supreme Court case, Dred Scott v. Sandford took place in 1857, in the build-up to
Civil War. The court ruled that Scott did not have the right to bring a case before the
United States government, as he was an African American and thus not a citizen of
the United States. The court also ruled that Congress could make no laws preventing
the extension of slavery into the territories. Unsurprisingly, it was a controversial
court case, even at the time, yet was mostly ignored by those in the North.
The provision in the Fourteenth Amendment which forbids the states from discrimination
on the grounds of race in their legal practices is called __________.
Possible Answers:
The Due Process Clause
The Double Jeopardy Clause
Federalist No. 51
The Equal Protection Clause
Federalist No. 10
Correct answer:
The Equal Protection Clause
Explanation:
The Equal Protection clause states that no state within the union can deny any person
the full and equal protection of its laws, particularly on the basis of race or other
"arbitrary distinctions." It was passed in 1868, as part of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : 9/11
What name was given to the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001?
Possible Answers:
Operation Kabul
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation New Dawn
Operation Red Dawn
Operation Terminal Justice
Correct answer:
Operation Enduring Freedom
Explanation:
The name given to the US-led coalition invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 was
"Operation Enduring Freedom."
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Afghanistan, Iraq, And Middle East
Relations
Which of the following pairs refers to the two sects that straddle the major religious
division within Islam among the population of Iraq?
Possible Answers:
Arab and Persian
Deobandi and Salafi
Sunni and Shia
Wahabbi and Hanbali
Sufi and Kurdish
Correct answer:
Sunni and Shia
Explanation:
Over 80% the worlds 1 billion+ Muslims belong to the Sunni tradition. Around 10-
15% belong to the Shia tradition. The two factions originally split over who should
rightly succeed the prophet Muhammad upon his death as the leader of the Muslim
community. Those who would come to be known as Sunnis backed the eventual
successor Abu Bakr, and those who would come to be known as Shiites backed
Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali, who would also come to power before being
assassinated. The term "Shia" is derived from the term for "party of Ali" in Arabic.
From this political split, Sunni and Shia Islam diverged in a number of ways in their
respective practices of Islam. This division has historically been a tremendous source
of strife between the two groups. Iraq is physically located on the border between the
Arab-speaking, Sunni-professing region of the Middle East and the historical center of
Shia belief in Persian speaking Iran. As a result, Iraq is a majority Shia country, but
the country holds a very large Sunni minority and is subject to foreign influence from
its many Sunni neighbors. The Sunni/Shia split is a major determinant of Iraqi
politics.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Modern United States
The Iranian Revolution had which of the following direct consequences for the United
States?
Possible Answers:
It caused the Soviet Union to invade Afghanistan.
It led to the Oil Crisis of 1973.
It caused the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East.
It led to the Gulf War.
Correct answer:
Explanation:
Of these answer choices the Iranian Revolution only led "directly" to the Oil Crisis of
1979. The Oil Crisis of 1973 was a result of various members of OPEC announcing an
oil embargo. The Crisis of 1979 occurred as a result of changes in Iran’s openness to
western economic intervention and the conflict that broke out between Iraq and Iran,
which led both countries to limit supply of oil. The crisis led to a recession in the
United States in 1979 and 1980 and propelled the Soviet Union into the position of the
number one oil supplier in the world.
Report an Error
Example Question #3 : Afghanistan, Iraq, And Middle East
Relations
The hostage crisis of 1979, which took place during the Presidency of Jimmy Carter, took
place in which Middle Eastern country?
Possible Answers:
Saudi Arabia
Iran
Lebanon
Iraq
Syria
Correct answer:
Iran
Explanation:
The Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979 took place, of course, in Iran. It involved the
kidnap of just over 50 American diplomats and citizens. The hostage situation lasted
for 444 days before the American hostages were finally released. It is seen as one of
the seminal moments in the beginnings of American involvement in the Middle East,
as well as a notable incident of Carter’s presidency.
Report an Error
Example Question #1 : Other Modern Events And Effects
The Watergate Scandal occurred during the Presidency of __________
Possible Answers:
Ronald Reagan.
Richard Nixon.
Bill Clinton.
George H.W. Bush.
Jimmy Carter.
Correct answer:
Richard Nixon.
Explanation:
The Watergate Scandal occurred in the early 1970s, following a break-in at the
Democratic Party headquarters in 1972. It brought about the end of Richard Nixon’s
Presidency, after it was revealed that Nixon and his advisors had violated several
codes of conduct. This resulted in Nixon’s attempted impeachment and subsequent
resignation. It represents an important turning point in American history when,
according to many historians, the American public permanently lost faith in the
honesty and efficacy of it’s political leaders.

American history sample questions answers (1)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

American history sample questions answers (1)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Directions: Choose the best answer to each question. Question 1 is based on the following passage.

1. What is the BEST definition of theocracy?

A. Rule by a small group

B. Rule by all eligible members of a population

C. Rule by divine right

D. Rule based on land ownership

2. Why did the pharaohs require the assistance of a bureaucracy?

A. To help manage the affairs of the kingdom

B. To perform religious rites

C. To satisfy the demand for jewelry and pottery

D. To lead armies into battle

3. What led to the development of democracy?

A. The development of more complicated agricultural techniques

B. The demand of the lower class to have a say in government

C. The emergence of the aristocracy

D. The demand for luxury goods

A. “Our government does not copy our neighbors’”

B. “administration is in the hands of the many”

C. “we are not suspicious of one another”

D. “a spirit of reverence pervades our public acts”

5. Which phrase BEST completes the chart?

A. Equal justice for all

B. Competition with other governments

C. Discrimination against the poor

D. Better treatment for the wealthy

A. Elect only the wealthy to public office.

B. Never share opinions with others.

C. Operate a private business.

D. Take part in the civic affairs of the nation.

A. James Madison studied The Histories.

B. The framers outlined a system of checks and balances in the Constitution.

C. Polybius described checks and balances in Rome’s government.

D. Roman senators had the power to pass laws.

A. Polybius invented the Roman Republic’s system of checks and balances.

B. The framers rejected the idea of a system of checks and balances.

C. Polybius outlined the structure of the Roman government.

D. Several framers had studied The Histories.

B. Consuls were limited to one-year terms.

C. The Senate had the power to fund the military.

D. The consuls commanded the military.

Directions: Choose the best answer to each question.

A. It would create disorder in society.

B. It would lead to civil war.

C. It would require the writing of new laws.

D. It would limit the king’s power.

Question 11 is based on the following passage.

Excerpt from the English Bill of Rights, 1689 . . .

11.Which form of government does the passage support?

A. Rule by divine right

Question 12is based on the following passage.

Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence, 1776

A. They were shaped by the philosophy of John Locke.

C. They reflected a belief in the divine right of kings.

D. They established a constitutional monarchy

13. Which group got the right to vote first?

A. White female citizens

B. African American male citizens

C. African American female citizens

A. The Roman Republic

C. The Russian imperial government

D. The English Parliament

15. Which of the following would act as a check on judicial power?

A. The Senate approves an ambassador’s appointment.

B. The president vetoes a bill.