UNITED STATES HISTORY
For each multiple choice question, fill in the appropriate location on the scantron
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Which best explains the impact of Eli Whitney’s cotton
gin on slavery
A. It made harvesting cotton easier; so many slaves
were set free
B. Many slaves were trained to operate the new
invention
C. Many slaves were killed or injured working with the
cotton gin
D. It created a cotton boom and increased the need for
more slaves
Which issue discussed at the Seneca Falls Convention
(1848) was most important to the people in attendance?
A. Temperance
B. The Second Bank of the US
C. Indian treaties
D. Women’s rights
As a result of England’s policy of “salutary neglect”, the
colonies developed
A. a desire for British goods
B. a self-sufficient economy
C. a disloyal attitude toward Britain
D. a desire for self-government
The Articles of Confederation was unsuccessful as a
government system because
A. It established a common currency
B. It established a balance of power between national
& state governments
C. It established a weak national government
D. It established a strong national government
The Monroe Doctrine
A. convinced Russia to give up its claims on Alaska & its
interest in the Northwest
B. ordered European powers to abandon their existing
colonies in the Western Hemisphere
C. warned European powers not to interfere with the
affairs of the Western Hemisphere
D. proclaimed the intention of the US to create new
colonies in the Western Hemisphere
The
A.
B.
C.
D.
Emancipation Proclamation freed
all slaves
only slaves in the border states
only slaves in the Confederacy
only slaves in the North
7.
Social Darwinism, the theory of survival of the fittest in
the social and business world, was used to justify
A. taxes
B. labor unions
C. strikes
D. big business
8.
Settlement houses were founded in Chicago in the late
1800s by
A. Jane Addams
B. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
C. Susan B. Anthony
D. Carrie Chapman Catt
9.
What was the Lend-Lease Act?
A. a statement of war aims compiled by Roosevelt &
Churchill
B. a non-aggression pact between Germany & the
Soviet Union
C. a policy allowing the President to provide arms to
certain foreign countries
D. an order to shoot German U-boats on sight
10. Where did the United States drop the atomic bomb?
A. Hiroshima and Nagasaki
B. Hiroshima and Okinawa
C. Okinawa and Iwo Jima
D. Iwo Jima and Guadal Canal
11. The evidence in the Watergate case, based on testimony
& on the White House tapes, included that Nixon
A. Was innocent of any wrong doing
B. Was involved in the case but was not proven guilty of
any crime
C. Was guilty of some minor crimes but was not proven
guilty
D. Was guilty of a major crime: obstructing justice by
covering up evidences of the crimes of others
12. “Reaganomics” or “supply side” economics, operated
from the assumption that the woes of the American
economy were largely a result of
A. Interest rates
B. Foreign causes
C. Excessive taxation
D. Inadequate government spending
13. During the Gulf War, the United States & its allies fought
the forces of
A. Iraq
B. Iran
C. Saudi Arabia
D. Kuwait
14. President Johnson’s Great Society programs included all
of the following EXCEPT
A. A federal aid to poor elementary and high school
districts
B. Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to
guarantee equality for women
C. Federal health insurance for the elderly and medical
care for the poor and disabled
D. Federal funding for self-help programs for the poor
15. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution
A. Expressed the power feeling of the majority of
Americans
B. Authorized the President to take all necessary steps
to defend US forces and interest in Vietnam
C. Approved the overthrow of the Diem government in
Vietnam
D. Authorized the use of up to 500,000 US troops in
Vietnam
16. The
A.
B.
C.
D.
Tet Offensive resulted in all of the following EXCEPT
The military defeat of US forces in South Vietnam
Significant military losses by the Vietcong
Reduced public support for Johnson’s conduct of the
war
US diplomats advising Johnson against further
escalation of the war
17. Freedom Riders in the early 1960s aimed at
A. The integration of the public schools
B. The desegregation of bus stations
C. An end to discrimination in employment
D. The promotion of voting rights for all
18. In her book, the Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan
argued for the idea that
A. Women who lived the “ideal life” as the suburban
housewife were often not fulfilled individuals
B. Women who banded together could overcome a
male-dominated society
C. The happiest women were those who led fulfilled
lives in purely domestic roles
D. The women’s political movement was unnecessary
19. The term “McCarthyism” derives from events in the early
1950s involving
A. Labor union strikes and unrest
B. Charges of corruption against government officials
C. The influence of interest groups in determining
government policy
D. Unsupported charges of treason and subversive
activity
20. Which government agency was formed in 1970 in order to
prevent the pollution of America’s water, air, and land?
A. the Department of Health and Human Services
B. the Bureau of Land Management
C. the National Park Service
D. the Environmental Protection Agency
21. Which president of the United States is most associated
with the Camp David peace talks in 1978?
A. Richard Nixon
B. Jimmy Carter
C. George H.W. Bush
D. Gerald Ford
22. In 1979, which country took hostages from an American
embassy?
A. Lebanon
B. Saudi Arabia
C. Iran
D. Israel
23. What were the Pentagon Papers?
A. newspapers published by the Pentagon to keep
people up to date on current events
B. a top secret history of the US military involvement in
Vietnam
C. a treaty signed by the US and South Vietnam in
which the US agreed to help them
D. documents outlining the organizational structure of
the US military
24. On which college campus were four protesters of the
Vietnam War killed by members of the Ohio National
Guard?
A. Ohio State University
B. Kent State University
C. Youngstown State University
D. the University of Cincinnati
25. Which act of Congress restricted the president’s power to
commit troops to foreign countries without Congressional
approval?
A. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
B. The War Powers Act of 1973
C. The Civil Rights Act
D. The Freedom of Information Act
26. How did government policies of the Gilded Age of the
late 1800s promote industrialization?
A. Imperialism fueled steel production in the US
B. New Deal policies created jobs for many of the
unemployed
C. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act allowed for regulation of
big business
D. Laissez-faire policies allowed private businesses to
operate freely
27. The
A.
B.
C.
D.
main goal of affirmative action programs is to
enforce racial segregation laws
secure equal voting rights for African Americans
provide affordable child care
promote economic gains for minorities and women
28. President John F. Kennedy supported the 1961 Bay of
Pigs invasion of Cuba as an effort to
A. remove a communist dictator from power
B. stop the flow of illegal drugs to the United States
C. support Fidel Castro’s efforts for reform
D. rescue hostages held by Cuban freedom fighters
29. In the 1950’s, the domino theory was used by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to justify
A. sending federal troops into Little Rock, Arkansas
B. United States involvement in Vietnam
C. joining the United Nations
D. opposing Britain and France in the Suez Canal crisis
30. How did Supreme Court decisions under Chief Justice
John Marshall affect government in the United States?
A. Federal power increased at the expense of the states
B. Strict limits were placed on congressional use of the
elastic clause
C. The impeachment of federal judges was declared
unconstitutional
D. State powers under the 10th amendment were expanded
37. Which idea did Tecumseh and his brother the Prophet
support before 1820?
A. organization of American Indians into a separate state
B. assimilation of American Indians into US society
C. unification of American Indians in resistance to the US
government
D. relocation of American Indians west of the Mississippi
River
31. How did President George Washington react to the
conflict between France and England in 1793?
A. He used the opportunity to begin the war for American
independence
B. He declared the neutrality of the United States
C. He aided the French because they had supported the
American Revolution
D. He negotiated a peace settlement between the warring
nations
38. Why did many Mormons migrate to the western United
States?
A. to pursue gold mining
B. to avoid the slavery conflict
C. to take advantage of cheap farmland
D. to escape religious persecution
32. What is the significance of Pinckney’s Treaty (1795) with
Spain?
A. It gave the United States the right to navigate the
Mississippi
B. It gave the United States most-favored nation status
C. It allowed Lewis and Clark to explore the Louisiana
Territory
D. It moved the Shawnee to the Indiana Territory
33. Why did the Congress pass the Alien and Sedition Acts of
1798?
A. to prevent immigrants from joining the Federalist Party
B. to prevent a war with France
C. to prevent government opposition
D. to prevent immigration from Canada
34. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were based on
which principle?
A. the state’s rights to nullify acts of the federal
government
B. the Supreme Court’s right to nullify acts of Congress
C. Congress’ right to nullify acts of the states
D. the president’s right to nullify rulings of the Supreme
Court
35. During Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, which event
challenged his strict constructionist philosophy?
A. the Judiciary Act of 1801
B. the Embargo Act of 1807
C. the Louisiana Purchase
D. the Lewis and Clark Expedition
36. What impact did the Battle of New Orleans have on the
United States in 1815?
A. It weakened the strength of the US military
B. It resolved the issue of British impressment of US ships
C. It caused the US to lose access to the Gulf port
D. It boosted a sense of patriotism and unity among US
citizens
39. Which part of the Compromise of 1850 received the
greatest support from Southerners?
A. the admission of California as a free state
B. the passage of a strict fugitive slave law
C. the end of the slave trade in Washington DC
D. the allowance of popular sovereignty in new territories
40. Why did the House of Representatives impeach Andrew
Johnson?
A. The president refused to follow Lincoln’s Reconstruction
plan
B. The president violated the Tenure of Office Act
C. Congress wanted to test the 15th amendment
D. The Supreme Court supported separation of powers
41. What impact did the transcontinental railroad have on
the economy of the West during the mid-1800s?
A. decreased the need for government regulation
B. increased the time needed to ship products to other
regions
C. decreased the use of eastern rail lines
D. increased settlement and growth in the region
42.
the
A.
B.
C.
D.
Which invention made western farming more efficient in
mid-1800s?
the Model T
the steel plow
the Bessemer Process
the assembly line
43. During the mid to late 1800s, which major problem was
more common for a farmer in the West than a farmer living
east of the Mississippi River?
A. unemployment
B. deflation
C. high railroad rates
D. rising interest rates
44. Which issue led to the organization of the Populist Party?
A. the desire to lift the burden of debt from farmers and
other workers
B. the collapse of the Second Bank of the United States
C. an increase in immigration
D. limited availability of land in the West for use by new
farmers
45. Which factor contributed most to the passage of the
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882?
A. lack of mining jobs
B. economic war in Asia
C. overcrowded neighborhoods
D. rise of nativism
54. What did the flapper image of the 1920s represent for US
women?
A. changing religious roles
B. a challenge to traditional values
C. greater political influence
D. more educational opportunities
46.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Susan B. Anthony is best known for which area of reform?
labor
immigration
prohibition
suffrage
55. Which factor added to the hardships of Midwestern
farmers during the Great Depression?
A. the Dust Bowl
B. the end of Prohibition
C. the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt
D. the creation of the War Industries Board
47.
the
A.
B.
C.
D.
Which congressional act was passed to end the abuses of
spoils system?
Pendleton Act
Sherman Antitrust Act
Hepburn Act
Foraker Act
48. Which event contributed most to the demise of the
Knights of Labor?
A. Great Chicago Fire
B. Haymarket Square Riot
C. Homestead Strike
D. Pullman Company Strike
49. Which of the following business strategies would late1800’s industrial leaders use to establish a monopoly?
A. form a joint stock company
B. use a horizontal integration system
C. make a contract with labor union leaders
D. develop a nationwide advertising campaign
50. Which event is associated with the outbreak of war
between the US and Spain in 1898?
A. the sinking of the USS Maine
B. the Poncho Villa raids
C. the sinking of the Lusitania
D. the announcement of Mexican independence
51. Which event was a reason for the United States entry
into the First World War?
A. the launch of the German battleship Bismarck
B. the German invasion of Belgium and Holland
C. the sinking of the Lusitania
D. the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
52. How were the civil liberties of US citizens threatened
during World War I?
A. The US government created the Dawes Plan
B. The US government started a military draft
C. The US government restricted freedom of speech
D. The US government decided to join the League of Nations
53. During the 1920s, which leader of the Universal Negro
Improvement Association advocated a return to Africa for
African Americans?
A. Ida B. Wells
B. Marcus Garvey
C. David Walker
D. Booker T. Washington
56. Which economic policy did President Franklin D.
Roosevelt use to respond to the Great Depression?
A. supply-side
B. laissez-faire
C. deficit spending
D. global interdependence
57. After the US Supreme Court ruled that several New Deal
programs were unconstitutional, how did President Franklin
Roosevelt try to influence future decisions of the Court?
A. by asking important congressmen to start impeachment
charges against court justices
B. by appointing a new chief justice to the Supreme Court
C. by paying bribes to several justices
D. by trying to increase the number of Supreme Court
justices
58. Which term best describes the diplomacy followed by
some European nations in their relations with Germany, Italy,
and Japan between 1931 and 1939?
A. appeasement
B. non-aggression
C. isolationism
D. containment