1970 - 80's
What was the primary cause of gas shortages in the 1970's?
A. A war in Afghanistan had cut oil supplies from Central Asia.
B. The Mexican government had nationalized its petroleum industry.
C. Arab members of OPEC had placed an oil embargo on the United States.
D. Iran had halted it's oil exports after the former Shah was admitted into America.
C. Arab members of OPEC had placed an oil embargo on the United States.
Which applicants were given priority for admission to the United States under the Refugee Act of 1980?
A. those with close relatives already living in the United States
B. those needing immediate medical treatment only offered in the United States
C. those who fear political, social or religious persecution in their own country
D. those looking for better economic opportunities than exist in their own country
C. those who fear political, social or religious persecution in their own country
How did President Bush respond to the acts of terrorism committed on September 11, 2001?
A. He sent troops to Isreal to protect it from terrorist attacks.
B. He ordered a boycott of goods from Afghanistan and Iran.
C. He invaded Iraq since he thought Saddam Hussein was behind the attacks.
D. He sent troops to Afghanistan when it refused to surrender Osama bin Laden.
D. He sent troops to Afghanistan when it refused to surrender Osama bin Laden.
What was the conclusion of the 1978 Supreme Court decision in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke?
A. Universities could take race into consideration in their admissions but could not establish racial quotas.
B. Universities should rely exclusively on high school grades and SAT scores for their admissions process.
C. Universities could establish racial quotas as part of their admissions process to reverse earlier racial discrimination.
D. Universities could not take race into consideration in their admissions at all because this would violate the 14th Amendment.
A. Universities could take race into consideration in their admissions but could not establish racial quotas.
Which event marked the end of the Cold War era and influenced U.S. foreign policy in the early 1990s?
A. The Vietnam War
B. The collapse of the Soviet Union
C. The Korean War
D. The Gulf War
B. The collapse of the Soviet Union
What was the Watergate scandal?
Event in which agents broke into the Democratic HQ and Nixon attempted to cover it up and lied about it.
The speech below was given by Cesar Chavez, an organizer of the UFW, in 1990.
Today we honor a wise teacher, an inspiring leader and a true visionary We must learn his lessons and put his views into practice, so that we may truly be free at last... Dr. King was a great activist, fighting for radical social change with radical methods. While other people talked about change, Dr. King used direct action to challenge the system. He welcomed it, and used it wisely.
Which conclusion can be drawn from this speech?
A. The speaker had once been a student in Dr. King's classes.
B. Judicial action was usually more successful than direct action.
C. Later social movements were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement.
D. The speaker did not believe that Dr. King's methods could be successfully used by farm workers.
C. Later social movements were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement.
How were the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and on the World Trade Center in 2001 similar?
A. Both resulted in global economic depressions.
B. Both caused Americans to enter into armed conflicts.
C. Both led to military conscription of adult American men.
D. Both convinced American voters to retreat into isolationism.
B. Both caused Americans to enter into armed conflicts.
. What did the Supreme Court decide in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright?
A. If the police violate the law to obtain evidence, they cannot use that evidence in court.
B. The government must provide an attorney to a person accused of a serious crime who cannot afford one.
C. Police should inform suspects of their right to remain silent or have a lawyer present before taking their confession.
D. The government cannot prevent a newspaper from printing a story without proving that this would be a clear threat to national security
B. The government must provide an attorney to a person accused of a serious crime who cannot afford one.
What was a major goal of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
A. To increase military alliances in Europe
B. To reduce trade barriers between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
C. To establish a single world currency
D. To end immigration between North American countries
B. To reduce trade barriers between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
What was the significance of President Nixon's visit to Communist China in 1972?
A. It led to the reunification of Taiwan with Communist China.
B. It persuaded Chinese leaders to introduce capitalism into the marketplace.
C. It showed that the Cold War between the "Free World" and Communism was over
D. It opened the way for China's entry into the United Nations and trade with the United States
C. It showed that the Cold War between the "Free World" and Communism was over
The speech below was given by Cesar Chavez, an organizer of the UFW, in 1990.
Today we honor a wise teacher, an inspiring leader and a true visionary We must learn his lessons and put his views into practice, so that we may truly be free at last... Dr. King was a great activist, fighting for radical social change with radical methods. While other people talked about change, Dr. King used direct action to challenge the system. He welcomed it, and used it wisely.
Which conclusion can be drawn from this speech?
A. The speaker had once been a student in Dr. King's classes.
B. Judicial action was usually more successful than direct action.
C. Later social movements were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement.
D. The speaker did not believe that Dr. King's methods could be successfully used by farm workers.
C. Later social movements were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement.
Which has been an important goal of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East?
A. Helping local leaders suppress popular movements for democracy.
B. Replacing the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
C. Assisting Islamic Fundementalist groups in establishing Islamic republics.
D. Achieving a peaceful settlement between Isreal and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
D. Achieving a peaceful settlement between Isreal and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
Jack Smith is accused of armed robbery and put on trial. He is too poor to afford a lawyer. The judge tells Jack that since the lawyer, he will have to defend himself. Jack is convicted and sent to state prison for five years.
Which Supreme Court decision did the actions of the judge violate?
A. Bush v. Gore
B. Mapp v. Ohio
C. Miranda v. Arizona
D. Gideon v. Wainwright
D. Gideon v. Wainwright
How did the growth of the internet during the 1990s most affect the U.S. economy?
A. It reduced global trade
B. It led to the expansion of the technology sector and new businesses
C. It caused widespread unemployment
D. It decreased communication between countries
B. It led to the expansion of the technology sector and new businesses
How were the methods of the Gray Panthers similar to those of the earlier Civil Rights Movement?
A. Both conducted "Freedom Rides" to win support.
B. Both filed lawsuits against major drug manufacturers.
C. Both sought new laws from Congress to prohibit discrimination.
D. Members of both movements faced physical violence from opponents.
C. Both sought new laws from Congress to prohibit discrimination.
Which applicants were given priority for admission to the United States under the Refugee Act of 1980?
A. Those with close relatives already living in the United States.
B. Those needing immediate medical treatment only offered in the United States.
C. Those who fear politcal, social, or religious persecution in their own country.
D. Those looking for better economic opportunities than exist in their own country.
C. Those who fear politcal, social, or religious persecution in their own country.
How did the U.S. Supreme Court influence the Presidential election of 2000?
A. The Court halted a recount in Florida, resulting in the winner.
B. The Court disreguarded the results of the Electoral Collage.
C. The Court decided on the winner of a disputed election.
D. The Court required voting to be held again in Florida
A. The Court halted a recount in Florida, resulting in the winner.
What was the reasoning of the U.S. Supreme Court in its opinion in Roe v. Wade (1973)?
A. A balancing of the interests of the woman and the state give the woman the right to abort early in her pregnancy but not later
B. A woman's right to privacy prevents any outside interference with her right to abort her pregnancy.
C. The right to an abortion is a question that should be determined by state legislatures and not the courts.
D. Because many religions teach that life begins with pregnancy, abortion cannot be permitted
A. A balancing of the interests of the woman and the state give the woman the right to abort early in her pregnancy but not later.
What was a significant impact of the September 11 attacks on U.S. domestic policy?
A. Decreased federal security measures
B. Increased focus on civil liberties over security
C. Expansion of government surveillance and security through legislation like the USA PATRIOT Act
D. Elimination of airport security screenings
C. Expansion of government surveillance and security through legislation like the USA PATRIOT Act
Which law ended the system of quotas based on national origins and allowed every country an equal number of immigrants into the United States?
A. McCarran-Walter Act
B. Immigration Act of 1965
C. Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
D. Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
B. Immigration Act of 1965
Which step did Mikhail Gorbachev take to overcome stagnation in the Soviet Union in the 1980s?
A. ending the system of apartheid
B. increasing the size of his nation's armed forces
C. permitting greater freedom of expression through glasnost
D. creating a new free trade zone with the countries of the Warsaw Pact
C. permitting greater freedom of expression through glasnost
The excerpt below is from Article 102 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a trade agreement that went into effect in 1994 and which was replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2020:
1. The objectives of this Agreement, as elaborated more specifically through its principles and rules, including national treatment, most-favored-nation treatment and transparency. - eliminate barriers to trade in, and facilitate the cross-border movement of, goods and services between the territories of the Parties. - promote conditions of fair competition in the free trade area. - increase substantially investment opportunities in the territories of the Parties
Why did both Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton support this agreement?
A. They believed that Japanese manufacturers intended to open factories in Mexico.
B. They thought it would stop the United States from joining the European Union (EU).
C. They believed it would help Canada and Mexico to resist the appeals of Communism.
D. They hoped more trade with Canada and Mexico would stimulate U.S. economic growth.
D. They hoped more trade with Canada and Mexico would stimulate U.S. economic growth.
What did the Supreme Court decide in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright?
A. If the police violate the law to obtain evidence, they cannot use that evidence in court.
B. The government must provide an attorney to a person accused of a serious crime who cannot afford one.
C. Police should inform suspects of their right to remain silent or have a lawyer present before taking their confession.
D. The government cannot prevent a newspaper from printing a story without proving that this would be a clear threat to national security
B. The government must provide an attorney to a person accused of a serious crime who cannot afford one.
Which statement best explains a long-term effect of U.S. foreign policy in the early 2000s, particularly in response to terrorism?
A. The U.S. adopted a policy of isolationism
B. The U.S. increased involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts, including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
C. The U.S. ended all military alliances
D. The U.S. stopped participating in international organizations
B. The U.S. increased involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts, including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq