Chapter 29 Learning Curve
Which decade represented the worst economic performance since the Great Depression?
1970s
What historical trend is seen in this map of the rate of population change in the fifty states from 1940 to 2000?
A major population shift from the industrial Midwest to the Sun Belt states of the West and South
The Supreme Court decision in Bakke v. University of California represented what? -A victory and a defeat for opponents of affirmative action -A victory for conservative opposition to affirmative action -A victory for proponents of affirmative action -A victory for women's rights activists
A victory and a defeat for opponents of affirmative action
What was the subject of the most-watched television series of the 1970s, Roots?
African American culture in and after slavery
Why had the U.S. steel industry failed to replace outdated plants and equipment in the postwar years? -In the postwar economic boom, no new equipment was available. -American steel producers enjoyed a world market without serious competition. -American steel producers had struggled to remain afloat and could not have afforded new equipment. -Steel was an old industry with little technological change.
American steel producers enjoyed a world market without serious competition.
The creation of the Natural Resources Council in 1942 reflected which trend? -A new trend toward preservationism -The new conservationist ethos of the 1940s -The growing wilderness movement of the war years -Anxiety about overpopulation
Anxiety about overpopulation
Which man was responsible for the evangelical resurgence in American life in the 1950s? Billy Graham Alfred Kinsey Martin Luther King Jerry Falwell
Billy Graham
Why did the two parties become more partisan and rigid after the 1970s? -Committee chairs lost power to party leaders in the House and the Senate. -The declining influence of lobbyists made politics more ideological. -They continued to debate responsibility for the Watergate scandal. -The lack of third parties made Republicans and Democrats more hostile.
Committee chairs lost power to party leaders in the House and the Senate.
Why did Congress impose a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour in the 1970s? Congress wanted to promote large-scale fuel conservation. President Jimmy Carter had promised the lower speed limit as part of his energy plan. New studies showed there was less pollution if cars drove at lower speeds. Highway safety lobbyists convinced them of the dangers of fast driving.
Congress wanted to promote large-scale fuel conservation.
The Watergate scandal proved to be a long-term boon to which group? -The Republican establishment -Third-party challengers -Liberal Democrats -Conservative Republicans
Conservative Republicans
Why did the federal government adopt a system of affirmative action in the 1960s and 1970s? A. To force companies to make women and minorities a majority of new hires B. To engage in reverse discrimination against white males C. To establish hiring quotas for minorities and women D. To expand employment access to minorities and women
D. To expand employment access to minorities and women
Which statement describes the feminist movement in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s? -The feminist movement had a significant impact only on the lives of white middle-class heterosexual women. -The women's movement declined as soon as feminist activists gained access to highly paid corporate jobs. -It consisted of a relatively small number of women whose activism had a large presence but little effect. -Feminist activism addressed many issues, took a variety of forms, and affected millions of women.
Feminist activism addressed many issues, took a variety of forms, and affected millions of women.
Which pair of men masterminded the 1972 break-in at the Democratic Party's national headquarters in the Watergate complex? -Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward -John Mitchell and John Dean -Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew -G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt
G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt
Which Supreme Court decision struck down an 1879 state law prohibiting the purchase and use of contraceptive devices by couples as a violation of their constitutional right to privacy? -Roe v. Wade (1973) -Furman v. Georgia (1972) -Bowers v. Hardwick (1986) -Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
How did President Richard Nixon try to tackle inflation in the 1970s? -He instituted rationing of essential raw materials. -He imposed temporary price and wage controls in 1971. -He asked workers and businesses for voluntary restraint. -He enacted dramatic tax increases.
He imposed temporary price and wage controls in 1971.
Why did President Jimmy Carter have such chilly relations with congressional leaders even from his own party? -He was strongly under the influence of lobbyists. -He was controlled by corporate interests. -He had no respect for their frank religiosity. -He operated with an outsider strategy.
He operated with an outsider strategy.
Why was San Francisco politician Harvey Milk significant? -He was the first openly gay person to win elected office. -He was elected mayor of San Francisco, which was shocking for a gay candidate. -He secured passage of a gay marriage law in California. -He represented the new emerging gay political power.
He represented the new emerging gay political power.
What happened to Richard Nixon when it became clear that he had been involved in the illegal cover-up of Watergate and that he would be convicted by the Senate? -He was impeached by the House of Representatives. -He committed suicide. -He went to jail. -He resigned from office.
He resigned from office.
Why did nearly every major American city struggle to pay its bills in the 1970s? -Inflation and shrinking tax revenues created budget crises. -They had dramatically expanded eligibility for welfare. -They dramatically cut property taxes. -Corruption in urban politics led to waste of funds.
Inflation and shrinking tax revenues created budget crises.
Why did property owners and retirees with fixed incomes suddenly face growing tax bills in California in the late 1970s? -The state government sharply increased tax rates. -Inflation pushed real estate values upward. -The state dropped state income taxes to raise revenue only from property taxes. -Unscrupulous lenders failed to disclose the tax burdens to new property owners.
Inflation pushed real estate values upward.
Why did Israeli-Arab tensions in the region grow closer to boiling over between 1967 and 1973? -Egypt and Syria attacked Israel in 1973. -The nation of Israel refused to recognize Syria, its northern neighbor. -Israel had gained considerable territory in the Six-Day War of 1967. -American oil corporations played Israel against Arab nations.
Israel had gained considerable territory in the Six-Day War of 1967.
How did the economic decline of the 1970s affect organized labor in the United States? -It encouraged labor unions to strive for stronger cooperation with management. -The process of deindustrialization encouraged more workers to join labor unions to fight for job security. -It decreased the number of union jobs, which hurt union membership and power. -It decreased the number of union jobs but increased wages.
It decreased the number of union jobs, which hurt union membership and power.
Which statement describes the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act? -It focused on the protection of endangered species. -It barely gained passage on partisan votes. -Congress passed the act over Nixon's veto. -It required developers to file environmental impact statements.
It required developers to file environmental impact statements.
How did the War Powers Act of 1973 seek to limit presidential power? -It required the president to secure congressional approval for any substantial deployment of troops abroad. -The act gave Congress the power to recall American troops from any overseas deployment. -It required the Supreme Court to evaluate the constitutionality of a president's commitment of troops. -It stipulated that the National Security Council keep Congress informed about the military status of any overseas intervention.
It required the president to secure congressional approval for any substantial deployment of troops abroad.
Which statement describes the impact of the 1973 Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade? -It said that states could not prohibit abortion in the first trimester. -It provided for abortion on demand for all women of childbearing age. -It left the question of the legality of abortion up to states. -It prohibited the use of federal funds for abortions.
It said that states could not prohibit abortion in the first trimester.
In the 1970s, the United States faced rising competition in industrial production from which nations? -Japan and the Soviet Union -Japan and West Germany -Canada and Great Britain -China and Australia
Japan and West Germany
Which development of the 1960s or 1970s did the United States consider a blow to its national pride? -In 1968, the United States had to adopt the gold standard. -Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States dropped considerably in 1971 and 1972. -Nine Western European countries surpassed the United States in GDP per capita by 1980. -U.S. troops were expelled from South Vietnam by the Vietcong in 1972.
Nine Western European countries surpassed the United States in GDP per capita by 1980.
What was the name of the cartel formed by oil-exporting countries in 1960? -OPEC -PAC -CREEP -EPA
OPEC
Which statement characterizes the historical development of OPEC? -The organization was founded in 1970 by the Persian Gulf states. -OPEC banned foreign oil companies from operating in their territory. -OPEC was ineffective until the mid-1970s when Arab states issued an oil embargo. -OPEC was a cartel operated by Soviet bloc nations.
OPEC was ineffective until the mid-1970s when Arab states issued an oil embargo.
Which book was a major work on women's health published in the 1970s? -Our Bodies, Ourselves -STOP ERA -Silent Spring -The Feminine Mystique
Our Bodies, Ourselves
Which statement reflects the impact of Phyllis Schlafly during the 1970s? -She organized a movement to defeat the Equal Rights Amendment. -She became the female spokesperson for liberalism. -She advocated for government subsidies for contraceptives. -She was the first woman candidate for president.
She organized a movement to defeat the Equal Rights Amendment.
What book from the early 1960s gave an impetus to the environmental movement? -The Feminine Mystique -The Affluent Society -Silent Spring -Unsafe at Any Speed
Silent Spring
In his speech at the 1980 Republican National Convention, candidate Ronald Reagan said, "Make no mistake. We will not permit the safety of our people or our environmental heritage to be jeopardized, but we are going to reaffirm that the economic prosperity of our people is a fundamental part of our environment." What was Reagan suggesting with these remarks?
That protecting American economic prosperity was just as important, if not more important, as protecting the environment
In his speech at the 1980 Republican National Convention, candidate Ronald Reagan said, "Make no mistake. We will not permit the safety of our people or our environmental heritage to be jeopardized, but we are going to reaffirm that the economic prosperity of our people is a fundamental part of our environment." What was Reagan suggesting with these remarks? -That environmental protection would bring greater economic prosperity to the country -That protecting American economic prosperity was just as important, if not more important, as protecting the environment -That the environmental movement was a Communist plot against the United States -That American economic prosperity and care for the environment were wholly incompatible
That protecting American economic prosperity was just as important, if not more important, as protecting the environment
Why were feminists hopeful in the 1960s that the Supreme Court might legalize abortion? -The Court had already made decisions that opened the door to the possibility. -Congress had passed a law legalizing abortion. -Every state legislature had legalized abortion, indicating a consensus. -The female justices on the Court were likely to support abortion rights.
The Court had already made decisions that opened the door to the possibility.
Why did America's share of world trade drop from 32 percent in 1955 to 18 percent in 1970? -Currency devaluation in China and Europe cheapened American exports. -American consumers were demanding more value from the products they produced. -The United States faced more industrial competition from Germany and Japan. -Countries across the world boycotted American goods because of the Vietnam War.
The United States faced more industrial competition from Germany and Japan.
What was the significance of biologist Rachel's Carson's 1962 best seller Silent Spring? -It made Americans aware that atomic war would devastate the planet and the human race. -It publicized the story of the children of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed for espionage in 1953. -It raised awareness about the problem of noise pollution in modern industrial societies. -The book described and publicized the harmful effects of toxic chemicals on the environment.
The book described and publicized the harmful effects of toxic chemicals on the environment.
Why did the federal budget deficit grow in the late 1960s? -Presidents Johnson and Nixon cut taxes dramatically. -The drop in foreign imports caused a loss in tariff revenues. -Rising interest rates on the national debt became increasingly burdensome. -The government spent large sums on the Great Society and Vietnam War.
The government spent large sums on the Great Society and Vietnam War.
The emergence of rap and break dancing on the streets of Harlem and the South Bronx in New York was an expression of what? The "blue-collar blues" associated with plant closings The hardship and creativity of working-class black life in the deindustrialized American city The hard-scrabble lives of people in small towns and working-class communities A rebellion against the puritanical sexual values of their parents' generation
The hardship and creativity of working-class black life in the deindustrialized American city
Why did more than 100,000 people flee their homes in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in March 1979? -A race riot in downtown Harrisburg got out of control. -The reactor core at a nearby nuclear plant nearly melted down. -False reports about a hurricane prompted a panic. -A local evangelist preacher predicted the end of the world that day.
The reactor core at a nearby nuclear plant nearly melted down.
Why did conservatives in Congress push for economic deregulation and tax cuts in the late 1970s? -They argued that Keynesian economics had failed. -They were primarily interested in enriching themselves. -They wanted to ease the tax burden on the poor. -They argued that these moves would increase the federal deficit.
They argued that Keynesian economics had failed.
Why did conservatives, Catholics, and fundamentalist Christians object to the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade? -They believed that abortion involved the immoral taking of an innocent human life. -They argued that abortion should be permitted after the first trimester of pregnancy. -They objected to feminist goals. -They believed that individual women, not the government, should control their bodies.
They believed that abortion involved the immoral taking of an innocent human life.
How did evangelical Christianity differ from mainstream Christianity in the 1960s? Protestant evangelicals universally opposed civil rights. Evangelicals preached an anti-Catholic and anti-Jewish message. They emphasized personal salvation and a literal interpretation of the Bible. Evangelicals objected to the use of religion to influence political affairs.
They emphasized personal salvation and a literal interpretation of the Bible.
Based on the study of the Campbell Works of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company, what happened to most laid-off steelworkers in the late 1970s? -They retired early. -They moved elsewhere. -They remained unemployed. -They found local work in low-paying, service-sector jobs.
They found local work in low-paying, service-sector jobs.
How did Democratic "Watergate babies" in Congress attempt to decentralize power in Washington? -They strengthened the existing committee structure in both houses. -They passed a bill expanding the lobbying activities of former elected officials. -They reduced the number of votes needed to end a filibuster in the Senate. -They reestablished the House Un-American Activities Committee.
They reduced the number of votes needed to end a filibuster in the Senate.
Why were conservative Republicans critical of Richard Nixon during his presidency? -They knew he was engaged in illegal activities. -They thought that he was too conciliatory toward -China and the Soviet Union. -They regretted Nixon's decision to avoid nuclear weapons in Vietnam. -They blamed Nixon for deindustrialization.
They thought that he was too conciliatory toward China and the Soviet Union.
What characterized the affirmative action programs instituted in the 1960s and 1970s? -They were deliberate efforts to punish white Americans for their historical privilege. -They were an unjust violation of American meritocracy. -They were rigid quota systems that replaced white workers with minorities. -They were procedures designed to account for the disadvantaged position of minorities.
They were procedures designed to account for the disadvantaged position of minorities.
Why did OPEC nations initiate an oil embargo on the United States in 1973? To raise prices and maximize their profits To help the Soviet Union appeal to Third World nations To reduce U.S. consumption and thus avoid an oil shortage To punish the United States for supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War
To punish the United States for supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War
Why did Democrats reduce the number of votes needed to end a filibuster in the mid-1970s?
To weaken the ability of the minority to block legislation
Who established the first rape crisis centers in the early 1970s?
Women's liberationists
The gains of the women's movement in the 1970s included -the ability of women to vote. -abortion rights. -the appointment of the first female Supreme Court justice. -ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.
abortion rights.
The U.S. economy experienced "stagflation" in the 1970s when -consumer prices dropped suddenly. -unemployment and inflation rates rose dramatically. -the level of consumer borrowing declined suddenly. -banks lowered their interest rates unexpectedly.
unemployment and inflation rates rose dramatically.
