AMH 2020 Prep 4th Exam Chapters 27 & 28
Doctors, health insurance companies, and drug companies supported the comprehensive health care plan that was presented by the Clinton administration.
False
Investors in the 1990s were deeply skeptical of the new "dot coms," companies that did not seem to actually produce anything.
False
The groups that organized the 1999 Seattle protests were anti-globalists.
False
Bill Clinton won the support of labor in proposing NAFTA.
False
Ross Perot challenged Bill Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.
False
During the Clinton years, human rights emerged as justification for interventions in matters once considered to be the internal affairs of sovereign nations.
True
George H. W. Bush identified the Gulf War as the first step in the struggle to create a world based on democracy and global free trade.
True
President Clinton succeeded in one of his primary goals by eliminating welfare, a hotly contested issue for twenty years or more, from political debate.
True
The man who mobilized the crowds in Moscow to restore Mikhail Gorbachev to office was Boris Yeltsin.
True
During the 1990s, Microsoft head Bill Gates owned as much wealth as the bottom 40 percent of the American population put together.
True
What is a visible sign of Native American quasi-sovereignty? a. Casinos. b. Reservations. c. Citizenship. d. Increase in professional jobs. e. Political participation.
a. Casinos.
Had President George W. Bush kept his focus on the issue that most concerned the foreign policy "realists" in his administration, he would have: a. continued the pursuit of Al Qaeda, which was maintaining its capabilities. b. kept the world's attention on North Korea. c. prepared a liberation of the Darfur region in western Sudan. d. invaded Iran. e. continued his fight for an independent Tibet.
a. continued the pursuit of Al Qaeda, which was maintaining its capabilities.
What did demonstrators demand in the "Battle of Seattle"? a. International standards for working conditions. b. An end to sanctions against Cuba. c. An end to global trade and capital flows. d. The resignation of Bill Clinton. e. A new contract for workers in the coffee trade.
a. International standards for working conditions.
What made Barack Obama's presidential campaign "the first political campaign of the twenty- first century"? a. Its widespread use of the Internet to raise money and communicate directly with voters. b. Its use of televised debates. c. Its use of television advertisements. d. Its use of direct calling. e. Its use of direct mailings
a. Its widespread use of the Internet to raise money and communicate directly with voters.
Countless corporate scandals and stock frauds stemmed directly from the 1999 repeal of which New Deal measure? a. The Glass-Steagall Act. b. The Federal Communications Act. c. The Securities and Exchange Act. d. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation. e. The Bank Holiday Act.
a. The Glass-Steagall Act.
Operation Enduring Freedom was launched in October 2001: a. against Afghanistan, because the nation was harboring Osama bin Laden. b. against Saudi Arabia, because it was harboring Osama bin Laden. c. against Afghanistan, because the United States did not approve of the Taliban's treatment of women. d. against Afghanistan, because the Afghan government had ordered the terrorist attacks of September 11. e. as a way to combat rising unemployment.
a. against Afghanistan, because the nation was harboring Osama bin Laden.
Proposition 187, approved by California voters in 1994: a. denied illegal immigrants and their children access to welfare and education. b. expanded the "prison-industrial complex" with a tough three-strikes law. c. reinstated the bracero program and solved many of its immigration problems. d. banned bilingual education and abolished the segregation of immigrant schoolchildren. e. banned affirmative action in education, employment, and government.
a. denied illegal immigrants and their children access to welfare and education
The 2000 presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore was: a. finally decided by the Supreme Court. b. decided by the Florida attorney general. c. in question because of voter fraud in Florida. d. a landslide victory for Bush. e. finally decided by the U.S. Senate.
a. finally decided by the Supreme Court.
Operation Desert Storm: a. quickly drove the Iraqi army out of Kuwait b. ousted Saddam Hussein from power. c. lacked a clear strategic political goal. d. was criticized by the United Nations. e. quickly drove the Iraqi army out of Iran.
a. quickly drove the Iraqi army out of Kuwait.
At the end of the twentieth century, the Christian Coalition: a. was a major force in Republican Party politics. b. reversed its long-standing opposition to abortion. c. declined in numbers but grew more vocal at the same time. d. campaigned for the introduction of a national tax funding community churches. e. dominated the Democratic Party.
a. was a major force in Republican Party politics.
"Dot coms": a. were high-tech companies that attracted many investors in the 1990s. b. were companies against which economic journalists repeatedly warned investors. c. were never warmly embraced by stockbrokers in the 1990s. d. helped stabilize the fluctuating 1990s stock market. e. helped create thousands of jobs for American workers.
a. were high-tech companies that attracted many investors in the 1990s.
Which of the following is NOT true of Wal-Mart? a. By 2010, it was the largest employer in Mexico. b. By the early twenty-first century, it was the second-largest corporate employer in America (after Apple). c. It paid most of its 1.6 million nonunionized workers slightly less than minimum wage. d. It was a global giant discount retail chain. e. It aggressively opposed collective bargaining.
b. By the early twenty-first century, it was the second-largest corporate employer in America (after Apple).
By the end of 1991, Soviet attempts at economic reform had created chaos, and the: a. Soviet military staged a successful coup. b. Soviet Union dissolved, ending the Cold War. c. United States had to intervene with financial aid. d. Soviets sought U.S. assistance. e. Soviets turned to the United Nations for help.
b. Soviet Union dissolved, ending the Cold War.
What did the USA Patriot Act empower law enforcement agencies to do? a. Convict U.S. citizens without trial. b. Wiretap and spy on citizens without their knowledge. c. Detain family members to secure the surrender of a suspect. d. Employ physical torture to extract evidence from suspected gang members. e. Prevent defendants from learning the charges brought against them.
b. Wiretap and spy on citizens without their knowledge.
The Kyoto Protocol of 1997: a. was an apology to Japan for the dropping of the atomic bombs. b. addressed the issue of global warming and was rejected by President Bush. c. addressed the issue of global warming and was supported by President Bush. d. was a trade agreement between Japan and the United States. e. was a declaration of war guilt by the Japanese.
b. addressed the issue of global warming and was rejected by President Bush.
Militia groups arose in America during the 1990s: a. to protest the increasing influence of the Christian Coalition. b. and engaged in acts of domestic terrorism. c. but were quickly eliminated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). d. but posed no immediate threat to the nation. e. and were based primarily in the Northeast.
b. and engaged in acts of domestic terrorism.
Anita Hill: a. worked for the Environmental Protection Agency. b. charged Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas with sexual harassment in 1991. c. testified against Clarence Thomas at Senate hearings, resulting in the denial of his confirmation to the Supreme Court. d. retracted her sexual harassment charges upon Clarence Thomas's confirmation to the Supreme Court. e. left politics to attend law school.
b. charged Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas with sexual harassment in 1991.
Because of the 1965 changes in immigration laws, thirty-five years later the immigrant population in the United States: a. had declined significantly. b. increasingly came from Asia and Latin America. c. increasingly came from eastern Europe. d. had stayed about the same. e. centered in rural areas.
b. increasingly came from Asia and Latin America.
All of the following statements about John Kerry and the 2004 presidential campaign are true EXCEPT Kerry: a. was a Vietnam War veteran. b. was very in touch with the people and embraced by the common man. c. was from Massachusetts and a Catholic. d. was nominated by the Democrats. e. voted for the Iraq War in the Senate, but denounced the war while campaigning.
b. was very in touch with the people and embraced by the common man.
What was the Contract with America? a. A press term for the Clinton reelection strategy. b. Clinton's 256-page proposal to overhaul the nation's welfare system. c. A 1994 Republican plan to steeply cut federal education, medical, and environmental programs. d. A speech delivered by Clinton that promised to continue to work on health care reform. e. what Democrats called Bill Clinton's victory in 1992.
c. A 1994 Republican plan to steeply cut federal education, medical, and environmental programs.
Why was the Iraq War compared to Vietnam? a. Both had begun as nation-building projects. b. Both featured free elections overseen by American officials that resulted in stable governments. c. Both featured American policymakers with little knowledge of the country to which they sent troops. d. Both the Vietnamese and Iraqi people welcomed American troops as liberators. e. A and C
c. Both featured American policymakers with little knowledge of the country to which they sent troops.
Who in George H. W. Bush's administration disagreed strongly with Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney about the future of national security after the Cold War? a. Vice President Donald Rumsfeld. b. George W. Bush, the president's son. c. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell. d. A young senator from Illinois, Barack Obama. e. President Bush himself.
c. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell.
How did President Clinton respond to the Republican victory in the 1994 congressional elections? a. He grew increasingly radical in his opposition to Republicans. b. He brought Republicans into his cabinet in order to build a more bipartisan government. c. He campaigned against radical Republicans and moved toward the center. d. He increasingly embraced the position of the Democratic left. e. He intensified his alliance with Democrats in the Senate.
c. He campaigned against radical Republicans and moved toward the center.
Which of the following statements about Saddam Hussein turned out to be true? a. He possessed a mobile chemical weapons laboratory. b. He had hidden weapons of mass destruction in his many palaces. c. He was a horrible tyrant who ruled Iraq ruthlessly. d. He was hiding in his palace as a safe haven from the war. e. He was seeking to acquire uranium in Africa to build nuclear weapons.
c. He was a horrible tyrant who ruled Iraq ruthlessly.
How could the trend of mass imprisonment in the late twentieth century have been avoided? a. Schools could have offered more civic lessons. b. Hospitals should have kept a closer eye on the mentally ill. c. State legislators could have refused to criminalize drug use. d. Northeastern states should not have abolished the death penalty. e. States could have applied the death penalty more liberally.
c. State legislators could have refused to criminalize drug use.
Which of the following statements about the Internet is FALSE? a. The Internet expanded the flow of information more radically than any invention since the printing press. b. The Internet began as a high-speed military communications network. c. The Internet was always intended to be owned and operated by private telecommunications companies. d. The Internet was available to those with personal computers. e. The Internet seemed the beginning of a new democratic and public means of communication in "cyberspace."
c. The Internet was always intended to be owned and operated by private telecommunications companies.
How did revelations about the U.S. military prison in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, change the position of the United States in the world? a. Aware of American capabilities, terrorists began to proceed more cautiously. b. Understanding that American forces took human rights less seriously overseas, Al Qaeda began to focus its activities in the developing world. c. The incident undermined the reputation of the United States as a nation that adhered to standards of civilized behavior and the rule of law. d. Realizing that the United States was overwhelmed by the task at hand, previously neutral European nations decided to assist the United States with the occupation of Iraq. e. International observers started to pay more attention to American prison practices and strengthened their criticism of mass imprisonment within the United States.
c. The incident undermined the reputation of the United States as a nation that adhered to standards of civilized behavior and the rule of law.
The 1995 truck bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City was organized by: a. militant African-American separatists. b. a left-wing paramilitary group. c. a far-right private militia group. d. Islamic fundamentalists. e. Osama bin Laden.
c. a far-right private militia group.
Early in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would go to war against Iraq: a. with the full support of the United Nations. b. because its dictator, Saddam Hussein, had ordered the terrorist attacks on September 11. c. because it was believed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. d. with the full support of the international community. e. and unlike during the Vietnam War, an anti-war movement did not develop.
c. because it was believed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
In 1992, Bill Clinton secured the Democratic nomination for president because he: a. promised to expand welfare. b. pledged to continue the policies of President Bush in the Middle East. c. combined social liberalism with elements of conservatism. d. promised to restrict access to abortion. e. did not support gay rights.
c. combined social liberalism with elements of conservatism.
School segregation: a. increased in the 1990s, due to new racial mandates overseen by local school districts. b. declined significantly in the 1990s, thanks to changing racial attitudes. c. increased in the 1990s, as a result of housing patterns. d. declined because of two key Supreme Court rulings. e. remained about the same despite federal support.
c. increased in the 1990s, as a result of housing patterns.
By mid-2003, the American economy: a. had fully recovered from the impact of the terrorist attacks of September 11. b. was slowly recovering, as the number of new jobs increased. c. was mixed, as the recession ended but the unemployment rate rose. d. was especially strong in the technology sector. e. rebounded, as fewer jobs went overseas.
c. was mixed, as the recession ended but the unemployment rate rose.
By the year 2000, the AIDS epidemic: a. affected only homosexuals and transgender Americans. b. affected only drug users and hemophiliacs. c. was spreading less rapidly among gay Americans. d. brought an end to the gay rights movement. e. had been brought under control around the world.
c. was spreading less rapidly among gay Americans.
What, according to author Eric Foner, would be the best possible outcome of the Rwandan genocide and the ethnic cleansing during the Balkan wars in the mid-1990s? a. A United Nations with a stronger military arm. b. An expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. c. A European Union with a more interventionist mind-set. d. A more effective international system for the protection of human rights. e. A two-state solution for Hutu and Tutsi.
d. A more effective international system for the protection of human rights.
What general political trend coincided with a significant increase in private and corporate spending in political campaigns at the turn of the twenty-first century? a. An increase in voter participation. b. An increase in party membership. c. An increase in newspaper subscriptions. d. A withdrawal of people from the public sphere. e. An increasing interest in anti-monopoly legislation.
d. A withdrawal of people from the public sphere.
How did President Bush characterize the toppling of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan? a. As a "mission accomplished." b. As an end to the "axis of evil." c. As the triumph of a "coalition of the willing." d. As only the beginning of the war on terror. e. As the end of the Al Qaeda terror network.
d. As only the beginning of the war on terror.
Bush v. Gore ordered: a. victory to be given to Bush. b. the recount in Florida to finish within one week. c. Florida to vote again in a separate election. d. Florida to halt its recount. e. Florida to audit its balloting machines.
d. Florida to halt its recount.
What did President George W. Bush's frequent references to freedom and liberty in his second inaugural address indicate? a. He was more determined than ever to impose American democracy on the Middle East. b. He was willing to expand his foreign policy focus from Iraq to North Korea. c. He had decided to push for the repeal of the USA Patriot Act. d. He wanted to restore support for the Iraq War with a focus on liberation, not terror. e. He was the nation's staunchest defender of civil liberties for gays and lesbians.
d. He wanted to restore support for the Iraq War with a focus on liberation, not terror.
What made Bush's 2002 "National Security Strategy" fundamentally different from previous American policy? a. It began by defining freedom. b. It called for a huge military buildup. c. It did not refrain from nuclear weapons. d. It advocated the use of preemptive war. e. It called for multilateral action.
d. It advocated the use of preemptive war.
After the September 11 attacks, who authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to listen to domestic telephone conversations without a court warrant? a. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. b. State Secretary Powell. c. National Security Advisor Rice. d. President Bush. e. Central Intelligence Director Tenet.
d. President Bush.
Prior to the new national security atmosphere of the war on terror, what had separated Americans from the historical abuses of the CIA and FBI during the 1950s and 1960s? a. The national security reforms of the Reagan administration. b. The liberal civil rights enhancements of the Clinton administration. c. The radical expansions of civil liberties under the Warren and Burger courts. d. The discoveries of the Church Committee in the wake of Nixon's resignation. e. The political reforms of the Republican Congress under Newt Gingrich.
d. The discoveries of the Church Committee in the wake of Nixon's resignation.
Why was the bitter political partisanship in Washington, D.C., in the 1990s so unexpected? a. Republicans had denounced Reagan's new conservatism and returned to the more moderate brand of Gerald Ford and Nelson Rockefeller. b. The tensions in foreign affairs had reinforced a sense of national solidarity in both major parties. c. The economic crisis of the decade had convinced Republicans and Democrats that they needed to join forces for an effective political response. d. The new president, Bill Clinton, was moving clearly toward the political center. e. Bill Clinton had been able to attract millions of Republican voters in 1992.
d. The new president, Bill Clinton, was moving clearly toward the political center.
What was the fate of the chief officers of Enron? a. They were never tried before a court of law. b. They left the country for a Caribbean island. c. They were ordered to pay billions of dollars to compensate investors. d. They were convicted of multiple counts of fraud. e. They were sentenced to life in prison.
d. They were convicted of multiple counts of fraud.
Which of the following technologies had the LEAST influential effect on American life? a. Computer games. b. Cell phones. c. Computers. d. Video cassettes. e. Microchips.
d. Video cassettes.
In the 1990s, the prison population: a. declined because there was little new prison construction. b. experienced shorter sentences and more rehabilitation programs than before. c. increased because crime rates increased in the 1990s. d. increased as state governments increased penalties for crimes and decreased parole. e. declined because states refused to fund the "prison-industrial complex."
d. increased as state governments increased penalties for crimes and decreased parole.
During the 1990s, twenty-three states passed laws: a. legalizing gay marriage. b. limiting the rights of gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans. c. banning all abortions except for medical emergencies. d. making English the official language. e. raising the drinking age to twenty-one.
d. making English the official language.
Casey v. Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania: a. upheld the view that those who used violence against abortion clinics had to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. b. ruled that a woman had to inform her husband before getting an abortion. c. overturned Roe v. Wade. d. repudiated the centuries-old claim that a husband had a legal claim to control his wife's body. e. was a triumph for supporters of the pro-life position.
d. repudiated the centuries-old claim that a husband had a legal claim to control his wife's body.
The Defense of Marriage Act: a. redefined marriage as a state-sanctioned union of either same or opposite-sex couples. b. was vetoed by Bill Clinton. c. applied only to members of the military. d. was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2013. e. failed to achieve the necessary two thirds majority to pass Congress.
d. was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2013.
All of the following contributed to the banking crisis of 2008 EXCEPT: a.the Federal Reserve Bank had kept interest rates at unprecedentedly low levels. b.banks and other lending institutions issued "subprime" mortgages. c.Wall Street bankers developed complex ways of repackaging and selling "subprime" mortgages to investors. d.the Federal Reserve Bank and other regulatory agencies slowed the speculative frenzy. e.public and private policies favored economic speculation and get-rich-quick schemes.
d.the Federal Reserve Bank and other regulatory agencies slowed the speculative frenzy.
What were the student protesters who occupied Tiananmen Square in Beijing in June 1989 demanding? a. Fair wages and better working conditions. b. Suspension of martial law imposed earlier that year. c. An end to communism in China. d. Freedom for Taiwan. e. Greater democracy.
e. Greater democracy.
Which of the following was NOT a common destination for immigrants at the turn of the twenty-first century? a. Los Angeles. b. Chicago. c. Miami. d. New York City. e. Wichita.
e. Wichita.
During his first year in office, George W. Bush: a. raised tax rates for wealthy Americans. b. sponsored legislation to protect the environment. c. supported the accelerated reduction of nuclear weapons. d. had the full support of Congress, which had a commanding Republican majority. e. persuaded Congress to enact the largest tax cut in American history.
e. persuaded Congress to enact the largest tax cut in American history.
The third-party candidate Ross Perot: a. received few votes in the 1992 presidential election. b. criticized only President Bush's foreign policy. c. ran as a Progressive Party candidate. d. received the least votes for a third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt. e. received the most votes for a third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt.
e. received the most votes for a third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt.
Why was the lack of preparedness of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Hurricane Katrina disaster so damaging for the George W. Bush administration? a. As a native of Louisiana, he was expected to display particular care for New Orleans. b. There was nothing unusual about this particular hurricane, but the city and state had not done anything to prepare the city's population. c.President Bush had vociferously denied that hurricanes of this size could ever reach the United States. d.President Bush had been the head of FEMA during his father's presidency. e.The Bush administration had prided itself on its unique focus for homeland security.
e.The Bush administration had prided itself on its unique focus for homeland security.
NAFTA: a. created a free-trade zone for the United States, Mexico, and Canada. b. created a free-trade zone for the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. c. was hailed by organized labor and environmental groups. d. raised tariffs significantly against imports from South America. e. created a free-trade zone for the United States, Japan, and western Europe.
a. created a free-trade zone for the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Bill Clinton's foreign policy centered on: a. elevating human rights to a central place in international relations. b. defeating the few pockets of communism left in the world. c. taking a hard line against economic competitors like Mexico and Canada. d. building what he called a New World Order. e. preemptive strikes to weed out dictatorial leaders that posed a threat to American security.
a. elevating human rights to a central place in international relations.
During the last two decades of the twentieth century: a. the poor and the middle-class became worse off, while the rich became significantly richer. b. there was a significant rise in real income among working-class Americans. c. Americans saved more and invested less. d. America entered a profound recession, the likes of which had not been seen since the 1930s. e. job growth for Americans increased at an unprecedented rate.
a. the poor and the middle-class became worse off, while the rich became significantly richer.
Increasingly visible during the 1990s, Asian-Americans: a. were hailed by white Americans as a "model minority." b. all earned high incomes. c. tended to send their children to work rather than to school. d. began returning to their countries of origin. e. were still forbidden by law to marry non-Asians.
a. were hailed by white Americans as a "model minority."
Which of the following factors did NOT drive increasing immigration from Mexico in the 1990s? a. Poverty in Mexico. b. Superior public services in the United States. c. Proximity to the United States. d. High birthrates in Mexico. e. Jobs in the United States.
b. Superior public services in the United States.
The "Freedom Revolution" was: a. the collapse of communism in eastern Europe. b. the Republican victory at the 1994 congressional elections. c. the end of apartheid in South Africa. d. the mass organization of middle-class African-American men in Washington, D.C. e. what Democrats called Bill Clinton's victory in 1992.
b. the Republican victory at the 1994 congressional elections.
Health care reform during Clinton's first term: a. was not a major issue for the president. b. was opposed by drug companies, insurance companies, and doctors. c. was championed by First Lady Hillary Clinton, who succeeded in getting Congress to back her universal coverage plan. d. became a policy priority for congressional Republicans who opposed the Clinton plan. e. was easily understood by most voters and received little criticism.
b. was opposed by drug companies, insurance companies, and doctors.
The borderlands of the Southwest: a.had only rarely been a source of tension for Americans since the passage of the Hart-Cellar Act. b.emerged as an area of renewed anxiety for some Americans in the wake of the September 11 attacks. c.only infrequently enjoyed close cultural and community connections to Mexico. d.seemed less of a national security threat than the borderlands of the Pacific Northwest. e.were not largely affected by the September 11 attacks because of their location.
b. emerged as an area of renewed anxiety for some Americans in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
What was the response to the 2006 House of Representatives bill that criminalized offering assistance to illegal immigrants? a.Silence from the mainstream media. b.Mass protests staged by legal and illegal immigrants nationwide. c."self-deportation" en masse. d.Mass arrests of people distributing water to immigrants in Texas. e.Many Americans assisted in deporting thousands of illegal immigrants.
b.Mass protests staged by legal and illegal immigrants nationwide.
In 2008, testifying before Congress, Alan Greenspan, the former head of the Federal Reserve Bank: a.argued that regulation would damage banks, Wall Street, and the mortgage market. b.admitted that there had been a "flaw" in his long-held conviction that free markets would produce the best results. c.argued that the federal government should allow unregulated economic competition. d.argued that banks and investment firms should regulate themselves. e.called for deregulation and artificially low interest rates.
b.admitted that there had been a "flaw" in his long-held conviction that free markets would produce the best results.
In a Supreme Court decision in 2003, the right to use affirmative action in college admissions was: a.found unconstitutional. b.reaffirmed. c.supported by President Bush. d.declared unnecessary in the twenty-first century. e.left intentionally vague.
b.reaffirmed.
The term "pay gap" refers to the difference in: a. pay differences between workers and CEOs. b. pay rates for skilled and unskilled workers. c. pay rates between men and women. d. pay gaps between new hires and senior employees. e. the difference between gross income and take-home pay.
c. pay rates between men and women.
Why is the characterization of the war on terror as a "clash of civilizations"—the West versus Islam—unhistorical? a.It denies the militancy of Christian sects. b.It ignores the militant tendencies of Buddhism. c.It denies a long past of cultural exchanges between the two. d.It exaggerates the diversity of Islamic countries. e.It undermines the liberation struggle of the Arab Spring.
c.It denies a long past of cultural exchanges between the two.
Why did Goldman Sachs have to pay a fine of half a billion dollars in 2010? a.It had underwritten most of the subprime mortgages during the real estate boom. b.It had failed to document its business structure to the Securities and Exchange Commission. c.It had knowingly sold toxic mortgage-based securities and then bet on their failure. d.It had illegally financed the presidential campaign of Democratic president Obama. e.It had failed to reform its management and business practice in the wake of the mortgage crisis
c.It had knowingly sold toxic mortgage-based securities and then bet on their failure.
The Hurricane Katrina disaster highlighted which of the following to Americans in 2005? a.The housing crisis was a minor problem compared to natural disaster. b.Global warming required immediate action and generous government funds. c.The nation and its economic recovery remained dependent on the price of oil. d.Racial segregation in the lower wards of New Orleans had not changed since the 1950s. e.A Democratically dominated Congress was as unsympathetic to the poor as a Republican one.
c.The nation and its economic recovery remained dependent on the price of oil.
Why did the number of Americans receiving food stamps rise after 2008? a.President Obama had eased eligibility requirements. b.The Midwestern farm lobby had pushed for an expansion of the program. c.The number of needy Americans skyrocketed with the recession. d.Americans had become increasingly comfortable with handouts. e.Illegal immigrants became eligible for food stamps in 2009.
c.The number of needy Americans skyrocketed with the recession.
The effect of undocumented immigrants on the economy of the United States: a.is a settled question among economists. b.has not yet been a subject of study, so no data exists. c.appears to push down wages for those at the bottom of the economic ladder. d.is negligible in terms of consumer spending and additional tax revenue. e.is limited because there are only a few thousand working in the United States.
c.appears to push down wages for those at the bottom of the economic ladder.
Conservative Supreme Court justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority in the Lawrence v. Texas and Obergefell v. Hodges rulings: a.described the Constitution as a document bound by the "original intent" of the nation's founding fathers. b.suggested constitutional interpretation must normally rest on a narrow reading of the text. c.reaffirmed the liberal view of the Constitution as a "living document," whose protections expand as society changes. d.offered no explanation for the Court's upholding of state laws banning same-sex marriages. e.upheld the conservative view of reading the "original intent" of the Founders and amendment authors.
c.reaffirmed the liberal view of the Constitution as a "living document," whose protections expand as society changes.
What did Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East and evangelical Christianity in the United States have in common at the beginning of the twenty-first century? a. Both religious movements overwhelmingly attracted white men. b. Both religious trends were only possible because of the Internet. c. Both aided in the radical redistribution of wealth from top to bottom. d. Both attracted followers partly because of the global spread of mass entertainment. e. Both were strongly anti-capitalist in their theology.
d. Both attracted followers partly because of the global spread of mass entertainment.
President George H. W. Bush's first major foreign policy action was: a. a call for the continuation of the Cold War with the Soviets. b. the overthrow of Panamanian leader General Manuel Noriega. c. the invasion of Kuwait. d. attendance at an economic summit in Geneva, Switzerland. e. to launch Operation Desert Storm.
d. attendance at an economic summit in Geneva, Switzerland.
President Bill Clinton: a. abolished child poverty. b. terminated the food stamp program. c. ended public housing programs. d. replaced welfare with state grants. e. initiated diplomatic ties with China.
d. replaced welfare with state grants.
During the Balkan crisis, President Clinton: a. refused to commit U.S. troops. b. blocked UN attempts to assist in the region. c. provided minimal economic aid but refused to send troops. d. supported NATO's efforts by deploying American planes and ground troops. e. advocated the reunification of Yugoslavia.
d. supported NATO's efforts by deploying American planes and ground troops.
Why did more American women hold paying jobs in mid-2009 than men? a.A significant proportion of American men were serving with the armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. b.The boom in the service and retail sectors of the economy at the time had significantly pushed employment among women. c.The much larger proportion of women among immigrants tipped the balance. d.Men were more likely to lose their jobs during the great recession. e.Employers were increasingly discriminating against white men.
d.Men were more likely to lose their jobs during the great recession.
What setback did the Bush administration suffer in its war on terror in 2008? a.The House voted for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. b.The press disclosed the secret family ties between the Bush family and the Saudi Arabian monarchy. c.The Senate began its investigations into the corruption and abuses of Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, Halliburton. d.The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Guantanamo Bay detainees could invoke rights under the U.S. Constitution. e.U.S. troops had to withdraw from Iraq.
d.The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Guantanamo Bay detainees could invoke rights under the U.S. Constitution.
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld ruled that: a.Hamdan was so dangerous he ought to be sent back to Saudi Arabia. b.a prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay could challenge his incarceration in federal court. c.it was constitutional for the National Security Agency to wiretap domestic calls without a court order. d.the president had to uphold the Geneva Conventions. e.in times of war, the president had unlimited authority.
d.the president had to uphold the Geneva Conventions.
Rodney King's: a. beating by white police officers was caught on videotape. b. handgun was taken from the glove compartment of his car. c. four assailants were acquitted, setting off riots in the city of Los Angeles. d. routine traffic stop resulted in a citation and caused no further incident. e. A and C
e. A and C
According to President George W. Bush's message to the American people in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, what would have kept terrorists from attacking the United States? a. Better education. b. Better economic opportunities. c. A love of country. d. A true Christian faith. e. A love of freedom.
e. A love of freedom.
Globalization: a. had little to do with the collapse of communism. b. was symbolized by corporations such as Microsoft and organizations like the WTO. c. is closely associated with the 1990s, although it was not a new phenomenon. d. promoted the free flow of goods and services across borders, but only with a strict regulatory apparatus in place. e. B and C
e. B and C
Which of the following best explains George H. W. Bush's loss in the 1992 presidential election? a. Bush seemed out of touch with wealthy Republican campaign donors. b. America was in a recession in 1992. c. Pat Buchanan's angry anti-gay and anti-feminist speech at the Republican convention turned off some moderate Republican voters. d. Third-party candidate Ross Perot became a viable option for some voters. e. B and D
e. B and D
In response to the September 11 attacks, the Bush administration: a. banned all Muslims from further entry into the United States. b. blamed the shadowy terrorist organization known as Al Qaeda. c. blamed the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of mastermind Osama bin Laden. d. declared a war on terror. e. B and D
e. B and D
What made the U.S. Supreme Court case of Bush v. Gore in 2000 so unusual? a. It was decided in a 5-4 vote. b. The case had far-reaching implications. c. The public interpreted the justices' disagreements as political in nature. d. It involved two former vice presidents. e. This case was not meant to be a precedent.
e. This case was not meant to be a precedent.
How could many of the security frauds of the late 1990s and early 2000s have been prevented? a. With a less litigious Security and Exchange Commission. b. With a return to the gold standard. c. With fewer interventions by labor unions. d. With an emphasis on bonds rather than stock markets. e. With the extension of the Glass-Steagall Act.
e. With the extension of the Glass-Steagall Act.
Bill Clinton was easily reelected in 1996 because he: a. promised to restore the welfare state. b. pledged to increase the Aid to Families with Dependent Children. c. vowed to get a national health insurance bill through Congress. d. supported abolishing affirmative action. e. embraced popular Republican policies.
e. embraced popular Republican policies.e. embraced popular Republican policies.
In 1998, Congress brought impeachment charges against President Clinton because he: a. had an extramarital affair with a White House staff member. b. authorized a break-in at the Republican national headquarters. c. extorted money from oil companies in exchange for government contracts. d. ordered troops into Somalia without congressional approval. e. lied about his extramarital affair before the grand jury.
e. lied about his extramarital affair before the grand jury.
Which of the following is NOT true of the Bush and Obama administrations' efforts to police the southwest border? a.They publicly supported protests against illegal immigration. b.They paid private militias through the Department of Homeland Security to provide extra enforcement at border crossings. c.They sent more U.S. Border Patrol agents to the southwest borderlands. d.They deported more undocumented immigrants. e.A and B
e.A and B
What was the result of Lawrence v. Texas? a.The Supreme Court overturned the law on a procedural technicality. b.The Supreme Court declared the criminalization of homosexual acts unconstitutional. c.The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of state "religious liberty" laws. d.The Supreme Court paved the way for Obergefell v. Hodges twelve years later. e.B and D
e.B and D