Chapter 29
On April 4, 1968, James Earl Ray shot and killed: a. Martin Luther King Jr. b. Malcolm X c. George Wallace d. Robert Kennedy e. Eugene McCarthy
A. Martin Luther King Jr.
The person most persuasive in getting President Kennedy to endorse civil rights would have been: a. his vice president, Lyndon Johnson b. his brother, Robert c. his wife, Jackie d. FBI director J. Edgar Hoover e. Chief of Justice Earl Warren
B. his brother, Robert
Though Johnson believed the United States had an obligation to keep its promises to South Vietnam, another reason why he committed American forces to combat operations was to a. "Americanize" the war and avoid the political damage of seeming soft on communism by losing. b. stimulate the economy by increasing the number of defense contracts and using nuclear weapons. c. make the political maneuver of distancing himself from "dove" Democrats who called for peace. d. draw public attention away from his Great Society initiatives, which had failed on a grand scale. e. conquer North Vietnam so that the entirety of Vietnam would be an American colony.
a. "Americanize" the war and avoid the political damage of seeming soft on communism by losing.
In what city did police chief "Bull" Connor order officers to unleash their dogs and clubs on civil rights demonstrators? a. Birmingham, Alabama b. New Orleans, Louisiana c. Memphis, Tennessee d. Charlotte, North Carolina e. Houston, Texas
a. Birmingham, Alabama
The strongest and most visible opposition to Diem's government was led by: a. Buddhists b. Socialists c. Muslims d. American diplomats e. French-speaking Vietnamese elites
a. Buddhists
Which of the following statements accurately describes Malcolm X? a. He promoted militancy and black nationalism in response to racism. b. He rose to prominence only to lose all followers after his assassination. c. He headed the Black Panther party and became active in politics. d. He supported the nonviolent tactics of Martin Luther King Jr. e. He put a violent, false spin on Christianity and took it to extremes.
a. He promoted militancy and black nationalism in response to racism.
Which of the following is true of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? a. It outlawed segregation in public facilities on the basis of race, sex, or national origin. b. It strengthened the Democratic party in the South, allowing for the passage of similar legislation. c. It had the unintended consequence of making the hiring process more discriminatory. d. It limited the power of the federal government in terms of enforcing civil rights. e. It ended racism in the United States, signaling the close of the civil rights movement.
a. It outlawed segregation in public facilities on the basis of race, sex, or national origin.
In the 1964 election: a. Republicans continued to carry the Deep South. b. Republicans made gains in both houses of Congress. c. voters approved Johnson's pledge to escalate the war in Vietnam. d. Goldwater lost but did better than expected. e. voters expressed their desire for even more radical domestic reform.
a. Republicans continued to carry the Deep South.
What was the main reason the Soviets placed missiles in Cuba? a. to deter another American-supported invasion of Cuba b. to initiate a large-scale attack on South America c. to launch an attack upon the United States d. to make Castro more dependent upon the Soviets e. to get Kennedy to grant the Soviets control of West Berlin
a. deter another American-supported invasion of Cuba.
Beginning with Watts, the major race riots of 1965 and 1966: a. occurred largely in urban areas. b. started when white mobs attacked blacks. c. resulted from blacks being denied the vote. d. were led by the Black Panthers. e. proved the increasing irrelevance of Martin Luther King Jr.
a. occurred largely in urban areas.
The protest tactic initiated by black students in Greensboro, North Carolina, was: a. the sit-in. b. the occupation of campus administration buildings. c. the March on Washington. d. street theater. e. the freedom ride.
a. the sit-in.
The result of the 1960 election: a. was a narrow victory for Kennedy. b. was a popular-vote landslide victory for Kennedy. c. showed the public's desire for radical change. d. was determined when Kennedy swept the West Coast, including Nixon's home state of California. e. was challenged in the courts by the Republicans.
a. was a narrow victory for Kennedy.
In South Vietnam in the early 1960s: a. Diem's land reforms were undercutting the Communists. b. Kennedy was increasing the number of American military advisers. c. American troops were regularly involved in combat. d. the Viet Cong captured several major cities. e. the French had returned to assist the South Vietnamese.
b. Kennedy was increasing the number of American military advisers.
Richard Nixon's victory in the election of 1968 was made possible by what shift in voting behaviors? a. African Americans turned on the Johnson administration and predominantly voted Republican. b. White wage earners from both the North and South were increasingly voting Republican instead of Democrat. c. Southern whites were increasingly voting Democrat, mainly due to issues surrounding foreign affairs. d. Young adults failed to turn out to vote, and as a result, liberal candidates experienced a lack of support. e. Most voters relied on information in television ads, and Nixon focused most of his efforts on a major television ad campaign.
b. White wage earners from both the North and South were increasingly voting Republican instead of Democrat.
By 1967, public opposition to the war was especially strong among: a. soldiers b. college students c. republicans d. ministers e. members of Congress
b. college students
In retrospect, Johnson's war on poverty: a. practically eliminated poverty. b. generated middle-class resentment that benefited the Republicans. c. kept the United States from devoting sufficient funds to the war in Vietnam. d. had practically no effect on poverty levels. e. proved that government was incapable of improving society.
b. generated middle-class resentment that benefited the Republicans.
Richard Nixon: a. had limited political experience when he ran for president in 1960. b. possessed a shrewd intelligence and a compulsive love for combative politics. c. like John F. Kennedy, came from a wealthy family. d. did not have the intellectual depth to be president. e. was politically damaged by his service as vice president due to Eisenhower's unpopularity when his presidency ended.
b. possessed a shrewd intelligence and a compulsive love for combative politics.
Changes in immigration law in 1965: a. favored immigration from Europe as compared to other parts of the world. b. removed quotas based on national origin. c. removed annual limits on how many could enter the United States. d. decreased foreign immigration. e. were designed to increase American access to cheap labor.
b. removed quotas based on national origin.
When Alabama governor George Wallace was ordered by federal marshals to stand aside from the doorway at the University of Alabama so that black students could enter, Wallace: a. provoked a riot b. stood aside c. got himself arrested d. unleashed a torrent of racist language e. refused to budge
b. stood aside
In early 1968, increasing opposition to the war within his own party: a. only increased Johnson's determination to win in Vietnam. b. ultimately forced Johnson out of the presidential race. c. led to Johnson's clear defeat in the New Hampshire primary. d. caused Johnson to end the war on poverty. e. caused most Americans to rally around Johnson.
b. ultimately forced Johnson out of the presidential race.
The Bay of Pigs invasion: a. was Kennedy's original idea. b. was thoroughly bungled by the CIA. c. proved Kennedy's competence in foreign policy. d. weakened the Castro regime. e. inspired the United States and the Soviet Union to improve relations.
b. was thoroughly bungled by the CIA
Which of the following statements accurately describes the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago? a. It was a gathering during which Nixon was nominated as the party's presidential candidate. b. The events surrounding it showed the patience of Mayor Daley and the Chicago police. c. Anti-war protests outside it turned into massive riots following the arrival of police. d. It demonstrated how quickly the country had moved beyond the Vietnam War. e. The events surrounding it successfully appealed to the values of "middle America."
c. Anti-war protests outside it turned into massive riots following the arrival of police.
Which of the following statements accurately describes an effect of the Tonkin Gulf resolution? a. Because it was in response to a Viet Cong attack upon an American military base, members of the American military quickly became experts in guerrilla warfare. b. Because the resolution deeply divided Congress and almost failed to pass, Johnson took great caution and deferred to Congress for other military decisions. c. Because nearly all senators supported the resolution, Johnson took their approval as reason to use the resolution as a substitute for a declaration of war. d. Because the resolution authorized American naval aggression off the coast of North Vietnam, the war was soon limited only to a northern front. e. Because the resolution was an attempt at diplomacy, Johnson began to take steps to de-escalate the Vietnam War and had a certain number of atomic weapons destroyed.
c. Because nearly all senators supported the resolution, Johnson took their approval as reason to use the resolution as a substitute for a declaration of war.
Which of the following statements accurately describes Republican nominee Barry Goldwater during the 1964 campaign? a. He promised to manage New Deal programs more effectively than Democrats had. b. He emphasized that his strategy would be to use diplomacy to settle the conflict in Vietnam. c. He was refreshingly candid, but his call for the wholesale bombing of North Vietnam worried voters. d. He endorsed Johnson's achievements on civil rights and ushered in a new period of bipartisanship. e. He represented "moderate Republicanism" in the style of President Dwight Eisenhower.
c. He was refreshingly candid, but his call for the wholesale bombing of North Vietnam worried voters.
The first African American cabinet member was: a. Martin Luther King Jr. b. Francis Perkins c. Robert C. Weaver d. Mary McLeod Bethune e. Malcolm X
c. Robert C. Weaver
Which of the following complicated American efforts to defeat the Viet Cong in South Vietnam? a. The Viet Cong had better weapons and technology than the Americans. b. The number of American troops was small in comparison. c. The Viet Cong were made up of men and women who blended in among the civilian population. d. American forces sympathized with nationalist goals of the Viet Cong. e. The Americans had difficulty coordinating air, land, and sea resources in Vietnam.
c. The Viet Cong were made up of men and women who blended in among the civilian population.
What was the idea behind the New Frontier according to John F. Kennedy? a. Eisenhower had already served as a trailblazer and set most of Kennedy's proposed policies in motion in such a way that Kennedy felt they were America's for the taking. b. The term called to mind pioneer times in America and, thus, encapsulated Kennedy's strong preference for domestic over foreign issues and reluctance to become very involved abroad. c. The metaphor lent itself to Kennedy's intentions for America to explore science and space, embark on issues of poverty and surplus, and be more aggressive in waging the cold war than Eisenhower. d. The United States, Kennedy believed, was destined to finally become a transcontinental power that would soon pursue colonialism on the world stage, especially in Latin America and Africa. e. The old frontier of the cold war had been conquered and, in its place, a new set of issues for Kennedy to tackle during his presidency had emerged, such as the war on discrimination at home.
c. The metaphor lent itself to Kennedy's intentions for America to explore science and space, embark on issues of poverty and surplus, and be more aggressive in waging the cold war than Eisenhower.
President Johnson's first priority on the domestic front was to: a. balance the federal budget. b. give more power to the states. c. break the logjam in Congress that had blocked Kennedy's legislative efforts. d. redistribute wealth and income. e. reduce the bloated power of the executive branch of government.
c. break the logjam in Congress that had blocked Kennedy's legislative efforts.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965: a. was passed by Congress over Johnson's opposition. b. ended black protest movements. c. dramatically expanded black votes in the South. d. made the South more strongly Democratic. e. was successfully resisted in the Deep South.
c. dramatically expanded black votes in the South.
During the 1960 presidential race, John F. Kennedy: a. appeared nervous and unknowledgeable in a televised debate. b. promised to use the White House to promote religion. c. promised to pursue a "new frontier." d. promised to provide health care to all Americans. e. opposed civil rights.
c. promised to pursue a "new frontier."
All of the following are true of the Kennedy assassination EXCEPT: a. the primary suspect was Lee Harvey Oswald. b. Jack Ruby shot and killed the suspected assassin. c. the Warren Commission concluded there may have been multiple gunmen. d. it occurred in Dallas on November 22, 1963. e. many of the related events were watched on television.
c. the Warren Commission concluded there may have been multiple gunmen.
Johnson's Medicare program provided medical benefits to: a. the unemployed b. all Americans c. the elderly d. single mothers and their children e. the handicapped
c. the elderly
Which of the following were among John F. Kennedy's shortcomings? a. limited outward self-confidence and a lack of conviction b. his reliance on the guidance of academics c. the fact that much of the glamour surrounding him was cosmetic d. his reluctance to breach the topic of foreign affairs in public speeches e. his refusal to perceive communism as a threat early in his term
c. the fact that much of the glamour surrounding him was cosmetic
Kennedy's legislative program: a. compared favorably to the legislative achievements of FDR. b. was labeled the New Society. c. was largely blocked by conservatives in Congress. d. revealed Kennedy's genius in getting laws passed. e. called for tax hikes to balance the budget.
c. was largely blocked by conservatives in Congress.
What obstacles did John F. Kennedy face in terms of enacting his domestic programs? a. Legislators successfully prevented the approval of his efforts to increase the minimum wage and fund new public-housing projects. b. Congress was unwilling to fund space exploration efforts and, thus, the president turned solely to private corporations for such funding. c. Brown v. Board of Education had been so successful at ending racial segregation on its own that the president's efforts were deemed ineffective. d. Conservative southern Democrats joined with Republicans in blocking efforts such as those to increase federal aid to education. e. The American space program had peaked too early by launching the first-ever manned space flight and quickly fell behind the Soviet program.
d. Conservative southern Democrats joined with Republicans in blocking efforts such as those to increase federal aid to education.
President Johnson labeled his overall program of domestic reform the: a. True Deal b. New Frontier c. New Beginning d. Great Society e. New America
d. Great Society
Martin Luther King Jr. took which of the following approaches in writing his "Letter from Birmingham Jail"? a. He denounced the actions of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. b. He announced that he was abandoning nonviolent tactics. c. He expressed intense anger at being locked up. d. He declared his preference for nonviolent civil disobedience. e. He showed hatred toward racist whites.
d. He declared his preference for nonviolent civil disobedience.
What was one way in which the televised debate between Kennedy and Nixon was significant? a. Nixon had been far less prominent than Kennedy in the national conversation, so the debate propelled him to notoriety. b. Kennedy and Nixon's rapport on screen resulted in their being grouped as running mates on a winning ticket. c. The debate grew so heated and almost violent that the two parties panicked and considered trying out different candidates. d. The visual nature of the debate played to Kennedy's strengths, especially as Nixon was sick with a virus. e. Kennedy proved so successful in the debate that he only felt the need to invest in a small campaign and traveled little.
d. The visual nature of the debate played to Kennedy's strengths, especially as Nixon was sick with a virus.
The Cuban missile crisis: a. led to a United States-backed invasion of Cuba. b. showed Kennedy's tendency to back down in a tense confrontation. c. ended the cold war. d. brought the United States and the Soviet Union close to nuclear war. e. saw the United States destroy some missile sites with surgical air strikes.
d. brought the United States and the Soviet Union close to nuclear war.
In 1961, Khrushchev escalated tensions over Berlin by: a. imposing another Soviet blockade of West Berlin. b. sending spy planes over West Germany. c. putting nuclear missiles in East Berlin. d. erecting the Berlin Wall. e. walking out of a summit conference in Vienna.
d. erecting the Berlin Wall
The legislation passed by Congress at Johnson's urging in 1965 included all of the following EXCEPT: a. Medicare and Medicaid. b. funds for urban renewal and public housing. c. anti-poverty aid to Appalachia. d. government guarantee of full employment. e. massive federal aid to education.
d. government guarantee of full employment.
Michael Harrington's book The Other America influenced President Johnson to declare war on: a. racism b. teen pregnancy c. illegal aliens d. poverty e. drugs
d. poverty
Violence erupted in 1962 when James Meredith attempted to integrate: a. the University of Alabama b. Louisiana State University c. Georgia Tech d. the University of Mississippi e. Texas A&M
d. the University of Mississippi
What is one thing John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy all had in common, and what does this suggest about the 1960s? a. All were Second World War veterans, suggesting how important the military had become as a standard for American leadership. b. All were equally invested in the civil rights movement throughout their careers, suggesting how most individuals at the time were activists. c. All were advocates for black nationalism and followers of Marcus Garvey, suggesting the prominence of "black power" in the 1960s. d. All were elected to political office and came from working-class backgrounds, suggesting how politics was no longer the realm of the social elite. e. All were important leaders who were assassinated, suggesting the social turbulence that characterized the 1960s.
e. All were important leaders who were assassinated, suggesting the social turbulence that characterized the 1960s.
The Cuban missile crisis led to all of the following EXCEPT: a. removal of the Soviet missiles from Cuba. b. the installation of a "hot line" between Moscow and Washington. c. the removal of American missiles from Turkey. d. an easing of cold war tensions. e. a U.S.-Soviet agreement to scrap nuclear weapons.
e. a U.S.-Soviet agreement to scrap nuclear weapons.
By 1966, black leaders like Stokely Carmichael and H. Rap Brown were proponents of what they termed: a. passive nonviolence b. black communism c. massive integration d. black capitalism e. black power
e. black power
The Tet offensive of early 1968: a. was the American attempt to destroy the Ho Chi Minh Trail. b. was a major victory for the Viet Cong. c. resulted in Saigon's fall to the Communists. d. inspired Johnson to dramatically raise troop levels in Vietnam. e. dramatically affected public support for Johnson's war policy.
e. dramatically affected public support for Johnson's war policy.
Kennedy's successor as president, Lyndon Johnson: a. had a humble and modest character. b. was a fairly typical southern conservative. c. may have been involved in the assassination. d. like Kennedy, had been born into wealth and privilege. e. genuinely cared about the disadvantaged in society.
e. genuinely cared about the disadvantaged in society.
Kennedy's inauguration is best remembered for: a. the flatness of his delivery. b. the record cold in Washington that day. c. the large and friendly crowd. d. the list of promises in his speech. e. his elegant and inspiring rhetoric.
e. his elegant and inspiring rhetoric.
Which of the following was John F. Kennedy careful to conceal from the public during the 1960 campaign? a. his Roman Catholicism b. his marriage to Jackie Kennedy c. his family wealth d. his war record e. his personal health
e. his personal health
