U.S. History Test
In 1932, the press began calling the World War I veterans who were marching to Washington, D.C., to demand early payment of promised bonuses the a. "Bonus Army." b. "Bonus Lobby." c. "Bonus Rebellion." d. "Bonus Veterans."
a. "Bonus Army."
Wiped out by the Depression and by drought, many penniless families left the Dust Bowl and headed to a. California. b. the Midwest. c. the South. d. Washington, D.C.
a. California.
Based on the excerpt, what can you conclude about how Hoover would respond to the Great Depression as president? a. He would be hesitant to intervene in the economy. b. He would greatly expand government spending for public works. c. He would offer financial help directly to citizens. d. He would propose greater government control over the economy.
a. He would be hesitant to intervene in the economy.
____________________ invested in stocks, betting that the market would continue to climb so that they could make a quick profit. a. Speculators b. Okies c. Bailiffs d. Stockbrokers
a. Speculators
"Okies" were usually farmers who sold their land and used the profits to travel to California and begin new lives. a. True b. False
a. True
As the bull market of the late 1920s continued to soar, many investors began buying stocks on margin, making only a small cash down payment and borrowing the rest. a. True b. False
a. True
Blaming the president for their plight, newly homeless people established shantytowns they called Hoovervilles. a. True b. False
a. True
Buyers hoping to make a fortune overnight in the stock market engaged in speculation, betting that the market would continue to climb. a. True b. False
a. True
During the Depression, self-deputized citizens in the Southwest rounded up Mexicans—often without regard to their citizenship status—and forcibly returned them to Mexico. a. True b. False
a. True
During the Depression, the jobless stood in breadlines for free food, lined up outside soup kitchens set up by private groups, or went hungry. a. True b. False
a. True
In July of 1932, the U.S. Army expelled the Bonus Marchers from Washington, D.C., with tear gas and fixed bayonets. a. True b. False
a. True
In the 1920s, buying on margin was a method of buying stocks with mostly borrowed money. a. True b. False
a. True
President Hoover did more than any prior president to expand the federal government's economic role, but he failed to resolve the economic crisis of the Great Depression. a. True b. False
a. True
When people could not pay their rent or mortgage but would not leave the dwelling, they were evicted by court officers. a. True b. False
a. True
As stock prices declined in 1929, the Hawley-Smoot Tariff led to a. a decline in U.S. exports. b. the growth of U.S. industry. c. an increase in U.S. imports. d. less competition for U.S. businesses.
a. a decline in U.S. exports.
In May 1932, the Senate voted down a bill that would have a. authorized early payment of World War I veterans' bonuses. b. given special tax cuts to members of the military. c. guaranteed health care for all U.S. military veterans. d. provided jobs to all military veterans.
a. authorized early payment of World War I veterans' bonuses.
During the Great Depression, many farmers were forced to turn their farms over to a. banks that held their mortgages. b. court officers. c. government agencies. d. nonpaying tenants.
a. banks that held their mortgages.
In the early 1930s, to pay for public works projects that would create enough jobs, the government would have to raise taxes or a. borrow money. b. lay off federal employees. c. print money. d. reduce inflation.
a. borrow money.
Nicknamed "soap operas" in the 1930s, radio programs such as The Guiding Light a. carried over their story lines from day to day. b. exposed listeners to a variety of music. c. offered information as well as entertainment. d. presented the adventures of superheroes.
a. carried over their story lines from day to day.
The National Credit Corporation tried to rescue troubled banks by allowing them to a. continue lending money in their communities. b. continue offering direct relief to impoverished families. c. finance public works projects. d. restructure how they lent money to the public.
a. continue lending money in their communities.
During the Great Depression, when a bank collapsed, a. depositors lost their savings. b. depositors were repaid if their accounts were insured. c. the government covered the bank's debts. d. the government stepped in to run the bank.
a. depositors lost their savings.
During the Great Depression, many farmers who were already under pressure from debt and falling prices were devastated by a. drought and the "Dust Bowl." b. homelessness and "Hoovervilles." c. migration and repatriation. d. unemployment and bank closures.
a. drought and the "Dust Bowl."
In the 1920s, the Federal Reserve contributed to weaknesses in the stock market by a. keeping interest rates low. b. lending to foreign companies. c. lending to speculators. d. speculating on market interest rates.
a. keeping interest rates low.
President Hoover's image was tarnished by the rout of the Bonus Marchers, as well as by the a. lingering Depression. b. public works funding. c. emergency loans to states. d. National Credit Corporation.
a. lingering Depression.
During the Depression, charities set up ____________________ to give poor people meals. a. soup kitchens b. communities c. public works d. dust bowls
a. soup kitchens
"Hunger marches" in Washington, D.C., and other cities were organized by a. the American Communist Party. b. the Bonus Army. c. farm organizations. d. federal government agencies.
a. the American Communist Party.
Which of the following measures to address the Depression was enacted by Congress and signed by President Hoover only reluctantly? a. the Emergency Relief and Construction Act b. the Hawley-Smoot Tariff c. the National Credit Corporation d. the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
a. the Emergency Relief and Construction Act
The "Dust Bowl" was located in a. the Great Plains. b. the Midwest. c. the Pacific Northwest. d. the Southeast.
a. the Great Plains.
Buying on margin was a method of buying stocks a. with mostly borrowed money. b. without using a broker. c. by pooling money with others. d. without any risk.
a. with mostly borrowed money.
The stock market took its steepest dive on October 29, 1929, the day now known as a. Red Thursday. b. Black Tuesday. c. Black Friday. d. Bloody Sunday.
b. Black Tuesday.
Films such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington celebrated national heroes and the excitement of the big city. a. True b. False
b. False
Movies produced during the Depression usually focused attention on the plight of the homeless and the unemployed. a. True b. False
b. False
President Herbert Hoover's response to the Depression led to his landslide victory in the 1932 presidential election. a. True b. False
b. False
President Hoover supported the provision of federal government relief, or money given directly to impoverished families. a. True b. False
b. False
Some farmers began destroying their crops to protest against foreclosures on their land. a. True b. False
b. False
The Depression improved steadily during President Hoover's administration. a. True b. False
b. False
The stock market crash of 1929 was the sole cause of the Great Depression. a. True b. False
b. False
Walt Disney produced the first feature-length animated film, Animal Crackers, in 1937. a. True b. False
b. False
What weekly photojournalism magazine was introduced in 1936 by TIME magazine publisher Henry Luce to instant success? a. America b. Life c. Newsweek d. Guiding Light
b. Life
What does the excerpt suggest about how the Great Depression affected Americans? a. Americans pitched in to help each other through the hard times. b. Many Americans struggled in truly desperate circumstances. c. Most Americans had to make small but meaningful sacrifices. d. Some Americans thrived despite the challenges they faced.
b. Many Americans struggled in truly desperate circumstances.
What happened when President Hoover asked the Federal Reserve Board to put more currency into circulation? a. The Board agreed, but delayed taking action. b. The Board refused to increase the money supply. c. Congress passed a resolution supporting Hoover. d. The Senate blocked the Board from taking action.
b. The Board refused to increase the money supply.
What percentage of American households owned stocks by 1929? a. approximately 5% b. approximately 10% c. approximately 25% d. approximately 50%
b. approximately 10%
A long period of rising stock prices is known as a a. bank run. b. bull market. c. foreclosure. d. margin call.
b. bull market.
At the time of the stock market crash, the government did not insure bank deposits, so a. banks kept only a fraction of depositors' money in reserve. b. customers lost their savings if a bank collapsed. c. banks had to make money by making loans and investing. d. customers turned to their stockbrokers for help.
b. customers lost their savings if a bank collapsed.
Before the late 1920s, stock prices a. did not change much. b. generally reflected the stocks' true value. c. had little to do with the economy. d. were too high for most people to afford.
b. generally reflected the stocks' true value.
Although the Reconstruction Finance Corporation loaned about $238 million to banks, railroads, and building-and-loan associations by early 1932, it failed to a. exercise sufficient caution. b. increase its lending sufficiently. c. raise prices on agricultural products. d. reduce government spending.
b. increase its lending sufficiently.
According to the chart above, one cause for the decline in sales of automobiles in the years leading up to the Great Depression was a. declining demand for oil. b. increased unemployment. c. a loss of demand. d. the slowing of industry.
b. increased unemployment.
In the excerpt, Herbert Hoover states that during World War I, the people of the United States had to rely on the government to a. provide direct relief to families. b. insure bank deposits. c. regulate the stock market. d. solve economic problems.
b. insure bank deposits.
The bull market of the 1920s lasted only as long as a. banks continued to invest in stocks. b. investors continued putting new money into the market. c. the federal reserve continued to lower interest rates. d. stockbrokers continued to make loans to investors.
b. investors continued putting new money into the market.
In 1932 President Hoover asked Congress to set up the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in order to allow the government to a. expand the money supply. b. make loans to businesses. c. provide relief to the unemployed. d. create jobs in public works.
b. make loans to businesses.
The original purpose of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation was to a. administer public assistance programs. b. make loans to businesses. c. manage public works projects. d. regulate the stock market.
b. make loans to businesses.
Thousands of World War I veterans came to Washington, D.C., in 1932 to lobby Congress to a. enact a bonus for war veterans and their families. b. pass legislation giving veterans their promised bonuses early. c. provide military jobs for unemployed veterans. d. provide public works jobs for unemployed veterans.
b. pass legislation giving veterans their promised bonuses early.
As creditors foreclosed on nearly one million farms between 1930 and 1934, some farmers destroyed their crops in a desperate attempt to a. retaliate against their creditors. b. raise prices by reducing supply. c. call public attention to their plight. d. find ways to feed their families.
b. raise prices by reducing supply.
To portray life around them, artists and writers of the 1930s often used ____________________ as subjects in their work. a. the middle and upper classes b. the homeless and unemployed c. members of law enforcement d. victims of the stock market crash
b. the homeless and unemployed
According to the graph above, in what year was the gap between the annual high and the annual low in the stock market largest? a. 1920 b. 1926 c. 1929 d. 1932
c. 1929
The first feature-length animated film was a. Animal Crackers. b. The Wizard of Oz. c. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. d. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
c. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Based on the graph above, what was the lowest price of stocks per share during this period? a. slightly less than $100 per share b. around $55 per share c. around $50 per share d. around $25 per share
c. around $50 per share
When the Senate voted down a bill that promised an immediate $1,000 bonus to each veteran of World War I, some veterans a. burned down public buildings. b. marched to Oregon c. camped in vacant buildings in Washington, D.C. d. demonstrated in front of the White House.
c. camped in vacant buildings in Washington, D.C.
What is Steinbeck describing in the excerpt? a. boxcars in which hobos rode b. farm buildings destroyed in dust storms c. housing given to "Okies" in California d. shacks in a Hooverville
c. housing given to "Okies" in California
Stockbrokers who made loans that allowed investors to buy stocks could issue a ____________________ to protect their loans. a. collateral call b. credit call c. margin call d. foreclosure call
c. margin call
Manufacturing output per person-hour rose 32 percent in the 1920s, but the average worker's wage increased only 8 percent, which meant that a. investment in the stock market led to overproduction. b. many goods produced by American industry were sold in foreign markets. c. most Americans did not earn enough to buy the goods they helped produce. d. speculators were eager to purchase stocks in American companies.
c. most Americans did not earn enough to buy the goods they helped produce
Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, and other painters of the 1930s were referred to as the a. journalist school. b. realists. c. regionalist school. d. stream of consciousness.
c. regionalist school.
In addition to the stock market crash of 1929, the economy was shaken by a slowdown in a. farm production. b. mortgages. c. retail sales. d. tariff rates.
c. retail sales.
What portion of the U.S. workforce was unemployed by 1933? a. about 10% b. over 15% c. roughly 25% d. slightly less than 40%
c. roughly 25%
While many immigrants chose to leave the United States as a result of the Great Depression, others a. migrated to California in search of agricultural work. b. supported relatives who had returned to their native countries. c. were forced out by the government and by citizen groups. d. worked with citizen groups to overcome prejudice.
c. were forced out by the government and by citizen groups.
One reason that the stock market crash led to the Great Depression was that in 1929, the top 5 percent of all American households earned 30 percent of the nation's income, an example of a. a bull market. b. a recession. c. overproduction. d. an uneven distribution of income.
d. an uneven distribution of income.
President Herbert Hoover did not want the government to create as many new jobs as the millions of unemployed people needed because that would require a. much lower unemployment. b. increased government regulation. c. reform of federal taxes. d. increased government spending.
d. increased government spending.
Stock prices first began to decline in late 1929 because a. stockbrokers stopped margin loans. b. company earnings declined. c. several companies went bankrupt. d. investors began to sell their stock.
d. investors began to sell their stock.
During the stock market crash of October 1929, prices were driven down by a. banks being forced to close. b. companies being forced out of business. c. the government intervening in the market. d. investors selling stocks at a frenzied pace.
d. investors selling stocks at a frenzied pace.
The Emergency Relief and Construction Act provided a. direct relief to impoverished families. b. direct relief to struggling banks and businesses. c. loans to businesses willing to create jobs. d. loans to the states for direct relief.
d. loans to the states for direct relief.
In the 1930s, daytime radio dramas such as The Guiding Light were often sponsored by a. advertising companies. b. automobile manufacturers. c. Hollywood movie studios. d. makers of laundry soaps.
d. makers of laundry soaps
During the 1930s, how many Americans went to the movies each week? a. fewer than 10 million b. fewer than 25 million c. more than 50 million d. more than 60 million
d. more than 60 million
During the Depression, most people were able to enjoy which two popular forms of entertainment? a. theater and radio b. theater and sports c. movies and television d. movies and radio
d. movies and radio
In addition to the stock market crash in 1929, a key cause of the Great Depression was a. deflation. b. inflation. c. overconsumption. d. overproduction.
d. overproduction.
President Hoover wanted state and city governments rather than the federal government to provide money directly to impoverished families, known as a. bonuses. b. credits. c. income. d. relief.
d. relief.
In search of work or a better life, many unemployed people a. moved to big cities. b. became farmers. c. became homeless. d. rode the rails.
d. rode the rails.
According to the chart, a decline in the sales of automobiles meant that there was less demand for a. employment. b. higher wages. c. repair shops. d. steel.
d. steel.
During the 1930s, dairy farmers in Georgia blocked highways and a. protested against farm foreclosures. b. protested low prices for agricultural products. c. stopped court officers from foreclosing on farms. d. stopped milk trucks, dumping the milk into ditches.
d. stopped milk trucks, dumping the milk into ditches.
In his novel The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner exposed the hidden attitudes of characters in a fictional Mississippi county using a technique called a. continuing story line. b. escapism. c. regionalism. d. stream of consciousness.
d. stream of consciousness.
As a result of the stock market crash, some banks suffered more losses than they could absorb and a. tried to attract more depositors. b. had to approve more loans. c. needed to increase interest rates. d. were forced to close.
d. were forced to close.
