US History EOC Practice Exam

The quote below comes from a speech given by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964: "I submit, for the consideration of the Congress and the country, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. The Act does not merely expand old programs or improve what is already being done. It charts a new course...it can be a milestone in our one-hundred-eighty year search for a better life for our people." President Johnson gave this speech because the United States faced what problem?

A high level of poverty. The Economic Opportunity Act was part of Johnson's Great Society program to fight a war on poverty in the United States.

What was the main effect of the system of debt peonage that emerged in the South during the late 19th century?

African Americans labored in a system that was nearly the same as slavery. Debt peonage requires that a person's debt be paid off through work. After the Civil War many newly freed African Americans accrued sharecropping debt that was then paid off through labor.

This quote is from Farmer's Alliance Member Mary Elizabeth Lease in the late 1800's: "The great common people of this country are slaves, and monopoly is the master.... The politicians said we suffered from overproduction. Overproduction, when 10,000 little children, so statistics tell us, starve to death every year in the United States....We will stand by our homes and stay by our fireside by force if necessary, and we will not pay our debts to the loan-shark companies until the government pays its debts to us." Based on this quote, with which statement would Lease agree? A. Although slavery has been abolished in this country, African Americans still find themselves held in bondage. B. Greater control over large corporations will help agricultural workers reclaim their livelihood and regain their financial footing. C. Farmers produce more food than the population can handle, but they are not permitted to sell their surpluses to other markets. D. Although child labor is a severe problem in the country, government leaders have done nothing to prevent children from working.

B. Greater control over large corporations will help agricultural workers reclaim their livelihood and regain their financial footing. The Farmer's Alliances was an organization that fought for the rights of agricultural workers. During the late 1800's the farmers were suffering from a recession and US currency was backed by gold, making loans very expensive: The farmers were calling on the US government to regulate costs of shipping and the money supply so that farmers could get out of debt.

What statement describes both the First and Second Industrial Revolutions?

Both revolutions produced technologies that improved productivity. The First Industrial Revolution focused mainly on the textile industry? The Second Industrial Revolution saw much advancement to manufacturing and agriculture. Both produced inventions that improved the US's ability to produce.

The pursuit of which economic foreign policy objective cost President Clinton the support of labor leaders?

Decreasing trade barriers among all nations. President Clinton pushed for the passage of the North American Free Trade agreement which removed trade barriers between the US, Canada, and Mexico.

The timeline below shows changes in the US tariff policy between 1920 and 1930: May 1921-Emergency tariff increases import taxes on agricultural products. September 1922-Fordney-McCumber Tariff raises tariffs on farm and manufactured goods. June 1930-Smoot-Hawley Tariff increases tariff levels to record high level. What conclusion can be drawn from this timeline?

During the 1920's, Congress supported domestic producers with a protective trade policy. After WWI, the US wanted to return to isolationism and be neutral to world affairs. One way they did this was to pass tariffs to reduce trade with other nations. Issues with trade was a cause for US entry to WWI.

What security measures are referred to in the case of Korematsu vs. United States?

Internment of Japanese Americans. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, some believed that Japanese Americans aided Japan and that if Japan attacked it would be on the West Coast. Through executive order, Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps out west to be watched during the war. Korematsu sued saying the camps violated the rights of citizens, but the Supreme Court ruled against him.

Which effect did the Eisenhower Interstate System have on American Society in the 1950's and 1960's?

It contributed to suburbanization. The highway system allowed for more people to live away from urban areas and commute to work. the suburbs were created to meet the housing demand of all those commuters.

What does a map of the Panama Canal show about the importance of completing the Panama Canal?

It shortened shipping routes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Panama Canal connected the Caribbean Sea and therefore the Atlantic ocean with the Pacific Trading vessels no longer had to go around South America.

How did the formation of the United Nations resemble the formation of the league of Nations?

It was set up to promote international efforts to stop war. Both organizations were designed after major wars to keep peace between countries.

The Gentleman's Agreement between President Theodore Roosevelt and Japan resulted in a decrease of what immigrants/immigration?

Japanese Immigration to the United States. The Gentlemen's Agreement called for the Japanese to limit the number of passports it gave to allow travel to the US for work. The US was allowed to turn away Japanese citizens who did not have a valid passport.

Which statement describes the role played by the US journalists during the Spanish-American war?

Journalists exaggerated events to build support for the war, giving the president and Congress little chance to resolve the conflict diplomatically.

Which region has contributed the most to immigration to the United States in the 21st Century?

Latin America. Since the Year 2000 the majority of immigrants coming into the US have come from Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Which entrepreneur had a significant impact on the cosmetics industry?

Madame C.J. Walker. Madame C.J. Walker was an African American entrepreneur who invented hair and beauty products.

Which Great Society program continued to receive significant public and political support in the 21st century?

Medicare. medicare is a government health insurance program for retired people that was created in the 1960s as part of Johnson's Great Society Program.

What statement explains one reason fro the change in urban population in the Northeast from 1870 to 1900?

Millions of immigrants arrived from Southern and Eastern Europe. During the late 1800's and early 1900's the US saw large numbers of New Immigrants arrive at our shores. These New Immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia. This map show large populations in areas like New York, New Jersey, and Maryland which is where European immigrants arrived.

The Political cartoon depicting John Rockefeller standing on a barrel of oil that says "Std Oil" is from the late 1800's. What practice from the 19th century is the political cartoon criticizing?

Monopolization. Standard Oil was a monopoly in the late 1800's run by Rockefeller.

Which statement describes the economic condition of American farm workers during the 1920's?

Overproduction reduced crop prices and kept farm workers from enjoying the general prosperity of the times. Farmers show the lowest rise in income. Low crop prices would reduce income.

What contributed to the ratification of the 26th Amendment?

Protests against the draft. Citizens can be drafted into war at 18 years old. Since young people were protesting the draft stating that they did not vote for the president and congressmen who drafted them, after the war, an amendment was passed to allow 18 year olds to vote.

What was the main accomplishment of the Freedmen's Bureau?

Providing aid and education to emancipated slaves. The Freedmen's Bureau was created to assist in the transition from slavery to freedom. It succeeded in creating schools for African Americans.

The US acquisition of what territory limited Spain's influence in the Western Hemisphere?

Puerto Rico. After the Spanish American War, the US acquired Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.

Goals of the Dawes Act: 1. Assimilate Native Americans into American Society. 2. ____ 3. Accustom Native Americans to individual land ownership. What phrase best completes the diagram?

Push Native Americans to adopt an agricultural lifestyle. The goal of the Dawes Act was to get the Native Americans to assimilate by making them independent farmers on land they owned.

What did President Franklin Roosevelt focus on during his First Hundred Days?

Regulating banks to solve the root causes of the economic crisis. During the First Hundred Days of the New Deal banks were closed to keep people from withdrawing their money and create more bank failure.

Which president pursued a policy of Vietnamization?

Richard Nixon. Nixon created the policy of Vietnamization during the Vietnam War. The policy called for US troops to gradually level Vietnam and Vietnamese troops to take over the fighting.

Why is Roosevelt depicted carrying his "big Stick" through the Caribbean in political cartoons?

Roosevelt believed that an aggressive foreign policy was needed to prevent Caribbean nations from incurring major debts with European nations. T.Roosevelt's foreign policy was referred to as the "Big Stick Policy" because at times he could be aggressive. T.R. added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine stating that the US would intervene in Latin America if European nations were taking advantage there. The US would pay off any debts to ensure that no new colonies were created in the Caribbean.

The following quote is from President Roosevelt in the early 1900s: "this Second New Deal Act gives "contributors a legal, moral, and political right to collect their pensions and unemployment benefits." Based on this quote, to which Second New Deal Act is Roosevelt referring?

Social Security Act. The Social Security Act provides money for the elderly in retirement and those with disabilities that keep them unemployed.

Chief Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse lead the Lakota off their reservation. --> The US Army is sent to force the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho back to their reservations. --> Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse defeat the US Army. What event is described here?

The Battle of Little Bighorn. The Battle of Little Bighorn was the result of the US army attempting to force the Native American leaders and urged their people to resist the army. Crazy Horse defeated General Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

What was used to justify US support for South Vietnam?

The Domino Theory. The domino Theory stated that if one country fell to communism all those around it would too. So aiding South Vietnam fight communism would keep communism from spreading.

The following is a quote from a nationally televised address by President Ronald Reagan in 1987: "A few months ago, I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and evidence tell me it is not." What was the event that forced President Reagan to make this address?

The Iran Contra affair. During the Iraq-Iran war, in the 1980's, the US supported Iraq but made a secret agreement to sell weapons to Iran. The US government believed that agreement would ease tensions and allow for the release of US hostages held by Iranian terrorists in Lebanon.

Passage of what represented a shift from the foreign policy that dominated American politics between the two world wars?

The Lend-Lease Act. The US was in a period of neutrality at the beginning of World War II. By lending weapons to Allied countries the US was no longer neutral.

What was the name given to the 1940's policy of providing economic and military support to "free people" fighting against "outside pressures"?

The Truman Doctrine. The Truman Doctrine allowed the US to aid Greece and Turkey as they were recovering from WWII. The US feared they might seek aid from the Soviet Union and become communist.

What contributed to increasing tensions between the US and the communist world at the beginning of the Cold War period?

The United States' participation in the Korean War. The US went to Korea to Keep South Korea from being taken over by communists. The North Koreans were aided by China.

What describes a pull factor that drew African Americans during the Great Migration?

The availability of good jobs in the North and West. The Great Migration occurred between 1900 and 1929.. During this time the US experienced a boom in manufacturing that occurred in the Northeast and Midwest. The US participation in World War I created a need for workers to make war supplies in factories up North.

The Kansas Nebraska Act concerned which issue?

The expansion of slavery into new territories. The Kansas Nebraska Act was passed to allow for settlement in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. The act allowed for settlers to vote on whether or not the territory would have slavery.

Which was a direct consequence of the Civil War?

The extension of voting rights to African American men. When the Civil War ended the U.S. entered a period called Reconstruction. During Reconstruction three amendments were added to the Constitution. The 15th amendment allows African American men the right to vote.

What would the author of the following excerpt most likely support? The excerpt below was printed in a magazine in the South in 1866: We should be satisfied to compel them to engage in coarse, common manual labor, and to punish them for dereliction of duty or non-fulfillment of their contracts with such severity, as to make them useful, productive laborers. A. the formation of the Freedmen's Bureau B. the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment C. the passage of Black Codes and Jim Crow laws D. the relocation of emancipated slaves to colonies in Africa

The passage of Black Codes and Jim Crow laws. Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws in many southern states required that African Americans sign yearly labor contracts. Anyone found without a contract could be imprisoned

The 14th amendment was proposed by congress in response to what?

The passage of Black Codes throughout the South. The 14th amendment grants African Americans citizenship and full rights under the Constitution. To limit the rights and advancement of African Americans in the South, many Southern states passed Black Codes.

The controversies surrounding the issues of passage of the Volstead Act, the Scopes Monkey Trial, and the behavior of flappers were all signs of what aspect of American life?

The tension between traditional and modern values and beliefs. Volstead Act enforced Prohibition which made producing, selling, and buying alcohol illegal. The Scopes Trial ruled that the theory of evolution could not be taught in schools. Flappers were women who wore short dresses and cut their hair into bobs.

The excerpt below comes from a speech given by President Woodrow Wilson in 1917: "The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them." What was the purpose of this speech?

To convince Congress to declare war on Germany. Wilson made the war about democratic morals by saying we should enter the war to protect democracy around the world.

What was the main reason that the federal government created a method for Native Americans to become US citizens?

To encourage Native Americans to assimilate into mainstream society. The main goal of US relations with the Native Americans throughout the 1800's was assimilation (become part of American society and culture). Those that did not want to assimilate were placed on reservations.

What was the main purpose of the poster with "Beat back the HUN with LIBERTY BONDS" written on it?

To generate financial support for the war effort. Liberty bonds raised money for the war effort by allowing citizens to purchase a bond that the government would pay back, with interest, when the war ended.

What was the purpose of the Palmer Raids?

To identify and punish suspected communists. Palmer raids were FBI raids done on those suspected of being communist.

Why did the US send military forces to the Balkans during the 1960's?

To prevent ethnic conflict from resulting in broader political and economic instability. There was a civil war between Christians and Muslims in the Balkan country of Bosnia that resulted in ethnic cleansing between 1922 and 1995. The US intervened to make sure that the cleansing was stopped and the conflict did not spread to other countries.

What was the main purpose of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887?

To prevent railroads from charging farmers and merchants high shipping rates. The Interstate Commerce Act was created to limit the monopolistic practices of the railroad industry.

Why did the United States participate in the Washington Conference (1921) and the Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)?

To work with other nations to prevent future wars. The Washington Conference reduced the navy in 5 countries to a set number of ships. The Kellogg-Briand Pact was an agreement to avoid war.

Which describes a reason for US involvement in World War I?

US leaders feared that Germany might gain too much control and negatively affect American security and trade. During the early 1900's the US experienced a boom in trade because of advancements in industry. They were trading all over Europe and Asia. As the Germans and their Allies advanced, that trade was limited.

The quote below is from an African American leader in the early 1900s: "So far as [he] apologizes for injustice, North or South, does not rightly value the privilege and duty of voting, belittles the [devastating] effect of caste distinctions, and opposes the higher training and ambition of our brighter minds... we must unceasingly and firmly oppose [his ideas]." The ideas in this quote reflect the beliefs of which leader?

W.E.B. DuBois. W.E.B. DuBois insisted that intellectual training of the most "Talented Tenth" of the African American population would provide the leadership for African American advancement.

Which movement benefited the most from it's members' contributions to the war effort during world war I?

Women's suffrage. Women were granted the right to vote after they worked in war industries during WWI.

Police have to say which of the following as a result of the Supreme court ruling in Miranda v. Arizona (1966)? a. License and registration, please. b. You are hereby under arrest. c. You have the right to remain silent. d. Keep your hands where i can see them.

You have the right to remain silent. The supreme court ruling in miranda v. arizona requires that those accused of a crime be informed of their 5th amendment rights.

What was a long-term effect of events like Anti-war demonstrations in the 1960s?

americans became more willing to question government decisions. The 1960's saw many civil rights and war protesters who either called for or questioned government action.

What did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., urge his followers to do in order to bring about racial justice?

engage in acts of civil disobedience. Civil disobedience is when people nonviolently protest what they feel is unjust. MLK asked his people to participate in sit-ins, boycotts, and marches to make others aware of the Civil Rights Movement.

The bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City in 1993 was an example of the growth of which of the following issues at the end of the 20th century?

terrorism. US federal law defines terrorism as "the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives."

What was the goal of African Americans and white volunteers during the Freedom Summer?

to register African American voters.