Deck 30: Achievements of the Past, Challenges for the Future

Question 1

What variable has been shown to be highly correlated with nutrition, disease, and income, and is increasingly being used by economists to measure the well being of people?

A) Height.
B) Weight.
C) IQ.
D) Gender.

Answer 1

Height.

Question 2

Between 1880 and 1980, which region had the highest per capita income?

A) Pacific.
B) Midwest .
C) New England .
D) South Atlantic .

Answer 2

Pacific.

Question 3

After the Civil War, per capita income in the South was relatively low compared with other regions of the United States. Which of the following statements best describes how long it took the South to (almost but not quite. catch up with the rest of the country).

A) About one year.
B) About five to ten years.
C) About twenty five years.
D) Several generations.

Answer 3

Several generations.

Question 4

Over the long run, per capita incomes in different regions of the United States have

A) gradually diverged with the Northeastern region leading all other income groups.
B) gradually converged.
C) gradually converged until roughly 1985, and then diverged as the Western states outpaced other regions.
D) have converged, with the exception of the South.

Question 5

If you based your estimate on how long it took poor regions of the United States to catch up to the per capita incomes of the rest of the nation, how long do you believe it would take Eastern Europe to obtain per capita incomes comparable to those of Western Europe?

A) About one year.
B) About five to ten years.
C) About twenty five years.
D) Several generations.

Question 6

Which statement  best describes changes in infant mortality in the US from 1940-2005?

A) By 2005, the total infant mortality rate was about 15% of what it had been in 1940.
B) The infant mortality rate is higher for whites than for blacks.
C) The infant mortality rate was about twice as high in 1940 as it was in 2005.
D) The infant morality rate during the first 28 days of life dropped significantly but the infant mortality rate from 28 days to 1 year remained about the same.

Question 7

During the second half of the nineteenth century and first half of the twentieth century, per capita incomes on the West Coast of the US were ___ than the national average, and per capita incomes in the South were ___ than the national average.

A) lower, higher.
B) higher, lower.
C) lower, lower.
D) higher, higher.

Question 8

Which of the following statements best describes the changes in life expectancy between 1940-2000 in the US?

A) The life expectancy of females increased substantially but there was little change for males.
B) The life expectancy of African American males is higher than that of African American females, but the life expectancy of white males is lower than that of white females.
C) The life expectancies of people of all races has remained about the same as advances in health have been offset by declines due to environmental factors.
D) The life expectancy of people with Down's Syndrome grew by about 25 times, and the life expectancy of African Americans grew faster than the life expectancy of whites.

Question 9

Economists often examine GNP to estimate changes in the well being of people. If one only studied GNP, which of the following would lead  one to underestimate the true increases in peoples' well being?

A) Increasing average hours of work.
B) Decreasing life expectancy.
C) Increasing levels of pollution.
D) Increasing amounts of production in the home.

Question 10

Which statement most accurately describes the distribution of income among US families?

A) In 2005, as in most of American history, poor people work on average many more hours than do high-income people.
B) The median real family income has remained about the same since 1970.
C) One of the most significant determinants of income inequality in the US has been the increase in demand for highly trained labor.
D) Earnings of married-couple families have grown more slowly than earnings of both male and female households with no spouse.

Question 11

What is not an accurate description of US immigration?

A) Significant immigration from continental Europe started after the War of 1812.
B) Most immigrants in the initial period of the US came from NW Europe, were replaced first by immigrants from Asian nations, which were eventually replaced by immigrants from SE Europe.
C) Large scale immigration from Latin America to the US started since the Depression.

Question 12

What best describes changes in sectors in the US?

A) Agriculture was the chief generator of income in the United States until the decade of the 1880s.
B) The number of people employed in manufacturing passed the number employed in agriculture shortly after the War of 1812.
C) The percentage of the US labor force employed in agriculture increased slowly until the Civil War and declined from then to the present time.
D) The current number of people employed in the government sector is about the same as the number of people employed in the service sector.

Question 13

Economists often examine GNP to estimate changes in the well being of people. If one only studied GNP, which of the following would lead  one to overestimate the true increases in peoples' well being?

A) Decreasing average hours of work
B) Increasing life expectancy
C) Decreasing levels of pollution
D) Decreasing amounts of production in the home
E) Increases in product quality

Question 14

What most accurately describes the trend in the Gross Domestic Product of the US between 1870 and 2007?

A) Real GDP increased by about two percent per year.
B) Although nominal GDP increased significantly, real GDP went up only slightly because of inflation.
C) Both nominal and real GDP have been flat because the periods of inflation were offset by the periods of deflation.
D) The fluctuations in GDP have become greater over time, and were largest in the late 1900s.

Question 15

Which statement is most accurate about social indicators in the US between 1950 and 1980?

A) The divorce rate doubled.
B) The suicide rate rose sharply.
C) The murder rate remained relatively constant.
D) The birth rate for unmarried women remained relatively constant.

Question 16

In which period did women make the least significant strides in the labor market?

A) 1970-1990.
B) 1940-1945.
C) 1830-1860.
D) 1790-1800.

Question 17

Which of the following most accurately describes the changes in the heights of adult, white males?

A) Since 1700, heights have increased steadily.
B) There were small cyclical changes in height until about 1900, and since then heights have increased very rapidly.
C) During the history of the US heights have been relatively constant.
D) Height increased substantially until shortly after the Civil War, and has been relatively stable since then.

Question 18

Which statement is most accurate about the real GDP per capita of different nations between 1980 and 2006?

A) The real GDP per capita of the US ranks in the middle of the other major industrialized nations.
B) The US had the highest real per capita GDP at the beginning of the period, but by the end of the period many other industrialized had caught up to the US.
C) The US had the highest real per capita GDP throughout the period and on average, the other major industrialized nations did not significantly close the gap.
D) At the beginning of the period, the US had a real GDP per capita equal to the average of the major industrialized nations, but by 2006 the US had moved into first place.

Question 19

During what period did members of labor unions comprise the largest share of the labor force?

A) 1840-1860.
B) 1875-1895.
C) 1920-1940.
D) 1950-1970.
E) 1980-2000.

Question 20

With respect to real per capita incomes, the United States' position

A) as leader has reversed with the United Kingdom since 1980.
B) as leader has reversed with Canada since 1980.
C) as leader has reversed with Sweden since 1980.
D) has not changed much since 1980.

Question 21

During what period did the US expand its area by the greatest amount?

A) Since 1970.
B) 1910-1950.
C) 1880-1900.
D) 1800-1850.
E) 1781-1795.

Question 22

What best describes immigration in the US?

A) South-eastern Europe was the largest source of immigrants in the late 19th century and Latin America was the largest source at the beginning of the 20th century.
B) Asia was the largest source of immigrants in late 20th century and south-eastern Europe was the largest source in the first half of the 19th century.
C) Britain was the largest source of immigrants through the 18th century and Germany and Ireland were the largest sources in the last quarter of the 19th century.
D) Ireland and Germany were the largest sources of immigrants in the middle of the 19th century and Latin America and Asia were the largest sources at the end of the 20th century.

Question 23

Which of the following is the least accurate statement?

A) GNP grew very slowly during the colonial period.
B) The South's economic performance was very poor after the Civil War.
C) Wealth in the colonial US was very equal because there had not been enough time for people to acquire significantly different levels of wealth.
D) Wage inequality has increased since 1970.

Question 24

What is the least accurate description of changes in the New World distribution of slaves over time?

A) The West Indies' share of slaves in 1825 was slightly larger than its share of the original transatlantic slave trade.
B) The United States was a relatively minor importer of slaves, but grew to hold the largest number of slaves.
C) Brazil was the largest importers of slaves from Africa and had one of the largest slave populations in 1825.

Question 25

Which of the following is most accurate?

A) The US has always had a national bank since the early 1800s.
B) The US is currently on the gold standard.
C) The US used both gold and silver to back its currency during the entire 19^th century.
D) The US experienced low inflation during the 1970s because it printed very little money.
E) The US Federal Reserve is relatively independent compared to similar institutions in most other industrialized nations.

Question 26

Which of the following statements is most correct?

A) The average education of women in the labor force is greater than the average education of men in the labor force.
B) Women now constitute over 50% of the labor force of scientists.
C) More women than men are currently enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs.
D) Women constitute less than 50% of the current undergraduates in the nation.

Question 27

Which of the following is most accurate?

A) African Americans were generally hurt economically relative to whites during WW II.
B) African American education rates are now about the same as those of whites.
C) The poverty rate for African Americans is about 300% larger than the rate for whites.
D) The average household income of African Americans is currently about 90% of whites'.

Question 28

Which of the following statements provides the most accurate description of the period between the Civil War and WWI?

A) Real per capita wages were relatively flat.
B) The share of immigrants was increasingly Protestant.
C) Businesses became increasingly regulated.
D) The average hours of work for employees in the industrial sector increased slightly.

Question 29

Which of the following statements about population and migration is most accurate?

A) In the first decade after the Civil War many of the freedmen moved to the North.
B) During most of US history more African Americans have lived in rural than urban areas.
C) Latinos are expected to comprise a smaller fraction of US population in 2025 than they do now.
D) Between 1810-1850 the population center of the US shifted from the Midwest to the east.

Question 30

Throughout U.S. history, which of the following sources provided the bulk of funds for railroad construction?

A) the federal government
B) state governments
C) local governments
D) private investors

Question 31

Changes in what sector best explain changes in union rates throughout American history?

A) Agricultural.
B) Government.
C) Manufacturing.
D) Service.

Question 32

What best describes the relationship between England and the US?

A) Throughout US history Britain has been one of the leading sources of immigrants.
B) During most of the colonial period it provided relatively little monitoring of colonial actions.
C) England often fought the Portuguese to protect its holding in colonial America.
D) Until the Civil War, England was the primary source for American manufactured goods.

Question 33

Which of the following is least accurate ?

A) In 2007, the United States imports significantly more than it exports.
B) Tariffs from imported goods accounted for over 90% of federal government revenue for the first 80 years of the United States.
C) The largest trading partner of the colonial United States was England.
D) In the late 1800s the US significantly increased its imports of raw materials to fuel its increased production of manufactured goods.
E) During the Napoleonic War, the United States' exports decreased significantly because the war disrupted trade routes.