Deck 5: Hiset: History and Politics

Question 1

Which country receives the most exported goods from the United States?

A)Mexico
B)Canada
C)Japan
D)China

Answer 1

Canada

Question 2

Which of the following is true of countries that have high Gini indices?

A)Most of the wealth is concentrated in a small segment of society.
B)They have achieved a high degree of gender equality.
C)They are on track to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals.
D)They exhibit a high standard of living.

Answer 2

Most of the wealth is concentrated in a small segment of society.

Question 3

Which historic event established that no member of government, including the president, is considered above the law?

A)The Great Depression
B)The Vietnam Conflict
C)Iran Contra
D)Watergate

Answer 3

Watergate

Question 4

In the western hemisphere, which was the first republic to grant equality to all of its citizens?

A)The United States
B)Mexico
C)Bolivia
D)Haiti

Question 5

Vice President Dan Quayle was heavily criticized in 1992 after he picked a fight with a character from which television sitcom?

A)Murphy Brown
B)Roseanne
C)The Cosby Show
D)Cheers

Question 6

What controversial plan was President Franklin Roosevelt attempting to achieve in the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937?

A)Bypassing the requirement that the U.S. Senate confirm the president's appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court
B)Giving the president veto power of U.S. Supreme Court decisions
C)Eliminating seats in the U.S. Supreme Court
D)Adding seats to the U.S. Supreme Court

Question 7

Which Founding Father was the first Secretary of the Treasury?

A)Benjamin Franklin
B)James Madison
C)Alexander Hamilton
D)Thomas Jefferson

Question 8

How is the President of the United States elected?

A)Popular vote of everyone living in the United States
B)Popular vote of all citizens over 18 years old
C)Popular vote of all citizens over 18 years old who are registered to vote in their state
D)Popular vote of all citizens who are registered to vote and are in the pool for jury duty
E)Through the Electoral College

Question 9

Into how many sectors is the U.S. economy divided?

A)10
B)18
C)12
D)20

Question 10

Independent bureaucratic agencies and Cabinet departments are created by:

A)The President of the United States
B)Congress
C)The Constitution
D)The Supreme Court
E)Our imaginations

Question 11

What is one of the powers that a president holds without Congressional checks?

A)The ability to forgive the crimes of some citizens
B)Selecting the leaders in the executive branch
C)Guiding the agenda of the year through the State of the Union address
D)Creating a federal budget

Question 12

Which of the following is not a way interest groups can overcome the free-rider problem?

A)Create passion in their interest.
B)Provide economic incentives to join.
C)Require membership as part of being involved in another desirable thing.
D)Have membership dues.
E)Peer pressure.

Question 13

In what way does political culture most affect public policy?

A)It dictates what movies can be shown in theaters.
B)It limits the policy options from which policymakers can choose.
C)Since the political culture contains all of the rules for a country, public policy can't really be distinguished from political culture.
D)It encourages citizens to be active in all decision making.
E)It doesn't affect public policy at all.

Question 14

What is the rough distribution of party identification among US citizens in recent years?

A)There are considerably more Democrats than Republicans.
B)There are considerably more Republicans than Democrats.
C)There are more independents than Democrats and Republicans combined.
D)There are roughly the same number of Democrats, Republicans, and independents.
E)No one knows because it is illegal to identify with a political party if you are not running for office.

Question 15

If the U.S. system of single-member districts with plurality voting were replaced with a system of proportional representation, one possible consequence would be:

A)Greater centralization of power in the hands of the president.
B)Establishment of stronger interest groups.
C)The disappearance of political parties.
D)A movement toward a multiparty system.
E)The responsible party system.

Question 16

Which activity is a topological map best suited for?

A)Determining a city's population
B)Counting the number of states in the US
C)Identifying Kansas's major crops
D)Finding a mountain's height

Question 17

In 1997, the United Kingdom transferred the sovereignty of which city-state to the People's Republic of China?

A)Shanghai
B)Beijing
C)Hong Kong
D)Macau

Question 18

Why was India partitioned as it gained independence in 1947?

A)Muslims wanted their own state in South Asia.
B)The British could not agree upon political boundaries.
C)Sikhs from the Punjab demanded partitioning.
D)Gandhi encouraged the idea.

Question 19

Which factor contributed to the flourishing of the Renaissance in Northern Italy?

A)Liberal laws that promoted free expression
B)Loyalty to the Byzantine Church
C)The presence of democratic city-states
D)A wealthy elite who supported the arts

Question 20

What was the main reason that the United States increased its military support for South Vietnam in the 1960s?

A)South Vietnam was an ally during World War II.
B)Cuba was helping North Vietnam.
C)The Domino Effect of Communism
D)The French told the United States to provide support for South Vietnam.

Question 21

NATO carried out air strikes against which former Soviet region in March 1999?

A)Montenegro
B)Albania
C)Bosnia
D)Kosovo

Question 22

The majority of the existing Great Wall of China was constructed during which dynasty?

A)Zhou
B)Tang
C)Jin
D)Ming

Question 23

During Apartheid, what was the primary goal of the African National Congress?

A)To establish a system of one person, one vote
B)To create a federated state, with each race getting its own homeland
C)To drive Afrikaaners out of South Africa
D)To free Nelson Mandela

Question 24

Which presidential candidate's cool demeanor when answering the startling first question of a debate, in which the moderator discussed the hypothetical rape and murder of the candidate's wife, contributed to image problems that cost the candidate the campaign?

A)Al Gore (2000)
B)Jimmy Carter (1980)
C)Bob Dole (1996)
D)Michael Dukakis (1988)

Question 25

In which year was the legal age to vote lowered from 21 to 18 years old?

A)1971
B)1968
C)1945
D)1920

Question 26

The Necessary and Proper Clause is in which part of the U.S. Constitution?

A)Article II, section 3, clause 1
B)Article I, section 4, clause 2
C)Article III, section 2, clause 3
D)Article I, section 8, clause 18

Question 27

Whose presidency offered Americans a "New Deal?"

A)John F. Kennedy
B)Theodore Roosevelt
C)Franklin D. Roosevelt
D)Harry Truman

Question 28

The term "Manifest Destiny" was used to describe which 19th century American ideal?

A)That Americans were destined to settle the continent from coast-to-coast
B)That white Americans were superior to enslaved Americans
C)That women belonged in the home performing domestic duties
D)That the country was destined to split into two separate nations

Question 29

Upton Sinclair's The Jungle was an unflinching portrayal of:

A)Exploited child labor
B)Corporate monopolies and robber barons
C)The meatpacking industry
D)The slave trade

Question 30

Which of the following does not accurately describe changes in the US economy in the late 80s and the 90s?

A)The importance of manufacturing declined.
B)The US enjoyed its lowest poverty rate in 100 years.
C)The number of multiple-income families increased.
D)The degree of wealth inequality increased.

Question 31

Which of the following was the major cause of the 1929 Depression?

A)There were not enough dollars in circulation.
B)There was a general shortage of goods, caused by overproduction and overconsumption.
C)The cost of goods majorly decreased, caused by overproduction and underconsumption.
D)The number of exports increased too quickly.

Question 32

When the Southern states passed Jim Crow laws after Reconstruction, what was the major effect?

A)2 completely separate economies-one for white Americans, one for African Americans.
B)Many African Americans lost U.S. citizenship.
C)Voting requirements for African Americans became far more strict.
D)Public facilities enforced racial segregation.

Question 33

Why was the Battle of Gettysburg so critical?

A)It was the turning point of the Civil War; after it, the Confederates would never have another victory.
B)It marked the successful crossing of the Potomac River by the Confederate Army.
C)Ulysses S. Grant was finally able to take full control of the Mississippi River.
D)General Robert E. Lee was captured by the Union Army.

Question 34

What is Margaret Sanger best known for?

A)She was a staunch supporter of women's suffrage.
B)She wrote the quintessential American book about new wave Feminism.
C)She opened the first birth control clinic in the United States.
D)She was the first female cabinet member.

Question 35

What is a flat tax?

A)A tax where every taxpayer pays the same amount.
B)A tax where every taxpayer pays the same percentage of her income.
C)A tax that is the same in all 50 states.
D)A tax that guarantees and equal distribution of wealth.
E)A tax that cannot change over time.

Question 36

NATO was primarily formed to stop the spread of Communism in Asia.

Question 37

Which of the following was the main accomplishment of Bartolomé de las Casas?

A)He revolutionized the agricultural technique in the New World.
B)He helped to end the harsh treatment of Native Americans by Spanish conquistadores.
C)He conquered the Incas.
D)He developed a new method of mining silver.

Question 38

Which House of Representatives committee is responsible for placing a bill on the legislative calendar, establishing the time limits for debate, and determining the types of amendments that will be allowed?

A)Joint
B)Judiciary
C)Rules
D)Ways and Means

Question 39

What was the general sentiment toward religious affairs in Europe in the 1500s?

A)People were turning toward Calvinist forms of worship.
B)Many doubted that the Catholic Church could provide adequate spiritual leadership.
C)People were leaning toward Martin Luther's teachings.
D)Many felt a highly devout, unquestioning allegiance toward the Catholic Church.

Question 40

Which of the following religious ideas did early Christianity share with Mahayana Buddhism?

A)Transubstantiation
B)Reincarnation
C)Personal salvation
D)Sacrificial offerings

Question 41

Which Middle Eastern state was split into two spheres of influence by Russia and Britain during the 1800s?

A)Lebanon
B)Persia
C)Egypt
D)Syria

Question 42

Why was George Washington's presidential administration so significant?

A)His administration supported the British after the French declared war upon them in 1793.
B)His administration abolished slavery.
C)His was the very first administration.
D)His administration established a strong connection with Native American tribes throughout the United States.

Question 43

What was the Great Awakening?

A)The abolition of slavery in the North, leading to the passage of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787
B)The period of peace following the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763
C)The discovery that the colonies could look to trade with other countries besides Britain when it could not alone absorb the products begin produced in the colonies.
D)A great religious revival that began in Massachusetts in the 1730s.

Question 44

During the Renaissance, what did Europeans desire that eventually led to the discovery of the New World?

A)To discover an all-water route to the East
B)To establish a place where they could freely practice their religion
C)To civilize all of the people around the world
D)To spread Christianity

Question 45

Which of the following international organizations has played the most influential role in determining the price and production level of oil in the post- World War II era?

A)The World Trade Organization
B)The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
C)The Common Market
D)The European Economic Community

Question 46

Why is the bureaucracy system so critical to our government now?

A)The Supreme Court has ruled that the system must exist to help Congress
B)It is very difficult to remove once created
C)Problems are too vast and complex for Congress to control
D)It has no effective controls on its powers

Question 47

What caused major shifts in the scope of federalism?

A)Conflicts rose between republics and totalitarian nations.
B)States failed to protect civil rights.
C)Capitalist economies failed to avoid major collapses.
D)All of the above

Question 48

Which of the following is not a requirement in order to become President of the United States?

A)At least 35 years old.
B)A citizen.
C)Born a citizen.
D)Resident in the US for at least 14 years.
E)Previously held elected office.

Question 49

Which side of the US Congress has more ability to check presidential actions?

A)The House of Representatives because it must confirm all executive nominations.
B)The House of Representatives because it is the only body that can hold hearings on how the Executive Branch does its job.
C)The Senate because it decides how much money each presidential project gets.
D)The Senate because it must confirm all executive nominations.
E)Neither. The House and the Senate have equal ability to check Presidential actions.

Question 50

What was the one unifying institution in medieval Europe?

A)The European monarchy system
B)Artists' guilds
C)The Roman Catholic Church
D)The University of Paris

Question 51

Which of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention is commonly known as "The Father of the US Constitution"?

A)George Washington
B)Thomas Jefferson
C)James Madison
D)George Mason
E)John C. Calhoun

Question 52

What is one big difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate in the legislative process?

A)There are subcommittees in the Senate, but not in the House.
B)The House allows filibusters, but the Senate does not.
C)A bill must be voted on it its final form in the Senate, but not the House.
D)A bill must go through a Rules Committee in the House, but not the Senate.
E)The Senate never actually votes on bills-they just issue reports.

Question 53

What does the Chinese system of Mandate of Heaven refer to?

A)China's superiority to the rest of the civilization of the world.
B)The emperor's power is never-ending.
C)The emperor's obligation to provide fair and just laws to his people.
D)The emperor is granted his power from heaven.

Question 54

Pluralist theory argues that the best way of understanding democracy in the United States is to view it as:

A)As many people participating directly in government as possible.
B)Interest groups competing with each other to control the government.
C)Making sure there is a plurality of votes before any law can be passed.
D)Giving each of the many political parties a say in how the country is governed.
E)Thinking about many different ways of doing things before making a decision on the best course of action.

Question 55

All of the following are among the growing number of players involved in foreign policymaking except:

A)The Department of Housing and Urban Development.
B)The Department of Agriculture
C)The Commerce Department
D)The State Department
E)The Pentagon

Question 56

The Council of Economic Advisors generally advocates that the government pursue goals in line with Keynesian economic theory, which advocates all of the following except:

A)Increasing national production
B)Maintaining price stability (or low inflation)
C)Maintaining low unemployment rates
D)Allowing the market to correct course naturally when it falters

Question 57

Of the following powers, which one is designated only to the national government?

A)The power to make and enforce laws
B)The power to regulate commerce with foreign nations
C)The power to levy taxes
D)The power to create and maintain a judicial system

Question 58

What did the Supreme Court decide in Grove City College v. Bell (1984)?

A)Private colleges have the right, because they are private, to discriminate against whomever they wish without repercussions.
B)Colleges must have equal accommodations for students with physical disabilities.
C)Colleges must give an equal number of athletic scholarships to men and women.
D)Colleges must abide by federal non-discrimination rules if they wish to receive federal funds.
E)Colleges must admit students strictly on the basis of merit, and have no other consideration.