Deck 32: Into the Twenty-First Century, 1989-2010

Question 1

What was the first crisis of the post-Cold War era?

A) The United States invaded Iraq.
B) Al Qaeda attacked New York City.
C) Iraq invaded Kuwait.
D) The East German government collapsed.
E) Russia invaded Afghanistan.

Answer 1

Iraq invaded Kuwait.

Question 2

What was President George H. W. Bush's primary focus during his presidency?

A) health care reform
B) reducing taxes
C) gay rights
D) education
E) foreign affairs

Answer 2

foreign affairs

Question 3

What was the only significant piece of social legislation enacted in the first Bush administration?

A) Civil Rights Act of 1991
B) National Health Insurance Act
C) Social Security Privatization Act
D) Americans with Disabilities Act
E) Equal Rights Amendment

Answer 3

Americans with Disabilities Act

Question 4

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush had to break his campaign pledge________ .

A) not to cooperate with Russian leader Gorbachev
B) not to lead America into war
C) not to raise taxes
D) to end the Cold War
E) to prohibit discrimination against the disabled

Question 5

In 1989, popular demonstrations calling for democratic reform were violently suppressed in -----------

A) China
B) Egypt
C) Czechoslovakia
D) Chile
E) Russia

Question 6

Who was responsible for the liberation of Eastern Europe from repressive governments?

A) Mikhail Gorbachev
B) George H. W. Bush
C) Margaret Thatcher
D) Boris Yeltsin
E) Bill Clinton

Question 7

The U.S. and allied military campaign against Iraq in 1991 was known as Operation________ .

A) Desert Wind
B) Desert Storm
C) Contact Saddam
D) Defeat Kuwait
E) Liberate Kuwait

Question 8

Which area of the United States experienced dramatic growth from the 1970s to the 1990s?

A) the Pacific Northwest
B) the Great Lakes region
C) the Northeast coast
D) the Midwest
E) the Sunbelt

Question 9

By 2002,________ had become the nation's largest ethnic minority.

A) African Americans
B) Asian Americans
C) Hispanics
D) German Americans
E) Pacific Islanders

Question 10

What event revealed to the nation that poverty in America was not color-blind?

A) the 2000 presidential election
B) the Oklahoma City bombing
C) Hurricane Katrina
D) Operation Desert Shield
E) Operation Desert Storm

Question 11

The largest single group of Asian Americans in the first decade of the twenty-first century was of ------------descent.

A) Cambodian
B) Chinese
C) Laotian
D) Thai
E) Vietnamese

Question 12

What is NAFTA?

A) the first lending institution to need a government bailout in 2008
B) the most common weapon of mass destruction found in Iraq
C) an arms treaty between the United States and Russia
D) a free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada
E) an international organization helping nations move from communism to democracy

Question 13

A component of the Contract with America was________ .

A) universal health care coverage
B) a restriction on campaign donations by lobbyists
C) term limits for members of Congress
D) requiring drug tests for welfare benefits
E) a lower-class tax cut

Question 14

Bill Clinton was impeached for________ .

A) perjury and obstruction of justice
B) making unwelcome sexual advances to Paula Jones
C) having an affair with Monica Lewinsky
D) selling missile technology to China for campaign contributions
E) being involved in a crooked real estate scheme in Arkansas

Question 15

The outcome of the 2000 presidential election hung on legal battles over the vote count in -------------------

A) Ohio
B) Illinois
C) Florida
D) California
E) New Mexico

Question 16

What was President George W. Bush's first order of business after being elected?

A) expansion of the Americans with Disabilities Act
B) environmental protections
C) quelling the unrest in the Middle East
D) health care reform
E) a large tax cut

Question 17

What was the purpose of the "No Child Left Behind" measure?

A) to channel billions of dollars into antipoverty efforts around the world
B) to mandate state testing to evaluate student performance in reading and math
C) to provide resources to low-income families to increase graduation rates
D) to make preschool and kindergarten mandatory for all American children
E) to reform the foster care system in an attempt to prevent child abuse

Question 18

The first move in the war on terror was the overthrow of a radical Islamist regime in________ .

A) Iraq
B) Iran
C) Pakistan
D) Afghanistan
E) Saudi Arabia

Question 19

Which countries did President George W. Bush call the "axis of evil" in 2002?

A) Afghanistan, Russia, and North Korea
B) Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia
C) Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan
D) Iraq, Afghanistan, and Russia
E) Iraq, Iran, and North Korea

Question 20

The terrorist attacks on the United States led the George W. Bush administration to initiate a new global strategy known to its critics as________ .

A) unilateralism
B) bipolarism
C) containment
D) détente
E) isolationism

Question 21

What did the Bush administration insist Iraq was hiding in 2002?

A) harbored terrorists
B) weapons of mass destruction
C) stolen classified U.S. documents
D) missing American diplomats
E) unannounced oil reserves

Question 22

What was the central issue of the 2004 presidential election?

A) the war in Iraq
B) abortion
C) the economy
D) family values
E) the war on drugs

Question 23

What did the Obama administration accomplish that Democratic presidents since Harry Truman had wanted to achieve?

A) tax increases to alleviate the national deficit
B) a balanced federal budget
C) a comprehensive medical insurance program for all Americans
D) an operative isolationist foreign policy
E) tax cuts for wealthy Americans

Question 24

Affirmative action policies are designed to________ .

A) perpetuate the checks and balances between branches of government
B) allow the president to reinstitute the military draft
C) force Congress to make decisions in a timely manner
D) ensure greater diversity in the workplace
E) give more decision-making power to the people

Question 25

What issue became especially controversial after Chief Justice William Rehnquist died and Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor retired?

A) medical marijuana
B) immigration
C) abortion
D) government bailouts
E) the war on terror

Question 26

Why did the George H. W. Bush administration feel so much pressure after Iraq invaded Kuwait?

A) The government of Kuwait had helped Bush improve his image overseas.
B) Iraq had used U.S. mercenaries in its attack on Kuwait.
C) The Bush administration feared it had inadvertently caused the crisis.
D) The United States was closely allied with Saddam Hussein's regime in the past.
E) The United States was the sole remaining superpower following the Cold War.

Question 27

George H. W. Bush's plan to bring down the federal budget deficit was unsuccessful because his plan ----------------

A) was never palatable to Congress
B) coincided with the beginning of a recession
C) included new taxes but no spending cuts
D) included spending cuts but no new taxes
E) did not include new taxes or spending cuts

Question 28

How did George H. W. Bush respond to the 1989 repression of protestors in Tiananmen Square?

A) He threatened to send troops to protect the protestors.
B) He severed all diplomatic ties with the Chinese government.
C) He did not react publicly, but began secretly aiding Chinese resistance groups.
D) He denounced the violence but maintained a working relationship with China.
E) He was personally outraged but did nothing in response.

Question 29

People living in American urban centers in the early twenty-first century________ .

A) had more education than people in rural areas
B) made less money than people in rural areas
C) enjoyed a lower crime rate than people in rural areas
D) were just as likely to graduate from college as people in rural areas
E) had a lower cost of living than people in rural areas

Question 30

One thing immigrants from the four major Hispanic groups have had in common is that they have tended to________ .

A) be relatively wealthy
B) have few children
C) be relatively young
D) have very high college graduation rates
E) live primarily in rural areas

Question 31

How did Congress respond to concerns about the economic effects of undocumented workers in 1986?

A) It approved a bill that tripled the size of the border patrol.
B) It created a new branch of the Department of Defense to deal with the issue.
C) It doubled the funds allotted for border enforcement.
D) It repealed privacy laws to allow the government to find undocumented workers.
E) It penalized employers who hired undocumented workers.

Question 32

How did life improve for African Americans during the last few decades of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first century?

A) The average income for African American families increased to match that of white families.
B) The average educational level of African Americans increased.
C) The incarceration level of African Americans dropped below the national average.
D) The poverty rate among African Americans dropped below the national average.
E) Homicide was no longer the leading cause of death among young black males.

Question 33

What caused a riot in South Central Los Angeles in which 53 people were killed?

A) the government's response to the Tiananmen Square massacre
B) the court's acquittal of the police officers who beat Rodney King
C) the government's failure to respond to the Hurricane Katrina disaster
D) the American invasion of Iraq
E) the fall of the Berlin Wall

Question 34

The Democratic party changed its tactics in the early 1990s and regained the White House by -------------

A) becoming more liberal in order to differentiate itself from the Independent party
B) becoming more moderate and beginning to tailor programs to the middle class
C) ceasing to focus on the middle class and instead seeking upper-class support
D) abandoning the traditional Democratic goals such as health care reform
E) strengthening its focus on the importance of big government

Question 35

When Kenneth Starr's report outlining the possible impeachment charges against Clinton was released, the public________ .

A) became even angrier with Clinton for his indiscretions and deceits
B) was apathetic to Starr's report
C) overwhelmingly concluded that presidential affairs of this nature were best handled in the public arena
D) strongly supported Starr for his thorough investigation of the president's indiscretions
E) condemned Starr for revealing such graphic and intimate details of sexual practices in the news

Question 36

Which statement most accurately compares Al Gore and George W. Bush?

A) Gore seemed aloof but had experience, while Bush was personable but inexperienced.
B) Gore was knowledgeable but inexperienced, while Bush was experienced with foreign policy but not domestic issues.
C) Gore was personable but inexperienced, while Bush was both likeable and experienced.
D) Both Gore and Bush were highly likeable but inexperienced.
E) Both Gore and Bush had extensive experience in government but came across as aloof.

Question 37

In what way did the 2000 presidential election reveal a division in American life?

A) The urban coastal states voted for Bush while rural southern and western states voted for Gore.
B) The poor voted for Bush while the middle class voted for Gore.
C) The poor voted for Gore while the rich voted for Bush.
D) The poor voted for Bush while the rich voted for Gore.
E) Suburbia voted for Bush while rural America voted for Gore.

Question 38

George W. Bush's economic policy was different from Clinton's because Clinton favored ---------------

A) investing in education, whereas Bush favored investing in environmental reforms
B) reducing government spending, whereas Bush favored increasing government spending
C) tax reduction, whereas Bush favored eliminating the deficit
D) eliminating the deficit, whereas Bush favored tax reduction
E) tax reduction, whereas Bush favored cutting spending

Question 39

How did the September 11, 2001, attacks affect the U.S. economy?

A) The terrorist attacks had little effect on the U.S. economy.
B) The airline industry was devastated, as people were afraid to fly.
C) The oil industry suffered enormous losses as people stopped traveling by car.
D) The economy boomed as Americans bought more American products.
E) The tourism industry improved as patriotism inspired people to explore America.

Question 40

The 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States changed American foreign policy, as the United States ---------------

A) considered returning to an isolationist foreign policy
B) considered returning to a containment foreign policy
C) took on the role of global police officer
D) strengthened its alliances with Europe and cut off diplomatic relations with countries on other continents
E) realized that involvement in international affairs was a mistake

Question 41

Bush's 2003 decision to go to war in Iraq initially seemed________ .

A) foolish because the U.S. military was consistently defeated by Hussein's forces
B) necessary because Saddam Hussein had been the mastermind of the September 11 terrorist attacks
C) wise because the military quickly succeeded in taking Baghdad
D) wise because intelligence that Saddam Hussein was planning a terrorist attack on the United States was discovered
E) wise because UN inspectors found weapons of mass destruction in Baghdad

Question 42

Which statement best describes the 2004 presidential election?

A) It was unusual because there was no central issue.
B) It was unusual because there were no public debates due to security issues.
C) It was noteworthy because of the repeated recounts to determine who had won.
D) It was especially harmonious because the parties were united against terrorism.
E) It was especially bitter and spiteful as each party blamed and criticized the other.

Question 43

How did the dismal economy affect the 2008 presidential race?

A) It helped Obama gain ground during the campaign.
B) It decreased Obama's overall popularity.
C) It decreased both Obama and McCain's popularity.
D) It caused resentment against the Democratic party.
E) It did not have any effect on the 2008 presidential election.

Question 44

How did President Obama affect the experience of gays and lesbians in the military?

A) He banned homosexuals from the military.
B) He established the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
C) He formally extended the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for ten years.
D) He repealed the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
E) He failed to change the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Question 45

What issue made science education controversial in the early twenty-first century?

A) protests against university genetics programs that researched eugenics
B) protests against psychology classes teaching that homosexuality is a mental illness
C) demands to bring global warming into the science curriculum
D) demands for more federal funds to support and expand science education
E) demands to teach intelligent design instead of evolution

Question 46

How was the age of the American population related to the economy in the early part of the twenty- first century?

A) Health care costs rose alarmingly as the American population aged.
B) As the baby boom generation aged, the load on Social Security decreased.
C) As the baby boom generation aged, their children volunteered to pay more taxes to support them.
D) The number of elderly people in America was declining, so age had little effect on the national economy.
E) As the American population aged, they became wealthier, so there was a positive effect on the national economy.

Question 47

How did most Americans feel about the future by 2010?

A) Most people despaired, and many immigrated to Western Europe or Australia.
B) About 90 percent of Americans thought that the country's best days were over.
C) About half of Americans thought that the country's best days were over.
D) Although the economy was suffering, American confidence remained unchanged.
E) Most Americans were wildly optimistic about the future.

Question 48

In what way was Iraq's invasion of Kuwait influenced by the end of the Cold War?

A) Saddam Hussein thought the world would be too busy with the restoration of Eastern European countries to object to his invasion of Kuwait.
B) The Soviet Union was no longer a superpower that could influence Saddam Hussein.
C) Iraq had seized stockpiles of weapons from Eastern European countries when the Soviet Union collapsed.
D) Saddam Hussein resented the Kuwaiti government for supporting the communist regimes of the former Soviet Union.
E) Saddam Hussein was hoping to once again pit the United States against Russia by invading Kuwait.

Question 49

How did Ralph Nader's candidacy in the 2000 presidential election affect the race?

A) Gore moved further to the left, leaving more room for Bush among independents.
B) Gore moved further to the right, alienating a large portion of his voter base.
C) Bush moved further to the right, leaving more room for Gore among independents.
D) Bush moved further to the left, taking a large portion of Gore's voter base.
E) Both Gore and Bush moved further to the right, attracting independent voters.

Question 50

How did the 2000 presidential election break from historical trends?

A) Both candidates strayed from their traditional voter base to court independent voters.
B) Scandals in the White House had no effect on the outcome of the election.
C) The state of the economy did not determine the outcome of the election.
D) George W. Bush enjoyed the most decisive landslide victory in American history.
E) The election continued the longest streak of Democratic presidents in American history.

Question 51

Which aspects of the war on terror have been controversial? Why?

Question 52

Explain the factors that affected America's attitude about the future in the first decade of the twenty- first century.