An American Political History Quiz!

31 Questions | Attempts: 52
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American History Quizzes & Trivia

Questions and Answers
  • 1. 

    One effect of the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision was to 

    • A.

      Inspire challenges to other aspects of segregation

    • B.

      Bring about integration to the public school system

    • C.

      Ruin the public school system in America

    • D.

      Prohibit teachers from striking

    • E.

      Establish the principle of "one man, one vote"

    Correct Answer
    B. Bring about integration to the public school system
  • 2. 

    All of the following were major events in the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950s and the early 1960s except: 

    • A.

      The integration of the United States Armed Forces

    • B.

      The Montgomery bus boycott

    • C.

      The sit-ins at lunch counters

    • D.

      The Freedom Bus rides

    • E.

      The March on Washington

    Correct Answer
    A. The integration of the United States Armed Forces
  • 3. 

    Reaganomics is most closely associated with

    • A.

      The "trickle down" theory

    • B.

      The "controlled growth" theory

    • C.

      The "bubble up" theory

    • D.

      New Deal reform economics

    • E.

      Fair Deal progressive economics

    Correct Answer
    A. The "trickle down" theory
  • 4. 

    The Bay of Pigs Affair had what effect on John Kennedy's presidency

    • A.

      It made Kennedy a national hero for his tough, uncompromising stand against Castro and Communist Cuba

    • B.

      It forced Soviet Premier Khrushchev to schedule an early summit meeting with Kennedy to avoid future American-Soviet confrontations

    • C.

      It had virtually no effect on Kennedy's presidency, as it was kept secret after Kennedy's assassination

    • D.

      It forced Kennedy to allow Soviet occupation of military bases in Cuba

    • E.

      It was a major embarrassment to Kennedy's administration and led to crises in American-Cuban relations

    Correct Answer
    E. It was a major embarrassment to Kennedy's administration and led to crises in American-Cuban relations
  • 5. 

    The policy of the Kennedy administration toward Vietnam included

    • A.

      The sending of thousands of additional American troops in support of the Diem government in South Vietnam

    • B.

      The Sending of thousands of additional American troops along with the removal of support for the Diem government in South Vietnam

    • C.

      Massive escalation of the war through the introduction of hundreds of thousands of American Troops

    • D.

      A gradual withdrawal of American troops through a program of "vietnamization"

    • E.

      Increased support for the French effort to end the insurgency by communist revolutionaries

    Correct Answer
    B. The Sending of thousands of additional American troops along with the removal of support for the Diem government in South Vietnam
  • 6. 

    The War Powers Act

    • A.

      Gave Congress the exclusive power to declare war

    • B.

      Gave the President the exclusive power to declare war

    • C.

      Required that the Congress consult with the President before declaring war

    • D.

      Required that the President consult with Congress before sending American troops into foreign wars

    • E.

      Made the president the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States

    Correct Answer
    D. Required that the President consult with Congress before sending American troops into foreign wars
  • 7. 

    The Equal Rights Amendment was

    • A.

      Ratified by Congress and the states during the 1970s

    • B.

      Approved by Congress but was failed to be ratified by three fourths of the state

    • C.

      Never approved by Congress

    • D.

      Ratified by Congress and the states in the 1930s

    • E.

      Approved by Congress and its ratification by the states is still pending

    Correct Answer
    B. Approved by Congress but was failed to be ratified by three fourths of the state
  • 8. 

    Richard Nixon's early success in politics was largely based on his

    • A.

      Support for civil rights legislation

    • B.

      Expertise in foreign policy, particularly China

    • C.

      Anti-Communism

    • D.

      Backing of an expansion of the New Deal program

    • E.

      Military service during World War II

    Correct Answer
    C. Anti-Communism
  • 9. 

    The political leader most responsible for securing the passage of the Civil Rights Amendment of 1964 was 

    • A.

      John F. Kennedy

    • B.

      Lyndon Baines Johnson

    • C.

      Adam Clayton Powell

    • D.

      Andrew Young

    • E.

      George Wallace

    Correct Answer
    B. Lyndon Baines Johnson
  • 10. 

    Which is a valid conclusion based on the above chart?

    • A.

      Total immigration to the United States doubled between 1959 and 1979

    • B.

      The sources of immigration to the United States have changed greatly

    • C.

      Illegal immigration to the United States have decreased significantly

    • D.

      The United States was less ethnically diverse in 1979 than in 1959

    • E.

      None of the above

    Correct Answer
    B. The sources of immigration to the United States have changed greatly
  • 11. 

    Which of the following is the best description of President Nixon's policy of "Vietnamization"?

    • A.

      It involved the use of Agent Orange and other defoliants to lay waste of the jungle hiding place of the Viet Cong

    • B.

      It proclaimed that the United States would honor its existing defense commitments but that in the future, Asians and others would have to fight their own wars without the support of large bodies of American ground troops.

    • C.

      To withdraw the 540,000 US troops in South Vietnam over an extended period. The south Vietnamese, with American money, weapons, training, and advice, could then gradually take over the burden of fighting their own war

    • D.

      Massive troop escalation and aggresive bombing of former Viet Cong sanctuaries in Thailand

    • E.

      He cut a deal with both the Soviet Union and Red China that allowed Viet Nam to remain divided at the 38th parallel

    Correct Answer
    C. To withdraw the 540,000 US troops in South Vietnam over an extended period. The south Vietnamese, with American money, weapons, training, and advice, could then gradually take over the burden of fighting their own war
  • 12. 

    Which of the following is the most accurate description of President Nixon's Vietnam policy?

    • A.

      Nixon felt that Viet Nam could not be abandoned and that the war must be ___ (I can't see the rest)

    • B.

      Nixon felt tat the war could not be won, but wanted peace with honor

    • C.

      Nixon sought not to end the war but to win it by other means, without further spilling of American blood.

    • D.

      Nixon sought to scale down the war by convincing the USSR to halt shipment supplies to Viet Nam

    • E.

      Nixon launched his own massive counteroffensive, including incursions into Indian and Pakistan, where Communist sanctuaries existed

    Correct Answer
    C. Nixon sought not to end the war but to win it by other means, without further spilling of American blood.
  • 13. 

    Which president, elected in 1980, stated his strong interest in reducing the size of the government?

    • A.

      Walter Mondale

    • B.

      Ronald Reagan

    • C.

      George H. Bush

    • D.

      Jimmy Carter

    • E.

      Bill Clinton

    Correct Answer
    B. Ronald Reagan
  • 14. 

    The 1960s were filled with civil rights protests. Who was the US president during the early part of that turbulent decade?

    • A.

      Lyndon B. Johnson

    • B.

      John F. Kennedy

    • C.

      Richard Nixon

    • D.

      Gerald Ford

    • E.

      George H. Bush

    Correct Answer
    B. John F. Kennedy
  • 15. 

    The author of the quote above could only be

    • A.

      Sally Ride

    • B.

      Sandra Day O'Connor

    • C.

      Magaret Mead

    • D.

      Margaret Sanger

    • E.

      Betty Friedan

    Correct Answer
    E. Betty Friedan
  • 16. 

    The use of southern states of the poll tax to inhibit the black role was outlawed by the: 

    • A.

      US Supreme Court case of Parker v. Mississippi

    • B.

      Twenty-fourth Amendment

    • C.

      Civil Rights Act of 1964

    • D.

      Great Society Program

    • E.

      Voting Rights Act of 1965

    Correct Answer
    B. Twenty-fourth Amendment
  • 17. 

    The tragic student demonstrations at Kent State University (Ohio) were a direct result of what event of the Vietnam War?

    • A.

      Tet Offensive (1968)

    • B.

      Nixon's invasion of Cambodia (1970)

    • C.

      Operation Rolling Thunder

    • D.

      My La Massacre

    • E.

      Gulf otf Tonkin Incident

    Correct Answer
    B. Nixon's invasion of Cambodia (1970)
  • 18. 

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965, was enacted by Congress shortly after violence occured in 

    • A.

      Selma, AL

    • B.

      Birmingham, AL

    • C.

      Boston, MA

    • D.

      Detroit, MI

    • E.

      Washington, DC

    Correct Answer
    A. Selma, AL
  • 19. 

    All of the following Reagan themes endeared him to his conservative base EXCEPT

    • A.

      Less government

    • B.

      Balanced budget

    • C.

      Family values

    • D.

      Peace through decreased military spending

    • E.

      Support of prayer in public schools

    Correct Answer
    D. Peace through decreased military spending
  • 20. 

    Which of the following best describes the methods advocated by Malcom X?

    • A.

      Non-violent defiance of segregation

    • B.

      Armed violence against police and troops

    • C.

      Patience while developing the skills that would make blacks economically successful and gain them the respect of whites

    • D.

      Gradual assimilation of the two races until they became indistinguishable

    • E.

      Meek acceptance of "Jim Crowism" until it increasingly enlightened Southern whites were prepared to change it

    Correct Answer
    B. Armed violence against police and troops
  • 21. 

    Into which of the following civil rights incidents was the Eisenhower administration unwillingly drawn in support of the US Supreme Court decision in Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka (1954)

    • A.

      Montgomery Bus Boycott

    • B.

      Greensboro, NC sit-in demonstration

    • C.

      Little Rock (Ark) Crisis

    • D.

      March on Selma (Ala.)

    • E.

      Freedom Rides

    Correct Answer
    C. Little Rock (Ark) Crisis
  • 22. 

    The Soviet-American "space  race" began with which of the following events?

    • A.

      Initiation of the American Apollo Moon program

    • B.

      U-2 incident

    • C.

      Yuri Garagarin's first single-orbit mission around the earth

    • D.

      Launching of the Soviet earth satellite "Sputnik"

    • E.

      First test of a Soviet hydrogen bomb delivered by intercontinental ballistic missile

    • F.

      First test of a Soviet hydrogen bomb delivered by intercontinental ballistic missile.

    Correct Answer
    D. Launching of the Soviet earth satellite "Sputnik"
  • 23. 

    I am happy that this is the last APUSH unit test because: 

    • A.

      I am tired of Mrs. Casanova's lame lectures

    • B.

      I never understood what the acronym "APUSH" stood for

    • C.

      There are no more essays to write

    • D.

      There's nothing left to talk about

    • E.

      I finally get a freebie (PICK THIS ONE, DUH):)

    Correct Answer
    E. I finally get a freebie (PICK THIS ONE, DUH):)
  • 24. 

    Which of the following best describes the agreement that ended the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis?

    • A.

      The Soviet Union agreed not to station troops in Cuba and the United States agreed not to invade Cuba

    • B.

      The Soviet Union agreed to withdraw its missiles from Cuba and the United States agreed not to invade Cuba

    • C.

      The Soviet Union agreed to invade Turkey and the United States agreed not to invade Cuba

    • D.

      The Soviet Union agreed to withdraw its missiles from Cuba and the United States agreed not to invade Turkey

    • E.

      The Soviet Union agreed to withdraw its missiles from Cuba and the United States agreed to withdraw its missiles from Western Europe

    Correct Answer
    B. The Soviet Union agreed to withdraw its missiles from Cuba and the United States agreed not to invade Cuba
  • 25. 

    Which of the following is true of the Tonkin Gulf incident?

    • A.

      It involved a clash of US and Soviet warships

    • B.

      In it, two North Vietnamese fighter-bombers were shot down as they neared US Navy ships

    • C.

      It involved the seizure, by North Vietnam, of a US Navy intelligence ship in international waters

    • D.

      It led to a major US involvement in the Vietnam War

    • E.

      In it, a US Navy destroyer was damaged by a guided missile fired by a North Vietnamese

    Correct Answer
    D. It led to a major US involvement in the Vietnam War
  • 26. 

    All of the following characterized the youth culture of the 1960s except:

    • A.

      Use of drugs as a way of finding meaning in life

    • B.

      Popularity of such groups as the Beatles

    • C.

      Changing standards of sexual morality

    • D.

      Desire to spread American imperialism

    • E.

      The "Hippie" lifestyle and manner of dress

    Correct Answer
    D. Desire to spread American imperialism
  • 27. 

    Lyndon Johnson's Great Society program was aimed primarily at 

    • A.

      Spurring advances in American science and technical education and increasing funding to high-tech research facilities

    • B.

      Sending American volunteers to impoverished foreign nations to help educate their people and build their economic base

    • C.

      Securing civil rights for all Americans and eliminating poverty

    • D.

      Providing minimum wage jobs for all unemployed Americans and shifting tax dollars from the military to the civilian sector of the economy

    • E.

      Retraining adults who had dropped out of school and increasing the number of Americans who attended college

    Correct Answer
    C. Securing civil rights for all Americans and eliminating poverty
  • 28. 

    The watergate scandal led to Richard Nixon's downfall primarily because 

    • A.

      Of his role in planning and coordinating the Watergate break-in and other illegal campaign activity

    • B.

      The press, the Democrats, and some liberal Republicans united to rid themselves of Nixon and his conservative philosophy

    • C.

      He was already so unpopular because of his Vietnam war policies that virtually anything he did wrong would have been used as an excuse to remove him from office

    • D.

      Of his role in directing the cover-up of the Watergate Affair

    • E.

      Of his involvement with organized crime in carrying out political "dirty tricks" against his Democratic opponent, George McGovern

    Correct Answer
    D. Of his role in directing the cover-up of the Watergate Affair
  • 29. 

    What incident led to Lyndon Johnson escalating American involvemetnt in Vietnam by sending more than 555,000 American soldiers toactively fight the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese?

    • A.

      The Mayaguez affair

    • B.

      The Pueblo Incident

    • C.

      The Gulf of Tonkin incident

    • D.

      The attack of Khe Sahn

    • E.

      The Tet Offensive

    Correct Answer
    C. The Gulf of Tonkin incident
  • 30. 

    Which of the following were policies of the Nixon administration toward the prosecution of the Vietnam war? I. an increase in the commitment of American troops II. a gradual withdrawal of American troops III. an increase in the bombing of North Vietnam IV. an increase in the bombing of North Vietnam V. an invasion of Cambodia

    • A.

      I, II, and IV only

    • B.

      II, III, and IV only

    • C.

      I, IV, and V only

    • D.

      III, IV, and V only

    • E.

      I and IV only

    Correct Answer
    D. III, IV, and V only
  • 31. 

    The Nixon Doctrin started that the United States would

    • A.

      Use military force to insure stability in the Middle East

    • B.

      Use military force to prevent the spread of communism in Latin America

    • C.

      Use military force to prevent the spread of communism in Laos and Cambodia

    • D.

      Turn over the defense of western Europe to American allies in NATO

    • E.

      Provide military and economic assistance but not large nubmers of troops contain communism in Asia

    Correct Answer
    E. Provide military and economic assistance but not large nubmers of troops contain communism in Asia

Quiz Review Timeline +

Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.

  • Current Version
  • Mar 21, 2022
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Apr 19, 2012
    Quiz Created by
    Gaiana
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