USA 1917-29 Edexcel IGCSE Quiz - By Dan Guiney
An end of topic knowledge test for History students from www. Flippinghistory. Net
Questions and Answers
- 1.
What word describes US foreign policy before 1917?
- A.
Internationalist
- B.
Isolationist
- C.
Us alone
- D.
Cowboy diplomacy
Correct Answer
B. IsolationistExplanation
Before the USA entered WWI it6 had tried to be isolationist and avoid 'old world' ways and 'entangling alliances' as far as possible although entry into the Spanish American War of 1898 and President Monroe's involvement in affairs on the wider American continent can be seen as the beginnings of American involvement in wider international affairs which culminated in entry to WWI.Rate this question:
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- 2.
What nickname was given to US soldiers in WWI?
- A.
Krispy Kremers
- B.
The Fabulous Baker Boys
- C.
J-CO Boys
- D.
Doughboys
Correct Answer
D. DoughboysExplanation
In 1917, when America finally entered the First World War (the trigger of this was when a German submarine, U-boat 20, sank a vessel called the Lusitania two years earlier in May 1915 which included many American passengers. 1,198 people were killed) it appeared as if the USA had fulfilled its destiny of becoming a global player.The United States had declared its independence from Britain back in 1776. In so doing it had forged its own identity as a nation separate from ‘old world’ ways and regarded itself as different to powers such as Britain, France and Spain with their Empires and class systems. The third US President, Thomas Jefferson, spoke of avoiding “entangling alliances” and from then on the USA had pursued an isolationist foreign policy. WWI changed all this and involved the USA in war from which they sought to escape. American ‘doughboys’ (as their soldiers had been nicknamed) experienced the horrors of the First World War and suffered 320,000 casualties and as a result many sought a return to their traditional policy of isolationism.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Which President expressed a wish to return to “normalcy”?
- A.
Harding
- B.
Coolidge
- C.
Wilson
- D.
Trump
Correct Answer
A. HardingExplanation
Wilson (a Democrat) travelled the country trying to win support but in the end he was unsuccessful and died soon after, his dream of having America as the bedrock of the League of Nations remaining unfulfilled (America in fact never joined and Republicans such as Henry Cabot Lodge ensured Congress did not pass the bill). The US Senate rejected membership in a vote by 45 to 39 in March 1920. The isolationists won and the USA turned its back on international affairs by and large until the Second World War broke out. A new US President was elected, Warren G. Harding, and he promised a return to “normalcy” – a famous error (he should have used the English word normality but didn’t – thus coining a new expression). Harding was incredibly popular but the American public did not know of his many affairs (which would have created a huge scandal), including fathering a child to Nan Britton whilst serving as President. She wrote the world’s first ‘kiss and tell’ book called The President’s Daughter.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Which invention made silk stockings affordable for many?
- A.
Cotton
- B.
Nylon
- C.
Rayon
- D.
Lycra
Correct Answer
C. RayonExplanation
Silk stockings were regarded as only for the super-rich in 1900, when 12,000 pairs were sold. The invention of rayon, however, meant that by 1930 300 million pairs were being sold to a female population of around 100 millionRate this question:
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- 5.
What do the letters HP represent in terms of loaning on credit?
- A.
Horrible people
- B.
Happy purveyors
- C.
Hire purchase
- D.
Haughty persona
Correct Answer
C. Hire purchaseExplanation
As a result the USA focused almost exclusively on matters at home and on domestic economic growth. The USA had already gained from the First World War (it had been loaning money and equipment as well as foodstuffs to the Allies, who had suffered huge economic consequences from four years of fighting) and America’s economy was to boom suddenly as a result of this one-way trade. Much of the domestic boom in goods came through hire purchase and through the invention of mail order catalogues.Rate this question:
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- 6.
Who invented the Hoover?
- A.
William Hoover
- B.
James Murray Spangler
- C.
Richard Branson
- D.
J Edgar Hoover
Correct Answer
B. James Murray SpanglerExplanation
Vacuum cleaners were invented and Hoovers became a worldwide name (they took their names from William “Boss” Hoover who bought the company but were actually invented by an asthmatic man called James Murray Spangler who was fed up of dust causing him ill health).Rate this question:
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- 7.
What influenced US marketing techniques in the early 1920s?
- A.
Politicians
- B.
Chesterfield cigarettes
- C.
Ypres
- D.
WWI Propaganda
Correct Answer
D. WWI PropagandaExplanation
Many companies had learned sophisticated marketing techniques from the propaganda of wartime and were keen to put these into place to sell cigarettes, vacuum cleaners, fridges and much more. For these reasons some people describe this period as the USA’s second industrial revolution.Rate this question:
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- 8.
Which city gave birth to the world’s first steel skyscrapers?
- A.
Shanghai
- B.
Chicago
- C.
Edinburgh
- D.
New Orleans
Correct Answer
B. ChicagoExplanation
Skyscrapers were built and Chicago was seen by many as their birthplace (The Home Insurance Building is regarded as the world’s first steel skyscraper). There was more building being done in the boom years of the 1920s than at any time in the history of the USA.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Who invented the mass production system which changed American industry?
- A.
Herbert Hoover
- B.
Henry Ford
- C.
Gloria Swanson
- D.
James Murray Spangler
Correct Answer
B. Henry FordExplanation
He once insulted History saying it was all "bunk" ! However, the car and Henry Ford’s mass production system changed American leisure (cars were nicknamed ‘brothels on wheels’). As a result, suburbs grew – Queens, outside New York, doubled in size in the 1920s and Grosse Point park outside Detroit.Rate this question:
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- 10.
Which of the following was NOT a direct effect of the impact of the motor car in the 1920s?
- A.
'Brothels on wheels'
- B.
Suburbs
- C.
Drive-thru cinema
- D.
Aston Villa's 1982 European conquering season
Correct Answer
D. Aston Villa's 1982 European conquering seasonExplanation
The car provided a multiplier-effect in terms of road construction and services and eventually (1932 onwards) led to the popularity of drive-thru movies which in itself impacted on moral and cultural activities. 60% of cars were purchased on credit. During the 1920s the number of roads doubled.Rate this question:
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- 11.
Which city was nicknamed Motown?
- A.
Kansas
- B.
New Jersey
- C.
Detroit
- D.
Birmingham
Correct Answer
C. DetroitExplanation
Motown is short for 'Motor Town' and came about because of its car industry, notably General Motors. Today music from Detroit is often described as Motown music. Detroit (‘Motown’ – short for ‘motor-town’) increased 700% in the 1920s.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Which of the following was an action movie star?
- A.
Douglas Fairbanks
- B.
Rudolf Valentino
- C.
Clara Bow
- D.
Charlie Chaplin
Correct Answer
A. Douglas FairbanksExplanation
America’s film industry already ruled the world and stars such as “the Latin Lover” heart-throb Rudolf Valentino whose life was tragically cut short, actor/stuntman Buster Keaton (who has two stars on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame), and England’s Charlie Chaplin were to beam out from screens.Rate this question:
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- 13.
What was Hollywood known as in full?
- A.
Cinema City
- B.
Tinsel town
- C.
Hollywoodland
- D.
Butter popcorn and a bag of Revels please land
Correct Answer
C. HollywoodlandExplanation
Hollywoodland’s (Los Angeles) silver screens were seen across the world. Chaplin is Mr. Guiney’s favourite human being of all time (possibly) and he made 62 moving pictures in his lifetime.Rate this question:
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- 14.
Which of the following was an American football star?
- A.
Babe Ruth
- B.
Bobby Jones
- C.
Red Grange
- D.
Jack Dempsey
Correct Answer
C. Red GrangeExplanation
In an escapist bid to get back to normalcy from the horrors of war Americans went to watch the New York Yankees’ Babe Ruth (who hit 714 career home runs) play baseball and Jack Dempsey fight for the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship (he secured the world’s first ever million dollar fight gate),Rate this question:
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- 15.
Which of the following was a 1920s musician?
- A.
Eminem
- B.
Louis Armstrong
- C.
Madonna
- D.
Pink
Correct Answer
B. Louis ArmstrongExplanation
He was a jazz musician and one of the few African Americans to benefit in a time when many were facing terrible persecution from organisations such as the KKK. Many Americans enjoyed listening to jazz performers such as Louis Armstrong (nicknamed ‘Pops’) and Duke Ellington.Rate this question:
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- 16.
Which social group was the cartoon character Betty Boop modelled on?
- A.
Gangsters
- B.
Flappers
- C.
Soldiers
- D.
Housewives
Correct Answer
B. FlappersExplanation
There was also a change in morals especially with regard to some women. ‘Flappers’ danced in nightclubs, drank and smoked, and sometimes engaged in extramarital sex (which before the war had very much been a taboo subject). The neotenous cartoon Betty Boo is a well-known caricature of a flapper, first screened in 1930.Rate this question:
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- 17.
What number amendment to the US constitution was prohibition?
- A.
18th
- B.
19th
- C.
20th
- D.
21st
Correct Answer
A. 18thExplanation
Alcohol was famously prohibited under the Eighteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, known as prohibition.Rate this question:
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- 18.
Where was there a renaissance in the 1920s?
- A.
Queen's
- B.
Tribecka
- C.
Harlem
- D.
Brooklyn
Correct Answer
C. HarlemExplanation
During the 1920s, Harlem experienced a cultural and artistic renaissance known as the Harlem Renaissance. This period saw a flourishing of African American literature, music, art, and intellectualism. Many prominent African American artists, writers, and musicians emerged from Harlem during this time, making it a hub of creativity and cultural expression. The Harlem Renaissance played a significant role in shaping African American identity and contributed to the broader cultural landscape of the United States.Rate this question:
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- 19.
Which US Attorney General sought to reduce the number of immigrants arriving to US shores?
- A.
Reg Winkle
- B.
Alvin Simon Theodore
- C.
Mitchell Palmer
- D.
Sean Spicer
Correct Answer
C. Mitchell PalmerExplanation
Mitchell Palmer, US Attorney General, said “”The blaze of revolution is eating its way into the homes of the American workman, licking at the altars of the churches, leaping into the belfry of the schoolhouse, crawling into the sacred corners of American homes, seeking to replace the marriage vows with libertine laws, burning up the foundations of society”. Bolshevik or Communist Revolution had taken place in Russia in 1917 and its Marxist ideology declared that an international revolution was inevitable. These were Marx’s so-called Iron Laws. Moreover, Marx had outlined that revolution would happen first in more industrialised nations where the wealth gap between rich and poor (the bourgeoisie and the proletariat) was greater because of mechanization. Bearing in mind how much economic growth the USA had enjoyed during and as a result of the First World War this made many Americans fearful of Communism. This fear combined with a growing number of Eastern European and Russian refugees led to what became known as The Red Scare. In 1919 there was an outbreak of strike action with some 400,000 people striking for better pay and conditions. Even the police in Boston went on strike and there were race riots in 25 towns. Many immigrants did indeed hold radical views and some, known as Anarchists, published leaflets calling for the overthrow of the US government. In April 1919 a bomb was planted in a Milwaukee church killing 10 people. In May 1919 bombs were posted to 36 key American figures and in June more bombs went off in seven US cities one of which nearly killed Mitchell Palmer. Many Americans felt that this was a sign of Communism taking over the USA’s traditions. Republican Senator Heflin in 1921 stated: “Thousands come here who will never take the oath to support our constitution and become citizens of the USA”. He went further, stating “They constitute a menace and a danger to us every day”.Rate this question:
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- 20.
Who was head of the Bureau of Investigation (soon to become the FBI)?
- A.
Spencer Percival
- B.
J Edgar Hoover
- C.
Marty McFly
- D.
John F. Jackson
Correct Answer
B. J Edgar HooverExplanation
As a result of a fear of Communism a man called J Edgar Hoover (who was appointed by Mitchell as Head of the Bureau of Investigation) rounded up all suspected radicals. These were often immigrants and evidence against them was often thin and insubstantial. Hoover became a deeply sinister figure in US history and built up files on 60,000 suspectsRate this question:
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- 21.
Who starred in Showboat and had his passport taken away?
- A.
Rudolf Valentino
- B.
Buster Keaton
- C.
Charlie Chaplin
- D.
Paul Robeson
Correct Answer
D. Paul RobesonExplanation
Born in 1898 Robeson was the son of a church minister who had been a former slave. He studied at Columbia University and passed exams in law in 1923. However, as a black lawyer it was almost impossible for him to find work so he became an actor – his big break was in the hit musical Showboat. Robeson visited Moscow in 1934 on a world tour and declared his approval for Communism stating “Here for the first time in my life I walk in dignity”. He was even awarded the International Stalin Prize. When he returned to the USA he was banned from performing, suffered death threats, and had his passport taken away. He left the USA eventually in 1958 to live in Europe.Rate this question:
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- 22.
Which two Italian Americans were executed by Judge Thayer?
- A.
Ravanelli and Zola
- B.
Carnelli and Giovanni
- C.
Sacco and Vanzetti
- D.
Carravagio and Lucerno
Correct Answer
C. Sacco and VanzettiExplanation
Two famous victims of the Red Scare were Italian Americans Nicola Sacco and Batolomeo Vanzetti. They were arrested in 1920 on suspicion of armed robbery and murder and they were self-confessed Anarchists. The evidence against them was flimsy and the prosecution relied on stoking up racist emotions in the jury. The Judge, Judge Thayer, at the trial even said although Vanzetti “may not actually have committed the crime attributed to him he is nevertheless morally culpable because he is the enemy of our existing institutions”. After the trial the Judge referred to them as “those anarchist bastards”. After six years of legal appeals Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in 1927 to a storm of protest around the world. 50 years later Michael Dukakis, the Governor of Massachusetts, made a proclamation stating “any stigma and disgrace should be forever removed from the names of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti”. Singers Bob Dylan and Joan Baez wrote a famous ballad about the men which includes the lyric “Against us is racial hatred / And the simple fact that we are poor’. 200,000 people attended their funeral.Rate this question:
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- 23.
Which movie did DW Griffth make which was even shown in the Whitehouse?
- A.
The Tramp
- B.
City Lights
- C.
Birth of a Nation
- D.
The Vanishing American
Correct Answer
C. Birth of a NationExplanation
The Ku Klux Klan or KKK had been formed in 1850 by ex-soldiers after the American Civil War including Nathan Bedford Forrest, its first Grand Wizard or leader. Its aim was white supremacy and its growth was part of a movement known as nativism. It was an extreme right wing terrorist organization. The KKK used parades, beatings, lynchings (vigilante executions about which Billie Holiday later sang the song Strange Fruit) and other violent methods to intimidate black Americans. It also attacked Jews, Catholics and foreign immigrants. The Klan was strongest in the Midwest and rural south where working class white people competed with black people for unskilled jobs. It declined in the Nineteenth Century but was started up again in 1915 when D W Griffith produced the famous racist movie Birth of a Nation (he made about 500 movies but this one, which cost $110,000 and reaped tens of millions of dollars in profit, was by far his most successful). At its peak in the 1920s it claimed that 15% of eligible Americans (i.e. men) were members. Even President Wilson showed Birth of a Nation in the Whitehouse, stating “My only regret is that it’s all so terribly true”. The movement was shown as defending white honour and integrity in the post-Civil War Reconstruction era and numbers shot up in the 1920s after this movie. The KKK managed to get Klansmen elected into positions of political power. By 1924 the Klan had 4.5 million members and Oregon and Oklahoma had governors who were Klansmen. The Klan was especially strong in Indiana. Its members had an ideology they called Klonology, worshipped a book called the Kloran, and identified each other by placing three fingers outside of their trousers in the form of a ‘K’. They worse white robes and conical hats to protect their identities and to intimidate. They often had secret codes such as using the acronyms AYAK (are you a Klansman) and AKAI (a Klansman am I) often used in sentences such as ‘Does a Mr. Ayak live here?’ ‘No, but a Mr. Akai does’.Rate this question:
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- 24.
In which state was the KKK especially strong?
- A.
Indiana
- B.
Utah
- C.
North Carolina
- D.
Ohio
Correct Answer
A. IndianaExplanation
R A Patton, writing in Current History in 1929, described the victims of Klan violence in Alabama: “A lad whipped with branches until his back was ribboned flesh … a white girl, divorcee, beaten into unconsciousness in her home; a naturalized foreigner flogged until his back was pulp because he married an American woman; a negro lashed until he sold his land to a white man for a fraction of its value.”Rate this question:
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- 25.
Who survived when Abram Smith and Thomas Shipp were lynched?
- A.
Cameron James
- B.
James Cameron
- C.
Cam Jameson
- D.
Jamie Camuigin
Correct Answer
B. James CameronExplanation
There are many examples that could be given about the Klan’s horrendous violence. In 1930 James Cameron, aged 16, had been arrested with two other black men, on suspicion of the murder of a white man and the rape of a white woman. He survived an attempted lynching and wrote about how a mob of 10,000-15,000 tried to hang him crying out “Those three niggers” whilst wearing the notorious white robes of the KKK. James went on to write a book called A Time of Terror in 1982. A famous photograph can be seen of Abram Smith and Thomas Shipp being hanged whilst white onlookers smile for the camera. It is a truly shameful period in American history. One victim of the Klan who was beaten to death was Reverend Earl Little. His son went on to become black rights leader Malcolm X.Rate this question:
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- 26.
The arrest of which Grand Wizard following his murder of a female teacher, Madge Oberholtzer, led to the downfall of the KKK?
- A.
Bedsheet McMillan
- B.
Nathan Bedford Forrest
- C.
David Stephenson
- D.
Kevin Kieferson
Correct Answer
C. David StephensonExplanation
The Klan declined after 1925. One of its leaders, the Grand Wizard David Stephenson, was convicted of a vicious rape and murder of a white teacher, Madge Oberholtzer. This act was so horrible (he raped, bit and beat her so she took poison – he then left her for dead at her house but she managed to stay alive long enough to talk to the police – you can read her full statement online if you Google it – it is very harowing) that entire chapters of the KKK voluntarily closed. He then turned informer and the Klan became common knowledge. Stephenson had a range of other offences to his name and five years before his death was accused of sexually molesting a 16 year old girl.Rate this question:
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- 27.
Name one famous black poet of the era
- A.
Countee Cullen
- B.
Dizzy Gillespie
- C.
Marcus Garvey
- D.
F Scott Fitzgerald
Correct Answer
A. Countee CullenExplanation
The 1920s was the golden era of jazz and a number of black musicians rose to prominence, notably Duke Ellington. Harlem became a hub of creativity and gave birth to the term ‘Harlem renaissance’. Black people shone in the arts and in literature. The poet Langston Hughes wrote about the lives of ordinary black Americans and Countee Cullen was another famous poet who tried to tackle racism. He produced 12 collections of poems including ‘Color’, his most famous work.Rate this question:
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- 28.
Which organisation did Marcus Garvey lead?
- A.
NACP
- B.
UNIA
- C.
NNAPC
- D.
AACPN
Correct Answer
B. UNIAExplanation
Black Americans entered politics. W. E. B. Dubois founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) with 300 branches and 90,000 members. Another important person was Marcus Garvey who encouraged black Americans to be proud of themselves. He set up the Universal Negro Improvement Association (ANIA) which had its own honours system, and encouraged members to set up in business. In 1921 Garvey’s movement attracted up to 1 million people. He also helped some members move ‘back to Africa’ with the Black Star Line Company.Rate this question:
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- 29.
Which 1925 movie showed the plight of the Native American?
- A.
Nophaie
- B.
Fast and Furious 7
- C.
Birth of a Nation
- D.
The Vanishing American
Correct Answer
D. The Vanishing AmericanExplanation
In 1925 a film was made called The Vanishing American. It had a Native American hero, Nophaie, a Navajo warrior who fought against an evil and corrupt white government. This was rare in an era where ‘Wild West movies tended to depict Native Americans as evil Red Indians. 12,000 Native Americans had fought for the USA in the First World War. However, this group suffered incredible poverty and had worse health, jobs, and education than white Americans as well as experiencing prejudice. Moreover, mining companies were able to legally seize large tracts of Native American land which forced many of them to lose their way of life.Rate this question:
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- 30.
What is a WASP?
- A.
A stingy bee
- B.
Wild Animals' Special Police
- C.
White Anglo Saxon Protestant
- D.
Will all students pass?
Correct Answer
C. White Anglo Saxon ProtestantExplanation
Although some immigrants and non WASP (white Anglo-Saxon Protestant) Americans did benefit during this period, it can be seen that the USA in the 1920s was a time of great distress for many and that a wave of xenophobia swept throughout the USA.Rate this question:
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- 31.
Which of the following was NOT a reason prohibition was introduced in the USA?
- A.
People thought it had a negative effect on family life and that 3,000 babies were smothered in their sleep by drunk parents!
- B.
Beer was associated with Germany and was un-American because they were wartime enemies
- C.
It was believed alcohol was damaging the economy
- D.
Beer was expensive
Correct Answer
D. Beer was expensiveExplanation
In the previous century in rural areas of the USA a temperance movement had grown. Their members agreed not to drink alcohol and campaigned for others to do the same. Mostly they were very religious Christians who had experienced what damage alcohol could do to family lives. Two key movements developed: The Anti-Saloon League (set up in Ohio, by Howard Hyde Russell), andThe Women’s Christian Temperance Union (also set up in Ohio, by Annie Wittenmyer) Of these the Anti-Saloon League was the largest and most powerful. Some of these rural campaigners even managed to get their local states to ban alcohol and they had some very important supporters, especially in industry where many people believed alcohol damaged work rate. Politicians supported them because they thought it would gain them votes. By 1916, a year before the USA entered the First World War, 21 states had banned saloons. Supporters of these campaigns became known as ‘dries’ whilst opponents of them became known as ‘wets’.Rate this question:
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- 32.
Which act enforced the 18th Amendment?
- A.
Valsteed Act
- B.
Volstead Act
- C.
Volsted Act
- D.
Volleyball Act
Correct Answer
B. Volstead ActExplanation
By 1917 the dries had enough support to propose the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution. This ‘prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors’. It became law on 16th January 1920 (The Volstead Act is the act which actually enforced it – for example, deciding what could be drunk for medicinal purposes etc). The vote had been 65 to 20 in favour.Rate this question:
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- 33.
Which amendment to the US constitution repealed prohibition?
- A.
20th
- B.
21st
- C.
22nd
- D.
23rd
Correct Answer
B. 21stExplanation
Prohibition was to last until 1933 when the Twenty First Amendment brought it to an end or repealed it. As one temperance campaigner in 1917 said: “Our nation can only be saved by turning the pure stream of country sentiment and township morals to flush out the cesspools of cities and so save civilization from pollution”.Rate this question:
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- 34.
Name two prohibition agents
- A.
Siccardi & Guiney
- B.
Ben & Jerry
- C.
Fred and Barney
- D.
Izzy and Moe
Correct Answer
D. Izzy and MoeExplanation
They made 4,392 arrests often by just walking into a speakeasy (illegal bar) and ordering a drink. Einstein had a special flask hidden inside his waistcoat with a funnel attached to preserve the evidence. Neither had experience in policing and Smith had been a boxer in his youth. Izzy and Moe did most of their arrests on Sunday because they knew it was easier to make headlines on Monday (which was a quiet news day) and courted publicity. Despite the work of agents like Izzy and Moe (nicknamed Tweedledee and Tweedledum by the press for their antics – on one occasion for example they dressed as an elderly Yiddish couple to sneak into a speakeasy because the owners had issued posters of them to warn customers to keep lookout) prohibition proved impossible to enforce (the state of Maryland never even introduced prohibition). Agents were lowly paid (about $40 per week in the case of Izzy and Moe) and had huge areas to cover.Rate this question:
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- 35.
In which of the following ways could you not purchase alcohol?
- A.
By visting a still
- B.
By winking at a cow tripper
- C.
By dropping by a speakeasy
- D.
By doing business with a bootlegger
Correct Answer
B. By winking at a cow tripperExplanation
By far the biggest problem though was that so many Americans were prepared to break this law. This meant that bootleggers (suppliers of illegal alcohol) made huge amounts of money. (The word bootleg reportedly comes from people stashing alcohol in the tops of their boots).Rate this question:
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- 36.
Who was Al Capone's first mob boss?
- A.
Bugs Moran
- B.
Johnny Torrio
- C.
Lucky Luciano
- D.
Squiddly Diddly
Correct Answer
B. Johnny TorrioExplanation
Al Capone, who took over the Chicago outfit from Johnny Torrio, made about $60 million per year and said: “Prohibition is a business. All I do is supply a public demand”.Rate this question:
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- 37.
Which of the following IS a reason prohibition was repealed?
- A.
Elliot Ness failed to nail Capone
- B.
It was unenforcable
- C.
Alcohol is good for you
- D.
Beer became cheaper
Correct Answer
B. It was unenforcableExplanation
Many police became corrupt and were in league with the bootleggers and often took bribes. 1 in 12 prohibition agents was dismissed for corruption. Even when police did make arrests often judges were in the pay of criminals. The New York FBI Boss, Don Chaplin, ordered his 200 agents: “Put your hands on the table, both of them. Every son of a bitch wearing a diamond is fired!”Rate this question:
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- 38.
Which French phrase, meaning 'to leave to do', was a Republican policy?
- A.
Je pense que l'histoire est tres fantastique
- B.
Bonsoir Mes Amis
- C.
Deja Vu
- D.
Laissez-Faire
Correct Answer
D. Laissez-FaireExplanation
A key factor behind the boom of the 1920s US economy was Republican economic policies. All US Presidents from 1920-32 were Republican and this Party also dominated Congress. First of all it is important to know that Republicans at this time favoured a policy known as laissez-faire (literally ‘to leave to do’ in French). This was the idea that the government should not intervene in the economy as far as possible and to leave businesses alone to do their job – make money. By doing this it cut down on administrative red tape and ensured there were fewer obstacles to economic growth. As Massachusetts President Calvin Coolidge said “The chief business of the American people is business”. Herbert Hoover, President from 1929, described the approach as “rugged individualism” – the idea of looking after oneself to make money.Rate this question:
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- 39.
What was Ford's first vehicle?
- A.
Quadricycle
- B.
Flivver
- C.
Model T
- D.
Hot air balloon
Correct Answer
A. QuadricycleExplanation
Henry Ford once said “If I’d have asked the people what they wanted they would’ve asked for a faster horse”. The first car Henry ford build was the quadricycle. Early cars were built by blacksmiths and other skilled craftsmen which meant they took a long time to build and were very expensive. In 1900 only 4,000 cars were made. In 1913 however Ford set up the world’s first moving production line in a giant shed in Detroit. Each worker had one or two highly specialized jobs to do which made production much faster. This is known as specialized labour. The most famous car Ford produced was called the Model T, of which he famously said “You can have it in any colour you like, so long as it’s black.” More than 15 million were produced between 1908 and 1925 and in 1927 they came off the production line at a rate of one every 10 seconds. In 1929 4.8 million cars were made.Rate this question:
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- 40.
What word beginning with ‘O’ caused problems for farmers in the 1920s?
- A.
Oil
- B.
Overproduction
- C.
Orrible students
- D.
Ordnance survey maps
Correct Answer
B. OverproductionExplanation
While many Americans were enjoying the boom farmers were certainly not. Total US farm income dropped from $22 billion in 1919 to $13 billion in 1928. About 60 million Americans worked in rural areas so this was a major problem. There were a number of reasons for this: Farmers struggled against highly efficient Canadian wheat producers. Improving machinery meant overproduction – in other words farms produced more than was needed. Prices dropped as farmers tried to sell their surplus produce. In 1921 alone farm prices halved and hundreds of rural banks closed. 6 million rural Americans, mainly farm labourers, were forced off the land in the 1920s. Americans black population was especially hard hit. As they lost their jobs on the farms three-quarters of a million of them became unemployed.Rate this question:
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- 41.
What was John Scopes’ profession?
- A.
Doctor
- B.
Teacher
- C.
Lawyer
- D.
Bootlegger
Correct Answer
B. TeacherExplanation
The Monkey Trial became a focus of ill-feeling between rural and urban America and is a good case study in changing morals and attitudes. Most urban people believed in Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution which stated that humans had evolved from ape-like ancestors over millions of years. However, many in the countryside disagreed due to their religious views and they believed what they read in the Bible, namely that God made the world in six days and that on the sixth day he created mankind. Beliefs such as this were especially strong in an area known as ‘the Bible belt’ in areas such as Tennessee and in six states William Jennings Bryan managed to pass a law (The Butler Act) banning the teaching of evolution. However, a biology teacher named John Scopes deliberately broke this law so that he could be arrested and put on trial “to teach the truth”. The best lawyers were brought in for both sides and in July 1925 the case went to court: it was traditionalism versus modernism.Rate this question:
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- 42.
Who was Scopes' defence lawyer
- A.
Herbert Hoover
- B.
Clarence Darrow
- C.
Mitchell Palmer
- D.
Arsene Roule
Correct Answer
B. Clarence DarrowExplanation
Clarence Darrow fought to defend Scopes and excelled, even though Scopes was found guilty of breaking the law. The case was widely covered in the press and the religious believers were ridiculed. After the trial the anti-evolution lobby never really recovered.Rate this question:
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- 43.
Which fashion designer hit the big time in the 1920s?
- A.
Jeff Banks
- B.
Georgio Armani
- C.
Cherry Mei
- D.
Coco Chanel
Correct Answer
D. Coco ChanelExplanation
Before the First World War women led very restrictive lives. However, this changed for many urban and middle-class women in the 1920s. When the USA joined the war some women worked in war industries and by 1929 there were 10 million working women, a quarter more than in 1920. This meant they had disposable income of their own (meaning they could buy items from new designer Coco Chanel) and were less likely to stay in unhappy marriages (divorce rates doubled between 1914-29 from 100,000 to 200,000). It also meant marketing companies began to target them and because of women Ford started to sell cars in colours other than black. In 1920 they got the vote in all states. Through the decade they benefitted from the liberating effects of the car and their domestic work was made easier by new inventions such as vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, and washing machines. Women began wearing more daring clothes, smoked in public, drank liquor with men without a chaperone, and kissed in public.Rate this question:
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- 44.
Name one famous dance from the period
- A.
The Perone
- B.
Waltz
- C.
Charleston
- D.
Body popping
Correct Answer
C. CharlestonExplanation
Socialites came into existence and the ‘flapper’ girl became a phenomenon as women visited nightclubs and danced the Charleston. It was said that the ideal flapper was “expensive and about 19”. Sexy, confident and daring women such as Gloria Swanson in The Trespasser (1929) began to steal the show in movies, a big change from the more traditional roles women had occupied previously. Birth control became more commonly available and women had freer sexual relations.Rate this question:
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- 45.
Who starred in the first 'talkie' The Jazz Singer?
- A.
Tom Wallace
- B.
Martin Marchant
- C.
Al Jolson
- D.
Paul Robeson
Correct Answer
C. Al JolsonExplanation
Until 1927 all movies were silent until the first ‘talkie’ was produced, The Jazz Singer featuring Al Jolson. By the end of the decade 100 million cinema tickets were being sold every week as people flocked in to watch movies by Warner Brothers and MGM (the one with the roaring lion).Rate this question:
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- 46.
Which cartoon star of silent cinema was hit hard by talking Mickey Mouse?
- A.
Felix the Cat
- B.
Bart Simpson
- C.
Fred Flintstone
- D.
Betty Boop
Correct Answer
A. Felix the CatExplanation
In music people listened to Blues and Jazz artists, such as Duke Ellington. The Harlem Renaissance took off and people flocked to The Cotton Club to see top stars. By 1929 there were 508 radio stations and NBC was making $150 million each year. Art Deco became the architectural feature of the decade with beautiful creations such as the Chrysler Building in New York being constructed. Novelists such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway wrote tales of the period and created the age of the ‘great American novel’. Cartoons such as Steamboat Willie (later to be known as Mickey Mouse) and Felix the Cat became tremendous successes.Rate this question:
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- 47.
Who was the unlucky forerunner to Mickey Mouse?
- A.
Goofy
- B.
Daffy Duck
- C.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
- D.
Porky Pig
Correct Answer
C. Oswald the Lucky RabbitExplanation
I wonder if Oswald is bitter?Rate this question:
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Mar 16, 2023Quiz Edited by
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Apr 25, 2017Quiz Created by
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