2020: NY Regent - US History

Last updated 3 months ago

50 questions

Instructions

1

Library

2020: NY Regent - US History

Last updated 3 months ago

50 questions

Instructions

From the New York State Education Department. New York State Testing Program Regents Exam in U.S. History and Government January 2020. Internet. Available from https://www.nysedregents.org/USHistoryGov/120/ushg12020-examw.pdf; accessed 3, May, 2023.

This examination has three parts. You are to answer all questions in all parts. Use black or dark-blue ink to write your answers to Parts II, III A, and III B. 

Part I contains 50 multiple-choice questions. Record your answers to these questions as directed on the answer sheet. 

Part II contains one thematic essay question. Write your answer to this question in the essay booklet, beginning on page 1. 

Part III is based on several documents: 

Part III A contains the documents. When you reach this part of the test, enter your name and the name of your school on the fi rst page of this section. Each document is followed by one or more questions. Write your answer to each question in this examination booklet on the lines following that question. 

Part III B contains one essay question based on the documents. Write your answer to this question in the essay booklet, beginning on page 7. When you have completed the examination, you must sign the declaration printed at the end of the answer sheet, indicating that you had no unlawful knowledge of the questions or answers prior to the examination and that you have neither given nor received assistance in answering any of the questions during the examination. Your answer sheet cannot be accepted if you fail to sign this declaration.

1

From the New York State Education Department. New York State Testing Program Regents Exam in U.S. History and Government January 2020. Internet. Available from https://www.nysedregents.org/USHistoryGov/120/ushg12020-examw.pdf; accessed 3, May, 2023.

This examination has three parts. You are to answer all questions in all parts. Use black or dark-blue ink to write your answers to Parts II, III A, and III B. 

Part I contains 50 multiple-choice questions. Record your answers to these questions as directed on the answer sheet. 

Part II contains one thematic essay question. Write your answer to this question in the essay booklet, beginning on page 1. 

Part III is based on several documents: 

Part III A contains the documents. When you reach this part of the test, enter your name and the name of your school on the fi rst page of this section. Each document is followed by one or more questions. Write your answer to each question in this examination booklet on the lines following that question. 

Part III B contains one essay question based on the documents. Write your answer to this question in the essay booklet, beginning on page 7. When you have completed the examination, you must sign the declaration printed at the end of the answer sheet, indicating that you had no unlawful knowledge of the questions or answers prior to the examination and that you have neither given nor received assistance in answering any of the questions during the examination. Your answer sheet cannot be accepted if you fail to sign this declaration.

Most of the northern boundary of the United States was created by treaties between the United States and

France

Great Britain

Spain

Mexico

In colonial America, geography most directly infl uenced

religious practices

voter eligibility

economic activities

family structure

European Enlightenment writers of the 17th and 18th centuries such as John Locke infl uenced America’s colonial development by providing

justification for state-supported churches

a defense of the slave trade

arguments for monarchy and rule by divine right

ideas about self-government and political rights

Which document encouraged public support for declaring independence from Great Britain?

Albany Plan of Union

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Alien and Sedition Acts

Common Sense

What was a major success of the national government under the Articles of Confederation (1781–1788)?

developing a plan for the admission of new states

establishing the fi rst national export tax

paying off all government debts

gaining the respect of foreign nations

Which statement best illustrates the meaning of federalism?

All citizens enjoy the basic rights of freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly.

The Constitution delegates certain powers to the national government but reserves other powers for the states.

The Constitution can be changed by amendments ratifi ed by Congress.

The House of Representatives has the power to impeach the president, and the Senate has the power to conduct an impeachment trial.

The authors of the United States Constitution established a bicameral legislature primarily because they

wished states to retain their absolute sovereignty

reached a compromise between the large states and the small states over representation

hoped to weaken the power of Congress

wanted to create an independent judiciary elected by the people

Base your answers to questions 8 and 9 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies. . . . But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department, the necessary constitutional means, and personal motives, to resist encroachments of the others. The provision for defence must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate [corresponding] to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. . . . — James Madison, The Federalist No. 51, 1788

In this passage, James Madison argues for the governing principle known as

checks and balances

representative government

executive privilege

popular sovereignty

Madison was one of the statesmen who wrote articles for The Federalist primarily to

encourage rebellion against the British

fi nd a permanent solution to the issue of slavery

gain support for ratifying the United States Constitution

oppose protection of property rights in the United States Constitution

Base your answer to question 10 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies. . . . The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfi lled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop. . . . — George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796

President George Washington made this statement in response to concerns over United States involvement in the

effort to end the slave trade in West Africa

struggle to open Asian ports to foreign trad

independence movements of the new Latin American nations

continuing confl ict between England and France

The establishment of judicial review in Marbury v. Madison (1803) gave the Supreme Court the authority to

impeach members of Congress

create state courts

approve foreign treaties

decide the constitutionality of a law

The Supreme Court decisions in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) were important because they

increased the power of the federal government

expanded the powers of the president

encouraged westward expansion

placed limits on the spread of slavery

In the 1840s and 1850s, immigration to the United States was characterized by

large numbers of immigrants from Latin America

signifi cant job opportunities for immigrants in southern states

a large infl ux of Irish and German immigrants

widespread acceptance of immigrants by native-born Americans

Base your answer to question 14 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies.

. . . As to the policy I “seem to be pursuing” as you say, I have not meant to leave any one in doubt. I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be “the Union as it was.” If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views. . . .
— President Abraham Lincoln, Letter to Horace Greeley, August 22, 1862

According to the passage, President Abraham Lincoln’s primary goal in fi ghting the Civil War was to

advance the cause of Northern abolitionists

use any means necessary to save the Union

extend the franchise to African Americans in the army

free only those African Americans who were enslaved in Confederate territory

Which geographic factor most directly infl uenced the rapid settlement of the Great Plains after the Civil War?

immense forests for lumber

access to abundant quantities of oil

huge amounts of fertile farmland

long ocean coastline with deep ports

What was one reason the 14th and 15th amendments failed to prevent future racial segregation?

Most Northern abolitionists opposed the extension of these rights.

The Supreme Court refused to accept cases to interpret these amendments.

Radical Republicans in Congress stopped African Americans from voting.

The South was allowed to pass Jim Crow laws and restrict voting rights.

Base your answers to questions 17 and 18 on the speakers’ statements below and on your knowledge of social studies.

Speaker A: The time of unlimited immigration is now past; controls are necessary to preserve the customs and values that have made this nation great.

Speaker B: In order to protect our citizens’ jobs, restrictions must be placed on the number of immigrants.

Speaker C: More workers are needed. The most important consideration is whether they are willing to work hard.

Speaker D: There’s plenty of land left to settle in the West, and there is plenty of room for all.

Which two speakers would most likely have supported the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)?

A and B

B and C

C and D

A and D

Which speaker would most likely agree with the economic point of view of big business owners in the late 1800s?

A

B

C

D

In the late 19th century, what was the major goal in developing the “New South?”

expanding the industrial base

reducing tobacco production

strengthening labor unions

restricting government support for railroad construction

“Senate Votes to Annex Philippines” “U.S. Sends Warships to Panama” “President Roosevelt Strengthens Monroe Doctrine”

These headlines refl ect the transformation of United States foreign policy into one that

respected the sovereign rights of all countries

practiced imperialism

pursued isolationist policies

opposed free-trade agreements

What was the major goal of the political reforms enacted during the Progressive Era (1900–1920)?

expanding citizen participation in government

lowering the legal voting age

discouraging the formation of new political parties

providing public funding of campaigns

Base your answer to question 22 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of social studies.

John Muir

Ida Tarbell

Frank Norris

Jacob Riis

The Meat Inspection Act (1906), the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906), and the Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) were similar in that each

increased government regulation of business

resulted from a pro-business government policy

lowered tariffs on imported goods

decreased federal taxes on personal income

The Federal Reserve System, created in 1913, extended government control over the banking system by

issuing housing and consumer loans

regulating interest rates and the money supply

ending private ownership of banks

banning loans for stock market purchases

Base your answer to question 25 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of social studies.

Actions such as the one shown in the photograph helped lead to the

defeat of Germany in World War I

failure of President Woodrow Wilson to win reelection

rejection of United States membership in the League of Nations

addition of a woman’s suffrage amendment to the United States Constitution

Which term from the 1920s is most closely associated with Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes?

Lost Generation

Red Scare

Teapot Dome scandal

Harlem Renaissance

Federal economic policies during the 1920s contributed to the start of the Great Depression by

failing to adequately regulate stock market transactions

adopting federal budgets with large defi cits

lowering protective tariff

abolishing corporate income taxes

Base your answer to question 28 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies. . . . But in the event that the Congress shall fail to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis— broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe. . . . — President Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933

President Franklin D. Roosevelt dealt with the emergency referred to in this speech primarily by

submitting problems to the Supreme Court

relying on state and local governments to handle the situation

gaining congressional support for his programs

requesting fi nancial assistance from other countries

The main goal of the fi rst Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was to

end wasteful funding of irrigation projects

increase efforts to export grain

encourage more farm mechanization

stabilize farm prices by reducing the amount of surplus crops

Base your answer to question 30 on the poem below and on your knowledge of social studies

. . . . We’ll be back when it rains,
they say,
setting out with their bedsprings and mattresses,
their cookstoves and dishes,
their kitchen tables,
and their milk goats
tied to their running boards
in rickety cages,
setting out for California,
where even though they say they’ll come back,
they might just stay
if what they hear about that place is true. . . .

— Karen Hesse, Out of the Dust, April 1935

What was the main reason for the migration described in this poem?

Farmers were given inexpensive, fertile land in the West

An extended drought on the plains forced farmers to seek better conditions in the West.

Manufacturing jobs in California paid high wages.

African Americans left the South to avoid discrimination.

Base your answer to question 31 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.

This cartoon suggests that Congress believed President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s proposals concerning the Supreme Court threatened the United States Constitution by

weakening the system of federalism

ignoring the amendment process

endangering the principle of separation of powers

violating the elastic clause

During the 1930s, the major foreign policy goal of the United States Congress was to

avoid the mistakes that led the country into World War I

end the Good Neighbor policy

increase the size of the armed forces

strengthen support for Japan’s New Order in Asia

The primary reason President Harry Truman made the decision to use atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was to

save American lives by avoiding the invasion of Japan

destroy the entire Japanese military in Southeast Asia

allow the United States to defeat Germany

halt the Japanese invasion of the Soviet Union

Organizing the Berlin airlift, implementing the Marshall Plan, and fi ghting the Korean War were early events in the United States policy of

imperialism

containment

isolationism

neutrality

In the late 1940s, hearings by the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the use of loyalty oaths illustrate concerns over the

impact of union strikes on the economy

United States participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

desegregation of the military

infl uence of communists within the federal government

The Korean War (1950–1953) was the fi rst war in which the United States

sent troops to fi ght on foreign soil

responded to an attack on its homeland

fought as a member of United Nations forces

formed an alliance with mainland China

Base your answer to question 37 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies

. . . . Finally, you have broader considerations that might follow what you would call the “falling domino” principle. You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the fi rst one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. So you could have a beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound infl uences. . . .
— President Dwight D. Eisenhower, April 7, 1954

Which action is most closely associated with the foreign policy concern expressed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in this passage?

authorizing U-2 fl ights over the Soviet Union

increasing United States involvement in Vietnam

overthrowing military dictatorships in Central America

defending oil producing countries in the Middle East

The actions of Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X helped focus national attention on the need for reform in the area of

environmental protection

crime prevention

public education

civil rights

Which statement best describes an outcome of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis?

Communist leaders of Cuba were removed from office.

The United States strengthened its ties with Cuba.

Nuclear war with the Soviet Union was avoided.

United States military defenses were signifi cantly reduced.

Mapp v. Ohio (1961), Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), and Miranda v. Arizona (1966) are all Supreme Court decisions that strengthened individual rights by

increasing protections for persons accused of crimes

eliminating restrictions on gun ownership

overturning racial segregation laws

encouraging greater voter participation in government

President Richard Nixon chose to resign the presidency mainly because of his involvement in the

secret bombing of Cambodia

escalation of the Vietnam War

Most of the northern boundary of the United States was created by treaties between the United States and

France

Great Britain

Spain

Mexico

In colonial America, geography most directly infl uenced

religious practices

voter eligibility

economic activities

family structure

European Enlightenment writers of the 17th and 18th centuries such as John Locke infl uenced America’s colonial development by providing

justification for state-supported churches

a defense of the slave trade

arguments for monarchy and rule by divine right

ideas about self-government and political rights

Which document encouraged public support for declaring independence from Great Britain?

Albany Plan of Union

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Alien and Sedition Acts

Common Sense

What was a major success of the national government under the Articles of Confederation (1781–1788)?

developing a plan for the admission of new states

establishing the fi rst national export tax

paying off all government debts

gaining the respect of foreign nations

Which statement best illustrates the meaning of federalism?

All citizens enjoy the basic rights of freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly.

The Constitution delegates certain powers to the national government but reserves other powers for the states.

The Constitution can be changed by amendments ratifi ed by Congress.

The House of Representatives has the power to impeach the president, and the Senate has the power to conduct an impeachment trial.

The authors of the United States Constitution established a bicameral legislature primarily because they

wished states to retain their absolute sovereignty

reached a compromise between the large states and the small states over representation

hoped to weaken the power of Congress

wanted to create an independent judiciary elected by the people

Base your answers to questions 8 and 9 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies. . . . But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department, the necessary constitutional means, and personal motives, to resist encroachments of the others. The provision for defence must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate [corresponding] to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. . . . — James Madison, The Federalist No. 51, 1788

In this passage, James Madison argues for the governing principle known as

checks and balances

representative government

executive privilege

popular sovereignty

Madison was one of the statesmen who wrote articles for The Federalist primarily to

encourage rebellion against the British

fi nd a permanent solution to the issue of slavery

gain support for ratifying the United States Constitution

oppose protection of property rights in the United States Constitution

Base your answer to question 10 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies. . . . The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfi lled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop. . . . — George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796

President George Washington made this statement in response to concerns over United States involvement in the

effort to end the slave trade in West Africa

struggle to open Asian ports to foreign trad

independence movements of the new Latin American nations

continuing confl ict between England and France

The establishment of judicial review in Marbury v. Madison (1803) gave the Supreme Court the authority to

impeach members of Congress

create state courts

approve foreign treaties

decide the constitutionality of a law

The Supreme Court decisions in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) were important because they

increased the power of the federal government

expanded the powers of the president

encouraged westward expansion

placed limits on the spread of slavery

In the 1840s and 1850s, immigration to the United States was characterized by

large numbers of immigrants from Latin America

signifi cant job opportunities for immigrants in southern states

a large infl ux of Irish and German immigrants

widespread acceptance of immigrants by native-born Americans

Base your answer to question 14 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies.

. . . As to the policy I “seem to be pursuing” as you say, I have not meant to leave any one in doubt.  I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be “the Union as it was.” If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views. . . . 
— President Abraham Lincoln, Letter to Horace Greeley, August 22, 1862

According to the passage, President Abraham Lincoln’s primary goal in fi ghting the Civil War was to

advance the cause of Northern abolitionists

use any means necessary to save the Union

extend the franchise to African Americans in the army

free only those African Americans who were enslaved in Confederate territory

Which geographic factor most directly infl uenced the rapid settlement of the Great Plains after the Civil War?

immense forests for lumber

access to abundant quantities of oil

huge amounts of fertile farmland

long ocean coastline with deep ports

What was one reason the 14th and 15th amendments failed to prevent future racial segregation?

Most Northern abolitionists opposed the extension of these rights.

The Supreme Court refused to accept cases to interpret these amendments.

Radical Republicans in Congress stopped African Americans from voting.

The South was allowed to pass Jim Crow laws and restrict voting rights.

Base your answers to questions 17 and 18 on the speakers’ statements below and on your knowledge of social studies. 

Speaker A: The time of unlimited immigration is now past; controls are necessary to preserve the customs and values that have made this nation great. 

Speaker B: In order to protect our citizens’ jobs, restrictions must be placed on the number of immigrants. 

Speaker C: More workers are needed. The most important consideration is whether they are willing to work hard. 

Speaker D: There’s plenty of land left to settle in the West, and there is plenty of room for all.

Which two speakers would most likely have supported the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)?

A and B

B and C

C and D

A and D

Which speaker would most likely agree with the economic point of view of big business owners in the late 1800s?

A

B

C

D

In the late 19th century, what was the major goal in developing the “New South?”

expanding the industrial base

reducing tobacco production

strengthening labor unions

restricting government support for railroad construction

“Senate Votes to Annex Philippines”  “U.S. Sends Warships to Panama” “President Roosevelt Strengthens Monroe Doctrine”

These headlines refl ect the transformation of United States foreign policy into one that

respected the sovereign rights of all countries

practiced imperialism

pursued isolationist policies

opposed free-trade agreements

What was the major goal of the political reforms enacted during the Progressive Era (1900–1920)?

expanding citizen participation in government

lowering the legal voting age

discouraging the formation of new political parties

providing public funding of campaigns

Base your answer to question 22 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of social studies.

John Muir

Ida Tarbell

Frank Norris

Jacob Riis

The Meat Inspection Act (1906), the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906), and the Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) were similar in that each

increased government regulation of business

resulted from a pro-business government policy

lowered tariffs on imported goods

decreased federal taxes on personal income

The Federal Reserve System, created in 1913, extended government control over the banking system by

issuing housing and consumer loans

regulating interest rates and the money supply

ending private ownership of banks

banning loans for stock market purchases

Base your answer to question 25 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of social studies.

 Actions such as the one shown in the photograph helped lead to the

defeat of Germany in World War I

failure of President Woodrow Wilson to win reelection

rejection of United States membership in the League of Nations

addition of a woman’s suffrage amendment to the United States Constitution

Which term from the 1920s is most closely associated with Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes?

Lost Generation

Red Scare

Teapot Dome scandal

Harlem Renaissance

Federal economic policies during the 1920s contributed to the start of the Great Depression by

failing to adequately regulate stock market transactions

adopting federal budgets with large defi cits

lowering protective tariff

abolishing corporate income taxes

Base your answer to question 28 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies. . . . But in the event that the Congress shall fail to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis— broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe. . . . — President Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933

President Franklin D. Roosevelt dealt with the emergency referred to in this speech primarily by

submitting problems to the Supreme Court

relying on state and local governments to handle the situation

gaining congressional support for his programs

requesting fi nancial assistance from other countries

The main goal of the fi rst Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was to

end wasteful funding of irrigation projects

increase efforts to export grain

encourage more farm mechanization

stabilize farm prices by reducing the amount of surplus crops

Base your answer to question 30 on the poem below and on your knowledge of social studies

. . . . We’ll be back when it rains, 
they say, 
setting out with their bedsprings and mattresses, 
their cookstoves and dishes, 
their kitchen tables, 
and their milk goats 
tied to their running boards 
in rickety cages, 
setting out for California, 
where even though they say they’ll come back, 
they might just stay 
if what they hear about that place is true. . . . 

— Karen Hesse, Out of the Dust, April 1935

What was the main reason for the migration described in this poem?

Farmers were given inexpensive, fertile land in the West

An extended drought on the plains forced farmers to seek better conditions in the West.

Manufacturing jobs in California paid high wages.

African Americans left the South to avoid discrimination.

Base your answer to question 31 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.

This cartoon suggests that Congress believed President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s proposals concerning the Supreme Court threatened the United States Constitution by

weakening the system of federalism

ignoring the amendment process

endangering the principle of separation of powers

violating the elastic clause

During the 1930s, the major foreign policy goal of the United States Congress was to

avoid the mistakes that led the country into World War I

end the Good Neighbor policy

increase the size of the armed forces

strengthen support for Japan’s New Order in Asia

The primary reason President Harry Truman made the decision to use atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was to

save American lives by avoiding the invasion of Japan

destroy the entire Japanese military in Southeast Asia

allow the United States to defeat Germany

halt the Japanese invasion of the Soviet Union

Organizing the Berlin airlift, implementing the Marshall Plan, and fi ghting the Korean War were early events in the United States policy of

imperialism

containment

isolationism

neutrality

In the late 1940s, hearings by the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the use of loyalty oaths illustrate concerns over the

impact of union strikes on the economy

United States participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

desegregation of the military

infl uence of communists within the federal government

The Korean War (1950–1953) was the fi rst war in which the United States

sent troops to fi ght on foreign soil

responded to an attack on its homeland

fought as a member of United Nations forces

formed an alliance with mainland China

Base your answer to question 37 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies

. . . . Finally, you have broader considerations that might follow what you would call the “falling domino” principle. You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the fi rst one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. So you could have a beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound infl uences. . . . 
— President Dwight D. Eisenhower, April 7, 1954

Which action is most closely associated with the foreign policy concern expressed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in this passage?

authorizing U-2 fl ights over the Soviet Union

increasing United States involvement in Vietnam

overthrowing military dictatorships in Central America

defending oil producing countries in the Middle East

The actions of Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X helped focus national attention on the need for reform in the area of

environmental protection

crime prevention

public education

civil rights

Which statement best describes an outcome of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis?

Communist leaders of Cuba were removed from office.

The United States strengthened its ties with Cuba.

Nuclear war with the Soviet Union was avoided.

United States military defenses were signifi cantly reduced.

Mapp v. Ohio (1961), Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), and Miranda v. Arizona (1966) are all Supreme Court decisions that strengthened individual rights by

increasing protections for persons accused of crimes

eliminating restrictions on gun ownership

overturning racial segregation laws

encouraging greater voter participation in government

President Richard Nixon chose to resign the presidency mainly because of his involvement in the

secret bombing of Cambodia

escalation of the Vietnam War

Watergate scandal

implementation of wage-price controls

In Tinker v. Des Moines School District (1969) and in New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985), the United States Supreme Court addressed the

issue of gender equality in school athletics

recitation of prayers in public schools

power of school authorities to determine curriculum

free speech and privacy rights of students in schools

Results of the Bush-Gore presidential election of 2000 renewed the debate over

term limits for elected offi cials

the electoral college system

presidential use of the veto power

loose versus strict interpretation of the Constitution

Base your answer to question 44 on the map below and on your knowledge of social studies.

The gains and losses shown on the map were primarily the result of

population changes among the states

migration of African Americans to the North

vacancies in the House of Representatives caused by resignations

increasing the total number of members in the House of Representatives

Base your answer to question 45 on the chart below and on your knowledge of social studies.

Which government programs will be most directly affected by the trend shown on this chart?

defense spending

immigration reform

Head Start and school construction

Medicare and Social Security

“Same-Sex Marriage Upheld by Supreme Court”  “47% of Children Live With One Parent”  “Majority of College Degrees Now Go to Women”

A conclusion that can be drawn directly from these headlines is that

more people are delaying marriage to a later age

legal and societal changes have affected the family unit

the role of women has changed little in the past decade

most married couples do not have children

Which statement refl ects a major transportation trend of the post–World War II period?

Transcontinental railroads were developed.

The use of canals to move freight increased.

The use of the automobile increased dramatically.

Air travel decreased signifi cantly.

One way in which the Truman Doctrine and the Eisenhower Doctrine are similar is that both

offered aid to countries threatened by communism

attempted to create a friendlier relationship with China

tried to improve relations with the Soviet Union

returned the United States to an isolationist foreign policy

The programs of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty had goals which were most similar to the programs of

Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal

Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal

Ronald Reagan’s New Federalism

Which pair of economic situations faced both President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Barack Obama during the fi rst 100 days of their administrations?

legalization of the sale of alcoholic beverages and suspension of antitrust laws

high unemployment and failures in the banking system

funding overseas wars and bailing out the automobile industry

modifying the gold standard and increasing federal aid to education

2020: NY Regent - US History

2020: NY Regent - US History

Most of the northern boundary of the United States was created by treaties between the United States and

In colonial America, geography most directly infl uenced

European Enlightenment writers of the 17th and 18th centuries such as John Locke infl uenced America’s colonial development by providing

Which document encouraged public support for declaring independence from Great Britain?

What was a major success of the national government under the Articles of Confederation (1781–1788)?

Which statement best illustrates the meaning of federalism?

The authors of the United States Constitution established a bicameral legislature primarily because they

Madison was one of the statesmen who wrote articles for The Federalist primarily to

The establishment of judicial review in Marbury v. Madison (1803) gave the Supreme Court the authority to

The Supreme Court decisions in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) were important because they

In the 1840s and 1850s, immigration to the United States was characterized by

Which geographic factor most directly infl uenced the rapid settlement of the Great Plains after the Civil War?

What was one reason the 14th and 15th amendments failed to prevent future racial segregation?

Which speaker would most likely agree with the economic point of view of big business owners in the late 1800s?

In the late 19th century, what was the major goal in developing the “New South?”

“Senate Votes to Annex Philippines” “U.S. Sends Warships to Panama” “President Roosevelt Strengthens Monroe Doctrine”These headlines refl ect the transformation of United States foreign policy into one that

What was the major goal of the political reforms enacted during the Progressive Era (1900–1920)?

Base your answer to question 22 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of social studies.

The Meat Inspection Act (1906), the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906), and the Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) were similar in that each

The Federal Reserve System, created in 1913, extended government control over the banking system by

Base your answer to question 25 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of social studies. Actions such as the one shown in the photograph helped lead to the

Which term from the 1920s is most closely associated with Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes?

Federal economic policies during the 1920s contributed to the start of the Great Depression by

The main goal of the fi rst Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was to

Base your answer to question 31 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.This cartoon suggests that Congress believed President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s proposals concerning the Supreme Court threatened the United States Constitution by

During the 1930s, the major foreign policy goal of the United States Congress was to

The primary reason President Harry Truman made the decision to use atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was to

Organizing the Berlin airlift, implementing the Marshall Plan, and fi ghting the Korean War were early events in the United States policy of

In the late 1940s, hearings by the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the use of loyalty oaths illustrate concerns over the

The Korean War (1950–1953) was the fi rst war in which the United States

The actions of Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X helped focus national attention on the need for reform in the area of

Which statement best describes an outcome of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis?

Mapp v. Ohio (1961), Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), and Miranda v. Arizona (1966) are all Supreme Court decisions that strengthened individual rights by

President Richard Nixon chose to resign the presidency mainly because of his involvement in the

“Senate Votes to Annex Philippines” “U.S. Sends Warships to Panama” “President Roosevelt Strengthens Monroe Doctrine”

These headlines refl ect the transformation of United States foreign policy into one that

Base your answer to question 25 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of social studies.

Actions such as the one shown in the photograph helped lead to the

Base your answer to question 31 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.

This cartoon suggests that Congress believed President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s proposals concerning the Supreme Court threatened the United States Constitution by