Middle Level Social Studies (Grades 5–8)
Subtest 2 Sample Items
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Question 1
1. Which of the following factors best describes the most significant source of conflict between English
colonists and Native American peoples in seventeenth-century New England?
- the exploitation of American Indian labor by English landowners
- the construction of English settlements on American Indian lands
- the efforts of Puritan ministers to convert American Indians
- the expansion of English trade with American Indian communities
Answer to question 1
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0012) Following the foundation
of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, the population of English colonists grew rapidly, expanding to
the Connecticut region within the first decade and later to northern New England. Initially, relations
between the settlers and Native Americans were generally amicable, but the colonists' taking of the
most useful land sparked disputes. Most notable among these were the Pequot War in the 1630s and Metacomet's
Rebellion in the 1670s, both of which resulted in drastic reductions in the Native American population.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0012) Following the foundation of Massachusetts
Bay Colony in 1630, the population of English colonists grew rapidly, expanding to the Connecticut region
within the first decade and later to northern New England. Initially, relations between the settlers
and Native Americans were generally amicable, but the colonists' taking of the most useful land sparked
disputes. Most notable among these were the Pequot War in the 1630s and Metacomet's Rebellion in the
1670s, both of which resulted in drastic reductions in the Native American population.
Question 2
2. Prior to 1600 CE, the organization of political confederacies was a prominent feature of American
Indian cultures in which of the following regions of North America?
- Great Plains
- California
- Eastern Woodlands
- Southwest
Answer to question 2
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0012) The most powerful American
Indian confederation of the pre-Columbian period was the League of the Iroquois. Formed during the late
fifteenth century, the league included five Eastern Woodland nations: the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondoga,
and Seneca.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0012) The most powerful American Indian confederation
of the pre-Columbian period was the League of the Iroquois. Formed during the late fifteenth century,
the league included five Eastern Woodland nations: the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondoga, and Seneca.
Question 3
3. Which of the following consequences of the Seven Years' War most influenced the chain of events that
resulted in the American Revolution?
- the acquisition of Canada by Great Britain
- the number of casualties suffered by colonial militias
- the outbreak of Pontiac's Rebellion
- the growth of Great Britain's national debt
Answer to question 3
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0012) The substantial increase
in Great Britain's national debt as a consequence of the Seven Years' War was a major reason that the
British Parliament attempted to impose the Stamp Act and other revenue raising measures on its North
American colonies. Colonial resistance to these initiatives ultimately resulted in the American Revolution.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0012) The substantial increase in Great Britain's
national debt as a consequence of the Seven Years' War was a major reason that the British Parliament
attempted to impose the Stamp Act and other revenue raising measures on its North American colonies.
Colonial resistance to these initiatives ultimately resulted in the American Revolution.
Question 4
4. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, the Great Compromise resolved a dispute between small states
and large states over:
- representation in Congress.
- the powers of the president.
- voting requirements.
- the inclusion of a bill of rights.
Answer to question 4
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0012) The Great Compromise,
agreed to by delegates at the Constitutional Convention, resolved a dispute between small states and
large states by creating a bicameral legislature consisting of a lower house in which representation
was based on population and an upper house to which each state sent two senators.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0012) The Great Compromise, agreed to by delegates
at the Constitutional Convention, resolved a dispute between small states and large states by creating
a bicameral legislature consisting of a lower house in which representation was based on population
and an upper house to which each state sent two senators.
Question 5
5. Which of the following events in U.S. history occurred start italics before end italics the Mexican-American War?
- the California gold rush
- the Lincoln-Douglass debates
- the Dred Scott decision
- the Missouri Compromise
Answer to question 5
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0013) The Missouri Compromise
was enacted in 1820 to maintain a balance between slave states and free states, allowing Missouri to
enter the Union as a slave state and Maine to enter as a free state. The Missouri Compromise also established
36°30′ as the latitude line separating future free states from future slave states in the
area of the Louisiana Purchase. Whether to extend this line into the territories acquired in the Mexican-American
War of 1846–1848 was the major issue resolved by the Compromise of 1850.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0013) The Missouri Compromise was enacted in 1820
to maintain a balance between slave states and free states, allowing Missouri to enter the Union as
a slave state and Maine to enter as a free state. The Missouri Compromise also established 36 degrees
30 prime as the latitude line separating future free states from future slave states in the area of
the Louisiana Purchase. Whether to extend this line into the territories acquired in the Mexican-American
War of 1846 to 1848 was the major issue resolved by the Compromise of 1850.
Question 6
6. During the 1840s, members of the Whig Party were more likely than their Democratic opponents to support:
- the enactment of protective tariffs.
- westward expansion.
- the resettlement of American Indians.
- reform of the financial system.
Answer to question 6
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0013) Unlike the Democrats,
who wished to limit the powers of the central government, the Whigs believed in activist government.
One expression of that belief was their commitment to assisting infant industries through the enactment
of protective tariffs.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0013) Unlike the Democrats, who wished to limit
the powers of the central government, the Whigs believed in activist government. One expression of that
belief was their commitment to assisting infant industries through the enactment of protective tariffs.
Question 7
7. Frederick Douglass most influenced the movement to abolish slavery through his activities as
- a congressional lobbyist and political organizer.
- an orator, writer, and newspaper editor.
- a liaison between abolitionists and other reform groups.
- a preacher and promoter of evangelical religion.
Answer to question 7
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0013) In addition to being
a gifted orator, Frederick Douglass wrote extensively on slavery-related topics, penning numerous articles
and an influential autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
(1845). He also edited The North Star and other abolitionist newspapers.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0013) In addition to being a gifted orator, Frederick
Douglass wrote extensively on slavery-related topics, penning numerous articles and an influential autobiography,
start italics Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave end italics (1845). He also edited The
North Star and other abolitionist newspapers.
Question 8
8. Which of the following elements of the Compromise of 1850 most contributed to growing sectional polarization
in the decade leading up to the Civil War?
- the admission of California to the Union as a free state
- the creation of the New Mexico and Utah territories with no restrictions on slavery
- the passage of a strengthened Fugitive Slave Law
- the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia
Answer to question 8
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0013) The Fugitive Slave
Act of 1850 not only inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe to write Uncle Tom's Cabin, the most popular
antislavery novel of the period, but also provoked widespread resistance in the North where antislavery
crowds forcibly obstructed the return of runaway slaves and a number of states enacted personal liberty
laws. Most of the southern secession ordinances of the early 1860s contained at least some mention of
northern opposition to the act's enforcement.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0013) The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 not only inspired
Harriet Beecher Stowe to write start italics Uncle Tom's Cabin end italics, the most popular antislavery novel of the
period, but also provoked widespread resistance in the North where antislavery crowds forcibly obstructed
the return of runaway slaves and a number of states enacted personal liberty laws. Most of the southern
secession ordinances of the early 1860s contained at least some mention of northern opposition to the
act's enforcement.
Question 9
9. Which of the following statements best describes a significant consequence of the Battle of Vicksburg?
- The Union secured control of all traffic on the Mississippi River.
- President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
- Robert E. Lee was appointed commander of all Confederate military forces.
- The Confederacy received diplomatic recognition from Great Britain and France.
Answer to question 9
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0013) As a result of the
Union capture of Vicksburg, Mississippi, in July 1863, the Union acquired control of all north-south
traffic on the Mississippi River, dividing the Confederacy into two sections and setting the stage for
an eastward thrust from Tennessee into Georgia and the heart of the cotton-producing regions of the
South.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0013) As a result of the Union capture of Vicksburg,
Mississippi, in July 1863, the Union acquired control of all north-south traffic on the Mississippi
River, dividing the Confederacy into two sections and setting the stage for an eastward thrust from
Tennessee into Georgia and the heart of the cotton-producing regions of the South.
Question 10
10. As an early twentieth-century civil rights leader, W.E.B. Du Bois most strongly endorsed which of
the following positions?
- African Americans should have the same legal rights and educational opportunities enjoyed by other
U.S. citizens.
- African Americans should establish their own political and social institutions.
- African Americans should make nonviolent civil disobedience their main weapon in the struggle for equality.
- African Americans should place economic improvement before the achievement of political equality.
Answer to question 10
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0014) W.E.B. Du Bois became
nationally known as a leader of the Niagara Movement in the first decade of the twentieth century. Principles
of this movement emphasized vigorous action in pursuit of full civil rights and increased political
representation for African Americans, as well as opportunities for advanced education. The Niagara Movement
stood in opposition to the priorities espoused by Booker T. Washington, who stressed economic self-help,
vocational education, and political and social accommodation for African Americans in the South.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0014) W.E.B. Du Bois became nationally known as
a leader of the Niagara Movement in the first decade of the twentieth century. Principles of this movement
emphasized vigorous action in pursuit of full civil rights and increased political representation for
African Americans, as well as opportunities for advanced education. The Niagara Movement stood in opposition
to the priorities espoused by Booker T. Washington, who stressed economic self-help, vocational education,
and political and social accommodation for African Americans in the South.
Question 11
11. Which of the following responses best describes the primary objective of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at the time of its founding in 1909?
- to facilitate the migration of African Americans to northern cities
- to form a political party to fight for African American rights
- to promote African American equality and end racial discrimination
- to promote African American businesses and educational institutions
Answer to question 11
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0014) According to the NAACP's
original charter, the association's mission was to "promote equality of rights and to eradicate caste
or race prejudice among the citizens of the United States."
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0014) According to the NAACP's original charter,
the association's mission was to "promote equality of rights and to eradicate caste or race prejudice
among the citizens of the United States."
Question 12
12. Participants in the settlement house movement pioneered by Jane Addams focused their efforts on
the achievement of which of the following goals of the Progressive movement?
- eliminating the inequities and hardships caused by unregulated economic competition
- ensuring that all citizens enjoyed equal protection of the laws
- creating a society in which all people had an equal opportunity to better themselves
- requiring public officials to act in ways that promoted the general welfare
Answer to question 12
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0014) Jane Addams and other
participants in the settlement house movement sought to create a society in which all people had an
opportunity to better themselves. Settlement houses in cities across the United States sponsored a wide
range of activities designed to help immigrants and other working people obtain an education, secure
better jobs, and improve conditions in the neighborhoods in which they lived.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0014) Jane Addams and other participants in the
settlement house movement sought to create a society in which all people had an opportunity to better
themselves. Settlement houses in cities across the United States sponsored a wide range of activities
designed to help immigrants and other working people obtain an education, secure better jobs, and improve
conditions in the neighborhoods in which they lived.
Question 13
13. The economic impact of automobile production in the United States during the 1920s can best be compared
to the effect of which of the following economic developments of the late nineteenth century?
- the spread of telegraph and telephone communications
- the growth of the steel industry
- the emergence of department stores and mail-order catalogs
- the expansion of the railroad network
Answer to question 13
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0014) Like the expansion
of the railroad network in the late nineteenth century, the surge in automobile production and sales
during the 1920s provided the impetus for the creation and growth of a host of other industries. The
two developments also reflected major changes in the general economy during the two periods. Where railroad
expansion was central to the creation of a national market during the late nineteenth century, nothing
better illustrated the new mass consumerism of the 1920s than increased auto purchases.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0014) Like the expansion of the railroad network
in the late nineteenth century, the surge in automobile production and sales during the 1920s provided
the impetus for the creation and growth of a host of other industries. The two developments also reflected
major changes in the general economy during the two periods. Where railroad expansion was central to
the creation of a national market during the late nineteenth century, nothing better illustrated the
new mass consumerism of the 1920s than increased auto purchases.
Question 14
14. Which of the following best describes a major consequence of the Spanish-American War for the United
States?
- the acquisition of Hawaii as a territory
- a split within the Democratic party over involvement in foreign wars
- a turn in foreign policy toward foreign alliances
- the beginning of an anti-American insurgency in the Philippines
Answer to question 14
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0014) The Philippine Revolution
for independence had begun in 1896 under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo. The Spanish-American War
of 1898 had resulted in Spain ceding the Philippines and other territories to the United States, leaving
Aguinaldo's forces dissatisfied. The resulting Philippine-American War lasted over three years and involved
casualties on both sides that were much higher than the Philippine phase of the Spanish-American War.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0014) The Philippine Revolution for independence
had begun in 1896 under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo. The Spanish-American War of 1898 had resulted
in Spain ceding the Philippines and other territories to the United States, leaving Aguinaldo's forces
dissatisfied. The resulting Philippine-American War lasted over three years and involved casualties
on both sides that were much higher than the Philippine phase of the Spanish-American War.
Question 15
15. Which of the following factors best describes a major cause of the slowdown in the U.S. economy
during 1929 that led to the Great Depression of the 1930s?
- growing competition from foreign producers
- increasing taxation of corporations
- rising interest rates
- declining consumer purchasing power
Answer to question 15
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0015) Not only did increases
in industrial productivity outstrip wages during the 1920s, but the loss of jobs due to automation of
the production process and the economically distressed condition of major industries such as agriculture,
textiles, and coal caused declines in purchasing power at a time when the general economy was more dependent
on mass consumption than ever before.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0015) Not only did increases in industrial productivity
outstrip wages during the 1920s, but the loss of jobs due to automation of the production process and
the economically distressed condition of major industries such as agriculture, textiles, and coal caused
declines in purchasing power at a time when the general economy was more dependent on mass consumption
than ever before.
Question 16
16. One of the most important domestic objectives of Ronald Reagan's presidency was to:
- increase federal funding for public education.
- remove restraints on entrepreneurial initiative.
- reduce national dependence on foreign energy sources
- curb the growing power of state governments.
Answer to question 16
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0015) A fundamental philosophical
tenet of the Reagan presidency was the belief that economic prosperity could be compromised by what
his administration saw as excessive interference by government in the operation of business enterprises.
To forestall such a result, Reagan sought to remove restraints on entrepreneurial initiative by lowering
corporate as well as individual income tax rates and reducing the scope of federal regulatory activity.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0015) A fundamental philosophical tenet of the
Reagan presidency was the belief that economic prosperity could be compromised by what his administration
saw as excessive interference by government in the operation of business enterprises. To forestall such
a result, Reagan sought to remove restraints on entrepreneurial initiative by lowering corporate as
well as individual income tax rates and reducing the scope of federal regulatory activity.
Question 17
17. Which of the following responses best describes a major concern of the Chicano movement of the 1960s?
- establishing a Hispanic caucus within the Democratic Party
- furthering the political and cultural self-determination of Mexican Americans
- forging closer ties between the United States and Mexico
- promoting the assimilation of Mexican American immigrants
Answer to question 17
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0015) The Chicano movement
of the 1960s attempted to advance the political and cultural self-determination of Mexican Americans
through educational reform initiatives, community development activities, campaigns to expand employment
opportunities, and efforts to increase Mexican American representation in local and state government.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0015) The Chicano movement of the 1960s attempted
to advance the political and cultural self-determination of Mexican Americans through educational reform
initiatives, community development activities, campaigns to expand employment opportunities, and efforts
to increase Mexican American representation in local and state government.
Question 18
18. As part of its foreign policy following World War II, the U.S. implemented the Marshall Plan primarily
for the purpose of:
- promoting the development of democratic governments in the states of Eastern Europe.
- facilitating cultural exchanges with the Soviet Union to ease the tensions of the Cold War.
- providing financial and military aid to colonies in Africa and Asia seeking to gain independence.
- containing the spread of Communism by financing economic recovery in Western Europe.
Answer to question 18
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0015) The Marshall Plan represented
a distinctive attempt by the U.S. to provide massive economic aid to the devastated countries of Western
Europe. The intention was primarily to contain the spread of Communism by defusing the possibility of
revolution, as well as providing U.S. manufacturers with markets for consumer goods.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0015) The Marshall Plan represented a distinctive
attempt by the U.S. to provide massive economic aid to the devastated countries of Western Europe. The
intention was primarily to contain the spread of Communism by defusing the possibility of revolution,
as well as providing U.S. manufacturers with markets for consumer goods.
Question 19
19. During the eighteenth century, conflict between the Ojibwe people and other American Indian nations
in present-day Minnesota stemmed largely from Ojibwe efforts to:
- resolve trading disputes.
- establish political alliances.
- expand hunting grounds.
- diversify agricultural production.
Answer to question 19
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0016) As the Ojibwe moved
west from their ancestral homeland in the lower St. Lawrence River Valley in search of new hunting grounds,
they came into conflict with a host of other American Indian nations. By the late eighteenth century,
the Ojibwe had established nearly sole control of the region encompassing present-day Michigan, Minnesota,
and northern Wisconsin.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0016) As the Ojibwe moved west from their ancestral
homeland in the lower St. Lawrence River Valley in search of new hunting grounds, they came into conflict
with a host of other American Indian nations. By the late eighteenth century, the Ojibwe had established
nearly sole control of the region encompassing present-day Michigan, Minnesota, and northern Wisconsin.
Question 20
20. Which of the following industries played a major role in the industrialization of Minnesota during
the late nineteenth century?
- copper mining
- chemical manufacturing
- flour milling
- textile manufacturing
Answer to question 20
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0016) A combination of transportation
improvements and advances in milling technology that allowed firms to grind spring wheat efficiently
enabled Minnesota to become a national leader in flour milling during the late nineteenth century. By
1900, state enterprises were milling nearly 15 percent of the country's grain.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0016) A combination of transportation improvements
and advances in milling technology that allowed firms to grind spring wheat efficiently enabled Minnesota
to become a national leader in flour milling during the late nineteenth century. By 1900, state enterprises
were milling nearly 15 percent of the country's grain.
Question 21
21. Which of the following organizations best illustrates an important role Minnesota played in major
national developments of the 1960s and 1970s?
- American Indian Movement
- National Organization for Women
- Free Speech Movement
- Students for a Democratic Society
Answer to question 21
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0016) The American Indian
Movement (AIM) was founded in 1968 by Dennis Banks, George Mitchell, and other members of the Minneapolis
American Indian community. Committed to furthering the self-determination of American Indian peoples,
AIM mounted a serious challenge to Bureau of Indian Affairs oversight of life on American Indian reservations
and helped forge a new understanding among all Americans of American Indian history and perspective.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0016) The American Indian Movement (AIM) was founded
in 1968 by Dennis Banks, George Mitchell, and other members of the Minneapolis American Indian community.
Committed to furthering the self-determination of American Indian peoples, AIM mounted a serious challenge
to Bureau of Indian Affairs oversight of life on American Indian reservations and helped forge a new
understanding among all Americans of American Indian history and perspective.
Question 22
22. Which of the following statements best describes a significant result of the Dakota War of 1862?
- The Dakota people were required to convert to Christianity.
- An outbreak of smallpox decimated much of the Dakota population.
- The Dakota were deprived of state land grants promised by the U.S. government.
- The bulk of the Dakota population was exiled to reservations in Nebraska.
Answer to question 22
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0016) The long-term cause
of the U.S.-Dakota War was the increasing displacement of the Dakota from their ancestral land as a
result of increased U.S. migration and settlement. The immediate causes of the outbreak of violence
were poor harvests in 1861-2, intense competition for game animals and corresponding food shortages,
and delayed payments to the Dakota from the U.S. government that were due under the terms of a recent
treaty. The response to the Dakota War was swift and severe: the surviving population of the Dakota
were prohibited from returning to Minnesota and exiled to reservations in Nebraska.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0016) The long-term cause of the U.S.-Dakota War
was the increasing displacement of the Dakota from their ancestral land as a result of increased U.S.
migration and settlement. The immediate causes of the outbreak of violence were poor harvests in 1861-2,
intense competition for game animals and corresponding food shortages, and delayed payments to the Dakota
from the U.S. government that were due under the terms of a recent treaty. The response to the Dakota
War was swift and severe: the surviving population of the Dakota were prohibited from returning to Minnesota
and exiled to reservations in Nebraska.
Question 23
23. Which of the following is the best example of a hegemonic state?
- China during the seventeenth century
- Great Britain during the eighteenth century
- Russia during the nineteenth century
- South Africa during the twentieth century
Answer to question 23
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0017) Hegemony is a term
that refers to the political, economic, ideological, or cultural dominance that one group exercises
over other groups. Great Britain's imperial possessions, economic influence, and military strength enabled
it to assume the role of a hegemonic state in the international world of the eighteenth century.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0017) Hegemony is a term that refers to the political,
economic, ideological, or cultural dominance that one group exercises over other groups. Great Britain's
imperial possessions, economic influence, and military strength enabled it to assume the role of a hegemonic
state in the international world of the eighteenth century.
Question 24
24. The incorporation of initiative and referendum provisions in many state constitutions in the United
States reflects a commitment to which of the following principles of democratic government?
- limited government
- due process of law
- equal protection of the laws
- popular sovereignty
Answer to question 24
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0017) Initiative and referendum
elections, which allow citizens to propose, approve, or reject laws, ordinances, or constitutional amendments,
are forms of direct democracy that illustrate the meaning of the principle of popular sovereignty: the
belief that government receives its power from the people and can act only with their consent.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0017) Initiative and referendum elections, which
allow citizens to propose, approve, or reject laws, ordinances, or constitutional amendments, are forms
of direct democracy that illustrate the meaning of the principle of popular sovereignty: the belief
that government receives its power from the people and can act only with their consent.
Question 25
25. Which of the following statements best describes a difference between a prime minister in a parliamentary
system of government and the U.S. president?
- A prime minister's democratic legitimacy derives from the legislative body.
- A prime minister's executive powers include ordering military operations in foreign countries.
- A prime minister's budget proposal requires the approval of the legislative body.
- A prime minister is considered the most prominent official within the political party.
Answer to question 25
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0017) In the U.S., the selection
of a president is independent of the selection of members of the legislature. By contrast, a prime minister
is usually the head of the party with the largest number of seats in the legislative body, the parliament.
Hence, in a parliamentary system of government, the prime minister's democratic legitimacy derives from
the legislature.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0017) In the U.S., the selection of a president
is independent of the selection of members of the legislature. By contrast, a prime minister is usually
the head of the party with the largest number of seats in the legislative body, the parliament. Hence,
in a parliamentary system of government, the prime minister's democratic legitimacy derives from the
legislature.
Question 26
26. Which of the following excerpts from the U.S. Constitution best reflects the principle of federalism?
- "The judicial power shall extend to . . . controversies between two or more states;—between a
state and citizens of another state;—[and] between citizens of different states."
- "The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several
states."
- "This Constitution . . . shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall
be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding."
- "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states,
are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."
Answer to question 26
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0018) S. Constitution. Federalism
is a system of government in which powers are divided between the central government and regional, provincial,
or state governments. The excerpt that begins, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution . . . " helps clarify the position of the states in the U.S. federal system by granting
them all powers not specifically given to the national government or withheld from them by the U.S.
Constitution. It is this provision that empowers states to enact laws providing for the health, safety,
and education of their residents.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0018) S. Constitution. Federalism is a system of
government in which powers are divided between the central government and regional, provincial, or state
governments. The excerpt that begins, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution
. . . " helps clarify the position of the states in the U.S. federal system by granting them all powers
not specifically given to the national government or withheld from them by the U.S. Constitution. It
is this provision that empowers states to enact laws providing for the health, safety, and education
of their residents.
Question 27
27. Which of the following statements best describes the significance of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision
in start italics United States end italics v. start italics Nixon end italics (1973)?
- It set limits on presidential claims to executive privilege.
- It limited the president's power to dismiss members of the executive branch.
- It clarified the legislative powers of the president.
- It redefined the presidential role of commander-in-chief.
Answer to question 27
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0018) S. Supreme Court decisions.
United States v. Nixon centered on the claim that the rule of executive privilege
gave the president the power to determine whether tapes of White House conversations demanded by the
House Judiciary Committee should be released. In its decision, the Court ruled that in this case "[t]he
generalized assertion of privilege must yield to the demonstrated, specific need for evidence in a pending
criminal trial."
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0018) S. Supreme Court decisions. start italics United States end italics
v. start italics Nixon end italics centered on the claim that the rule of executive privilege gave the president the
power to determine whether tapes of White House conversations demanded by the House Judiciary Committee
should be released. In its decision, the Court ruled that in this case "[t]he generalized assertion
of privilege must yield to the demonstrated, specific need for evidence in a pending criminal trial."
Question 28
28. Which of the following principles of democracy in the United States can be traced most clearly to
the Mayflower Compact?
- separation of church and state
- consent of the governed
- due process of law
- checks and balances
Answer to question 28
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0018) The Mayflower Compact
was a document signed by adult male Pilgrims when they arrived in New England in 1620. The signers agreed
to cooperate in establishing "just and equal laws" to be "for the general good of the Colony" and then
to accept and obey those rules. The Mayflower Compact expressed thereby the pilgrims' common consent
to the supremacy of the rule of law.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0018) The Mayflower Compact was a document signed
by adult male Pilgrims when they arrived in New England in 1620. The signers agreed to cooperate in
establishing "just and equal laws" to be "for the general good of the Colony" and then to accept and
obey those rules. The Mayflower Compact expressed thereby the pilgrims' common consent to the supremacy
of the rule of law.
Question 29
29. One right and obligation that comes with U.S. citizenship is to:
- join a political party.
- help with a political campaign.
- participate in jury service.
- take a public stand on issues.
Answer to question 29
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0018) In the United States,
jury service is mandatory for citizens, and any citizen who is summoned for jury duty must attend. By
serving on a jury, a citizen takes active part in the judicial branch of government. For this reason,
jury service is also a basic democratic right.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0018) In the United States, jury service is mandatory
for citizens, and any citizen who is summoned for jury duty must attend. By serving on a jury, a citizen
takes active part in the judicial branch of government. For this reason, jury service is also a basic
democratic right.
Question 30
30. Which of the following excerpts from the Minnesota state constitution best illustrates the state's
commitment to the principle of popular sovereignty?
- "No member of this state shall be disfranchised or deprived of any of the rights or privileges secured
to any citizen thereof, unless by the law of the land or the judgment of his peers."
- "No religious test or amount of property shall be required as a qualification of any voter at any election
in this state; nor shall any person be rendered incompetent to give evidence in any court of law or
equity in consequence of his opinion upon the subject of religion."
- "The military shall be subordinate to the civil power and no standing army shall be maintained in this
state in times of peace."
- "Government is instituted for the security, benefit, and protection of the people, in whom all power
is inherent, together with the right to alter, modify, or reform government whenever required by the
public good."
Answer to question 30
start italics Source: end italics Minnesota Constitution. Article 4, Section 2. Reprinted with permission of the Minnesota
Revisor's Office.
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0019) The principle of
popular sovereignty emphasizes the idea that the people are the ultimate source of all political
power and have the right to determine for themselves how they will be ruled and by whom. Of the options
provided, response D best reflects this concept with its emphasis on authority arising from the people,
the obligation of government to serve the interests of the people, and the right of the people to change
the government as they deem necessary.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0019) The principle of start italics popular sovereignty end italics
emphasizes the idea that the people are the ultimate source of all political power and have the right
to determine for themselves how they will be ruled and by whom. Of the options provided, response D
best reflects this concept with its emphasis on authority arising from the people, the obligation of
government to serve the interests of the people, and the right of the people to change the government
as they deem necessary.
Question 31
31. The U.S. Constitution gives to the executive branch of the federal government the responsibility
for which of the following governmental activities?
- regulating international trade
- making treaties with other countries
- establishing federal courts
- admitting new states to the Union
Answer to question 31
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0019) According to Article
II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the president "shall have power, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, to make treaties, providing two thirds of the senators concur."
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0019) According to Article II, Section 2 of the
U.S. Constitution, the president "shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
to make treaties, providing two thirds of the senators concur."
Question 32
32. According to the Minnesota Constitution, "The representation in both houses [of the state legislature]
shall be apportioned equally throughout the different sections of the state in proportion to the population
thereof." The main purpose of this constitutional provision is to:
- uphold the principle of checks and balances.
- prevent gerrymandering.
- uphold the principle of one person, one vote.
- ensure legislative accountability.
Answer to question 32
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0019) S. and Minnesota governments.
For many years, district boundary lines in certain state legislatures were based on geographic size,
a practice that gave people in large rural areas with small populations an unfair advantage over residents
of spatially limited urban areas with large populations. The constitutional provision cited in the item,
which guarantees that each voter's ballot will count the same, prevents this form of unequal representation.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0019) S. and Minnesota governments. For many years,
district boundary lines in certain state legislatures were based on geographic size, a practice that
gave people in large rural areas with small populations an unfair advantage over residents of spatially
limited urban areas with large populations. The constitutional provision cited in the item, which guarantees
that each voter's ballot will count the same, prevents this form of unequal representation.
Question 33
33. According to one of the fundamental principles in the U.S. criminal justice system, a person is
considered innocent until and unless proven guilty. Which of the following statements describes the
most common practical implications of this principle?
- The prosecutor's principal duty is to seek justice and not merely to convict the accused.
- The accused must be given an opportunity to be heard in court in a meaningful way prior to judicial
decision.
- The prosecutor must show that the accused committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
- The accused has the constitutional right to be represented by an attorney before and during the trial.
Answer to question 33
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0019) When a prosecutor issues
a criminal complaint, he or she often has good reasons to believe that the accused committed a crime.
However, these reasons are not necessarily sufficient to overcome the presumption that a person is innocent
until and unless proven guilty. To overcome the presumption of innocence, the prosecution must prove
beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed a crime. Hence, the prosecutor's duty to meet such
a burden of proof is the practical implication of the presumption of innocence.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0019) When a prosecutor issues a criminal complaint,
he or she often has good reasons to believe that the accused committed a crime. However, these reasons
are not necessarily sufficient to overcome the presumption that a person is innocent until and unless
proven guilty. To overcome the presumption of innocence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable
doubt that the accused committed a crime. Hence, the prosecutor's duty to meet such a burden of proof
is the practical implication of the presumption of innocence.
Question 34
34. Which of the following best describes a major function of competition in market economies?
- increasing employment
- limiting government involvement
- promoting innovation
- protecting private property
Answer to question 34
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0020) In market economies,
economic decisions are largely determined by the collective actions of individuals and organizations
guided by their own self-interest, with relatively little government intervention. Competition in a
market economy arises among businesses that sell products or services in a given market. Such competition
has important benefits, including lowering prices, improving the quality of goods and services, and
promoting innovation among producers, all in an effort to attract more customers.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0020) In market economies, economic decisions are
largely determined by the collective actions of individuals and organizations guided by their own self-interest,
with relatively little government intervention. Competition in a market economy arises among businesses
that sell products or services in a given market. Such competition has important benefits, including
lowering prices, improving the quality of goods and services, and promoting innovation among producers,
all in an effort to attract more customers.
Question 35
35. Compared with command economies, free market economic systems are likely to:
- place greater emphasis on combating inflation
- be more responsive to consumer demands.
- devote greater resources to reducing the social costs of economic change.
- make more extensive use of wage and price controls.
Answer to question 35
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0020) In free market economies,
producers must be responsive to consumer demands if they expect to sell their goods and services. This
is not always the case in command economies, particularly when there is a conflict between state interests
and consumer interests. On such occasions, government authorities in command economies most often adopt
policies that uphold the interests of the state.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0020) In free market economies, producers must
be responsive to consumer demands if they expect to sell their goods and services. This is not always
the case in command economies, particularly when there is a conflict between state interests and consumer
interests. On such occasions, government authorities in command economies most often adopt policies
that uphold the interests of the state.
Question 36
36. Which of the following factors would most likely shift the demand curve for a given commodity?
- price of a substitute product
- number of firms manufacturing the product
- price of the given product
- number of businesses selling the product
Answer to question 36
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0020) Substitute products
are goods (like margarine) that can be used easily in place of another commodity (like butter). If the
price of margarine is notably lower than the price of butter, consumers will generally buy more of the
margarine and less of the butter. On the other hand, if the price of a substitute is higher, consumers
will have little reason to reduce their purchases of the original commodity to buy more of the substitute.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0020) Substitute products are goods (like margarine)
that can be used easily in place of another commodity (like butter). If the price of margarine is notably
lower than the price of butter, consumers will generally buy more of the margarine and less of the butter.
On the other hand, if the price of a substitute is higher, consumers will have little reason to reduce
their purchases of the original commodity to buy more of the substitute.
Question 37
37. As an alternative to a bank savings account, bank customers can earn a higher rate of interest by
buying a certificate of deposit. The trade-off for customers is that generally certificates of deposit
have the disadvantage of:
- requiring that the money be held in the account for a fixed period of time.
- lacking insurance through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
- being taxed at the high rate associated with unearned income.
- carrying a variable and unpredictable rate of return.
Answer to question 37
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0020) Certificates of deposit
differ from savings accounts in that the CD has a specific, fixed term, generally ranging from one month
to five years. The bank pays a higher interest rate to compensate depositors for the inconvenience of
having the money held in an illiquid, inaccessible account for that period of time. This illustrates
the basic principle of trade-off or opportunity cost that often arises in consumer economics and throughout
the field of economics.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0020) Certificates of deposit differ from savings
accounts in that the CD has a specific, fixed term, generally ranging from one month to five years.
The bank pays a higher interest rate to compensate depositors for the inconvenience of having the money
held in an illiquid, inaccessible account for that period of time. This illustrates the basic principle
of trade-off or opportunity cost that often arises in consumer economics and throughout the field of
economics.
Question 38
38. An economist would most likely undertake a study of U.S. business cycles to:
- compare the effectiveness of different corporate strategies.
- analyze changes in the national distribution of wealth.
- identify factors that advance and retard economic growth.
- examine relations between major sectors of the economy.
Answer to question 38
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0021) The four stages of
the business cycle—expansion, peak, contraction, and trough—illustrate major patterns of
change in general economic activity. Examining the developments responsible for those changing patterns
is an effective way to identify factors that expand and diminish economic growth.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0021) The four stages of the business cycle—expansion,
peak, contraction, and trough—illustrate major patterns of change in general economic activity.
Examining the developments responsible for those changing patterns is an effective way to identify factors
that expand and diminish economic growth.
Question 39
39. Country A is said to have a comparative advantage over Country B when it can produce:
- more goods than Country B using the same quantity of inputs.
- a given commodity at a lower production cost than Country B.
- more goods than Country B using the same production methods
- a given commodity at a smaller opportunity cost than Country B.
Answer to question 39
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0021) Comparative advantage
refers to situations in which one country can produce a good at a lower opportunity cost than another
country. For example, Country A and Country B both produce computers and corn. Each country can produce
a given quantity of corn for the same amount of resources, but Country A can produce computers more
cheaply than Country B. This gives Company A a comparative advantage in computer production and Country
B a comparative advantage in corn production.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0021) Comparative advantage refers to situations
in which one country can produce a good at a lower opportunity cost than another country. For example,
Country A and Country B both produce computers and corn. Each country can produce a given quantity of
corn for the same amount of resources, but Country A can produce computers more cheaply than Country
B. This gives Company A a comparative advantage in computer production and Country B a comparative advantage
in corn production.
Question 40
40. Which of the following macroeconomic risks is most likely to occur when the Federal Reserve System
maintains an expansionary monetary policy for an excessively long period of time?
- the budget deficit and national debt increase.
- inflationary pressures on consumer prices increase.
- the distribution of wealth becomes more unequal.
- interest rates rise and restrain private investment.
Answer to question 40
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0021) When the Federal Reserve
System conducts an expansionary monetary policy, they lower the rates of interest and raise the supply
of money in the banking system. This is intended to have a stimulative effect on consumer spending and
other components of aggregate demand. Too much stimulation of aggregate demand can "overheat" the economy,
resulting in price inflation.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0021) When the Federal Reserve System conducts
an expansionary monetary policy, they lower the rates of interest and raise the supply of money in the
banking system. This is intended to have a stimulative effect on consumer spending and other components
of aggregate demand. Too much stimulation of aggregate demand can "overheat" the economy, resulting
in price inflation.