Social Studies (Grades 5–12)
Subtest 1 Sample Items
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Question 1
1. A flowchart would be most useful for conveying information on which of the following topics?
- a debate in Congress over a controversial issue
- the process by which laws are enacted in Congress
- the relationship between Congress and the executive branch
- the division of parties in Congress
Answer to question 1
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0001) A flowchart is typically
used to represent a process, such as the steps by which work moves through an organization. In this
example, a flowchart would be an effective means of conveying information regarding the process by which
a bill before the U.S. Congress becomes a law.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0001) A flowchart is typically used to represent
a process, such as the steps by which work moves through an organization. In this example, a flowchart
would be an effective means of conveying information regarding the process by which a bill before the
U.S. Congress becomes a law.
Question 2
2. A geographer is composing a report on the potential consequences of climate change. Which of the
following organizational formats would best enable the geographer to make a persuasive case?
- a topical sequence that addresses different effects of climate change one at a time
- a causal sequence that links the effects of climate change to the factors causing those effects
- a spatial sequence that describes how climate change affects different parts of the world
- a chronological sequence that discusses the effects of climate change over time
Answer to question 2
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0001) Causal sequences that
link observable effects to the underlying factors responsible for those effects provide the most persuasive
format for analyzing the consequences of major developments such as climate change.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0001) Causal sequences that link observable effects
to the underlying factors responsible for those effects provide the most persuasive format for analyzing
the consequences of major developments such as climate change.
Question 3
3. A social science researcher is conducting a study to determine which demographic variables best predicted
voting patterns in a recent statewide election. The researcher would most likely use inductive reasoning
to:
- formulate a hypothesis that ranks demographic variables in order of importance in determining how people
in the state voted.
- identify sources such as state census reports and vote counts at the precinct level that would provide
data needed to test hypotheses.
- organize available data so that the relationship of each demographic variable to voting patterns can
be examined independently.
- evaluate voting patterns to construct a research design that assigns each pattern an appropriate relative
weighting.
Answer to question 3
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0001) Inductive and deductive
reasoning are both used in hypothesis formation and testing. Inductive reasoning makes broad generalizations
from specific observations (i.e., "bottom up" reasoning), while deductive reasoning begins with a general
statement and examines specific observations to support or reject that statement (i.e., "top down" reasoning).
In general, inductive reasoning is used to pose problems, ask questions, or formulate hypotheses.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0001) Inductive and deductive reasoning are both
used in hypothesis formation and testing. Inductive reasoning makes broad generalizations from specific
observations (i.e., "bottom up" reasoning), while deductive reasoning begins with a general statement
and examines specific observations to support or reject that statement (i.e., "top down" reasoning).
In general, inductive reasoning is used to pose problems, ask questions, or formulate hypotheses.
Question 4
4.
The map shows the continental United States, with longitude and latitude lines and state borders. A
narrow gray line crosses the map at 40 degrees north. Several mountain ranges are shaded in gray. The
Coast Ranges extend from northern Oregon into the Baja Peninsula. At 40 degrees north, these mountains
extend from 124 degrees to 122 degrees west. The Sierra Nevada extend from northern California to about
two thirds the length of the state. At 40 degrees north, this range extends from 124 degrees to 122
degrees west. The Cascades extend from the Canadian border through Washington state and Oregon into
the northern edge of California, north of 40 degrees north. The Rocky Mountains extend from northern
Canada to southern Mexico. At 40 degrees north, this range extends from 115 degrees to 105 degrees west.
The Appalachian Mountains extend from northern Maine to northern Georgia. At 40 degrees north, this
range extends from 80 degrees to 72 degrees west.
Below the map is a line graph with vertical lines corresponding to the longitude lines of the map, from
130 degrees to 70 degrees west in increments of 10. The horizontal axis is labeled "Longitude West."
The left vertical axis is labeled "Annual Precipitation (cm)" and has tick marks from 0 to 200 in increments
of 50. The right vertical axis is labeled "Annual Precipitation (in.)" and has tick marks from 0 to
80 in increments of 20. The data line begins at 125 degrees west with a value of 100 cm/40 inches. The
value peaks sharply then descends with a deep valley and another peak to a low of nearly 0 at 120 degrees
west. The value increases slowly in a jagged line to a peak of about 75 cm/30 inches at 110 degrees
west. This is followed by another deep valley, then two more sharp peaks, falling to about 25 cm/10
inches at 104 degrees west. The value then rises relatively smoothly to about 110 cm/44 inches at 79
degrees west. The remainder of the line vacillates between 100 cm/40 inches and 110 cm/44 inches until
it ends at 75 degrees west.
Information presented in the map and graph shown best supports which of the following conclusions?
- The Rocky Mountains receive more precipitation than the Appalachian Mountains.
- Coastal areas receive the highest amount of precipitation in the western United States.
- The area east of the Rocky Mountains is one of the most arid regions in the country.
- The Atlantic Ocean has relatively little impact on precipitation along the Eastern Seaboard.
Answer to question 4
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0002) According to information
presented on the map and graph, areas on the Pacific coast receive about 80 inches of precipitation
annually. This is more than twice the amount of precipitation that falls in other western areas of the
country. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that coastal areas receive the highest amount of precipitation
in the western United States.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0002) According to information presented on the
map and graph, areas on the Pacific coast receive about 80 inches of precipitation annually. This is
more than twice the amount of precipitation that falls in other western areas of the country. Therefore,
it is reasonable to conclude that coastal areas receive the highest amount of precipitation in the western
United States.
Passage for Questions 5 and 6
Read the passage below; then answer the questions that follow.
During the 1920s, more banks failed in the United States than in any other industrial nation of the
period. In fact, the U.S. banking system had several major defects. The most serious was the large number
of small, independent banks that lacked the financial resources to withstand a serious jolt to the economy.
When one or several of these banks failed, the assets of other banks with which they did business also
disappeared. When that happened, depositors in the other banks began to withdraw their savings, fearing
that the banks would run out of money. As a result, the failure of even one small bank could touch off
a chain reaction that reverberated through the whole system and brought down numerous other financial
institutions.
Another major weakness of the U.S. economy during the 1920s was its overdependence on automobiles and
construction. The expansion of these two industries had spurred growth in a host of related industries.
When they slowed down, those other industries also cut back production. In 1925, spending for residential
construction totaled $5 billion; four years later, this figure had dropped to $3 billion. Although the
auto industry continued to grow, it did so at a much slower pace. By 1929, auto firms had much greater
capacity than they needed, as did many of the satellite industries that supplied them with components.
When the stock market crashed in 1929, these two underlying economic problems—an undercapitalized
banking system and declining automobile and construction industries—helped propel the United States
into the Great Depression.
Question 5
5. Which of the following responses best describes the writer's main purpose in the passage?
- to raise questions about the operation of the U.S. banking system during the 1920s
- to describe the structure in the U.S. economy during the 1920s
- to compare developments in the auto and construction industries during the 1920s
- to examine major weaknesses of the U.S. economy during the 1920s
Answer to question 5
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0002) The writer's focus
on the unsound structure of the banking system and the economy's overdependence on automobile production
and construction indicates that the main purpose of the passage was to examine major weaknesses in the
U.S. economy during the 1920s.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0002) The writer's focus on the unsound structure
of the banking system and the economy's overdependence on automobile production and construction indicates
that the main purpose of the passage was to examine major weaknesses in the U.S. economy during the
1920s.
Question 6
6. Information presented in the passage best supports which of the following conclusions?
- Small, independent banks held a large proportion of business and consumer deposits during the 1920s.
- Cutbacks in construction and automobile production during the late 1920s had major implications for
the entire economy.
- Mounting bank failures were the principal cause of the stock market crash of 1929.
- Weaknesses in the banking system of the 1920s limited the expansion of the automobile and construction
industries.
Answer to question 6
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0002) In the second paragraph,
the writer describes how the expansion of automobile production and construction during the 1920s contributed
to the growth of numerous associated industries. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that major cutbacks
in these two industries would have important implications for the entire economy.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0002) In the second paragraph, the writer describes
how the expansion of automobile production and construction during the 1920s contributed to the growth
of numerous associated industries. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that major cutbacks in these
two industries would have important implications for the entire economy.
Question 7
7. Which of the following phrases best describes a major aim of historical works based on modernization
theory?
- to examine the intellectual sources of major political doctrines
- to explore the consequences of social conflict in societies
- to identify factors that contribute to economic and social development
- to analyze the causes and consequences of major population movements
Answer to question 7
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0003) As a form of analysis
that attempts to explain how societies advance from one level of development to another through an examination
of various social variables, modernization theory has provided the conceptual basis for numerous works
seeking to identify factors that contribute to economic and social development.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0003) As a form of analysis that attempts to explain
how societies advance from one level of development to another through an examination of various social
variables, modernization theory has provided the conceptual basis for numerous works seeking to identify
factors that contribute to economic and social development.
Question 8
8. A historian would likely find the examination of artifacts most useful for which of the following
research projects?
- a study of household production in seventeenth-century Maryland
- a study of religious life in seventeenth-century Massachusetts
- a study of legal procedures in eighteenth-century New York
- a study of political campaigns in eighteenth-century Virginia
Answer to question 8
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0003) Examining artifacts
such as the devices used to spin yarn, weave cloth, churn butter, and perform other tasks would likely
prove extremely useful for a study of household production in seventeenth-century Maryland.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0003) Examining artifacts such as the devices used
to spin yarn, weave cloth, churn butter, and perform other tasks would likely prove extremely useful
for a study of household production in seventeenth-century Maryland.
Question 9
9. In studying the origins of the French Revolution during the eighteenth century, a historian employing
a Marxist perspective would most likely focus on the:
- resistance of provincial nobles to a centralizing absolute monarchy.
- conflict between the upwardly mobile bourgeoisie and the traditional nobility.
- shared political and economic goals of the nobility and the bourgeoisie.
- inability of the monarchy to respond to political pressure with meaningful reforms.
Answer to question 9
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0003) The Marxist perspective
on history focuses on economic forces as drivers of historical action and in particular on conflict
between social and economic classes. The classic Marxist interpretation of the origins of the French
Revolution argues that an economically potent bourgeoisie saw its political and social ambitions crushed
by a nobility seeking to preserve its traditional status and privileges.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0003) The Marxist perspective on history focuses
on economic forces as drivers of historical action and in particular on conflict between social and
economic classes. The classic Marxist interpretation of the origins of the French Revolution argues
that an economically potent bourgeoisie saw its political and social ambitions crushed by a nobility
seeking to preserve its traditional status and privileges.
Question 10
10. Which of the following sources of information for historical research is an example of a primary
source?
- a comparison of Thomas Jefferson's statements about freedom and his status as a slave owner
- a scholarly article examining the motivation for Thomas Jefferson's support for the French Revolution
- a collection of Thomas Jefferson's letters compiled and published by a Jefferson biographer
- a review of Thomas Jefferson's influence on politics, science, and architecture in the early eighteenth
century
Answer to question 10
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0003) Primary sources provide
direct or firsthand knowledge about an event, object, or person. Secondary sources describe, discuss,
interpret, comment on, analyze, or evaluate primary sources. An autobiography, letter, or interview
would be a primary source, while commentary about the autobiography, letter, or interview would be a
secondary source.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0003) Primary sources provide direct or firsthand
knowledge about an event, object, or person. Secondary sources describe, discuss, interpret, comment
on, analyze, or evaluate primary sources. An autobiography, letter, or interview would be a primary
source, while commentary about the autobiography, letter, or interview would be a secondary source.
Question 11
11. Before assigning a new chapter in the textbook, a social studies teacher regularly walks students
through the chapter's headings and subheadings. The teacher also encourages the students to read the
chapter's introduction and summary before they read the entire chapter. These practices promote comprehension
of a content-area text most directly by helping the students:
- determine what is most important to learn from their reading.
- match new vocabulary words in the text to the words' definitions.
- identify supplemental materials that are relevant to their reading.
- analyze the text from multiple viewpoints and perspectives.
Answer to question 11
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0004) A chapter's headings,
subheadings, objectives, introductions, and summaries provide a clear indication of the chapter's main
ideas in a concise format. When previewed before reading, these textual features provide students with
guidance regarding what information in the chapter is most important, which can help them set a purpose
or personal learning goals for their reading.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0004) A chapter's headings, subheadings, objectives,
introductions, and summaries provide a clear indication of the chapter's main ideas in a concise format.
When previewed before reading, these textual features provide students with guidance regarding what
information in the chapter is most important, which can help them set a purpose or personal learning
goals for their reading.
Question 12
12. A high school U.S. history class is reading an article on the events surrounding President Truman's
decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japanese cities during World War II. In helping students assess
the credibility of the historian's interpretation of these events, the teacher should have students
undertake which of the following activities?
- determine whether or not the historian is a U.S. citizen
- evaluate the historian's educational background
- determine whether or not the historian interviewed Truman personally
- evaluate the sources on which the historian drew
Answer to question 12
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0004) One of the best ways
to assess the credibility of a historical work is to evaluate the sources on which the account is based.
For example, an article that drew on government documents and the correspondence of major historical
figures would be much more credible than an essay based on contemporary newspaper accounts written by
journalists with limited access to the meetings at which President Truman and his advisors discussed
important events and developments.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0004) One of the best ways to assess the credibility
of a historical work is to evaluate the sources on which the account is based. For example, an article
that drew on government documents and the correspondence of major historical figures would be much more
credible than an essay based on contemporary newspaper accounts written by journalists with limited
access to the meetings at which President Truman and his advisors discussed important events and developments.
Question 13
13. A social studies teacher notices that many students forget or begin confusing new discipline-specific
vocabulary shortly after an assessment. Which of the following instructional strategies would be most
effective in promoting the students' understanding and retention of new vocabulary that has been explicitly
taught?
- teaching the students how to use independent word-learning strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar
vocabulary
- providing the students with repeated exposure to and opportunities to use new vocabulary in context
- promoting the students' recognition of discipline-specific language structures and functions
- improving the students' word-identification skills and oral reading fluency using grade-level content-area
word lists
Answer to question 13
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0004) Vocabulary knowledge
and concept development are closely interrelated; discipline-specific vocabulary development involves
concept learning, and concept learning supports academic vocabulary development. Vocabulary development
is an incremental process; more exposures to and opportunities to use new vocabulary in conceptually
meaningful contexts result in greater depth of understanding and improved retention.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0004) Vocabulary knowledge and concept development
are closely interrelated; discipline-specific vocabulary development involves concept learning, and
concept learning supports academic vocabulary development. Vocabulary development is an incremental
process; more exposures to and opportunities to use new vocabulary in conceptually meaningful contexts
result in greater depth of understanding and improved retention.
Question 14
14. A social studies teacher is concerned that students seem to be reading texts primarily at the surface,
or literal, level. The teacher would like to use questioning to prompt students to think more deeply
about a text. Which of the following questions would be most appropriate to use to promote students'
thinking at the analysis level?
- How would you define the term _____blank
as it is used in this text?
- What information in this text is most important for you to remember?
- What concept or principle do you think the author wants to convey in this text?
- How does the information in this text relate to information you read in _____blank?
Answer to question 14
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0004) Relating the information
in one text to that in another text requires higher-order thinking, such as comparing and contrasting
the authors' ideas or perspectives, distinguishing between different concepts or principles, or evaluating
the types of evidence each author presents or the logic of the authors' respective arguments.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0004) Relating the information in one text to that
in another text requires higher-order thinking, such as comparing and contrasting the authors' ideas
or perspectives, distinguishing between different concepts or principles, or evaluating the types of
evidence each author presents or the logic of the authors' respective arguments.
Question 15
15. Which of the following developments caused the greatest increase in the incidence of disease in
the earliest human communities?
- the diffusion of metalworking and other technologies
- the domestication of animals
- the increase of contact with other human groups
- the storing of grain and other foods
Answer to question 15
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0005) According to biologists
and medical researchers, animals were the original source of about 80 percent of all human diseases.
When animals were first domesticated, therefore, and brought into close contact with people, they contributed
to an increase in the incidence of disease in early human communities.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0005) According to biologists and medical researchers,
animals were the original source of about 80 percent of all human diseases. When animals were first
domesticated, therefore, and brought into close contact with people, they contributed to an increase
in the incidence of disease in early human communities.
Question 16
16. Which of the following responses best describes a major challenge faced by the founders of Sumerian
civilization?
- devising safeguards against flooding
- clearing dense forestlands
- improving the soil quality of agricultural lands
- establishing secure sources of drinking water
Answer to question 16
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0005) A major challenge facing
the founders of Sumerian civilization was how to devise ways of limiting the damage caused by the spring
and summer flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0005) A major challenge facing the founders of
Sumerian civilization was how to devise ways of limiting the damage caused by the spring and summer
flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Question 17
17. Ancient Greek civilization spread throughout the Mediterranean basin primarily by means of:
- military conquest.
- establishment of colonies.
- missionary activity.
- export of scientific advances.
Answer to question 17
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0005) In large part because
of its geographical circumstances, Ancient Greece was a maritime civilization. Population growth, political
crises, and the shortage of productive, arable land led to the establishment of numerous colonies throughout
the Mediterranean basin, as well as the Black Sea region. Colonization had the effect of spreading Greek
civilization, through the foundation of the colonies themselves as well as the maritime trade that they
encouraged.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0005) In large part because of its geographical
circumstances, Ancient Greece was a maritime civilization. Population growth, political crises, and
the shortage of productive, arable land led to the establishment of numerous colonies throughout the
Mediterranean basin, as well as the Black Sea region. Colonization had the effect of spreading Greek
civilization, through the foundation of the colonies themselves as well as the maritime trade that they
encouraged.
Question 18
18. Between 1000 and 1500 CE, the spread of Islam most influenced cultural development in which of the
following regions of Sub-Saharan Africa?
- the Swahili city-states on the east African coast
- the southern African kingdom of Great Zimbabwe
- the west central African kingdom of Kongo
- the Yoruba city-state in southwestern Nigeria
Answer to question 18
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0006) The Arab merchants
who established trading posts and settled along the east African coast as early as the seventh century
CE not only introduced Islam to the region but influenced the development of Swahili, a language that
combines Bantu grammar and numerous Arabic words.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0006) The Arab merchants who established trading
posts and settled along the east African coast as early as the seventh century CE not only introduced
Islam to the region but influenced the development of Swahili, a language that combines Bantu grammar
and numerous Arabic words.
Question 19
19. The manorial system in Europe during the Middle Ages was most clearly the result of the:
- mutual set of obligations between medieval vassals and their lords.
- central role of the Roman Catholic Church in the social and political life of medieval Europe.
- chivalric code of conduct adopted by medieval warriors.
- localism resulting from the lack of effective central government in Europe.
Answer to question 19
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0006) The numerous self-sufficient
farm communities that formed the manorial system of medieval Europe reflected a world in which the general
absence of centralized authority meant that most people had to rely on local lords for protection and
security.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0006) The numerous self-sufficient farm communities
that formed the manorial system of medieval Europe reflected a world in which the general absence of
centralized authority meant that most people had to rely on local lords for protection and security.
Question 20
20. The Five Pillars of Islam can best be described as five:
- approved forms of social interaction among Islamic believers.
- doctrinal beliefs that form the basis of Muslim theology.
- essential duties that Muslims are required to perform as best they can.
- steps to be followed when preparing to read from the Quran.
Answer to question 20
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0006) The Five Pillars of
Islam define the major religious obligations of Muslims, which differ among Muslim groups. For example,
the Pillars of Islam for Sunni Muslims consist of accepting the statement of faith that Allah is the
sole god and Muhammad is his prophet, praying at least five times daily, giving money to the poor, fasting
during the holy month of Ramadan, and making at least one pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0006) The Five Pillars of Islam define the major
religious obligations of Muslims, which differ among Muslim groups. For example, the Pillars of Islam
for Sunni Muslims consist of accepting the statement of faith that Allah is the sole god and Muhammad
is his prophet, praying at least five times daily, giving money to the poor, fasting during the holy
month of Ramadan, and making at least one pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
Question 21
21. A significant motivation for the voyages of the Chinese explorer Zheng He during the Ming dynasty
was the desire to:
- prevent European powers from constructing naval bases in Southeast Asia.
- assert Chinese economic and cultural influence in the Indian Ocean basin.
- stimulate economic growth by securing access to markets and raw materials.
- develop a Chinese maritime empire through the founding of overseas colonies.
Answer to question 21
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0006) In contrast to European
overseas exploration and expansion, the voyages of Zheng He during the fifteenth century were motivated
in large part by the desire to establish Chinese authority in the Indian Ocean basin, particularly after
the period of Mongol domination under the Yuan dynasty weakened Chinese diplomatic prestige. The voyages
solidified trading relationships and secured the acknowledgment of Chinese hegemony by local rulers
throughout the region.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0006) In contrast to European overseas exploration
and expansion, the voyages of Zheng He during the fifteenth century were motivated in large part by
the desire to establish Chinese authority in the Indian Ocean basin, particularly after the period of
Mongol domination under the Yuan dynasty weakened Chinese diplomatic prestige. The voyages solidified
trading relationships and secured the acknowledgment of Chinese hegemony by local rulers throughout
the region.
Question 22
22. Which of the following events occurred after Queen Elizabeth's 45-year reign as ruler of England?
- Protestant reformers condemned the sale of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church.
- Renaissance artists created realistic representations of the human body.
- Enlightenment philosophers challenged prevailing views about society and government.
- Explorers established the first European colonies in Central and South America.
Answer to question 22
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0007) The eventful reign
of England's Queen Elizabeth I ended with her death in 1603. While the chronology of the European Enlightenment
remains a subject of debate, few historians place its origins earlier than the publication of René
Descartes's Discourse on the Method (1637).
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0007) The eventful reign of England's Queen Elizabeth
I ended with her death in 1603. While the chronology of the European Enlightenment remains a subject
of debate, few historians place its origins earlier than the publication of René Descartes's
Discourse on the Method (1637).
Question 23
23. Which of the following factors was the main cause of the substantial decline in the indigenous population
of the Americas during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?
- European imposition of forced labor on American Indians
- armed conflict between American Indians and European colonizers
- exposure of American Indians to European diseases
- European disruption of American Indians' subsistence practices
Answer to question 23
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0007) Although forced labor
and conquest caused the deaths of many indigenous peoples, the introduction of diseases such as smallpox,
measles, and flu took a much greater toll on American Indians, whose isolation had prevented them from
building up immunity to these illnesses.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0007) Although forced labor and conquest caused
the deaths of many indigenous peoples, the introduction of diseases such as smallpox, measles, and flu
took a much greater toll on American Indians, whose isolation had prevented them from building up immunity
to these illnesses.
Question 24
24. Which of the following features of the French Revolution best illustrates how that upheaval differed
from the American Revolution?
- the complaints of the French nobility that precipitated the calling of the Estates-General
- the principles stated in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
- the activities of the Committee of Public Safety during the Reign of Terror
- the relationship between King Louis XVI and the revolutionaries
Answer to question 24
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0007) During the Reign of
Terror, the Committee of Public Safety arrested, tried, and executed at least 20,000 people for actions
or statements considered hostile to the republic. Although some loyalists to the British crown were
physically attacked or had their property seized by colonial patriots in North America, nothing comparable
to the organized persecution that took place in France occurred during the American Revolution.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0007) During the Reign of Terror, the Committee
of Public Safety arrested, tried, and executed at least 20,000 people for actions or statements considered
hostile to the republic. Although some loyalists to the British crown were physically attacked or had
their property seized by colonial patriots in North America, nothing comparable to the organized persecution
that took place in France occurred during the American Revolution.
Question 25
25. Which of the following best describes a major source of economic instability in both western Europe
and the United States during the 1920s?
- chronic overproduction by farmers
- prohibitively high interest rates on consumer loans
- declining industrial productivity
- excessive deficit spending by national governments
Answer to question 25
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0008) During the 1920s, chronic
overproduction by farmers kept agricultural prices very low and hindered the ability of farmers to participate
as consumers in the manufacturing economy. The continuing problem of lower agricultural prices was a
legacy of World War I, when American farmers greatly increased their production to compensate for the
decline in European agricultural productivity, and was a principal factor in causing the Great Depression.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0008) During the 1920s, chronic overproduction
by farmers kept agricultural prices very low and hindered the ability of farmers to participate as consumers
in the manufacturing economy. The continuing problem of lower agricultural prices was a legacy of World
War I, when American farmers greatly increased their production to compensate for the decline in European
agricultural productivity, and was a principal factor in causing the Great Depression.
Question 26
26. Which of the following responses best describes a major consequence of the Scientific Revolution
of the early twentieth century?
- Advances in the natural sciences enabled biologists to develop a comprehensive system for classifying
plants and animals.
- Advances in chemistry made possible the production of synthetic fibers and other materials.
- Advances in physics undermined the belief that all parts of the universe worked according to the same
mathematical laws.
- Advances in astronomy challenged long-standing beliefs about Earth's place in the solar system.
Answer to question 26
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0008) Albert Einstein's "special
theory of relativity" revolutionized the study of physics by demonstrating that objects traveling at
speeds approaching the speed of light formed an exception to Isaac Newton's long-accepted theory that
all objects in the universe conformed to the same strict mathematical laws of motion.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0008) Albert Einstein's "special theory of relativity"
revolutionized the study of physics by demonstrating that objects traveling at speeds approaching the
speed of light formed an exception to Isaac Newton's long-accepted theory that all objects in the universe
conformed to the same strict mathematical laws of motion.
Question 27
27. Which of the following developments most influenced the series of events that resulted in the rise
of fascism in Germany and Japan between World Wars I and II?
- the initiatives of the League of Nations
- the development of new weapons systems
- the consolidation of the Soviet Union
- the global economic collapse of the 1930s
Answer to question 27
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0008) By severely weakening
popular support for the Weimar Republic, the global economic collapse of the 1920s and 1930s contributed
to the triumph of Nazism in Germany. The Great Depression also influenced the rise of fascism in Japan
by creating economic problems that Japanese militarists took advantage of to secure power and justify
their expansionist schemes.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0008) By severely weakening popular support for
the Weimar Republic, the global economic collapse of the 1920s and 1930s contributed to the triumph
of Nazism in Germany. The Great Depression also influenced the rise of fascism in Japan by creating
economic problems that Japanese militarists took advantage of to secure power and justify their expansionist
schemes.
Question 28
28. The organization of Minnesota's Ojibwe nation during the eighteenth century can best be described
as a:
- confederacy of chiefdoms governed by a council of elders.
- chain of overlapping regional groups linked together by kinship ties.
- scattering of independent bands that had little contact with each other.
- unified group of clans living together in major population centers.
Answer to question 28
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0009) As increasing numbers
of Ojibwe moved west across the northern Great Plains from their Lake Superior base in response to European
settlement, they created as many as 15 interconnected regional bands that shared major elements of the
same culture and remained linked together by extended family and ancestral relationships.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0009) As increasing numbers of Ojibwe moved west
across the northern Great Plains from their Lake Superior base in response to European settlement, they
created as many as 15 interconnected regional bands that shared major elements of the same culture and
remained linked together by extended family and ancestral relationships.
Question 29
29. Economic relations between French Canadians and American Indians during the seventeenth century
centered on:
- cooperative efforts to clear and cultivate agricultural lands.
- the exchange of fish for European livestock.
- cooperative efforts to cut timber for sale in international markets.
- the exchange of furs for European manufactured goods.
Answer to question 29
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0009) French economic initiatives
in Canada centered on the fur trade, which required close cooperation with American Indian peoples,
who exchanged the furs they gathered for European manufactured goods.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0009) French economic initiatives in Canada centered
on the fur trade, which required close cooperation with American Indian peoples, who exchanged the furs
they gathered for European manufactured goods.
Question 30
30. Which of the following statements most accurately describes the economic relationship between Great
Britain and the North American colonies between 1650 and 1750?
- The colonies were major consumers of British wheat and barley.
- Great Britain supplied coal and iron to developing colonial industries.
- The colonies served as markets for British manufactured goods.
- Great Britain provided steady migration to bolster the colonial labor supply.
Answer to question 30
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0009) The principal role
of the North American colonies in trade with Great Britain was the consumption of British manufactured
goods. This economic relationship was a contributing factor to the development of early British industrialization
during the eighteenth century.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0009) The principal role of the North American
colonies in trade with Great Britain was the consumption of British manufactured goods. This economic
relationship was a contributing factor to the development of early British industrialization during
the eighteenth century.
Question 31
31. As chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Marshall is best remembered for his defense of
which of the following provisions of the U.S. Constitution?
- "The United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union a republican form of government, and
shall protect each of them against invasion."
- "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 citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several
states."
- "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Answer to question 31
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0010) John Marshall was an
ardent nationalist who as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court consistently affirmed the supremacy
of federal law over state law, often drawing on the constitutional provision quoted in response B to
justify his rulings.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0010) John Marshall was an ardent nationalist who
as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court consistently affirmed the supremacy of federal law over state
law, often drawing on the constitutional provision quoted in response B to justify his rulings.
Question 32
32. Which of the following responses best describes an important consequence of Abraham Lincoln's issuance
of the Emancipation Proclamation?
- It incited slave rebellions in many parts of the South.
- It solidified Northern support for the Union cause.
- It undermined the morale of Confederate troops.
- It made the abolition of slavery a Union war aim.
Answer to question 32
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0010) The primary federal
aim during the first two years of the Civil War was to restore the Union. With Lincoln's issuance in
January 1863 of the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves in states still in rebellion,
abolishing slavery also became a major Union objective.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0010) The primary federal aim during the first
two years of the Civil War was to restore the Union. With Lincoln's issuance in January 1863 of the
Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves in states still in rebellion, abolishing slavery also
became a major Union objective.
Question 33
33. The articulation of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823 was motivated primarily by U.S. concerns regarding:
- the threat represented by the successful slave rebellion in Haiti.
- the possibility of Spanish and French intervention in Central and South America.
- attempts by Great Britain and France to curtail U.S. foreign trade.
- conflict with Great Britain over the disputed territory on the U.S.-Canadian border.
Answer to question 33
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0010) President James Monroe's
assertion of U.S. diplomatic interests in the Western Hemisphere represented an attempt to end European
interference in the region. The possibility of Spanish and French efforts to re-establish colonial authority
in the newly independent Latin American nations was perceived as a threat to the United States' regional
interests and goals.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0010) President James Monroe's assertion of U.S.
diplomatic interests in the Western Hemisphere represented an attempt to end European interference in
the region. The possibility of Spanish and French efforts to re-establish colonial authority in the
newly independent Latin American nations was perceived as a threat to the United States' regional interests
and goals.
Question 34
34. Which of the following best describes the strategy of vertical integration that Andrew Carnegie
adopted during the late nineteenth century?
- collaborating with competitors to form corporate trusts and cartels that controlled the price of steel
in all major markets
- marketing steel products directly to consumers through newspaper and magazine advertisements
- forming company unions to block organization of the workforce by the American Federation of Labor
- establishing control over all aspects of the production process from the extraction of raw materials
to the distribution of finished steel
Answer to question 34
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: D. (Objective 0011) The strategy of vertical
integration, an effort to connect the stages of production under control of one company, was pioneered
by Andrew Carnegie during the late nineteenth century. The Carnegie Steel Company controlled not only
the manufacturing of steel but also the extraction of raw materials and the transportation of those
materials to mills.
Correct Response: D. (Objective 0011) The strategy of vertical integration, an
effort to connect the stages of production under control of one company, was pioneered by Andrew Carnegie
during the late nineteenth century. The Carnegie Steel Company controlled not only the manufacturing
of steel but also the extraction of raw materials and the transportation of those materials to mills.
Question 35
35. In his efforts to promote African American progress, W. E. B. Du Bois differed most from Booker
T. Washington in the emphasis that he placed on the:
- formation of organizations that would openly confront racial segregation and discrimination.
- establishment of independent African American businesses.
- development of close ties with political leaders sympathetic to African American aims.
- creation of industrial schools that provided industrial training.
Answer to question 35
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0011) Unlike Booker T. Washington,
who adopted an accommodationist stance in his public dealings with white authorities, W. E. B. Du Bois
urged African Americans to establish organizations that would openly contest racial discrimination.
He played a leading role in the Niagara Movement, the first black civil rights organization, and was
a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where as
editor of The Crisis, he frequently gave forceful expression to his views on race relations.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0011) Unlike Booker T. Washington, who adopted
an accommodationist stance in his public dealings with white authorities, W. E. B. Du Bois urged African
Americans to establish organizations that would openly contest racial discrimination. He played a leading
role in the Niagara Movement, the first black civil rights organization, and was a founding member of
the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where as editor of The Crisis,
he frequently gave forceful expression to his views on race relations.
Question 36
36. Which of the following responses best describes an important feature of the U.S. economy during
the 1920s?
- Increased consumption of consumer goods provided the basis for economic expansion.
- Organized labor created a consolidated industrial union that gained workers higher wages and greater
benefits.
- Increased demand and shortages of basic commodities caused high levels of inflation.
- Government enforcement of antitrust laws encouraged the establishment of large numbers of small enterprises.
Answer to question 36
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0011) Although consumerism
had been part of the U.S. economy since the industrial revolution, it became a much more marked and
integral feature of U.S. economic life during the 1920s, encompassing nearly all social groups and geographic
areas. In the critical area of automobile sales, for example, the number of motor vehicles on U.S. roads
more than tripled from 7 million to 23 million between 1919 and 1929.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0011) Although consumerism had been part of the
U.S. economy since the industrial revolution, it became a much more marked and integral feature of U.S.
economic life during the 1920s, encompassing nearly all social groups and geographic areas. In the critical
area of automobile sales, for example, the number of motor vehicles on U.S. roads more than tripled
from 7 million to 23 million between 1919 and 1929.
Question 37
37. Which of the following responses best describes a major consequence of eastern and southern European
immigration to the United States during the late nineteenth century?
- The proportion of Jews and Roman Catholics in the total population increased significantly.
- The proportion of farmers and agricultural laborers in the labor force increased markedly.
- Per capita income became more evenly distributed throughout geographic regions.
- Southern and western cities outpaced eastern urban centers in terms of population growth.
Answer to question 37
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: A. (Objective 0011) One major consequence
of eastern and southern European immigration was the transformation of the United States from a largely
Protestant society into a nation of Protestants, Catholics, and Jews. By 1920, New York City had one
of the world's largest Jewish populations, and Catholics were nearly a majority of the population in
many urban centers of the Northeast and Midwest.
Correct Response: A. (Objective 0011) One major consequence of eastern and southern
European immigration was the transformation of the United States from a largely Protestant society into
a nation of Protestants, Catholics, and Jews. By 1920, New York City had one of the world's largest
Jewish populations, and Catholics were nearly a majority of the population in many urban centers of
the Northeast and Midwest.
Question 38
38. Which of the following responses best describes a shared characteristic of the women's liberation,
Black Power, Chicano, American Indian, and Asian American movements of the 1960s?
- an insistence on educational reform
- a commitment to a politics of identity
- a demand for constitutional reform
- a reliance on state and federal courts
Answer to question 38
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0012) The women's studies
programs established by proponents of women's liberation, the efforts of advocates of Black Power to
promote pride in African American culture, and the actions of Chicano, American Indian, and Asian American
activists to achieve cultural self-determination are all examples of ways in which the politics of identity—the
idea that one's identity as a member of a particular social, racial, ethnic, or gender group is in itself
a defining political context—informed the activities of these movements during the 1960s.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0012) The women's studies programs established
by proponents of women's liberation, the efforts of advocates of Black Power to promote pride in African
American culture, and the actions of Chicano, American Indian, and Asian American activists to achieve
cultural self-determination are all examples of ways in which the politics of identity—the idea
that one's identity as a member of a particular social, racial, ethnic, or gender group is in itself
a defining political context—informed the activities of these movements during the 1960s.
Question 39
39. Which of the following responses best describes a major consequence of the shift from a manufacturing
to a service economy in the United States during the last quarter of the twentieth century?
- Real wages increased.
- Membership in private sector labor unions declined.
- Employment-related population movement increased.
- Worker productivity declined.
Answer to question 39
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: B. (Objective 0012) Since the great organizing
drives of the 1930s, basic industries such as automobiles, steel, and rubber had been a major bulwark
of union strength. The decline of these economic sectors during the last quarter of the twentieth century
caused a significant drop in private sector labor union membership.
Correct Response: B. (Objective 0012) Since the great organizing drives of the
1930s, basic industries such as automobiles, steel, and rubber had been a major bulwark of union strength.
The decline of these economic sectors during the last quarter of the twentieth century caused a significant
drop in private sector labor union membership.
Question 40
40. Which of the following developments most clearly reflects the influence of the "domino theory" on
U.S. foreign policy during the second half of the twentieth century?
- the construction of U.S. military bases in Western Europe
- U.S. economic aid to assist newly independent African nations
- the buildup of U.S. military forces in Southeast Asia
- U.S. sponsorship of democratic elections in Latin America
Answer to question 40
- Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
- Correct Response: C. (Objective 0012) Proponents of the "domino
theory" believed that if a nation suffered a Communist takeover, its neighbors would soon fall like
dominoes to Communism. The theory originated with U.S. policy in Southeast Asia, specifically in articulating
the need for U.S. aid to a tottering regime in South Vietnam.
Correct Response: C. (Objective 0012) Proponents of the "domino theory" believed
that if a nation suffered a Communist takeover, its neighbors would soon fall like dominoes to Communism.
The theory originated with U.S. policy in Southeast Asia, specifically in articulating the need for
U.S. aid to a tottering regime in South Vietnam.