Humanities Homework Help

1. 1. In the 1920s, the writings of the authors of the “Lost Generation,” such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, centered on what theme?
2. A.civil rights inequalities

1. B.hardships of poverty

1. C.patriotic heroism

1. D.postwar disillusionment

1. 2. In 1993, why did many labor unions oppose the United States’ participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?

1. A.They feared many Americans would lose their jobs to cheaper overseas labor.

1. B.They believed it would increase immigration to the United States.

1. C.They were concerned it would not be effective unless more countries were involved.

1. D.They feared it would lead to stricter government regulations on working conditions and pay.

1. 3. This is an excerpt from a speech given by President Woodrow Wilson to Congress in 1917.

Vessels of every kind, whatever their flag, their character, their cargo, their destination, their errand, have been ruthlessly sent to the bottom without warning and without thought of help or mercy for those on board, the vessels of friendly neutrals along with those of belligerents.

In this excerpt, Wilson was explaining which reason for the United States’ involvement in World War I?

1. A.discovery of the Zimmermann Telegram

1. B.sinking of merchant ships by Austria-Hungary

1. C.start of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia

1. D.use of submarine warfare by Germany

4.How did yellow journalism contribute to the start of the Spanish-American War?

1. A.It swayed public opinion in favor of the war by sensationalizing news stories.

1. B.It provided accurate information to the government about Spain’s actions in Cuba.

1. C.It was used to pass coded messages between Cuban and American military leaders.

1. D.It discouraged government officials from acting too quickly in regard to the war.Page Break
2. 5. What do William Faulkner, Zora Neale Hurston, and John Steinbeck have in common?

1. A.They were all authors who wrote fictional stories to entertain and uplift people during the Great Depression.

1. B.They were all authors who addressed themes related to the hardships of real life in America.

1. C.They were all authors who addressed themes of racism and discrimination as part of the Harlem Renaissance.

1. D.They were all authors who wrote satirical novels aimed at criticizing conformity in America.

7 This is an excerpt from a Supreme Court decision in 1944. 

To cast this case into outlines of racial prejudice, without reference to the real military dangers which were presented, merely confuses the issue. Korematsu was not excluded from the military area because of hostility to him or his race. He was excluded because we are at war with the Japanese Empire, because the properly constituted military authorities feared an invasion of our West Coast and felt constrained to take proper security measures, because they decided that the military urgency of the situation demanded that all citizens of Japanese ancestry be segregated from the West Coast temporarily, and, finally, because Congress, reposing its confidence in this time of war in our military leaders—as inevitably it must—determined that they should have the power to do just this.

What was the main outcome of this case? 

1. A.It required “separate but equal” public facilities.

1. B.It limited the power of the executive branch.

1. C.It allowed for limitations on civil liberties during times of national emergencies.

1. D.It prioritized the civil liberties of minority groups over national security.

13. How was President Woodrow Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy different from the foreign policies of Presidents Roosevelt and Taft?

1. A.Wilson ended the United States’ intervention in Latin America.

1. B.Wilson relied on the economic power of the United States to exert influence in Latin America.

1. C.Wilson used military force to promote the interests of the United States.

1. D.Wilson offered support to Latin American nations that were willing to adopt democratic principles.

17. This is an excerpt from a law enacted in 1940.

It shall be the duty of every male citizen of the United States, and of every other male person residing in the United States, who…is between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five to present himself for and submit to registration at some time or times and place or places…as shall be determined by rules and regulations prescribed hereunder.

What was the purpose of this law?

1. A.to prepare to increase the size of the military

1. B.to determine who could afford to buy war bonds

1. C.to distribute individual rationing guidelines

1. D.to assign war jobs to qualified individuals

18. What factor made it possible for railroads to expand rapidly in the late 1800s?

1. A.The federal government gave free land to railroad companies.

1. B.The federal government set maximum rates for railroad companies.

1. C.Congress passed laws regulating the construction of railroad lines.

1. D.Congress passed laws preventing railroad workers from unionizing.

22. Why was General Dwight D. Eisenhower a significant leader during World War II?

1. A.He negotiated the surrender of the Japanese in the Pacific Theater.

1. B.He made the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

1. C.He rescued soldiers from the Bataan Death March and liberated the Philippines.

1. D.He served as the supreme commander of the Allied forces on D-Day.

23. This is an excerpt from Executive Order 9981 issued by President Harry Truman in 1948.

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.

Which impacts did this executive order have on the United States?

Select two that apply.

1. A.It allowed the United States to send aid to help war-torn nations in Europe.

1. B.It outlined the policy of containment of communism.

1. C.It desegregated the armed forces.

1. D.It gave diplomatic recognition to the nation of Israel.

1. E.It helped spark the Civil Rights Movement.

24. Why was the Affordable Care Act of 2010 controversial?

1. A.It forced Americans to switch to a government-run health insurance plan.

1. B.It required Americans to have health insurance or face a financial penalty.

1. C.It required health insurance companies to cover 100 percent of all medical expenses.

1. D.It allowed health insurance companies to deny coverage for preexisting conditions.

26. This chart lists several actions taken by the United States during the Cold War.

• Berlin Airlift
• Marshall Plan
• Korean War

These actions were implemented to support what policy?

1. A.brinkmanship

1. B.containment

1. C.imperialism

1. D.neutrality

27. This is an excerpt from a document published by the Library of Congress. 

Sadly, life in California was not as idyllic as had been hoped. Many migrants gave up farming when they discovered that a good portion of California farmlands were owned by large, corporate farms that cultivated different crops and were far more modernized than the smaller farms of the Great Plains. There were often fewer jobs available than had been advertised, and desperate workers weren’t in a position to refuse the poor pay and living conditions offered by the corporate farms.… Roadside camps proliferated, feeding resistance to migrant workers that came from many local citizens. Groups of vigilantes beat up migrants and burned their shacks to the ground. The local law enforcement officers were often hostile as well.

Based on this excerpt, this document is about what event in American history?

1. A.Dust Bowl

1. B.Great Migration

1. C.Niagara Movement

1. D.Pullman Strike

28. In the late 1800s, the United States’ annexation of Hawaii and acquisition of the Philippines shared which goal?

1. A.providing ports and fueling stations for American ships in the Pacific

1. B.acquiring land to build an isthmus canal

1. C.returning to a policy of isolationism and self-reliance

1. D.limiting European influence in Latin America

29. This is an excerpt from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first inaugural address given March 4, 1933.

In the event that Congress shall fail to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis—broad executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.

This excerpt reflects what long-term political impact of the Great Depression?

1. A.Federal power over the economy expanded.

1. B.The president gained the power to veto laws.

1. C.Congress gained the power to declare war without physical fighting.

1. D.Social programs became the responsibilities of state governments.

30. How was the United States impacted by the Watergate scandal during the administration of President Richard Nixon?

1. A.Public trust in the government declined.

1. B.The Constitution was amended to limit the number of terms a president could serve.
2. C.Congress gained the power to impeach a president for breaking the law.

1. D.The power of the executive branch expanded.

31. This is an excerpt from the ruling in a Supreme Court case that was decided in 1896. 

The statute of Louisiana requiring railway companies carrying passengers…to provide equal, but separate, accommodations for the white and colored races…[is] not in conflict with the provisions either of the Thirteenth Amendment or the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

This excerpt is from the ruling in which Supreme Court case?

1. A.Lochner v. New York

1. B.Plessy v. Ferguson

1. C.Swift and Co. v. United States

1. D.United States v. E.C. Knight

32. This is an excerpt from the ruling in a Supreme Court case that was decided in 1896. 

The statute of Louisiana requiring railway companies carrying passengers…to provide equal, but separate, accommodations for the white and colored races…[is] not in conflict with the provisions either of the Thirteenth Amendment or the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

What immediate impact did this ruling have on the United States?

1. A.Railroad usage declined, especially in western states.

1. B.The majority of states passed laws outlawing segregation.

1. C.Discriminatory practices increased, especially in southern states.

1. D.Railroad workers went on strike to protest the decision.

38. This is an excerpt from the “I Have a Dream” speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: in the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

Dr. King’s message in this excerpt reinforces which strategy that he promoted for achieving social justice?

1. A.aggressive resistance

1. B.forceful intervention

1. C.militant enforcement

1. D.nonviolent protests

39. The actions of the Populist Party in the 1800s and early 1900s had what influence on the federal government?

1. A.They led the government to take over ownership of industries that operated for the public good.

1. B.They led the government to take a greater role in addressing economic disparities in the country.

1. C.They led the government to push for reforms to the immigration system.

1. D.They led the government to pass laws to desegregate political parties.

40. This is an excerpt from a law passed in 1963.

No employer…shall discriminate, within any establishment in which such employees are employed, between employees on the basis of sex by paying wages to employees in such establishment at a rate less than the rate at which he pays wages to employees of the opposite sex in such establishment for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions….

The need for this law was a reaction to what trend in the 1960s?

1. A.Antipoverty groups pushed for a federal minimum wage.

1. B.Birth rates in the nation rose significantly.

1. C.A high percentage of families moved to the suburbs.

1. D.More women entered the workforce.

41. This is an excerpt from an account of the Dust Bowl by Harley Holladay who was thirteen years old in 1935. 

For a long time it was total blackness inside…. I guess we had gotten used to it, because it had been that way for a long time. Our windows were taped up and the cracks in our walls were stuffed but nothing kept the dust out. Whenever we ate a meal we had to turn our plates and cups and glasses over until the exact time the meal was served. Even then, you could write your name in dust on your glass by the time the meal was done. Every night before we went to bed we scooped a little water into our noses and blew out the dirt. We put covers over our faces and a sheet over my little sister’s crib. Some people slept with masks on.

Based on this excerpt, what conclusion can be drawn about the impact of the Dust Bowl on families?

1. A.Dust storms strengthened the crop yield for farmers and led to years of surplus.

1. B.Daily living, including personal health and safety, was negatively impacted by dust storms.

1. C.Families were broken up during the dust storms with children being sent to safer living conditions.

1. D.Dust storms weakened the family unit with family members fending for themselves.

42. This is the first sentence of a law passed on October 24, 2001.

An act to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes.

What was the main reason this law was controversial?

1. A.It gave the federal government power to regulate the economy.

1. B.It established harsh punishments for individuals convicted of terrorism.C

1. C.It limited individual rights in order to protect national security.

1. D.It set up a new executive department devoted to stopping terrorism.

43. This is an excerpt from a speech given by President George H. W. Bush on January 16, 1991.

The United States, together with the United Nations, exhausted every means at our disposal to bring the crisis to a peaceful end. However, Saddam Hussein clearly felt that by stalling and threatening and defying the United Nations, he could weaken the forces arrayed against him.

President George H. W. Bush gave this speech to defend what action by the United States?

1. A.sending troops to Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban

1. B.taking military action against Iraq to liberate Kuwait

1. C.providing humanitarian aid to Bosnia

1. D.giving diplomatic recognition to Israel

45. How is the United Nations formed after World War II different from the League of Nations formed after World War I?

1. A.The United Nations has fewer member nations to make it easier to reach consensus.

1. B.The United Nations lacks the ability to intervene in a global humanitarian crisis.

1. C.The United Nations has more power to enforce its decisions and provide peacekeeping efforts.

1. D.The United Nations lacks the power to establish rules for wars and global conflicts.

47. This is an excerpt from a speech given by President Woodrow Wilson on April 2, 1917.

It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.

At the end of the war, Wilson’s Fourteen Points included what concept to address the reason for the war he outlined in this excerpt? 

1. A.authoritarianism

1. B.free trade

1. C.reparations

1. D.self-determination

48. This is an excerpt from a law passed in 1937.

Whenever the president shall find that there exists a state of war between, or among, two or more foreign states, the president shall proclaim such fact, and it shall thereafter be unlawful to export, or attempt to export, or cause to be exported, arms, ammunition, or implements of war from any place in the United States to any belligerent state named in such proclamation, or to any neutral state for transshipment to, or for the use of, any such belligerent state.

Why did the United States pass this law? 

1. A.to support the policy of appeasement in Europe

1. B.to encourage the manufacture and sale of war materials

1. C.to avoid getting involved in the growing conflict in Europe

1. D.to promote prosecution of war criminals

50. What contribution did James Meredith make to the Civil Rights Movement?

1. A.He was the first African American student to be accepted to the University of Mississippi.

1. B.He formed the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and was its first president.

1. C.He organized the Freedom Summer voter registration drive in Mississippi.

1. D.He pushed for radical change and was a founding member of the Black Panthers.

52. How did the Soviet Union respond to the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after World War II?

1. A.It established a blockade around the city of West Berlin.

1. B.It established its own alliance organization known as the Warsaw Pact.

1. C.It invaded South Korea and established a communist government.

1. D.It launchedSputnikto spy on the United States from space.

53. This is an excerpt from a letter written by Samuel Gompers in 1894.

What shall the workers do? Sit idly by and see the vast resources of nature and the human mind be utilized and monopolized for the benefit of the comparative few? No. The laborers must learn to think and act, and soon, too, that only by the power of organization, and common concert of action, can either their manhood be maintained, their rights to life (and the work to sustain it) be recognized, and liberty and rights secured.

Based on this excerpt, what did Samuel Gompers believe about labor unions?

1. A.Labor unions united workers in organization, action, and protection of their rights.

1. B.Labor unions ensured that the best technologies were available to help workers perform at high levels.

1. C.Labor unions allowed monopolies to boost the economy through efficient use of talent and resources.

1. D.Labor unions prevented idleness of workers by ensuring the right people were hired for jobs.

54. How were Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal and Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom similar?

1. A.They both promoted laissez-faire economic policies.

1. B.They both supported equal rights for minority groups.

1. C.They both strengthened federal regulations on big businesses.

1. D.They both discouraged the formation of labor unions.

55. The outcome of the Korean War was evidence of which situation?

1. A.The United States was able to eliminate communism from the Korean peninsula.

1. B.China was unwilling to use force to support the spread of communism.

1. C.Japan became the next target of the expansion of communism.

1. D.The United States contained communism on the Korean peninsula.

56. This is an excerpt from a foreign policy initiative announced in 1948.

Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. Its purpose should be the revival of a working economy in the world so as to permit the emergence of political and social conditions in which free institutions can exist.

How did this policy impact the United States’ relationship with the Soviet Union?

1. A.It deepened tensions by magnifying the distinctions between democratic and communist-controlled nations in Europe.

1. B.It lessened tensions since the United States made the aid available to all countries even if they were communist-controlled.

1. C.It deepened tensions by preventing aid to communist-controlled countries and angering the Soviet Union.

1. D.It lessened tensions since improving the economic situation in Europe helped communist-controlled countries.

57. In the late 1800s, rapid industrialization created what situations in the United States?

Select three that apply.

1. A.increased immigration

1. B.decline in the number of labor unions

1. C.increased wealth disparity

1. D.higher populations in rural areas

1. E.overcrowding in urban areas

59. This is an excerpt from a law passed in 1930.

There shall be levied, collected, and paid upon all articles when imported from any foreign country into the United States or into any of its possessions the rates of duty which are prescribed by the schedules and paragraphs of the dutiable list….

What impact did this law have on the global economy?

1. A.It encouraged profitable trade among nations.

1. B.It helped the global economy for a short period of time.

1. C.It worsened the global depression by reducing trade.

1. D.It encouraged more nations to industrialize.

60. How did the Open Door Policy impact the United States in the early 20th century?

1. A.It established the United States’ first colonies in Asia.

1. B.It helped expand trade between the United States and China.

1. C.It reduced immigration to the United States from Japan.

1. D.It gave the United States the power to intervene in the affairs of Latin America.