Representative Viewpoints in U.S. Political History from 1899 to the Present - SAT Subject Test in United States History

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Question

Which of the following reasons were given for President Truman's decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan?

Answer

The media and President Truman's staff presented a united face behind the decision to drop the atomic bombs, announcing that the cultural climate in Japan would not allow the Japanese to surrender until every American and Japanese soldier had died; therefore, dropping the bomb would allow the American soldiers to return home.

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Question

What were the primary objectives of Richard Nixon’s “New Federalism”?

Answer

The term “New Federalism” refers to a policy of increasing the power of the States, at the expense of Federal authority. Nixon used the term to include an additional reduction in programs providing for social-welfare. By 1971 approximately two-thirds of Americans disapproved of the ongoing war in Vietnam. Nixon was aware that in order to win the election of 1972, he had to bring the troops home, which he did; however, this decision does not fit under the umbrella of “New Federalism." Nixon also encouraged more familiar relations with the USSR, in an attempt to discourage armament, a move thatalso opened relations with China.

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Question

Blue laws are .

Answer

Blue laws are a type of law designed to ensure the observance of some religious code of morality. Typically in American history they have been used to ensure the observance of a religious holiday or feast day, or to ensure that minority religious groups do not break with Christian law. Today, most (but not all) Blue laws have been rendered illegal, unconstitutional, or both; many Blue laws persist in the form of alcohol prohibition, however.

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Question

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

The above quote could most reasonably be attributed to __________.

Answer

The above quote comes from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first inauguration speech, after he defeated the incumbent Republican, Herbert Hoover, in the election of 1932. At the time the United States was firmly mired in the worst of the Great Depression, and the country was in desperate need of a man with Roosevelt’s leadership qualities. In this quote, Roosevelt asserts that the country must not fear change, because change is all that could drive the country forward.

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Question

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

To which political and social reformer could the above quote most reasonable be attributed?

Answer

The above quote was spoken by Martin Luther King Jr, in an address to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1967. The speech was titled Where do we go from here? It was something of a call to arms (as was much of what King said and did). He called on people to start correcting the racial injustices that had existed in the United States throughout its history—before the injustices started to correct themselves—in a less peaceful manner.

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Question

“I’m the ultimately responsible person in this organization. Other people can pass the buck to me, but I can’t pass the buck to anyone else.”

To which United States President does the above quote belong?

Answer

The above quote is credited to President Harry S. Truman. He famously kept a note on his desk that read “The buck stops here.” It was Truman’s view that in politics, responsibility is generally passed upwards in order to transfer responsibility in the event of failure.

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Question

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.”

The above quote could most reasonably be attributed to which United States President?

Answer

The above quote reflects the political and economic views of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was President during the Great Depression, and during his thirteen years as President he did a great deal to expand welfare, social security, and healthcare, as well as helping to reduce the massive financial gap between the wealthy and the poor.

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Question

The American President impeached by the House of Representative for lying to congress in 1998 was __________.

Answer

President Bill Clinton was revealed to have had an affair with a White House Intern, Monica Lewinsky, in 1998. Initially, Clinton attempted to deny the affair, but evidence was provided to make it clear he had the affair. Thanks to his denial in front of Congress, a Republican led House brought impeachment charges. Clinton was acquitted by the Senate, and remained President.

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Question

What was the name of the document written by Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey that detailed policy perspectives and promises by House Republicans in advance of the 1994 midterm elections?

Answer

The document detailing House Republican policies and promises was titled the "Contract with America." Proposed bills in the document included the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the National Security Restoration Act. The Pledge to America was a similar document drafted by House Republicans in advance of the 2010 midterm elections.

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Question

Which of the following was a major argument advanced by groups opposed to the Equal Rights Amendment?

Answer

The Equal Rights Amendment stated simply that "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." First introduced in 1923, the Amendment finally gained momentum in the early 1970s, being ratified by 35 of the 38 states needed to make it official; however, a group of conservative women led by Phyllis Schlafly began a campaign against the ERA, which largely centered on the argument that the Amendment would enforce new strictures that would eliminate the traditional role of women and reshape society to a deleterious effect. The ERA was never ratified.

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Question

Leaders of the women's suffrage movement Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony opposed a Constitutional amendment. Which amendment did they oppose, and why did they oppose its passage?

Answer

Stanton and Anthony opposed the Reconstruction Amendments, particularly the Fifteenth Amendment, because it did not grant voting rights to women. This led to a schism in the suffrage movement among activists who felt that granting the vote to emancipated African Americans should take priority, and those such as Stanton and Anthony who felt it was unfair.

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