Chapter Thirty Two: Into the Twenty-First Century, 1989-2010

Practice Quiz:

1. The first crisis of the post-Cold War era occurred when
a. the United States invaded Iraq
b. al Qaeda attacked New York City
c. Iraq invaded Kuwait
d. the East German government collapsed

2. The only significant piece of social legislation enacted during the administration of George H. W. Bush (1989-1993) was the
a. National Health Insurance Act.
b. Social Security Privatization Act.
c. Americans with Disabilities Act.
d. Contract with America.

3. Who was responsible for the liberation of Eastern Europe from repressive governments?
a. Mikhail Gorbachev
b. George H. W. Bush
c. Ronald Reagan
d. Boris Yeltsin

4. By the year 2000, people living in American urban centers
a. had more education than people in rural areas
b. made less money than people in rural areas
c. enjoyed a lower crime rate than people in rural areas
d. had a lower cost of living than people in rural areas

5. By 2002, ________ had become the nation’s largest ethnic minority in the United States.
a. African Americans
b. Asian Americans
c. Hispanics
d. Pacific Islanders

6. How did life improve for African Americans over the last few decades of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first century?
a. Homicide was no longer the leading cause of death among young black males
b. The average educational level of African Americans increased
c. The incarceration level of African Americans dropped below the national average
d. The poverty rate among African Americans dropped below the national average

7. What is NAFTA?
a. The first lending institution to need a government bailout in 2008
b. The most common weapon of mass destruction found in Iraq
c. An arms treaty between the United States and Russia
d. A free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada

8. How did the Democratic Party change its tactics in the early 1990s and regain the White House?
a. It became more liberal in order to differentiate itself from the Independent Party.
b. It became more moderate and began tailoring programs to the middle class.
c. It strengthened its focus on the importance of big government.
d. It abandoned the traditional Democratic goals such as healthcare reform.

9. In 1998, the House of Representatives brought impeachment charges against president Clinton because he
a. violated U.S. and international law by authorizing the torture of thousands of captives
b. used “signing statements” to defy hundreds of laws passed by Congress
c. ordered widespread wiretapping of the phone calls and emails of Americans without warrant
d. lied about his extramarital affair before a grand jury

10. The outcome of the 2000 presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore was
a. finally decided by the Supreme Court
b. in question because of voter irregularities in New York state
c. a landslide victory for Bush
d. never in doubt

11. What was President George W. Bush’s first order of business after being elected president in 2000?
a. Mandating state testing to evaluate student performance in reading and math.
b. Providing relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
c. A large tax cut
d. Preventing a planned terrorist attack by al Qaeda

12. How did the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States change American foreign policy?
a. The United States considered returning to an isolationist foreign policy.
b. The United States considered returning to a containment foreign policy.
c. The United States took on the role of global police officer.
d. The United States realized that involvement in international affairs was a mistake.

13. What did the Bush administration insist Iraq was hiding in 2002?
a. harbored terrorists
b. weapons of mass destruction
c. missing American diplomats
d. unannounced oil reserves.

14. How did the dismal economy affect the 2008 presidential race?
a. It helped Obama gain ground during the campaign.
b. It did not have any effect on the 2008 presidential election.
c. It decreased both Obama and McCain’s popularity.
d. It caused resentment against the Democratic Party.

15. What did the Obama administration accomplish that Democratic presidents since Harry Truman had wanted to achieve?
a. Tax increases to alleviate the national deficit
b. A balanced federal budget
c. A comprehensive medical insurance program for all Americans
d. Tax cuts for wealthy Americans

16. What issue made science education controversial in the early twenty-first century?
a. Demands to teach intelligent design instead of evolution
b. Protests against university genetics programs that researched eugenics
c. Protests against psychology classes teaching that homosexuality was a mental illness
d. Demands to bring global warming into the science curriculum.

17. How was the age of the American population related to the economy?
a. Health care costs rose alarmingly as the American population aged.
b. As the baby boom generation aged, the load on Social Security decreased.
c. As the baby boom generation aged, their children volunteered to pay more taxes to support them.
d. The number of elderly people in America was declining, so there was little effect on the national economy as the American population aged.