Deck 32: Shocks and Responses: 1992-Present

Question 1

The failed real estate development that led to an investigation of Bill and Hillary Clinton for illegal financial dealings was called

A) Brentwood.
B) Walnut Grove.
C) Blue Springs.
D) Whitewater.

Answer 1

Whitewater.

Question 2

Bill Clinton's response in the 1992 presidential campaign to allegations about a long-term extramarital affair with Gennifer Flowers

A) demonstrated his difficulty in connecting with average Americans.
B) was so ineffective that he was almost forced to withdraw from the nominating process.
C) was clear evidence of his ability to address the American people directly, but with very carefully chosen words.
D) revealed his forthright integrity and strong moral character.

Answer 2

was clear evidence of his ability to address the American people directly, but with very carefully chosen words.

Question 3

What Texas billionaire ran as an independent candidate for president in 1992, spending his own money to present a direct platform that combined both liberal and conservative planks?

A) T. Boone Pickens
B) Patrick Buchanan
C) Ross Perot
D) Lamar Alexander

Answer 3

Ross Perot

Question 4

Clinton used his executive authority to strengthen the Supreme Court majority that opposed the Reagan-Bush position on

A) abortion.
B) the death penalty.
C) federal financing of political campaigns.
D) affirmative action.

Question 5

In his first budget, President Clinton presented a controversial proposal to

A) increase Social Security taxes by 10 percent over two years.
B) reduce the federal deficit by raising taxes and reducing spending.
C) follow the model of "Reaganomics" by cutting taxes sharply.
D) cut the Pentagon's budget by 25 percent.

Question 6

Clinton's most important initiative in his first term was a failed attempt to reform the

A) welfare system.
B) military budget.
C) Social Security system.
D) health insurance system.

Question 7

Public pressure surrounding the Whitewater scandal forced the appointment of ________ as a special prosecutor.

A) Bernard Shaw
B) Janet Reno
C) Burt Lance
D) Kenneth W. Starr

Question 8

Campaigning on a "Contract with America," Georgia Representative ________ led the Republicans to victory in the congressional elections of 1994.

A) Newt Gingrich
B) Jeb Bush
C) Bob Barr
D) John McCain

Question 9

Despite his extensive experience as Senate majority leader, Kansas Republican ________ proved to be a poor campaigner as the Republican nominee for president in 1996.

A) Dan Quayle
B) Lamar Alexander
C) George W. Bush
D) Robert Dole

Question 10

President Clinton's attempt to hide his sexual encounters with White House intern ________ was a major factor in his impeachment and trial on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.

A) Linda Tripp
B) Paula Jones
C) Monica Lewinsky
D) Gennifer Flowers

Question 11

Although ________ was originally appointed as a special prosecutor to investigate the Whitewater scandal, he provided the evidence for accusing Clinton of sexual impropriety, perjury, and obstruction of justice.

A) Patrick Fitzgerald
B) Robert Bork
C) Lawrence Walsh
D) Kenneth W. Starr

Question 12

During the impeachment of President Clinton,

A) the vote to impeach him in the House was overwhelmingly bipartisan.
B) Chief Justice William Rehnquist threw out most of the charges against him.
C) Democratic senators successfully argued that his sexual indiscretions did not meet the Constitution's standard of "high crimes and misdemeanors."
D) Republican senators were not able to unite to convict him and remove him from office, even though they had enough votes to do so.

Question 13

Clinton's economic policies helped his political survival because the American economy

A) reduced its foreign trade deficit while increasing its exports.
B) grew steadily while avoiding unemployment, inflation, and recession.
C) concentrated on the emerging problems of global warming and the exhaustion of fossil fuels.
D) turned away from the globalization represented by the World Trade Organization and the proposed North America Free Trade Agreement.

Question 14

Despite considerable effort, President Clinton failed to negotiate peace between

A) Russia and the Ukraine.
B) Serbia and Bosnia.
C) Israel and the Palestinians.
D) Iran and Iraq.

Question 15

The main issue in the 2000 presidential campaign was,

A) "How deeply could the defense budget be cut with the end of the Cold War?"
B) "How should the United States deal with the threat of terrorism?"
C) "What should be done with enormous federal surpluses that were projected?"
D) "How can the United States help to bring peace to the Middle East?"

Question 16

Which of the following statements about the 2000 presidential election is most accurate?

A) The fate of disputed punch-card ballots in Florida determined the winner.
B) George W. Bush received a narrow majority of both popular and electoral votes.
C) The Supreme Court decided the winner after the Electoral College deadlocked.
D) Green party candidate Ralph Nader carried Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Oregon.

Question 17

After the fall of the Soviet Union, a major cause of increased terrorism was the conflict between

A) Muslims and Christians in poor nations.
B) religious fundamentalists of many faiths and modern secularism.
C) military dictators and advocates of democracy.
D) Israel and the Palestinians.

Question 18

In addition to the attack on the World Trade Center, the al-Qaeda terrorist network of Osama bin Laden was also linked to the

A) bombing of a Pan American airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland.
B) attack on the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro.
C) bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa.
D) destruction of a West German club frequented by American soldiers.

Question 19

Although the U.S. government had supplied them with money and weapons in the 1980s, ________ became the first target of George W. Bush's "war on terror" because he believed they were protecting Osama bin Laden.

A) Hezbollah in Lebanon
B) the Taliban in Afghanistan
C) the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Syria
D) Hamas in Palestine

Question 20

During the 2000 campaign, George W. Bush endorsed the Powell doctrine that American troops should

A) only be used in cooperation with the United Nations.
B) only be deployed when the military objective was absolutely clear, when they had an overwhelming military advantage, and when they could be disengaged safely.
C) be used anywhere they could be of assistance in nation building.
D) only be used in cooperation with NATO.

Question 21

Analyzing the events leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, President Bush

A) relied heavily upon information from United Nations inspectors.
B) followed his father's example of patiently building a large coalition among the other major world powers to help share the burden of the war.
C) refused to seek congressional support for war appropriations.
D) ignored the advice of Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Question 22

The Democratic candidate for president in 2004 was

A) John Kerry.
B) John Edwards.
C) Al Gore.
D) Howard Dean.

Question 23

In the 2004 election, George W. Bush

A) was essentially given the presidency by the Supreme Court.
B) prevailed in both the popular vote and in the Electoral College.
C) lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College.
D) won the presidency in a landslide.

Question 24

As compared to the 1980s, in 2009

A) crime had increased, along with addiction to drugs such as crack.
B) crime rates remained the same but incarceration rates increased.
C) urban crime declined, but incidents of shocking violence still rocked the nation.
D) tougher gun control laws led to a decrease in crime.

Question 25

In analyzing Hurricane Katrina, it is fair to say that

A) this was the worst natural disaster in American history.
B) FEMA's quick and effective response relieved the sufferings of thousands.
C) warnings from engineers about the levees and canals in New Orleans were ignored.
D) New Orleans officials had an elaborate evacuation plan for people who did not own cars, but those people did not follow it.

Question 26

As the Iraq insurgency intensified in 2004,

A) the differences between the Iraqi factions threatened to fracture the country into separate nations.
B) Shiites boycotted the election of the National Assembly and threatened to fracture Iraq.
C) the new Iraqi constitution managed to guarantee individual liberty in an Islamic framework.
D) U.S. public opinion continued to be united behind President Bush's policy.

Question 27

As a result of the ongoing instability in Iraq, the 2006 midterm election was a

A) resounding victory for the Republicans who the country trusted to figure out a sound fiscal way to pay for the war.
B) vote of confidence for President Bush and his Iraqi policy.
C) victory for the Democrats because the nation was weary with the war and its cost.
D) victory for the Democrats who supported President Bush's war policy so as not to appear "unpatriotic."

Question 28

The first woman to ever hold the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives is

A) Geraldine Ferraro.
B) Olympia Snowe.
C) Jeanette Rankin.
D) Nancy Pelosi.

Question 29

Which of the following characterizes President Bush's policy in Iraq after appointing General David Petraeus to command in January 2007?

A) a drastic withdrawal of American troops
B) a greater dependence on U.N. peacekeeping forces with a modest increase in U.S. troop levels
C) a surge in troop levels and use of a policy of "clear, hold, and build"
D) status quo on troop levels as he fought with Congress for additional funding

Question 30

Which of the following became a major weakness for the presidential candidacy of John McCain?

A) his "maverick" voting record in Congress
B) selection of the inexperienced Sarah Palin as his running mate
C) lack of proof of his claim that he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam
D) Barack Obama's vast experience

Question 31

What event pushed the 2008 presidential campaign out of the headlines just as things were heating up?

A) escalating violence in Iraq
B) a North Korean missile attack on South Korea
C) increasing evidence of Iranian nuclear capabilities
D) a meltdown in the U.S. financial system

Question 32

Which of the following was an initial cause of the 2008-2009 financial crisis?

A) consumer refusal to spend followed by a stock market crash
B) lack of individual savings and faulty mortgages
C) the refusal of banks to extend credit or lend capital
D) the cost of the war and the ballooning federal deficit

Question 33

Which of the following was a result of the 2008-2009 financial crisis?

A) a stock market crash greater than the Great Depression
B) double-digit inflation
C) lack of capital and mass layoffs
D) increased investment in mortgage securities

Question 34

In the final months of his presidency, George W. Bush's response to the financial crisis was

A) to refuse the use federal funds to assist private banks.
B) to support a $700 billion dollar bailout of banks by buying up toxic mortgage bundles.
C) incredibly restrained; he did not want to act because of his lame duck status.
D) to support a modest bailout of homeowners affected by the crisis.

Question 35

Who looked out of touch when he commented that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" on October 15, 2008, hours before the stock market fell 500 points?

A) George W. Bush
B) Barack Obama
C) Sarah Palin
D) John McCain

Question 36

In the first few months of Barack Obama's presidency,

A) the economy made a remarkable recovery.
B) he was consumed with the financial crisis.
C) he removed all U.S. troops from Iraq.
D) he removed all U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Question 37

As compared to the year 2000, the U.S. government in 2009

A) operated at a surplus.
B) faced similar financial woes.
C) was in better financial health because of a wartime economy.
D) had massive deficits that loomed over the economic recovery.

Question 38

In 2010, what was President Obama's biggest legislative victory?

A) immigration reform
B) health care reform
C) government oversight of the banking industry
D) the removal of all combat troops from Iraq

Question 39

President Obama's health care legislation

A) had complete and total support by Democrats.
B) socialized the U.S. health care system.
C) was the first major health care reform since 1965.
D) was passed with the assistance of a few Republican who broke party lines.

Question 40

In 2010, which state enacted a strict immigration law requiring immigrants to carry alien registration forms and authorizing police to stop anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant?

A) Texas
B) Arizona
C) California
D) New Mexico

Question 41

A main Republican criticism of Obama's immigration reform plan was that it

A) did not include a "pathway to citizenship."
B) was too detailed and specific.
C) ignored the desires of the Hispanic electorate.
D) did not provide for adequate border policing and would encourage illegal immigration.

Question 42

Regarding an international agreement to curb greenhouse gasses, President Obama

A) withdrew support for such an arrangement because he worried about the effect of new regulations on a struggling U.S. economy.
B) ardently fought for passage of such an arrangement hoping it would promote the use of alternative energy.
C) passionately believed that a faltering economy should not impact the passage of such an agreement.
D) had the Kyoto agreements ratified by the Senate within his first six months as president.

Question 43

Which of the following events did President Obama call the "worst environmental disaster America has faced"?

A) the failure of the Senate to ratify the Kyoto agreements
B) the refusal of U.S. businesses to invest in alternative sources of energy
C) the explosion of a British Petroleum oil well in the Gulf of Mexico
D) global warming and the melting of the polar ice caps

Question 44

In the Afghan election in the fall of 2009, Hamid Karzai

A) was defeated but seated as president with the help of the U.S. military.
B) won by default after his chief opposition withdrew.
C) won but had to go into hiding because of Taliban resistance.
D) was appointed by provincial governors after the election was marred by fraud and declared null by UN monitors.

Question 45

Which of the following characterized U.S. policy in Afghanistan in 2009?

A) withdrawal of U.S. troops and peace talks with the Taliban
B) less military involvement and more civilian assistance to Hamid Karzai
C) increased use of the air force and drastic decrease of the army and marines
D) a surge in U.S. troops and use of unmanned planes

Question 46

In the summer of 2010, President Obama appointed David Petraeus as Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan after

A) he fired the previous commander for insubordination.
B) he decided to remove all combat troops from Afghanistan.
C) the Taliban came to power in popular elections.
D) the previous commander refused interviews with the popular press resulting in charges of lack of transparency.

Question 47

According to the text, what can we "learn" from history?

A) the ability to predict the course of human events
B) insight into underlying forces that generate historical change
C) that the past is truly the past and the future is uncertain and unpredictable
D) how to tell when and where a major conflict will arise

Question 48

Clinton's choice of Senator Al Gore as his 1992 running mate significantly weakened the Democratic ticket.

Question 49

In the 1994 congressional elections, Republicans won control of both houses of Congress and attempted to enact their "Contract with America."

Question 50

President Clinton's testimony about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky was filled with evasive legalisms.

Question 51

The Supreme Court decided the presidential election of 2000 on the grounds that a selective hand recount of disputed ballots in Florida violated the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.

Question 52

In the 2004 campaign, John Kerry tried to distinguish himself from President Bush by ardently supporting same-sex marriage.

Question 53

Hurricane Katrina was the worst natural disaster in the nation's history.

Question 54

In 2007, because Congress reduced funding for the Iraq war, President Bush was unable to implement his planned "surge" in troops.

Question 55

News of huge executive bonuses given to those leading many of the big banks that received federal bailout money caused President Obama to require full and immediate repayment.

Question 56

In denouncing President Obama's health care reform, Republicans insisted that Americans did not want the federal government to control health care.

Question 57

Despite his opposition to the "surge" of troops in Iraq, in late 2009 President Obama authorized his own "surge" by sending 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

Question 58

Summarize the events that led to the impeachment of President Clinton. What issues did this case present to the American people and their political system? Discuss the impact of the impeachment on President Clinton's legacy.

Question 59

Compare the state of the economy when President George W. Bush assumed office and when Barack Obama took office. What events and policies explain the differences?

Question 60

Describe the evolution of U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan and how U.S. policy toward Afghanistan has changed over time.

Question 61

What were the main causes of the 2008-2009 financial crisis? How did the government respond to the economic meltdown?

Question 62

Discuss the reasons for increased medical costs in the United States. Explain the health care reform legislation that Congress passed in 2010.

Question 63

What is the definition of the following key term:
-axis of evil:

Question 64

What is the definition of the following key term:
-improvised explosive device (IED):

Question 65

What is the definition of the following key term:
-"surge":