Question 1

One of President Obama's greatest disappointments in domestic policy during his second term has been

Accepted Answer

President Obama was unable to get Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, which was a significant disappointment in his domestic policy agenda during his second term.

Question 2

The fall of 2011 saw the development of a diverse protest movement that dramatized the issue of rising inequality across the nation which was called

Accepted Answer

Occupy Wall Street was a protest movement that began in the fall of 2011, focusing on issues of economic inequality and the influence of corporate money in politics. The slogan "We are the 99%" highlighted the disparity between the wealthiest 1% and the rest of the population.

Question 3

Compare the greatest challenges that American democracy faced in 1808, 1908, and 2008. Which challenges are essentially the same, and which are radically new?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare the greatest challenges that American democracy...

Question 4

The Republican Tea Party faction in Congress

Accepted Answer

The Republican Tea Party faction in Congress was instrumental in the 2011 debt ceiling crisis, demanding spending cuts and opposing tax increases, which led to a significant political standoff.

Question 5

How has the change in America's place in the world, caused by the attacks of September 11, 2001, influenced American international involvement and leadership in foreign affairs? Has the September 11 terrorist attack made America more fearful and inclined to undertake unilateral military actions? If so, give specific examples. If not, why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How has the change in America's place...

Question 6

What were the costs and benefits of the new information age economy? How did the economic dynamics of the information age economy contribute to widening inequality in America?

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The answer of What were the costs and benefits of...

Question 7

How did George W. Bush's election as the first popular-vote minority president in over a century affect his ability to lead the country? Why was he able to pursue a vigorously conservative political course despite the thinness of his mandate?

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The answer of How did George W. Bush's election as...

Question 8

One of the key U.S. government interventions to address the economic fallout of the recession of 2008 was

Accepted Answer

The U.S. government created the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) in 2008 to stabilize the financial system by purchasing toxic assets and injecting capital into banks and corporations.

Question 9

Which of these is NOT among the challenges facing America and Americans in the 21^st century?

Accepted Answer

Women increasingly surpassing men in the workforce is not typically considered a challenge facing America; rather, it is often viewed as a positive trend towards gender equality and empowerment. The other options represent significant socio-economic and political challenges.

Question 10

What explains the growing income disparity between wealthy and poor since the 1970s? How did liberals and Tea Party conservatives each explain the growing income disparity between the wealthy and poor since the 1970s?

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The answer of What explains the growing income disparity between...

Question 11

Which of the following measurement(s) demonstrated the growing inequality in America from the mid-1960s to 2012?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following measurement(s) demonstrated the...

Question 12

The health care reform law passed in March 2010 popularly known as "Obamacare" included the following provisions EXCEPT it

Accepted Answer

The answer of The health care reform law passed in...

Question 13

The "Tea Party" that emerged in the summer of 2009 was

Accepted Answer

The Tea Party movement emerged in 2009 as a conservative response to what its members viewed as excessive government spending and overreach, particularly in response to the economic policies of the Obama administration.

Question 14

The deployment of an additional thirty thousand soldiers in Afghanistan and the implementation of a new counterinsurgency strategy by American armed forces in the country during President Obama's first term

Accepted Answer

The answer of The deployment of an additional thirty thousand...

Question 15

The money used to provide Social Security payments to retirees comes from

Accepted Answer

Social Security payments to retirees are funded by the Social Security taxes paid by current workers, which are collected through payroll taxes.

Question 16

One historian has concluded that since 1960 the United States has entered a new "age of no confidence." Carefully consider major developments in the last 25 years and explain why you think that this is or is not an appropriate label for the period.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One historian has concluded that since 1960...

Question 17

What were the essential components of George W. Bush's conservative domestic policies? How were they related to the Bush administration's foreign policy?

Accepted Answer

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Question 18

In what ways has "the promise of American life" regarding liberty, equality, and democracy been fulfilled for most U.S. citizens, and in what ways does that promise remain an incomplete task to be pursued?

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The answer of In what ways has "the promise of...

Question 19

Which of the following helped account for President Obama's re-election over Republican Mitt Romney in 2012?

Accepted Answer

The multiracial coalition, including significant support from Latino voters, was crucial for Obama's re-election, reflecting demographic changes that increased their electoral importance.

Question 20

Which American challenge do you think will most dominate the first half of the 21^st century: economic prosperity and justice, the global and local environment, or the threat of international terrorism? What resources does American history provide for meeting what you consider to be the single greatest challenge?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which American challenge do you think will...

Quiz 40: The American People Face a New Century