Question 1

In 1957, nine African American students attended Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas for the first time.Which of the following statements accurately describes the actions taken by Eisenhower?

Accepted Answer

Eisenhower reluctantly sent federal troops to Little Rock to enforce desegregation and maintain order, despite opposition from southern politicians.

Question 2

President Eisenhower used the __________ theory to explain why the United States needed to fight communism in Vietnam.

Accepted Answer

President Eisenhower used the "falling domino" theory to justify U.S. involvement in Vietnam, suggesting that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow, like a row of dominoes.

Question 3

What finding did the Supreme Court cite in its ruling of Brown v.Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were inherently unequal because they instilled a sense of inferiority in black students, which was detrimental to their education and personal development.

Question 4

What was one way in which the intervention of the United States in Iran in the 1950s was significant?

Accepted Answer

The CIA-engineered coup in Iran in 1953 was seen as a success and encouraged the U.S. to engage in similar covert operations during the Cold War.

Question 5

What was the line of thinking behind the creation of Dulles's and Eisenhower's strategy of mass retaliation?

Accepted Answer

The strategy of mass retaliation was based on the idea that the United States could deter Soviet aggression by threatening to use nuclear weapons, thus avoiding the high costs of conventional military engagements like the Korean War.

Question 6

The first Supreme Court case to tackle the separate but equal standard in the twentieth century was

Accepted Answer

Sweatt v. Painter (1950) was the first Supreme Court case in the twentieth century to challenge the "separate but equal" doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson. It addressed racial segregation in higher education.

Question 7

First organized by Martin Luther King Jr.in 1957, the __________ grew into a powerful group that would lead civil rights protests and activities into the 1960s.

Accepted Answer

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was organized by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1957 and became a major force in the civil rights movement, leading protests and activities throughout the 1960s.

Question 8

During the Cold War, Soviet diplomats used __________ to draw attention to defects in the American way of life.

Accepted Answer

Soviet diplomats often highlighted America's racial discrimination to criticize the U.S. and promote the Soviet Union as a more equitable society during the Cold War.

Question 9

On December 1, 1955 __________, an African American seamstress, refused to relinquish her seat to a white man on a city bus.

Accepted Answer

Rosa Parks is famously known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott when she refused to give up her seat to a white man, sparking a significant event in the Civil Rights Movement.

Question 10

In Indochina, the League for Independence of Vietnam was led by

Accepted Answer

The League for Independence of Vietnam, also known as the Viet Minh, was led by Ho Chi Minh.

Question 11

A controversial new group of young artists, writers, and poets emerged in the 1950s that rejected traditional middle-class values and materialism.What were they known as?

Accepted Answer

The group of young artists, writers, and poets that emerged in the 1950s and rejected traditional middle-class values and materialism were known as the "Beats" or "Beat Generation."

Question 12

Eisenhower considered that __________ was the biggest mistake he had ever made.

Accepted Answer

Eisenhower considered appointing Chief Justice Earl Warren as the biggest mistake he had ever made due to Warren's liberal decisions, which were contrary to Eisenhower's expectations.

Question 13

Some patriotic cultural conservatives of the 1950s claimed that rock 'n' roll was

Accepted Answer

Some cultural conservatives in the 1950s believed that rock 'n' roll was a threat to traditional values and saw it as a tool used by communists to undermine American society and corrupt the youth.

Question 14

During the Cold War at the time of the promotion of their mass retaliation strategy, Dulles and Eisenhower secretly began to use the __________ to influence world politics.

Accepted Answer

Dulles and Eisenhower used the CIA to conduct covert operations and influence world politics during the Cold War.

Question 15

According to the textbook, the most important social movement in the United States in the twentieth century was

Accepted Answer

The civil rights movement was a pivotal social movement in the United States during the twentieth century, aiming to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans and secure legal recognition and federal protection of the citizenship rights enumerated in the Constitution and federal law.

Question 16

According to the textbook, Beat writers and poets wanted their art to change __________ rather than address social ills.

Accepted Answer

Beat writers and poets aimed to transform consciousness and personal awareness, focusing on individual experience and spiritual exploration rather than directly addressing societal or political issues.

Question 17

Encouraged by Radio Free Europe, __________ nationalists rebelled against occupying communist troops in 1956.

Accepted Answer

In 1956, Hungarian nationalists, inspired by broadcasts from Radio Free Europe, revolted against the Soviet-imposed communist government in what is known as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

Question 18

Although largely ineffective in the South, what was the Civil Rights Act of 1957 primarily intended to do?

Accepted Answer

The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was primarily intended to ensure that all Americans, regardless of race or ethnicity, could exercise their right to vote. It aimed to address discriminatory practices that prevented African Americans from voting, although its effectiveness was limited.

Question 19

In the case __________, the Supreme Court ruled the concept of "separate but equal" unconstitutional.

Accepted Answer

Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark 1954 Supreme Court case in which the justices ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. Brown v. Board of Education was one of the cornerstones of the civil rights movement, and helped establish the precedent that “separate-but-equal” education and other services were not, in fact, equal at all.

Question 20

Many authors and social critics of the 1950s alleged that despite the American ideal of rugged individualism, the nation was actually celebrating

Accepted Answer

In the 1950s, many critics argued that American society was increasingly valuing conformity over individuality, as seen in the rise of suburban living and corporate culture.

Quiz 26: Affluence and Anxiety in the Atomic Age, 1950-1959