Deck 9: Race

Question 1

Which group believed that humans were one species,united under God?

A) Darwinists
B) polygenists
C) monogenists
D) Catholics

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which term refers to the belief that members of separate races possess different and unequal traits?

A) ontological equality
B) racism
C) ethnocentrism
D) nativism

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Under Johann Caspar Lavater's theory of ________,people with light skin were thought to have higher intellect.

A) physiognomy
B) intelligence
C) civic values
D) biological superiority

Answer 3

A

Question 4

When Blumenbach declared Caucasians the superlative of the races,he was following a popular line of thought that,in today's view,mistakenly assumed that:

A) whites were superior because of their skin color.
B) skull size and shape indicated human worth.
C) genetic quality must be regulated by governments.
D) the capacity for literacy was genetic.

Question 5

The concept of race:

A) has changed over time.
B) is truly biological.
C) is stable and constant.
D) is limited to Western societies.

Question 6

During European colonialism,ethnocentrism classified whites as normal,and nonwhites as abnormal and inferior,to help justify:

A) ideas of ontological equality.
B) unequal treatment and conquest.
C) cultural relativism.
D) ancient definitions of race.

Question 7

Ontological equality is the notion that:

A) the curse of Ham makes equality today impossible.
B) physical characteristics are markers of the soul.
C) social and biological traits can be traced through our lineage.
D) everyone is created equal by divine design.

Question 8

Hippocrates believed that physical markers such as skin color were the result of:

A) genetics.
B) social status.
C) different environmental factors.
D) historical context.

Question 9

Which act formalized the exclusive definition of whiteness by imposing immigration restrictions based on a national origins quota system that limited the yearly number of immigrants from each country?

A) Ethnic Act of 1900
B) White Ethnic Act of 1876
C) Immigration Act of 1924
D) Race Act of 1850

Question 10

Phrenology was an early-twentieth-century pseudoscience that read people's intelligence,capacities,and race from:

A) variations in body size.
B) differences in head formation.
C) genetic documentation of ancestors.
D) bone structure and strength.

Question 11

Comte de Buffon's classification schemes assumed that anyone who differed from the following group was abnormal.

A) American
B) Caucasian
C) European
D) British

Question 12

Reverend Samuel Stanhope Smith's proposal that skin color should be viewed as a product of climate and therefore not correlated to inner virtues (e.g.,intelligence,character,personality)suggests that he felt:

A) people were all the same beneath their skin.
B) skin color correlates with moral virtues.
C) weather,and thus human difference,was controlled by God.
D) race must be based on observable qualities such as skin color,not inner virtues.

Question 13

In the modern United States,people see physical markers such as hair type or skin color and think of race.In ancient Egypt,physical markers were seen as linked to:

A) status.
B) geography.
C) genes.
D) ethnicity.

Question 14

An 1851 excerpt from Harper's Weekly magazine describes a certain racial group as lawbreaking,idle,thriftless,poor,and barbarian.What group is this excerpt describing?

A) Irish
B) African Americans
C) Italians
D) Jews

Question 15

Which group believed that different races were distinct species?

A) Darwinists
B) polygenists
C) monogenists
D) Catholics

Question 16

Euripedes is a fictional student of Aristotle.Following his teacher's line of thought,Euripedes proudly declares his commitment to civic association,that the true test of a person's worth is in what the individual does,not in personal characteristics.Euripedes fails to examine the fact that the principle of civic association excludes:

A) brown-skinned people.
B) women.
C) the illiterate.
D) nonwhites.

Question 17

Samuel is a white Christian minister in 1830.Like most of his contemporaries,he believes in the biblical "curse of Ham." This means that when Samuel sees an African American,he sees:

A) someone who is going to Hell,because the curse sent Ham and all his offspring to Hell.
B) a descendent of Ham,the original black man who was set apart as cursed.
C) a person who could never hold political office,because Ham was told he could never be king.
D) a person of dangerous sexuality,because the curse of Ham declared all of his descendants to be perverted.

Question 18

In the nineteenth century,theories of race moved from religious-based racism to:

A) neo-racism.
B) humanistic racism.
C) scientific racism.
D) political racism.

Question 19

America's first naturalization law,passed in 1790,granted citizenship to:

A) anyone who had fought in the Revolutionary War.
B) free white persons.
C) all white people.
D) former British citizens.

Question 20

During Darwin's time,some people believed there were several different species of humans.Darwin rejected this view,siding with the ________ who said humans are one species.

A) Protestants
B) monogenists
C) polygenists
D) Catholics

Question 21

In one study of television portrayals of Arabs,researchers found basic myths that continue to surround this group,such as:

A) They are frequently incarcerated.
B) They are very poor.
C) They are uncivilized and barbaric.
D) They practice many religions.

Question 22

The genetic variation that corresponds with geographic origins is much ________ than people commonly believe.

A) more random
B) more important
C) smaller
D) greater

Question 23

A hypothetical group of immigrants come to the United States,settle in,learn English,send their children to public schools,and become economically self-sufficient.Robert Park's model explained this journey as:

A) successful immigration.
B) minority group adjustment.
C) the geographic immigrant process.
D) straight-line assimilation.

Question 24

In 1942,120,000 Japanese Americans were sent by federal order to internment camps.Afterward,all Asian Americans (regardless of their country of origin and/or U.S.citizenship status)went from being a relatively unnoticed group to being singled out for discrimination.This is known as:

A) racialization.
B) prejudice.
C) whiteness.
D) stereotyping

Question 25

Due to both birthrate and the increased tendency among whites to embrace their Native roots,the Native American population is likely to:

A) continue increasing.
B) be recategorized as an "ethnic group" instead of a "race."
C) be counted in the U.S.Census by tribe.
D) plateau,as white privilege encourages whites to stop embracing their Native roots.

Question 26

Pedro describes himself as mestizo,meaning that:

A) he is of Mexican citizenship,with ancestry unknown.
B) his ancestors include both Native Americans and Europeans.
C) his ancestors include only Mexicans.
D) he sees himself as belonging to all of Central and South America.

Question 27

Which of the following terms hinges on the belief that social and psychological traits can be traced through bloodlines and selectively bred out of (or into)populations?

A) eugenics
B) biogenics
C) race relations
D) sociogenics

Question 28

Michelle is doing a school project that involves visiting a local mosque and interviewing Muslims about life in Indiana.What advice would Jen'nan Read likely give to Michelle?

A) Be sure to interview both men and women,because gender is so important.
B) Don't confuse ethnicity and religion,wrongly assuming that "Muslim" and "Arab" are one and the same.
C) Don't assume that Muslims support terrorism,because they do not.
D) Take account of her "knapsack of privilege" before she begins her fieldwork.

Question 29

The German Nazis identified Jews as a "race," and race was believed to be biological.Nonetheless,the Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David because:

A) there was no reliable physical indicator of this supposed "race."
B) the Jewish race was believed to be related to the "yellow race."
C) Jews could always be physically recognized,but the Star of David was a backup marker.
D) Nazis were irrational; there was no reason.

Question 30

A society is pluralistic if no distinct ethnic group is statistically:

A) in the minority.
B) equal to another.
C) the dominant group in government.
D) in the majority.

Question 31

Taken all together,these populations may be referred to as:

A) South American.
B) Latino or Hispanic.
C) Spanish American.
D) Pan-Spanish.

Question 32

Steve is a white American whose family has lived in the United States for 200 years.During the Olympics,Steve cheers for Britain in swimming,because,he says,"I'm British!" During soccer,he cheers for Sweden,saying,"I have some Swedish in me,too!" Steve is displaying:

A) white racial identity.
B) externally imposed ethnicity.
C) symbolic ethnicity.
D) exclusive white ethnicity.

Question 33

The 1896 Supreme Court decision Plessy v.Ferguson upheld:

A) black men's right to vote.
B) slavery.
C) integration.
D) segregation.

Question 34

According to Peggy McIntosh (1988),which of the following statements about "being white" is most accurate? If you are white,

A) it is difficult to find cosmetics that suit your ethnicity at local drugstores.
B) you probably feel badly about historic racism and slavery.
C) you don't have to think much about your racial identity.
D) you are often pointed to as an example of what "most white people" do.

Question 35

The Supreme Court's landmark 1954 decision in Brown v.Board of Education struck down what doctrine?

A) separate but equal
B) eugenics
C) slavery now,slavery always
D) survival of the fittest

Question 36

The comparison between the Burakumin and the Japanese shows that race is:

A) a chemically important marker.
B) significant for intelligence.
C) not just about physical or biological differences.
D) more important than culture.

Question 37

According to Nell Irvin Painter,author of The History of White People,white people:

A) have a great sense of awareness of their status as white.
B) typically just see themselves as "individuals."
C) are made acutely aware of their identity as white by society.
D) are losing their advantaged status in society.

Question 38

When Asians are referred to as "the model minority," this refers to their:

A) smooth assimilation.
B) success in the media industry.
C) resentment toward stereotypes.
D) internal integration among various Asian countries of origin.

Question 39

The one-drop rule asserts that just "one drop" of black blood makes a person:

A) biracial.
B) black.
C) possibly black,possibly white.
D) a slave.

Question 40

Most Arabs in the United States are not Muslim but ________,and about 20 percent of U.S.Muslims are ________.

A) Catholic; Asian
B) Islamic; Latino
C) Christian; African American
D) Protestant; East Indian

Question 41

Why is it difficult for white people to see their own race? What does Peggy McIntosh mean when she refers to whiteness as an "invisible knapsack of privileges"? What are some of the privileges that whites experience?

Question 42

Many people believe that race has always existed in its current form.Describe how the concept of race has changed over time by comparing and contrasting "race" in the ancient world (this would include ancient Egypt,Greece,Rome,and early Christendom)with "race" in modern times (this would include European colonization up to the present).Offer at least one point of similarity (comparison)and one point of difference (contrast).

Question 43

Nancy is a white woman who believes all races are equal,and she is committed to civic groups that promote diversity.She is walking down the street and passes a white man.She acknowledges him with a nod.She sees a black man coming down the street,and she crosses to the other side of the street to avoid passing by him because his blackness makes her feel unsafe.Robert Merton would describe Nancy as a(n):

A) active bigot.
B) timid bigot.
C) fair-weather liberal.
D) all-weather liberal.

Question 44

Prejudice is to discrimination as thinking is to:

A) believing.
B) developing.
C) doing.
D) being.

Question 45

"Majority minority" states,where whites are not the majority of the population,are:

A) likely to emerge in the second half of the twenty-first century.
B) already here; about four U.S.states have this dynamic.
C) already the norm; about 30 U.S.states have this dynamic.
D) unlikely to develop,due to white privilege.

Question 46

James is a black man,and Mike is his white friend.James and Mike are having a disagreement about what needs to happen in order for race relations to improve in America.According to Gunnar Myrdal's theory in An American Dilemma,James probably emphasizes ________,and Mike probably emphasizes ________.

A) problems; solutions
B) historic slavery; Martin Luther King,Jr.
C) jobs; friendship
D) health care; education

Question 47

DNA testing is generally seen as a benefit to justice,because it allows for more precise identification of criminals.Sociologists see that forensic genetics also has a tendency to reproduce existing inequalities,because:

A) people who have committed prior crimes,and those with relatives who have committed crimes,are more likely to be caught.
B) forensics is a human science,and the unacknowledged racism of analysts will influence results.
C) the criminal justice system is broken in so many ways that forensic genetics will have a miniscule benefit.
D) low-income people accused of crimes are unable to pay for their own forensic genetic testing.

Question 48

Which term refers to the more overt form of resistance through a movement such as revolution or genocide or through nonviolent protest?

A) collective resistance
B) group acquiescence
C) individual alliance
D) mutual resistance

Question 49

How did the eugenics movement use the race concept? What was one major problem with this approach? Offer an example that illustrates the problem.

Question 50

Gordon is a graduate student wanting to develop a projection model for understanding race in the future.He consults with sociologist Jennifer Lee,and she recommends that he study:

A) ethnicity instead of race,because culture is the dividing line of the future.
B) the black/white divide,because it is a common thread from the founding of America into the future.
C) the "browning of America," because biracial populations are growing so quickly.
D) the "black/nonblack" divide,because distinctions between blacks and all other groups combined are becoming increasingly important.

Question 51

Sheniqua is an African American girl.When she is at school,she speaks standard English.When she is at home,she speaks African American English.Her words,tone,and body language change in each setting.Sociologists call this:

A) self-segregating.
B) subalterning.
C) redlining.
D) code switching.

Question 52

Some of the forms that minority-majority group relations can take are: assimilation,pluralism,segregation,and conflict.Define each form and give a real-world example.

Question 53

During the mid-twentieth century in the United States,many blacks moved north to escape Jim Crow laws in the rural South.This resulted in:

A) an immediate improvement in the lives of African Americans.
B) movement of more whites to the South.
C) competition for housing and employment in the North,resulting in violent clashes between whites and blacks.
D) many blacks "passing" as white.

Question 54

Compare and contrast race and ethnicity,offering one to two points of similarity (comparison)and one to two points of difference (contrast).What is symbolic ethnicity,and how does it relate to privilege? How do the differences between race and ethnicity underscore the privileged position of whites in America?

Question 55

Luis is a Mexican American man who says terrible things about African Americans when he is with his Mexican American friends.When they encounter a group of African Americans on the street,Luis smiles,says "Hello," and passes by.Robert Merton would describe Luis as a(n):

A) active bigot.
B) timid bigot.
C) fair-weather liberal.
D) all-weather liberal.

Question 56

Explain what sociologists mean when they argue that race is a social construction.Use a real-world example to illustrate your analysis.

Question 57

When Shelly,a white American,sees a Middle Eastern man,she worries that he may be a terrorist.She would never say this and would never take action on these thoughts,but nonetheless,they come into her mind.Despite her commitment to fair treatment,she is harboring:

A) symbolic ethnicity.
B) internal discrimination.
C) modern racism.
D) prejudice.

Question 58

Japanese internment camps resulted in:

A) greater wealth for Chinese Americans.
B) a decrease in wealth for white Americans.
C) greater wealth for white Americans.
D) more Chinese immigrants entering the United States.

Question 59

Christoph Wilhelm Lucht is an American living in Chicago during World War I.Concerned about discrimination against German Americans,he makes choices that will help his family survive.Sociologists call his strategy "passing," citing as an example his choice to:

A) pass up opportunities to return to Germany,reinforcing his U.S.citizenship.
B) name his daughter Jane and to be happy when she marries and changes her last name to Jones.
C) pretend to happily speak English and assimilate when really he resents it.
D) shop,worship,and live within a German American immigrant community.

Question 60

Crowds line the street at the St.Patrick's Day Parade in New York City.How is this an example of symbolic ethnicity? Offer another example of symbolic ethnicity.In your view,does symbolic ethnicity contribute to inequality,or is it neutral? Why?

Question 61

Compare and contrast prejudice and discrimination,offering one to two similarities (comparisons)and one to two differences (contrasts).Robert Merton's diagram about prejudice and discrimination contains four cells: active bigot,timid bigot,fair-weather liberal,all-weather liberal.For each cell,define and give an example of a person who fits the category.In your view,which type is the most dangerous for society,and why?

Question 62

Anthony Marx (1998)has suggested that the repulsion Americans felt for Nazi Germany and the persecution of Jews during World War II was one of the forces behind the desegregation movement in the 1950s.How did the Jewish experience in World War II influence the desegregation movement?

Question 63

Minority groups respond to domination with several strategies: withdrawal,passing,acceptance,and resistance.Briefly define each and offer a real-world example (from present or past).For each example,evaluate this strategy as effective or ineffective.