Question 1

-What do these images of Barack Obama in this Washington, D.C., gift shop most reveal about the 44th President of the United States of America?

Accepted Answer

The images in a Washington, D.C., gift shop likely highlight Barack Obama's charisma, calmness, and message of "Hope," which were central to his campaign and inspired a significant following, leading to his election in 2008. These characteristics were emblematic of his public persona and appeal.

Question 2

What combination of factors has been proposed as the cause of the severe economic downturn that began in 2007?

Accepted Answer

The severe economic downturn that began in 2007, often referred to as the Great Recession, was largely attributed to a decline in home values, which led to defaults on risky loans and a subsequent decline in the value of mortgage-backed securities. This created a domino effect that impacted the broader financial system and economy.

Question 3

The April 19, 1995, bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City by Timothy McVeigh and his accomplice Terry Nichols is best remembered as .

Accepted Answer

The April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols was a domestic terrorist attack motivated by a desire to retaliate against the federal government for its handling of the Waco Siege and the Ruby Ridge incident. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. until the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Question 4

President George W. Bush's statement "we will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them" after the 9/11 attacks justified his decision to immediately .

Accepted Answer

After the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush's administration justified the invasion of Afghanistan on the grounds that the Taliban regime was harboring al-Qaeda, the terrorist group responsible for the attacks, and refused to turn over its members, including Osama bin Laden.

Question 5

Why did the conservative grassroots movement known as the Tea Party emerge after Barack Obama's election in 2008?

Accepted Answer

The Tea Party emerged primarily due to concerns about increasing national debt and the expansion of federal government power, which they believed threatened individual freedoms and fiscal responsibility.

Question 6

-Which best characterizes how this cartoon portrays recent political debate over domestic issues such as health care through the Affordable Care Act?

Accepted Answer

The cartoon likely portrays the political debate over domestic issues such as health care through the Affordable Care Act as fixed in stalemate, indicating a situation where progress is difficult due to opposing sides being unable to agree or move forward.

Question 7

In issuing the Bush Doctrine to justify the American bombing and invasion of Iraq in 2003, George W. Bush included for the first time the .

Accepted Answer

The Bush Doctrine introduced the concept of preemptive war, which justified military action to prevent potential threats before they could materialize, as seen in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Question 8

-How do both the photograph of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Clay Bennett's 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoon criticizing the 2001 Patriot Act address a familiar wartime dilemma?

Accepted Answer

Both the photograph of the 9/11 attacks and Clay Bennett's cartoon highlight the challenge of balancing national security needs with the protection of individual privacy rights, a core issue in the debate over the Patriot Act and its implications.

Question 9

-What paradoxical information was revealed through this April 10, 2003, photograph of Iraqi citizens enlisting the aid of U.S. Marines to pull down a statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad?

Accepted Answer

The photograph was initially perceived as a spontaneous act of liberation but later investigations revealed that it was staged to create a favorable impression of the war's outcome.

Question 10

Prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, George W. Bush focused primarily on Iraq's

Accepted Answer

The primary focus of George W. Bush's administration before the 2003 invasion of Iraq was on Iraq's supposed possession of weapons of mass destruction, which was used as a key justification for the invasion.

Quiz 29: Building a New World Order: The United States, 1989-2015