Question 1

The Reagan administration's harsh reprisals against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua were motivated by
A) concern over the growing Communist presence in Central America and the Caribbean.
B) loyalty to Anastasio Somoza, the former American-supported dictator of Nicaragua.
C) displeasure over the number of Central Americans seeking asylum in the United States.
D) a commitment to uphold human rights and protect freedom of expression in Nicaragua.

Accepted Answer

The Reagan administration was primarily motivated by concern over the growing Communist presence in Central America and the Caribbean, viewing the Sandinista government in Nicaragua as a Soviet ally in the Western Hemisphere.

Question 2

The guiding principle of the Reagan administration's foreign policy agenda was its commitment to
A) human rights.
B) anticolonialism.
C) anticommunism.
D) world peace.

Accepted Answer

The Reagan administration's foreign policy was primarily driven by a commitment to anticommunism, aiming to contain and reduce the influence of the Soviet Union and other communist nations globally.

Question 3

Which of the following was not influenced by the groundswell of American popular support for divestment from South Africa?
A) Corporations including General Motors
B) A majority of members of Congress
C) More than 150 colleges and universities
D) President Reagan and his administration

Accepted Answer

President Reagan and his administration were not influenced by the groundswell of American popular support for divestment from South Africa, maintaining a policy of "constructive engagement" rather than imposing economic sanctions or divesting.

Question 4

The phrase "greed is good" captures the spirit of the economic policies of which president?
A) Nixon
B) Carter
C) Reagan
D) Bush

Accepted Answer

The phrase "greed is good" is often associated with the economic policies of President Ronald Reagan. Reagan's policies, known as Reaganomics, emphasized deregulation, tax cuts, and a free-market economy, which some interpret as promoting a form of greed or self-interest in the economic sphere.

Question 5

Based on United Nations ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick's definition, which of the following countries had a "totalitarian" regime unacceptable to the United States during the 1980s?
A) South Africa
B) El Salvador
C) Iraq
D) Cuba

Accepted Answer

Jeane Kirkpatrick distinguished between authoritarian regimes, which she argued the U.S. could work with, and totalitarian regimes, which were considered completely antithetical to U.S. interests. During the 1980s, Cuba, under Fidel Castro, was identified as a totalitarian state due to its communist government and its opposition to U.S. policies, making it unacceptable to the United States according to Kirkpatrick's definition.

Question 6

One consequence of the Reagan administration's support of an oppressive right-wing government in El Salvador was the
A) end of Cuban support of guerilla insurgents against that regime.
B) resignation of Grenada's left-wing leader Maurice Bishop.
C) resignation of United Nations ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick.
D) influx of Salvadoran asylum seekers into the United States.

Accepted Answer

The Reagan administration's support for the oppressive right-wing government in El Salvador during the 1980s civil war led to widespread violence and human rights abuses, prompting many Salvadorans to flee the country and seek asylum in the United States.

Question 7

The Reagan administration's secret "arms for hostages" deal was an effort to get which nation to use its influence on behalf of Americans kidnapped in the Middle East?
A) Lebanon
B) Libya
C) Iran
D) Iraq

Accepted Answer

The Reagan administration's secret "arms for hostages" deal, known as the Iran-Contra Affair, involved secretly selling arms to Iran in the hope that Iran would use its influence to secure the release of American hostages held by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

Question 8

President Nixon's trip to China was surprising because
A) it would interfere with the process of ending the Vietnam War.
B) Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was opposed to the visit.
C) he had been an anti-Communist throughout his political career.
D) it would antagonize the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

Accepted Answer

Nixon had been known for his strong anti-Communist stance throughout his political career, making his trip to China, a Communist nation, surprising and significant in the context of Cold War diplomacy.

Question 9

The Soviet Union's downing of a South Korean passenger flight led the United States to
A) deploy additional missiles in Western Europe.
B) deploy additional missiles in South Korea.
C) refer to the Soviet Union as an "evil empire."
D) refuse to participate in the 1984 Olympic Games.

Accepted Answer

The downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 by the Soviet Union in 1983 heightened Cold War tensions, leading the United States to deploy additional missiles in Western Europe as part of its strategy to counter Soviet influence and military capabilities.

Question 10

The Reagan administration's secret plan for funding the Contras in Nicaragua was motivated by
A) the Cuban trade embargo.
B) the Boland Amendment.
C) a coup in Grenada.
D) Central American refugees.

Accepted Answer

The Boland Amendment was a legislative act that prohibited the U.S. government from providing military support to the Contras in Nicaragua. The Reagan administration sought ways around this restriction, leading to the secret funding plan.

Question 11

The goal of President Nixon's foreign policy was to
A) uphold democratic values and contain communism through the use of military force.
B) prevent South Vietnam from falling to communism, whatever the cost in American lives.
C) achieve a stable balance of power among the United States, the Soviet Union, and China.
D) guarantee that the United States had access to oil from the Middle Eastern nations.

Accepted Answer

Nixon aimed to establish a stable balance of power among major world powers, notably the United States, the Soviet Union, and China, through détente and opening relations with China, rather than focusing solely on military solutions or specific regional issues.

Question 12

Although President Reagan was famous for his commitment to building up the American military,
A) the process actually began during Carter's term.
B) he was uninterested in developing new weapons.
C) he never sent troops into battle.
D) Congress never approved his defense budgets.

Accepted Answer

The process of building up the American military actually began during President Carter's term, before Reagan's presidency, indicating a continuity in policy rather than an abrupt change initiated by Reagan.

Question 13

Which nuclear weapons policy had the support of the majority of Americans during the early 1980s?
A) A process of gradual disarmament
B) Increased production of nuclear arms
C) An immediate nuclear freeze
D) Destruction of existing nuclear arms

Accepted Answer

During the early 1980s, a significant portion of the American public supported the idea of an immediate nuclear freeze. This was a response to the escalating arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, with many people fearing the potential for nuclear war. The nuclear freeze movement sought to halt the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons by both superpowers.

Question 14

In 1982, some 750,000 people rallied in New York City in support of
A) a nuclear freeze resolution.
B) AIDS research.
C) an end to the war in Afghanistan.
D) the hostages in Iran.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In 1982, some 750,000 people rallied in...

Question 15

The slogan "peace through strength" captures the foreign policy philosophy of
A) President Carter.
B) President Reagan.
C) Ayatollah Khomeini.
D) Mikhail Gorbachev.

Accepted Answer

The slogan "peace through strength" is most closely associated with President Ronald Reagan's foreign policy, which emphasized building up the United States' military capability to deter potential adversaries.

Question 16

One result of improved relations between the United States and China was
A) a plan for achieving peace in Vietnam.
B) a mutually beneficial trade relationship.
C) increased hostility with the Soviet Union.
D) the start of the 1973 war in the Middle East.

Accepted Answer

Improved relations between the United States and China led to a mutually beneficial trade relationship, as both countries sought to take advantage of economic opportunities that arose from diplomatic engagement. This development was part of the broader process of "normalization" of relations that began in the early 1970s.

Question 17

President Reagan measured the strength of the United States in the world in terms of the
A) effectiveness of its diplomacy.
B) number of its trusted allies.
C) sophistication of its intelligence.
D) size of its military arsenal.

Accepted Answer

President Reagan emphasized military strength as a key indicator of the United States' power in the world, leading to significant increases in defense spending during his administration.

Question 18

The 1980s women's peace camp movement began at
A) Greenham Common.
B) Seneca Falls.
C) Central Park.
D) the United Nations.

Accepted Answer

The 1980s women's peace camp movement began at Greenham Common, which was a protest against the deployment of nuclear missiles at the RAF Greenham Common base in Berkshire, England.

Question 19

The Carter administration deviated from the Cold War foreign policies of prior administrations by
A) refusing to support dictatorial regimes just because they were anti-Communist.
B) attempting to improve the relationship between the United States and China.
C) negotiating arms reduction treaties between the United States and the Soviets.
D) using the CIA to provide covert economic and military assistance to other countries.

Accepted Answer

The Carter administration emphasized human rights and was less willing to support dictatorial regimes solely based on their anti-Communist stance, marking a shift from previous Cold War policies.

Question 20

Who masterminded the plan to use the proceeds of the "arms for hostages" deal to fund the Nicaraguan rebels in what became known as the Iran-Contra scandal?
A) President Reagan
B) George Schultz
C) Robert McFarlane
D) Oliver North

Accepted Answer

Oliver North, a National Security Council staff member, was a key figure in the Iran-Contra affair, orchestrating the diversion of funds from the arms sales to support the Contras in Nicaragua.

Quiz 28: The Triumph of Conservatism, the End of the Cold War, and the Rise of the New World Order

The Reagan administration's harsh reprisals against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua were motivated by

The guiding principle of the Reagan administration's foreign policy agenda was its commitment to

Which of the following was not influenced by the groundswell of American popular support for divestment from South Africa?

The phrase "greed is good" captures the spirit of the economic policies of which president?

Based on United Nations ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick's definition, which of the following countries had a "totalitarian" regime unacceptable to the United States during the 1980s?

One consequence of the Reagan administration's support of an oppressive right-wing government in El Salvador was the

The Reagan administration's secret "arms for hostages" deal was an effort to get which nation to use its influence on behalf of Americans kidnapped in the Middle East?

President Nixon's trip to China was surprising because

The Soviet Union's downing of a South Korean passenger flight led the United States to

The Reagan administration's secret plan for funding the Contras in Nicaragua was motivated by

The goal of President Nixon's foreign policy was to

Although President Reagan was famous for his commitment to building up the American military,

Which nuclear weapons policy had the support of the majority of Americans during the early 1980s?

In 1982, some 750,000 people rallied in New York City in support of

The slogan "peace through strength" captures the foreign policy philosophy of

One result of improved relations between the United States and China was

President Reagan measured the strength of the United States in the world in terms of the

The 1980s women's peace camp movement began at

The Carter administration deviated from the Cold War foreign policies of prior administrations by

Who masterminded the plan to use the proceeds of the "arms for hostages" deal to fund the Nicaraguan rebels in what became known as the Iran-Contra scandal?