Question 1

Kennedy family life was pervaded by the ethos of
A) Competition
B) Public service
C) Education
D) Greed

Accepted Answer

A

Question 2

Jack Kennedy imitated his father in
A) Physical bravado
B) Using wealth to achieve success
C) Objectifying women
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Throughout his life, Jack Kennedy imitated his father's behavior in multiple ways. He emulated Joseph Kennedy's physical bravado by competing in sports and joining the military, and he also used the family's wealth to achieve success in his political career. Additionally, both men had a reputation for objectifying women, with Joseph being known for his numerous extramarital affairs and Jack's alleged infidelities becoming a major scandal during his presidency. Therefore, all of the above options (A, B, and C) are correct.

Question 3

As a young congressman, Kennedy criticized Roosevelt and Truman's
A) New Deal consensus
B) Foreign policies
C) Weak support for labor
D) Weak support for the military

Accepted Answer

As a young congressman, Kennedy was critical of Roosevelt and Truman's foreign policies, particularly their handling of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He believed that their policies were too timid and that stronger action was necessary to contain Soviet aggression.

Question 4

Kennedy's basic problem in the fight to win the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination was
A) His weak record on race
B) His weak anticommunist stance
C) His weak liberal credentials
D) His socialist platform

Accepted Answer

Kennedy faced skepticism from some liberal Democrats who questioned his commitment to liberal causes, which was seen as a weak point in his campaign for the Democratic nomination.

Question 5

Kennedy participated fully in the liberal consensus in the sense that he
A) Believed in the expansion of social welfare programs
B) Believed that the major issues in American society could be solved by capitalism
C) Disdained the communist threat
D) Believed that the basic economic structure of American society needed to be overhauled

Accepted Answer

The answer of Kennedy participated fully in the liberal consensus...

Question 6

Kennedy's domestic policy was centered on
A) Ending the race problem
B) Wiping out communism abroad
C) Isolationism
D) Expanding prosperity through economic growth

Accepted Answer

Kennedy's domestic policy was focused on expanding the economy and increasing prosperity through measures such as tax cuts, increasing government spending on infrastructure and education, and encouraging business growth. He believed that through increased economic growth and job creation, issues such as poverty and social inequality could be addressed. While civil rights was an important issue during his presidency, it was not the sole focus of his domestic policy.

Question 7

Kennedy's Inaugural Address sounded a moral alarm about
A) Communism
B) Climate change
C) Segregation and racism
D) The problems of hunger and poverty worldwide

Accepted Answer

Kennedy's Inaugural Address, delivered on January 20, 1961, sounded a moral alarm about the spread of Communism. During this period, the United States was deeply embroiled in the Cold War with the Soviet Union, and much of Kennedy's speech was focused on the ideological battle between democracy and communism. He emphasized the need for American resolve and the importance of defending freedom around the world.

Question 8

-Images like this one, of Kennedy sailing with his wife, contributed to his image as_______
A) An intellectual
B) A leader out of touch with the American people
C) The youthful, romantic, American royal family
D) A president who spent all his time on vacation

Accepted Answer

Images of Kennedy sailing with his wife helped craft a public image of him and his family as youthful, romantic, and akin to American royalty, emphasizing their charm and charisma.

Question 9

Walter Heller, Kennedy's chief economic advisor, wanted to use economic growth, controlled deficit spending, and targeted tax cuts to achieve
A) A reduced wealth gap
B) Full employment
C) Reduced inflation
D) Reduced interest rates

Accepted Answer

Walter Heller wanted to achieve full employment through the use of economic growth, controlled deficit spending, and targeted tax cuts. While reducing the wealth gap, inflation, and interest rates may have been desirable outcomes, they were not the primary goal of Heller's economic strategy for Kennedy.

Question 10

Early in his term as president Kennedy felt constrained by
A) His lack of support from liberal Democrats
B) The enmity of conservative Republicans
C) His narrow electoral victory
D) His physical weakness

Accepted Answer

Kennedy felt constrained early in his presidency due to his narrow electoral victory over Richard Nixon in 1960, which limited his mandate and made it challenging to push his agenda through Congress.

Question 11

Kennedy's waffling on the issue of _______ was the most frustrating to liberal Democrats.
A) Federal aid to education
B) An anti-lynching law
C) Communist expansion in Vietnam
D) Economic aid to Europe

Accepted Answer

Kennedy's indecision or "waffling" on the issue of federal aid to education was notably frustrating to liberal Democrats, as they were strong advocates for increased federal involvement and support in education. This was a key policy area where they sought progress and felt Kennedy's lack of firm commitment was a significant disappointment.

Question 12

Kennedy's hesitation to adopt a more activist stance on domestic issues can be explained by
A) His narrow electoral mandate
B) His primary commitment to foreign policy
C) The absence of a coherent vision for change
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Kennedy's hesitation to adopt a more activist stance on domestic issues can be attributed to all three factors mentioned in the options. Kennedy won the 1960 presidential election by a narrow margin, and his mandate was not strong enough to push through major domestic reforms. Additionally, Kennedy's primary focus was on foreign policy, and he did not have a clear, coherent vision for domestic change.

Question 13

The benevolent side to Kennedy's foreign policy was epitomized by his
A) Commitment to counterinsurgency
B) Development of the Peace Corps
C) Nuclear expansion
D) Intervention in Vietnam

Accepted Answer

The development of the Peace Corps was a hallmark of Kennedy's foreign policy and demonstrated his commitment to promoting goodwill and aiding developing nations without resorting to military intervention. The other options, such as his involvement in counterinsurgency and nuclear expansion, were more controversial and had potential negative consequences. Intervention in Vietnam also became seen as a misguided decision after the fact.

Question 14

The Kennedy administration planned to combat the Soviet military threat via
A) An expanding nuclear arsenal
B) Economic aid and cultural programming
C) Infiltration and guerrilla warfare
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Kennedy administration planned to combat the...

Question 15

The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba was largely a failure because of
A) The lack of dissent to the Castro regime in Cuba
B) The failure of the US military to properly train the invaders
C) The lack of US air support for the invasion
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba...

Question 16

-This map shows why the Cuban missile crisis nearly led to war between the US and the Soviet Union
A) Cuba's proximity to the continental US
B) The fact that the US felt Cuba was an ally
C) The threat to US ally Mexico
D) The threat to US shipping in and out of the port of Miami

Accepted Answer

Cuba's proximity to the continental US significantly heightened tensions during the Cuban Missile Crisis, as Soviet missiles in Cuba could easily reach many parts of the United States, posing a direct nuclear threat.

Question 17

The issue that forced Kennedy to focus on domestic policy in 1963 was
A) The Cuban missile crisis
B) The feminist movement
C) The civil rights movement
D) The Vietnam War

Accepted Answer

The civil rights movement was becoming increasingly active in 1963 and Kennedy was under pressure to address issues of racial inequality and discrimination. He delivered a speech on civil rights in June of that year and introduced a sweeping civil rights bill, which became the Civil Rights Act of 1964 after his death. While the other issues listed were also significant during Kennedy's presidency, they did not necessarily force him to shift his focus to domestic policy in the same way that the civil rights movement did.

Question 18

As a candidate, Kennedy gained Black support
A) For his long history of support for civil rights bills
B) When he was arrested at a protest in Georgia
C) When he signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act
D) After he worked to free MLK, who had been arrested at a protest in Georgia

Accepted Answer

John F. Kennedy gained significant support from the Black community after he and his campaign worked to secure the release of Martin Luther King Jr., who had been arrested during a protest in Georgia. This action demonstrated Kennedy's willingness to intervene in civil rights issues, which helped to bolster his support among Black voters.

Question 19

As attorney general, Robert Kennedy
A) Made good on a lifelong commitment to civil rights
B) Was outraged by the failure of the Justice Department to enforce existing voting rights legislation
C) Took a moderate, states-rights focused stance on civil rights
D) Worked to prevent federal enforcement of desegregation laws

Accepted Answer

Robert Kennedy, as attorney general, was indeed outraged by the Justice Department's failure to enforce existing voting rights legislation and took significant steps to address civil rights issues, including voting rights.

Question 20

In 1963, Kennedy's attitude toward to Soviet Union changed, and he began
A) Building up US forces to attack the USSR directly
B) Working to destabilize Soviet control of satellite states
C) Working to negotiate nuclear disarmament with the Soviets
D) Building up US strength in Vietnam

Accepted Answer

Kennedy began working to negotiate nuclear disarmament with the Soviets through a series of meetings with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, culminating in the signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963. He did not pursue a direct attack on the USSR or focus on Vietnam at this time, and while he did express concern over Soviet influence in satellite states, destabilizing their control was not his primary objective.

Quiz 7: John F Kennedy the Reality and the Myth

Kennedy family life was pervaded by the ethos of

Jack Kennedy imitated his father in

As a young congressman, Kennedy criticized Roosevelt and Truman's

Kennedy's basic problem in the fight to win the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination was

Kennedy participated fully in the liberal consensus in the sense that he

Kennedy's domestic policy was centered on

Kennedy's Inaugural Address sounded a moral alarm about

-Images like this one, of Kennedy sailing with his wife, contributed to his image as_______

Walter Heller, Kennedy's chief economic advisor, wanted to use economic growth, controlled deficit spending, and targeted tax cuts to achieve

Early in his term as president Kennedy felt constrained by

Kennedy's waffling on the issue of _______ was the most frustrating to liberal Democrats.

Kennedy's hesitation to adopt a more activist stance on domestic issues can be explained by

The benevolent side to Kennedy's foreign policy was epitomized by his

The Kennedy administration planned to combat the Soviet military threat via

The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba was largely a failure because of

-This map shows why the Cuban missile crisis nearly led to war between the US and the Soviet Union

The issue that forced Kennedy to focus on domestic policy in 1963 was

As a candidate, Kennedy gained Black support

As attorney general, Robert Kennedy

In 1963, Kennedy's attitude toward to Soviet Union changed, and he began