Question 1

Of the following classical societies, which was located in South Asia?
A)Greek
B)Roman
C)Han
D)Mauryan

Accepted Answer

The Mauryan society was located in South Asia.
Key Takeaway: The Maurya Empire was a large and extremely powerful empire that ruled in ancient India from about 321 to 185 B.C.E. The Mauryan Empire was one of the largest to ever rule the Indian subcontinent. It dissolved in 185 with the founding of the Sunga Dynasty in Magadha. The Greek and Roman societies were located in the Mediterranean and the Han Dynasty was located in China.

Question 2

What scientific accomplishment is Nicolaus Copernicus best known for?
A)Elaborating upon the existing theory of the elliptical orbits
B)He invented the telescope.
C)He created the world's first working microscope.
D)He mathematically proved heliocentric theory.

Accepted Answer

Nicolaus Copernicus is best known for proving heliocentric theory.
Key Takeaway: Copernicus set into motion an absolute intellectual earthquake when he proved that the earth and other planets revolved around the sun. His conclusions were all confirmed by Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo during the Scientific Revolution in the 1600s. However, because Catholic doctrine held that the sun revolved around the earth (God's home for humanity), it was highly dangerous to show support for heliocentric theory.

Question 3

In the time period from 1450 to 1750, England rose as a dominant power in the Indian Ocean. What was the primary reason for this?
A)The English had established trading posts that were now supported by the Mughal Empire.
B)The use of joint-stock companies allowed private investors to benefit from trade in the Indian Ocean.
C)The English defeated the Chinese in the Opium War.
D)The Ottoman Empire had trouble maintaining their power in the Indian Ocean.

Accepted Answer

During the time period from 1450 to 1750, England rose as a dominant power in the Indian Ocean because the use of joint-stock companies allowed private investors to benefit from trade in the Indian Ocean.
Key Takeaway: The British East India Company was a British joint-stock company that was formed in order to pursue trade with the East Indies, but that ended up mainly trading with India and China instead. The Company was frequently granted special rights and privileges, including trade monopolies and exemptions and remained a powerful force in and over India for more than 200 years. This allowed England to rise to a dominant power in and around the Indian Ocean.

Question 4

In the late 1800s, which Filipino guerilla leader fought the Spanish and then the United States?
A)Edward Ramos
B)Emilio Aguinaldo
C)Ferdinand Marcos
D)Mateo Buenviaje

Accepted Answer

In the late 1800s, the Filipino guerilla leader Emilio Aguinaldo fought the Spanish and then the United States.
Key Takeaway: Emilio Aguinaldo was an independence leader, a politician, and a Filipino general who played a key role in the Philippine Independence movement. Until 1901, Emilio Aguinaldo fought the American takeover of the Philippines. The United States forces suppressed Aguinaldo's solders in their campaign to colonize the Philippines and to have a key naval base in the Pacific.

Question 5

During the American Revolution, John Adams defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre.
A)False
B)True

Accepted Answer

True. During the American Revolution, John Adams defended the British soldiers who had been involved in the Boston Massacre.
Key Takeaway: During the American Revolution John Adams defended the British soldiers who had been involved in the Boston Massacre. On March 5, 1770, a group of British troops opened fire on colonists who had been harassing British soldiers, leading to the death of Crispus Attucks, a colonial black, and two others. This became known as the Boston Massacre. The British soldiers who were involved were placed on trial and were defended by John Adams and Josiah Quincey. All but two of the soldiers were acquitted of all charges.
Though the case was highly visible and controversial, Adams believed strongly in a person's right to a fair trial. There was evidence that some of the British were unfairly accused. The case set a key foundation for the new court system as America was born, which emphasized the right to a fair trial even in cases where prejudice was possible or even likely.

Question 6

For what were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg tried and found guilty?
A)Being spies for Germany
B)Being spies for Italy
C)Giving information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union
D)Giving up their U.S. citizenship and becoming communists

Accepted Answer

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were tried and found guilty for giving the Soviet Union information about the atomic bomb.
Key Takeaway: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were United States citizens who were accused, tried, and found guilty of giving the Soviet Union information about the atomic bomb. Both of the Rosenbergs were executed in 1953, despite a great deal of public protest. This was probably the most famous spy case involved in the anti-communist movement in the 1950s.

Question 7

The debate at the Constitutional Convention regarding slavery was solved by the:
A)Missouri Compromise
B)Three-Fifths Compromise
C)Bill of Rights
D)Fugitive Slave Law

Accepted Answer

The Three-Fifths Compromise was the final resolution at the Constitutional Convention following a lengthy debate about slavery and the disproportionate representation of Northerners over Southerners in the House of Representatives. The compromise ordered that slavery remain legal in the new country and that all slaves would be counted in the census upon which Congressional representation is assessed as three-fifths a person, which kept the North and South balanced in the lower House.

Question 8

Which Founders collaborated with Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence?
A)Benjamin Franklin and John Adams
B)John Adams and George Washington
C)James Madison and Alexander Hamilton
D)James Madison and Benjamin Franklin

Accepted Answer

Benjamin Franklin and John Adams collaborated on the Declaration of Independence with Jefferson, though Jefferson is considered the primary author. Adams and Jefferson formed an enduring, though embattled, friendship during the Second Continental Congress. Adams' cousin Samuel Adams was one of the leaders of the movement and John Adams had risen to nearly equal ranks. It was John Adams who argued for Jefferson's appointment to write the Declaration.

Question 9

Which Founder is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution?"
A)George Washington
B)Alexander Hamilton
C)Thomas Jefferson
D)James Madison

Accepted Answer

James Madison is considered the "Father of the Constitution." Not only did he play a pivotal role in the document's creation, he also authored The Federalist Papers with Hamilton and John Jay, which was the Federalists' appeal for public support and interpretation of the Constitution as it was chartered at the Constitutional Convention. The Federalist Papers remains the most effective tool for interpreting the Framers' intent in the Constitution.

Question 10

The possibility of treason is discussed in the U.S. Constitution in the Article pertaining to which government entity?
A)The executive branch
B)The states
C)The judicial branch
D)The legislative branch

Accepted Answer

The possibility of treason is discussed in Article III, section 3, along with the provisions for the judicial branch of the government. The text explicitly states that Congress is a political body in which disagreements are to be expected, and the courts cannot convict a member of Congress for treason for a political disagreement.

Question 11

As of 2012, which state has the most electoral votes?
A)New York
B)Texas
C)California
D)Florida

Accepted Answer

California has 55 electoral votes, by far the most in the nation. Texas is second with 38 votes; New York is third with 29; and, Florida has 29 votes. The number of votes a state possesses is based on the results of a national census taken once every ten years.

Question 12

What is the most significant contribution of The Federalist Papers?
A)It remains the best analysis of how the framers of the Constitution intended the document to be interpreted and applied as law.
B)It is the best historical record of the attitudes and beliefs of the Framers of the Constitution.
C)It offers vital insight into the legal minds of three seminal Founders: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay.
D)It was the new nation's first demonstration of how powerful free press and free speech could be.

Accepted Answer

The Federalist Papers, authored by Madison, Hamilton and Jay as an argument for the Federalist perspective during the Constitutional Convention, remain the best analysis of the Constitution and how the Framers intended later generations to interpret it. After more than two centuries, no assessment of the document has ever proved more clear or erudite, or acted as better guidance in interpreting the intent behind each facet of the charter. While all of the other answers are true, The Federalist Papers' enduring ability to shed light on the laws and values that bind the nation has been its most invaluable contribution.

Question 13

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution is the only amendment that repeals another constitutional amendment?
A)15th
B)21st
C)18th
D)24th

Accepted Answer

In 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment repealed Prohibition, which had been established by the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919. Prohibition ultimately contributed to the rise of organized crime throughout the 1920s, as bootleggers made vast profits from the illegal sale of alcohol but had to employ violence to evade the police. The government also lost revenue it would have acquired through taxes on alcohol, which was a critical issue at the end of the '20s when the Great Depression crippled the nation.

Question 14

Which of the following is not protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights?
A)The right of a citizen to refuse to quarter a soldier outside of wartime
B)The right of the states to be immune from lawsuits filed by citizens of other states
C)The right of the government to collect income tax
D)The right to be notified of legal accusations, to confront the accuser, to obtain witnesses and to retain counsel

Accepted Answer

The Sixteenth Amendment was ratified in 1913 and gave the government the right to collect an annual income tax; the Bill of Rights comprise the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, and they were ratified in 1791.

Question 15

Which of the following issues or organizations is not under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior?
A)The National Park Service
B)Maintenance of environmental quality
C)The U.S. Geological Survey
D)The Bureau of Land Management

Accepted Answer

The Department of the Interior does not oversee the maintenance of environmental quality. That responsibility falls to the Department of Energy, since environmental quality is largely determined by the use of energy and energy emissions. The removal of radioactive waste is the environmental issue on which the Energy Department focuses their most critical maintenance efforts.

Question 16

Which Cabinet department has been most frequently led by military personnel?
A)Department of Defense
B)Department of Homeland Security
C)Department of Veterans' Affairs
D)Department of State

Accepted Answer

The Department of Veterans' Affairs has fittingly been led by a member of the armed forces more frequently than any other Cabinet department, though prior service in the military is not a requirement for the position. Active duty members of the military do not serve in the Cabinet since they would be unable to fulfill both roles simultaneously. Therefore, any military personnel who are to receive an appointment to a Cabinet position must retire or have recently retired from active duty on their own.

Question 17

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution recognized that the right to vote could not be denied to a citizen on the basis of gender?
A)20th
B)21st
C)18th
D)19th

Accepted Answer

The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, recognized the right of women of legal voting age to vote in all local, state and federal elections. The voting rights of American women, much like slavery, varied by state in the earliest days of the country, before and after independence. The women's suffrage movement gained momentum throughout the latter half of the 19th century with a rallying moment at Seneca Falls in 1848, moderate abstinence from the cause during the Civil War, and a resumption of activism in 1865 when the war ended and the voting rights of black men were recognized.

Question 18

What issue was at the heart of the court case The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes?
A)The teaching of evolution in public schools
B)Transporting obscene material through the postal service
C)Flag-burning
D)Interracial marriage

Accepted Answer

The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes (1925), better known as "the Scopes Monkey Trial," was the trial of Tennessee science teacher John Scopes, who violated Tennessee's Butler Act by teaching the theory of evolution in a public school. Scopes was a substitute teacher who agreed to be a participant in an ACLU test case challenging anti-evolution education laws. Notable lawyer and three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan prosecuted the case; legendary defense attorney Clarence Darrow defended Scopes. H was found guilty of the crime but later won an appeal on a technicality.

Question 19

Which public high school played a pivotal role in American judicial history, first by refusing to desegregate in 1957, in violation of Brown v. the Board of Education, then by teaching evolution in a public school science class in an eventual U.S. Supreme Court case in 1968?
A)Beverly Hills High School (California)
B)Little Rock Central High (Arkansas)
C)Columbine High School (Colorado)
D)William McKinley High School (Lima, Ohio)

Accepted Answer

Little Rock Central High School made national headlines in 1957 when, three years after Brown v. the Board of Education ended "separate but equal" status in all public places, including schools, nine African-American students were denied enrollment. Governor Orval Faubus mobilized the Arkansas National Guard to blockade the nine students from entering the school, only to have President Eisenhower federalize the troops to get the students into the school. The ensuing "Crisis in Little Rock" became the most memorable attempt to defy the end of Jim Crow segregation, and ultimately led to Faubus canceling the 1958 school year in an attempt to keep desegregation from occurring. Less than 10 years later, a LR Central High biology teacher, Susan Epperson, agreed to become part of an ACLU attempt to overturn state laws that prohibited teaching evolution in public schools. Their notable first attempt in 1925 with John Scopes in Tennessee failed, and state laws banning evolution endured nationwide. Epperson's challenge of the state statute went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned the state's verdict and ended the ban on the theory of evolution in public school classrooms.

Question 20

Which of the following rights is not guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution?
A)The right to be detained without cruel and unusual punishment
B)The right to assemble peaceably
C)The right to petition the government
D)The right to publish or express one's view through mass media

Accepted Answer

The Third Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, not the First Amendment. The First Amendment has the dual distinction of being the most cherished and debated amendment to the Constitution, if not the most valued portion of the charter as a whole. It guarantees five freedoms: the freedoms of speech, religion, the press, assembly and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Quiz 20: History

Of the following classical societies, which was located in South Asia?

What scientific accomplishment is Nicolaus Copernicus best known for?

In the time period from 1450 to 1750, England rose as a dominant power in the Indian Ocean. What was the primary reason for this?

In the late 1800s, which Filipino guerilla leader fought the Spanish and then the United States?

During the American Revolution, John Adams defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre.

For what were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg tried and found guilty?

The debate at the Constitutional Convention regarding slavery was solved by the:

Which Founders collaborated with Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence?

Which Founder is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution?"

The possibility of treason is discussed in the U.S. Constitution in the Article pertaining to which government entity?

As of 2012, which state has the most electoral votes?

What is the most significant contribution of The Federalist Papers?

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution is the only amendment that repeals another constitutional amendment?

Which of the following is not protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights?

Which of the following issues or organizations is not under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior?

Which Cabinet department has been most frequently led by military personnel?

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution recognized that the right to vote could not be denied to a citizen on the basis of gender?

What issue was at the heart of the court case The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes?

Which public high school played a pivotal role in American judicial history, first by refusing to desegregate in 1957, in violation of Brown v. the Board of Education, then by teaching evolution in a public school science class in an eventual U.S. Supreme Court case in 1968?

Which of the following rights is not guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution?