Question 1

Bill of Rights
-The democratic attributes of the United States were advanced and articulated in the writing of which of the following early 19th century authors?
A)Henry James
B)Thomas Paine
C)Nathaniel Hawthorne
D)The Marquis de Lafayette
E)Alexis de Tocqueville

Accepted Answer

Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America detailed his extended visit to the United States and his observations about the society that he found there. His perception of the highly developed democracy in the nation helped define not only American abroad, but also its own sense of itself a growing, democratic nation. Although written by a Frenchman, it remains one of the most significant works on American democracy in the 19th century.

Question 2

Bill of Rights
-In his Letter from an American Farmer, Frenchman Hector St. John Crèvecoeur characterized which of the following as one of the hallmarks of early American life?
A)The potential for major cities
B)The ability of those from diverse nations to live together peacefully
C)The communities that formed based on religion
D)The difficulty in finding food and other resources
E)The danger that Native Americans presented settlers

Accepted Answer

Hector St. John Crèvecoeur highlighted the ability of diverse people to live together. His description of the nation as one of European immigrants foreshadowed the next century of American life. His work also presents the US as a land of opportunity.

Question 3

Bill of Rights
-Jefferson's sponsoring of the Lewis and Clark expedition helped create a stronger national culture because:
A)The expedition discovered that the Spanish had largely abandoned the West.
B)It created American trails, as opposed to European ones.
C)Coverage of the expedition helped incorporate the Native Americans into popular culture of the day.
D)Lewis and Clark's documentation of new species and uncharted territory created national pride.
E)Their journey represented a new type of domestic policy.

Accepted Answer

The journey of Lewis and Clark and the samples of plant and animal species that they sent back helped generate interest in the American west and the expansion of American culture. While they failed to find a route to Asia, they proved that America was negotiable and helped open up the West. This sparked the national imagination and laid the foundation for Manifest Destiny.

Question 4

Bill of Rights
-All of the following contributed to the rise of nationalism in the Era of Good Feelings EXCEPT:
A)The acquisition of Florida
B)The lack of political divisionism
C)The end of conflicts between Mexico and the United States
D)Prolonged economic stability
E)Westward expansion

Accepted Answer

The United States supported Mexico in the fledgling stages of its independence, so there was little tension between the two nations at this time, though international relations with Mexico deteriorated in the mid-1830s. The Era of Good Feelings was a period of stability and unity in the U.S. following the Napoleonic wars. This era coincided with Monroe's presidency and also included significant expansion, both in the West and through the acquisition of Florida.

Question 5

Bill of Rights
-Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac represents Enlightenment thought in that it:
A)Was primarily concerned with redefining astronomy
B)Highlights the advantages of the upper class
C)Assumes that nature is predictable and can be decoded
D)Argued for the use of reason in political situations
E)Vehemently opposed the monarchy as an institution

Accepted Answer

Franklin's work showed that nature was predictable and could be charted. Prior to the Enlightenment, most natural phenomena were seen as acts of God. However, by the 18th century, the focus shifted to distinguishable patterns with logical explanations.

Question 6

Bill of Rights
-One of the earliest slave narratives was written by which of the following figures?
A)Frederick Douglas
B)John Brown
C)Nat Turner
D)Olaudah Equiano
E)William Bradforth

Accepted Answer

published the first known slave narrative in 1789. Frederick Douglas also published his life story, although in the 19th century. The slave narrative genre also included writings of women, including Harriet Jacobs. These narratives accentuated the abusive nature of slavery and would be instrumental in the Abolitionist Movement of the 1830s.

Question 7

Bill of Rights
-Which of the following was an 18th century religious movement that arose as a counterpoint to the Enlightenment?
A)The Great Awakening
B)Mormonism
C)The revival of Catholicism
D)Agnosticism
E)Puritanism

Accepted Answer

The Great Awakening was a religious revival that emerged in the 1730s and 1740s, although it would wax and wane throughout much of the 18th century. Mormonism began in the 1820s, and Puritanism was largely in the 17th century. This intense religious fervor marked an affirmation of belief in the divine as Enlightenment thought became increasingly visible in public culture.

Question 8

Bill of Rights
-Which of the following is considered a predominantly American philosophical movement?
A)Transcendentalism
B)Atheism
C)Modernism
D)Stoicism
E)Realism

Accepted Answer

Transcendentalism, although adopted by some British writers, was predominantly an American intellectual movement. This movement encouraged original thinking and was critical of industrialism. It also focused on the materialism that characterized the growth of consumer culture. Transcendentalism sprang from a group of scholars in New England, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

Question 9

Bill of Rights
-James Fennimore Cooper's portrayal of Native Americans was noteworthy because:
A)He accurately represented Native American dialects.
B)They were viewed as admirable and closer to nature.
C)He often envisioned their culture as dominate.
D)His graphic portrayals of the attacks on the plains inhibited Westward expansion.
E)He suggested that they assimilated will into urban life.

Accepted Answer

James Fennimore Cooper's wrote novels that romanticized Native American life, portraying them as admirable and closer to nature. As industrialism began and cities sprang up, the celebration of nature that characterized the Transcendentalists emerged in other aspects of culture. Cooper's Native American characters were not the enemies or barbarians of previous representations in American literature. However, Cooper lived in New England, which was largely devoid of Native Americans by the time he wrote his novels.

Question 10

Bill of Rights
-Henry David Thoreau incorporated which of the following characteristics in his seminal work Walden?
A)Industrialism
B)Manifest Destiny
C)Individualism
D)Progressivism
E)Existentialism

Accepted Answer

Thoreau's Walden highlighted the importance of individualism. His documentation of the time he spent living along on Walden Pond was a testimony to self-reliance and appreciation for nature, both of which were key features of the Transcendentalist movement. Thoreau's emphasis on independence would help establish this quality of one of the key characteristics of American identity.

Question 11

Bill of Rights
-The artist known for his studies of birds and other species that created international interest in American wildlife was
A)Samuel Lovett Waldo
B)Charles Bird King
C)James McNeil Whistler
D)John James Audubon
E)John Muir

Accepted Answer

John James Audubon's work documented bird and other wildlife in a series of illustrations that became internationally known. Just as the exploration of Lewis and Clark brought American wildlife into popular culture, Audubon's drawings also highlighted the species indigenous to American. He was one of several artists that helped to define America and received international acclaim when prominent naturalists, including Charles Darwin, admired his detailed portraits.

Question 12

Bill of Rights
-In "The American Scholar," Ralph Wald Emerson famously argued for which of the following?
A)The need for public education for all
B)Reverence for European traditions
C)The creation of new, original ideas
D)Inclusion of women in higher education
E)Traveling abroad to better appreciate the virtues of America

Accepted Answer

In his speech, "The American Scholar," Emerson advocated the creation of new, original ideas intended to create a distinctly American voice. He felt that dependence on tradition led to stagnation, and he called upon the next generation of American scholars to embody their potential through original thought. Arguing that the United States was free to create its own traditions, Emerson cautioned American writers against dependence on European ideas and themes.

Question 13

Bill of Rights
-George Catlin was renowned for his portraits of which of the following?
A)Birds
B)Native Americans
C)Civil War Soldiers
D)Southern agriculture
E)Modern urban scenes

Accepted Answer

George Catlin was known for his portraits of Native Americans. His images of Native Americans and the Old West have become an iconic part of the visual history of the United States. His work also contributed to the romanticized re-imagination of Native Americans seen in the art and literature of the 19th century.

Question 14

Bill of Rights
-During the first half of the 19th century, Edgar Allan Poe added a distinctly American voice to which of the following literary genres?
A)Romanticism
B)Gothic Literature
C)Epic Poetry
D)Enlightenment Thought
E)Modernism

Accepted Answer

The poetry and prose of Edgar Allan Poe were a distinctly American contribution to Gothic literature, which depended on dark themes and references to the supernatural. This movement was flourishing in Europe, particularly England, as well. While many American writers were highlighting the natural and distinct feature of the American landscape, Poe focused on individuals and moral consequences of their choices.

Question 15

Bill of Rights
-Iconic American author Mark Twain got his start during which of the following significant events in American history?
A)The War of 1812
B)The Civil War
C)The Gold Rush
D)The Missouri Compromise
E)The Spanish-American War

Accepted Answer

Samuel Clemens, whose pen name was Mark Twain, got his start as a journalist in the Gold Rush. He went to San Francisco to cover it, and his writing became immensely popular. Well known for his wit and astuteness in portraying relevant social issues, Twain would go on to become one of the most important authors of the 19th century. He was also known for his distinctly American voice and attention to the Mississippi River, which figured prominently in his works.

Question 16

Bill of Rights
-Which of the following describes Anne Bradstreet's contribution to American literature?
A)A strong voice from the South opposing slavery
B)A woman's perspective on Puritan culture in colonial America
C)A treatise explaining the appropriate role of women in the 18th century home
D)A rejection of the religious principles of in early America

Accepted Answer

Through her poetry, Anne Bradstreet discussed Puritan life and values from a female perspective. While expressing her devotion and her faith, Bradstreet also discussed more domestic themes, such as motherhood and her role as a wife. She also expressed her frustration of the limed opportunities for women in Puritan society. She was one of the few women writers of the era; therefore, her work provides valuable insight into the concerns of women in Puritan society.

Question 17

Bill of Rights
-In American literature, realism in literature was often used to critique which of the following?
A)The treatment of Native Americans
B)The creations of American folk culture
C)The ongoing British influence in American culture
D)The rise of industrialism
E)The evils of slavery

Accepted Answer

Realism portrayed the negative impact of industrialism. Writers like Rebecca Harding Davis wrote about the bleak outlook for those trapped in the working class, for example. It also highlighted nature and its importance, linking it with American Transcendentalism. It followed the interest in biography and folk literature that characterized much early American writing.

Question 18

Bill of Rights
-All of the following are examples of American utopian communities in the mid-19th century EXCEPT:
A)Oneida
B)Brook Farm
C)Modern Times
D)Providence
E)New Harmony

Accepted Answer

Providence was a city in Rhode Island, not a utopian community. While many reformers sought to change society, others believed that creating societies based on their values was a better solution. Thus, various groups attempted to eliminate social ills through planned communities with willing members. Based on the teaching of men such as Robert Owen and John Humphrey Noyes, these communities sprang up in the United States. The Oneida community was particularly notorious in its day due to its non-monogamous marriage practices and strict eugenics program (though note that eugenics did not have the stigma then that it does now).

Question 19

Bill of Rights
-Which of the following women pressured the mainstream women's movement to include African-American women?
A)Sojourner Truth
B)Sarah Grimke
C)Amelia Bloomer
D)Elizabeth Cady Stanton
E)Angela Davis

Accepted Answer

Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" speech, delivered at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851, reminded the mainstream women's movement of the plight of African-American women and articulated the need to make the women's movement more inclusive. The majority of those in the women's movement were middle class and white; however, like the abolitionist movement, the women's movement also had a significant following in communities of free African American women.

Question 20

Diplomacy
-English colonization in the New World began for all of the following reasons EXCEPT
A)The wealth generated by the Spanish empire
B)Dramatic improvements in the English navy
C)The British acquisition of several Spanish colonies in the Thirty Years War
D)The need to more firmly establish Protestantism
E)Sir Walter Raleigh's influence on Queen Elizabeth

Accepted Answer

The British did not acquire Spanish colonies in the Thirty Years War, which was a religious war fought in Europe in the early to mid-17th century. The first British colony was attempted in 1585 when Sir Walter Raleigh convinced Elizabeth I that Britain could solidify Protestantism and the British throne by generating wealth as the Spanish has in the New World. British colonization was also assisted by the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, which marked the beginning of British naval dominance.

Quiz 9: CLEP: US History

Bill of Rights -The democratic attributes of the United States were advanced and articulated in the writing of which of the following early 19th century authors?

Bill of Rights -In his Letter from an American Farmer, Frenchman Hector St. John Crèvecoeur characterized which of the following as one of the hallmarks of early American life?

Bill of Rights -Jefferson's sponsoring of the Lewis and Clark expedition helped create a stronger national culture because:

Bill of Rights -All of the following contributed to the rise of nationalism in the Era of Good Feelings EXCEPT:

Bill of Rights -Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac represents Enlightenment thought in that it:

Bill of Rights -One of the earliest slave narratives was written by which of the following figures?

Bill of Rights -Which of the following was an 18th century religious movement that arose as a counterpoint to the Enlightenment?

Bill of Rights -Which of the following is considered a predominantly American philosophical movement?

Bill of Rights -James Fennimore Cooper's portrayal of Native Americans was noteworthy because:

Bill of Rights -Henry David Thoreau incorporated which of the following characteristics in his seminal work Walden?

Bill of Rights -The artist known for his studies of birds and other species that created international interest in American wildlife was

Bill of Rights -In "The American Scholar," Ralph Wald Emerson famously argued for which of the following?

Bill of Rights -George Catlin was renowned for his portraits of which of the following?

Bill of Rights -During the first half of the 19th century, Edgar Allan Poe added a distinctly American voice to which of the following literary genres?

Bill of Rights -Iconic American author Mark Twain got his start during which of the following significant events in American history?

Bill of Rights -Which of the following describes Anne Bradstreet's contribution to American literature?

Bill of Rights -In American literature, realism in literature was often used to critique which of the following?

Bill of Rights -All of the following are examples of American utopian communities in the mid-19th century EXCEPT:

Bill of Rights -Which of the following women pressured the mainstream women's movement to include African-American women?

Diplomacy -English colonization in the New World began for all of the following reasons EXCEPT