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REGENTS EXAM IN U.S. HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT
REGENTS EXAM IN U.S. HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT
The University of the State of New York
REGENTS HIGH SCHOOL EXAMINATION
UNITED STATES HISTORY
AND GOVERNMENT
Tuesday, June 18, 2019 — 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., only
Student Name _____________________________________________________________
School Name ______________________________________________________________
The possession or use of any communications device is strictly prohibited when taking this examination. If you have or use any communications device, no matter how briefly, your examination will be invalidated and no score will be calculated for you.
DO NOT OPEN THIS EXAMINATION BOOKLET UNTIL THE SIGNAL IS GIVEN.
Print your name and the name of your school on the lines above. A separate answer sheet for Part I has been provided to you. Follow the instructions from the proctor for completing the student information on your answer sheet. Then fill in the heading of each page of your essay booklet. This examination has three parts. You are to answer all questions in all parts. Use black or dark-blue ink to write your answers to Parts II, III A, and III B. Part I contains 50 multiple-choice questions. Record your answers to these questions as directed on the answer sheet. Part II contains one thematic essay question. Write your answer to this question in the essay booklet, beginning on page 1. Part III is based on several documents: Part III A contains the documents. When you reach this part of the test, enter your name and the name of your school on the first page of this section. Each document is followed by one or more questions. Write your answer to each question in this examination booklet on the lines following that question. Part III B contains one essay question based on the documents. Write your answer to this question in the essay booklet, beginning on page 7. When you have completed the examination, you must sign the declaration printed at the end of the answer sheet, indicating that you had no unlawful knowledge of the questions or answers prior to the examination and that you have neither given nor received assistance in answering any of the questions during the examination. Your answer sheet cannot be accepted if you fail to sign this declaration.
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [2]
1 In colonial America, the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, and the writings of John Locke contributed to the (1) diversity of religious beliefs among the colonists (2) political ideals and practices of the colonists (3) economic relationships between the colonists and the mother country (4) demands of colonists to end the slave trade and the practice of slavery
2 Before 1763, most American colonists settled near the Atlantic Coast or rivers because (1) port cities could be more easily defended in times of war (2) valleys were less fertile (3) English colonists were only allowed to settle in these locations (4) navigable water offered easier access to trade and employment
3 One way in which the Declaration of Independence and the original United States Constitution are similar is that both promote the idea of (1) the consent of the governed (2) equal rights for women (3) voting rights for all adult citizens (4) judicial review of unjust laws
4 The main purpose of the Federalist Papers was to (1) discourage the creation of political parties (2) support the candidacy of George Washington (3) urge ratification of the Constitution (4) advocate independence from Great Britain
5 “... Constitutions should consist only of general provisions: The reason is, that they must necessarily be permanent, and that they cannot calculate for the possible changes of things... .” — Alexander Hamilton, 1788
Which provision of the United States Constitution best supports the idea expressed in this quotation? (1) eminent domain (2) electoral college (3) separation of powers (4) elastic clause
6 The main objection to the adoption of the United States Constitution was based primarily on the belief that (1) the number of new states admitted to the Union should be limited (2) individual freedoms could be restricted by a strong central government (3) a separate judiciary would make the government ineffective (4) slave populations gave the South too much power
7 Which viewpoint of the framers of the United States Constitution is demonstrated by the use of the electoral college to select the president? (1) distrust of the average citizen’s judgment (2) belief that political parties strengthen the campaign process (3) desire to end property qualifications for voting (4) commitment to universal suffrage
Part I
Answer all questions in this part.
Directions (1–50): For each statement or question, record on your separate answer sheet the number of the word or expression that, of those given, best completes the statement or answers the question.
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [4]
11 Under Chief Justice John Marshall (1801–1835), Supreme Court decisions generally upheld Alexander Hamilton’s belief that (1) a national debt would violate the economic principles of the Constitution (2) states should have more economic power than the federal government (3) the power of Congress should be greater than the power of the president (4) a loose interpretation of the Constitution could be used to increase federal power
Base your answer to question 12 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies.
... I am not a Know-Nothing. That is certain. How could I be? How can any one who abhors the oppression of negroes [African Americans], be in favor of degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that “all men are created equal.” We now practically read it “all men are created equal, except negroes.” When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read “all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics. ” When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty—to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy.... — Abraham Lincoln, letter to Joshua Speed, August 24, 1855
12 In this 1855 letter, Abraham Lincoln opposed the Know-Nothing party because it (1) supported the policy of imperialism (2) favored unrestricted immigration (3) promoted resentment against minority groups (4) wanted equal rights for all people
13 The Supreme Court’s decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford was nullified by the passage of the (1) Kansas-Nebraska Act (2) 13th and 14th amendments (3) Compromise of 1850 (4) Reconstruction Act
14 The Civil War directly affected the Northern economy by (1) causing a severe depression (2) destroying much of its farmland (3) greatly expanding the canal system (4) stimulating the growth of factories
15 Rapid industrialization during the late 1800s contributed to (1) a decline in the membership of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) (2) a reduction in government regulation of railroads (3) a rise in the number of family farms (4) an increase in immigration to the United States
16 Which factor aided the building of trans- continental railroads? (1) The federal government provided free land to the railroad companies. (2) The railroads established fair rates for customers. (3) Congress repealed antitrust laws against the railroads. (4) The Supreme Court approved public ownership of the railroad industry.
17 Which tactics were used by big business during the late 1800s to limit the power of labor unions? (1) strikebreakers and lockouts (2) picketing and walkouts (3) collective bargaining and mediation (4) wage increases and shorter hours
18 Which constitutional right was the central focus in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)? (1) freedom of assembly guaranteed by the first amendment (2) due process of the law in the fifth amendment (3) equal protection of the law under the 14th amendment (4) equal voting rights guaranteed by the 15th amendment
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [5] [OVER]
Base your answer to question 19 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.
Source: Frank Beard, Judge, July 19, 1884 (adapted)
Standard
Oil Co.
The Monster Monopoly
Small Oil Co
.
Savings Bank
Gas Co.
Insurance Co.
19 What is being criticized in this cartoon? (1) environmental damage (3) oil exploration (2) business consolidation (4) federal tax laws
20 Which event was a result of the Spanish- American War? (1) Cuba was divided into spheres of influence. (2) Puerto Rico became a possession of the United States. (3) The Philippines became a Spanish colony. (4) The United States lost control of the Panama Canal.
21 • Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
- Gentlemen’s Agreement (1907)
- Emergency Quota Act (1921)
These federal actions demonstrate that Americans have (1) supported the principle of open immigration (2) provided immigrants equal access to jobs and social programs (3) forced immigrants to settle in designated areas (4) favored limiting immigration at different times in the nation’s history
22 In the early 20th century, muckraking authors Upton Sinclair and Ida Tarbell primarily criticized the federal government for (1) wasting money on foreign wars (2) ignoring abuses committed by big business (3) excessive regulation of the steel industry (4) overspending on social welfare programs
23 During the Progressive Era, voters were given more opportunities to select political party candidates through (1) direct primary elections (2) term limits on elected officials (3) initiative and recall (4) public funding of elections
24 Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal and Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom shared the goal of (1) achieving equal rights for minority groups (2) protecting the interests of big business (3) strengthening federal regulatory power over large corporations (4) instituting laissez-faire policies
25 The Federal Reserve System was created in 1913 to (1) balance the budget (2) control the money supply (3) insure savings account deposits (4) regulate the stock market
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [7] [OVER]
Base your answers to questions 32 and 33 on the song lyrics below and on your knowledge of social studies.
That’s Why We’re Voting For Roosevelt Herbie Hoover promised us “Two chickens in each pot,” Breadlines and Depression were the only things we got. I lost my job, my bank blew up, and I was on the spot. That’s why I’m voting for Roosevelt.
Hooray! Hooray! Herb Hoover’s gone away, Hooray! Hooray! I hope he’s gone to stay. For now I’m back to work and get my three squares ev’ry day. That’s why I’m voting for Roosevelt....
Wall Street sure is kicking for they know they’re on the pan. Franklin D. in Washington upset their little plan, And now the one on top is that poor once forgotten man, That’s why we’re voting for Roosevelt.
Hooray! Hooray! He banished all our fear. Hooray! Hooray! Our banks are in the clear. He brought us back prosperity, he gave us back our beer, That’s why I’m voting for Roosevelt. — Thomas O’Dowd, 1936
32 Which group would most likely have agreed with the lyrics of this song? (1) Prohibition advocates (3) New Deal supporters (2) Republican Party leaders (4) Supply-side economists
33 According to the song lyrics, people supported Franklin D. Roosevelt primarily because he (1) implemented economic relief and recovery programs (2) favored a national suffrage amendment (3) continued Herbert Hoover’s economic policies (4) reduced federal income taxes
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [8]
Base your answer to question 34 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.
Source: Vaughn Shoemaker, Chicago News, April 27, 1937 (adapted)
34 This cartoon is critical of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s efforts to (1) force Congress to reduce government waste (2) convince the Supreme Court to pass a constitutional amendment to balance the budget (3) reverse the effects of the Great Depression (4) increase his power over the Supreme Court
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [10]
39 What was the immediate cause of the action taken by the United States that is shown on the map? (1) Cuban refugees lobbied President Dwight Eisenhower to overthrow Fidel Castro. (2) The Soviet Union built nuclear missile launch sites within range of United States cities. (3) United States military bases in the Caribbean were closed by Cuban armed forces. (4) Puerto Rican citizens asked Congress to assist them in repelling communist advances.
40 One positive outcome of the situation shown on the map was that the United States and Soviet Union increased (1) communication between the two nations to avert war (2) military control of their Latin American colonies (3) cooperative humanitarian efforts in Caribbean nations suffering from natural di- sasters (4) joint efforts to end the cruel practices of Cuba’s leaders
Base your answers to questions 39 and 40 on the map below and on your knowledge of social studies.
Colombia
W
N
S
E
Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
United States (^) Charleston Savannah Bermuda
Miami
Bahamas
Haiti San Juan
Jamaica
U.S. military bases U.S. naval blockade, October 1962 Soviet missile sites, 1962 Cuba-bound Soviet ships, 1962
Source: Gary B. Nash and Carter Smith, Atlas of American History, Facts on File, 2007 (adapted)
0 0 300 km
300 miles
Mexico
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Key West Havana
Cuba
Guantanamo Bay
Dominican Republic
Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Pacific Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Panama Canal Zone Costa Rica
Puerto Rico
Route of Soviet Ships
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [11] [OVER]
41 The main reason President John F. Kennedy proposed the establishment of the Peace Corps was to (1) promote trade with Africa (2) combat drug use in American cities (3) gain support from immigrant voters (4) improve conditions in developing nations
42 What was an outcome of the Watergate affair during the administration of President Richard Nixon? (1) Presidential powers were expanded. (2) Respect for the office of the president declined. (3) The Supreme Court cleared President Nixon of all charges. (4) Congress refused to take action against President Nixon.
43 The goal of the War Powers Act of 1973 was to (1) allow the president to declare war without congressional approval (2) give Congress the sole power to authorize the use of military force (3) limit the president’s power to use military force without congressional approval (4) require a declaration of war for all uses of military forces
44 “... The United States, together with the United Nations, exhausted every means at our disposal to bring this crisis to a peaceful end. However, Saddam [Hussein] clearly felt that by stalling and threatening and defying the United Nations, he could weaken the forces arrayed against him... .” — President George H. W. Bush, address to the nation, January 16, 1991
President George H. W. Bush used this statement to defend (1) taking military action to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi aggression (2) providing foreign aid to Israel (3) supporting Egypt against attacks by terrorists (4) using United States troops as peacekeepers in Bosnia
Base your answer to question 45 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.
Source: John de Rosier, Albany Times Union, July 29, 2010
45 Which combination of factors has led to the problem shown in the cartoon? (1) lower medical costs and high interest rates (2) business monopolies and depletion of natural resources (3) consumer debt and nearly stagnant wages (4) population migration and the graying of America
46 One way in which the goals of the Know-Nothing Party in the 1850s and the response to the Red Scare of 1919 were similar is that both (1) called for equal rights for women and African Americans (2) sought to limit immigration to the United States (3) supported the overseas expansion of the United States (4) attempted to limit the influence of big business on American politics
47 Which term most accurately describes United States foreign policy during the Cold War? (1) containment (3) Big Stick (2) nonalignment (4) Open Door
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [13] [OVER]
Answers to the essay questions are to be written in the separate essay booklet.
In developing your answer to Part II, be sure to keep these general definitions in mind:
(a) describe means “to illustrate something in words or tell about it” (b) discuss means “to make observations about something using facts, reasoning, and argument; to present in some detail”
Part II
THEMATIC ESSAY QUESTION
Directions: Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several paragraphs addressing the task below, and a conclusion.
Theme: Westward Movement of the Frontier
Throughout United States history, efforts to settle new land pushed the frontier further west. Several important events influenced this westward movement. These events often led to conflict with Native American Indians or with foreign governments.
Task:
Select two events that significantly influenced the westward movement of the frontier and for each
- Describe the historical circumstances surrounding the event
- Discuss the positive and / or negative effects of the event on the settlement of the West
You may use any event that significantly infl uenced the westward movement of the frontier from your study of United States history. Some events you might wish to consider include:
Signing of the Treaty of Paris (1783) Discovery of gold in California (1848) Creation of the reservation system (1800s) Passage of the Homestead Act (1862) Purchase of the Louisiana Territory (1803) Purchase of Alaska (1867) Opening of the Erie Canal (1825) Completion of the transcontinental railroad (1869) War with Mexico (1846–1848)
You are not limited to these suggestions.
Guidelines: In your essay, be sure to:
- Develop all aspects of the task
- Discuss at least two effects for each event
- Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details
- Use a logical and clear plan of organization, including an introduction and a conclusion that are beyond a restatement of the theme
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [14]
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U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [16]
Part A
Short-Answer Questions
Directions : Analyze the documents and answer the short-answer questions that follow each document in the space provided.
Document 1a Document 1b
“AND REMEMBER, NOTHING CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY TAKING TO THE STREETS”
Source: Herblock, Washington Post, September 6, 1963 (adapted)
1 Based on these documents, state one form of discrimination African Americans experienced in the 1960s. [1]
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If You Miss Me At the Back of the Bus If you miss me at the back of the bus you can’t find me nowhere come on over to the front of the bus I’ll be riding up there....
If you miss me on the picket line you can’t find me nowhere come on over to the city jail I’ll be rooming over there....
If you miss me in the cotton fields you can’t find me nowhere come on over to the courthouse I’ll be voting right there....
Source: recorded by Pete Seeger, 1963, written by Carver Neblett
U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [17] [OVER]
Document 2
... In its regional breadth, the uprising resembled the sit-in movement of 1960. But the 1963 demonstrations [after Birmingham] were more widespread, involved much larger numbers, and drew in people of all ages and backgrounds. To list the places where black people engaged in nonviolent protests would be to name virtually every town and city in the South: about 115 communities experienced 930 demonstrations of one kind or another. The number of people arrested topped 20,000, four times as many as in 1960. The 1963 surge of nonviolent direct action made the maintenance of segregation in public accommodations untenable [unable to continue]. Black people knew that if segregation could be cracked in Birmingham, it could be cracked anywhere. Birmingham exposed the vulnerability of the South’s political regime, and black people seized the opportunity to attack it. In city after city, under the relentless pressure of demonstrations, whites sat down to negotiate. During a single three-week period after Birmingham, the Justice Department noted that 143 cities had acceded [agreed] to some degree of integration. By year’s end the number exceeded three hundred. Many cities set up biracial committees that enabled blacks to press for further desegregation....
Source: Adam Fairclough, Better Day Coming: Blacks and Equality, 1890–2000, Viking Penguin, 2001
2 According to Adam Fairclough, what was one effect of the 1963 demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama? [1]
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U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [19] [OVER]
Document 4
... As the U.S. commitment increased, so did the number of bombs dropped on the North, the volume of North Vietnamese coming into the South, the fervor of the protest movement, the billion dollar military grants, and the number of casualties. Johnson’s pledge to fight communism in Southeast Asia had degenerated into what anti-war folk singer Pete Seeger labeled “the Big Muddy.” And yet, the refrain of that song said, “the old fool says to push on.” Tempers on both sides fl ared as the body counts increased, and each night’s TV broadcasts introduced American viewers to faraway hell holes where their sons, brothers, friends, and husbands were stepping on land mines, perishing in Vietcong mantraps, and being cut down in hand-to-hand combat. The week of September 18–24 brought with it a grim statistic: 142 U.S. soldiers killed, 825 wounded, 3 missing—the war’s highest toll in 1966.... Every time American troops won a small victory or held a strategic position, the President’s advisers used the occasion to press for more troops and more money. These were vital, they repeatedly declared, to consolidate our gains and increase our advantages. The monthly draft was doubled several times, up to 46,000 a month in October 1966, as General Westmoreland constantly increased his call for troops. He had almost a half-million men in combat by April 1967. By the following year, he told the President, he would need almost 700,000. With that number, he said, we could win the war in two years. The “light at the end of the tunnel,” which President Johnson optimistically referred to in his news broadcasts, had dimmed considerably since his earlier predictions....
Source: Toby Goldstein, Waking from the Dream: America in the Sixties, Julian Messner, 1988
4 According to Toby Goldstein, what were two reasons for the development of the anti–Vietnam War movement? [2]
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U.S. Hist. & Gov’t. – June ’19 [20]
Document 5
American protest against the war in Vietnam was begun and sustained by American citizens who believed that in a representative democracy, individuals can make themselves heard and, more, can affect public policy. To us, the antiwar movement during the Vietnam era is important not because it stopped the war, which it may or may not have done; rather, it is important because it existed. It is a reminder to Americans that times come when citizens can and, indeed, must challenge their government’s authority.... Every war has had its opponents. There was a sizable antiwar sentiment in Great Britain during the South African War (1899–1902), and in America there has always been during every war a small protest movement—most notably, until Vietnam, during the Mexican War in 1846– and the Philippine Insurrection in 1899–1901. But the Vietnam War was different: increasingly unpopular, undeclared and therefore in the opinion of many citizens illegal and unconstitutional as well, it was the most frustrating war in American history, and the ugliest, and the longest. The movement opposing it had years in which to grow....
Source: Nancy Zaroulis and Gerald Sullivan, Who Spoke Up?: American Protest Against the War In Vietnam, 1963–1975, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1984
5 According to Nancy Zaroulis and Gerald Sullivan, what was one reason for protest against the Vietnam War? [1]
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