The Roaring 20s Practice Questions 1. After World War I, why did American farmers fail to share in the general economic growth of the United States? 1. Many immigrants were settling in the west and competing with the farmers. 2. The Federal Government reduced the number of acres on which farmers could grow subsidized crops. 3. Farmers could not produce enough to keep up with demand. 4. Overproduction and competition caused falling prices. 2. The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920 s was a period when African Americans 1. left the United States in large numbers to settle in Nigeria 2. created noteworthy works of art and literature 3. migrated to the West in search of land and jobs 4. used civil disobedience to fight segregation in the Armed Forces 3. Public disregard for Prohibition and for laws prohibiting gambling indicates that 1. the American film industry has great influence on public opinion 2. the system of checks and balances does not work 3. attempts to legislate public morality may be met with strong resistance 4. American citizens have little, if any, respect for laws 4. United States participation in the Washington Conference (1921), in the Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928), and in the SALT talks of the 1970 s is evidence that the United States 1. has followed a free trade policy for most of the 20th century 2. relies on military alliances for defense against aggression 3. has been willing to cooperate with other nations to reduce world tensions 4. believes that cultural exchange programs are a way to promote international understanding 5. The 1920 s are sometimes called the "Roaring Twenties" because 1. foreign trade prospered after World War I 2. the United States assumed a leadership role in world affairs 3. political reforms made government more democratic 4. widespread social and economic change occurred 6. Which condition increased the negative effects of the Great Depression? 1. Factories had to decrease production because of low demand. 2. Low levels of unemployment created labor shortages. 3. The demand for imported products increased. 4. The Federal Government raised taxes repeatedly.
7. The Washington Naval Conference of 1921-22 and the SALT talks of the 1970 s between the United States and the Soviet Union both reflect the belief that 1. civil wars within nations can create international hostilities 2. escalating military buildups are one of the causes of war 3. cultural exchange programs can reduce world tensions 4. rivalry between nations over the control of natural resources is the major cause of conflict 8. Which generalization most accurately describes the literary works of Langston Hughes, Sinclair Lewis, and John Steinbeck? 1. Politics and art seldom mix well. 2. The best literature concerns the lives of the wealthy. 3. Literature often reflects the times in which it is created. 4. Traditional American themes are the most popular. 9. What was one similarity between the Red Scare following World War I and the Cold War following World War II? 1. Fear of communism led to the suppression of the civil liberties of some Americans. 2. Large numbers of Russian revolutionaries settled in the United States. 3. Congressional investigations proved that the Federal Government was heavily infiltrated by Communist spies. 4. Renewed fighting between wartime enemies was a constant threat. 10. Which events best support the image of the 1920 s as a decade of nativist sentiment? 1. the passage of the National Origins Act and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan 2. the Scopes trial and the passage of women s suffrage 3. the Washington Naval Conference and the Kellogg-Briand Pact 4. the growth of the auto industry and the Teapot Dome Affair 11. In the United States, the decade of the 1920 s was characterized by 1. a willingness to encourage immigration to the United States 2. increased consumer borrowing and spending 3. the active involvement of the United States in European affairs 4. major reforms in national labor legislation 12. In the 1920 s, the depressed situation of United States agriculture was chiefly caused by 1. overregulation by government 2. mechanization and overproduction 3. inefficient production techniques 4. stock-market speculation
13. In the 1920 s, the Immigration Act of 1924 and the Sacco-Vanzetti trial were typical of the 1. rejection of traditional customs and beliefs 2. acceptance of cultural differences 3. increase in nativism and intolerance 4. support of humanitarian causes 14. The economic boom and the financial speculation of the 1920 s were caused in part by 1. installment buying and an unregulated stock market 2. the expansion of civil rights to women and minorities 3. the mobilization of the economy for war 4. increased government restrictions on big business Speaker A:"To preserve our American culture, people whose national origins do not match the origins of our nation s founders must be refused admission." Speaker B:"... let us admit only the best educated from every racial and ethnic group..." Speaker C:"... there is an appalling danger to the American wage earner from the flood of low, unskilled, ignorant, foreign workers who have poured into the country..." Speaker D:"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." 15. In the early 20th century, most labor unions supported the view of 1. Speaker A 2. Speaker B 3. Speaker C 4. Speaker D 16. After World War I, which factor was the major cause of the migration of many African Americans to the North? 1. the start of the Harlem Renaissance 2. increased job opportunities in Northern cities 3. laws passed in Northern States to end racial discrimination 4. Federal Government job-training programs 17. Which feature of the immigration laws of the 1920 s was different from prior laws? 1. Quotas were set to limit immigration from many countries 2. Preference was granted to Chinese immigrants 3. Refugees from war-torn Europe were encouraged to enter the United States. 4. Efforts were made to stop illegal immigration from Latin America.
18. Which combination of factors contributed most to the start of the Great Depression of the 1930 s? 1. immigration restrictions and a lack of skilled workers 2. high taxes and overspending on social welfare programs 3. United States war debts and the declining value of the dollar 4. overproduction and the excessive use of credit 19. Which conclusion can be drawn from the occurrence of the Red Scare and the decision of the Supreme Court in Schenck v. United States? 1. Immigrants to the United States are consistently denied equal protection under the law. 2. A person s best protection from persecution rests with the Supreme Court. 3. Civil rights are sometimes compromised by the public s fear of radical political groups 4. Violent protests in the United States are usually met with a violent response from the government. How the Other Half Lives, Jacob Riis (1890) The Jungle, Upton Sinclair (1906) The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck (1939) Unsafe at Any Speed, Ralph Nader (1965) 20. What has been the impact of these authors and their books on American society? 1. Most Americans have developed a preference for escapist and romantic literature. 2. Most American authors have adopted a conservative viewpoint 3. American business has corrected poor conditions quickly. 4. These works have had significant influence on social, political, and economic reforms. 21. A result of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s was the 1. restoration of buildings and the infrastructure in New York City 2. increased recognition of African-American writers and musicians 3. end of racial segregation laws in New York State 4. appointment of several African Americans as presidential advisors 22. The 1925 trial of John Scopes reflects the conflict between 1. science and religion 2. isolation and international involvement 3. traditional roles and new roles for women 4. Prohibition and organized crime 23. The business of America is business. President Calvin Coolidge. By making this statement, President Coolidge was expressing his support for 1. higher taxes on corporations 2. banking regulations 3. democratic socialism 4. the free-enterprise system
24. Which action is an example of nativism in the 1920s? 1. widespread violation of Prohibition laws 2. efforts to improve living conditions for Native American Indians 3. passage of laws restricting immigration 4. provision of credit to farmers 25. Which economic practice became significantly more widespread during the 1920s? 1. governmental regulation of business 2. stock market speculation 3. dependence on government welfare programs 4. reduction of tariff rates I, Too, Sing America I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I ll sit at the table When company comes. Nobody ll dare Say to me, Eat in the kitchen, Then. Besides, They ll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed I, too, am America. Langston Hughes, 1926 26. This poem was a literary contribution from the 1. abolitionist movement 2. Progressive Era 3. Prohibition movement 4. Harlem Renaissance
27. The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s can best be described as 1. an organization created to help promote African-American businesses 2. a movement that sought to draw people back to the inner cities 3. a relief program to provide jobs for minority workers 4. a period of great achievement by African- American writers, artists, and performers 28. What was a major reason American farmers failed to obtain a fair share of the economic prosperity of the 1920s? 1. Crops failed due to poor weather conditions 2. The government controlled food prices 3. Farm crops were overproduced 4. Banks refused to lend money to farmers I, Too, Sing America I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I ll sit at the table When company comes. Nobody ll dare Say to me, Eat in the kitchen, Then. Besides, They ll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed I, too, am America. Langston Hughes, 1926 29. The main purpose of this poem was to 1. end the institution of slavery 2. demonstrate self-respect by African Americans 3. maintain separation of the races 4. promote the back-to-africa movement
30. The treaties signed at the Washington Conference (1921 1922) and the Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) were efforts to 1. limit the spread of military dictatorships 2. maintain peace through international agreements 3. form new military alliances after World War I 4. bring democratic government to eastern Europe 31. Which event represents an expression of nativism during the 1920s? 1. trial of John Scopes for teaching evolution 2. adoption of a quota system to limit immigration 3. Charles Lindbergh s solo transatlantic flight 4. rise in popularity of spectator sports 32. What was a major result of Prohibition in the United States during the 1920s? 1. restriction of immigration 2. growth of communism 3. destruction of family values 4. increase in organized crime One Way Ticket I am fed up With Jim Crow laws, People who are cruel And afraid, Who lynch and run, Who are scared of me And me of them. I pick up my life And take it away On a one-way ticket Gone Up North Gone Out West Gone! Langston Hughes, 1926 33. The author states that he has Gone because 1. jobs were available in northern industries 2. there was no racial prejudice in the West 3. farmland was more available in the North 4. racial discrimination drove him away
34. Which statement most accurately describes conditions of American farmers during the economic boom of the mid-1920s? 1. Shortages of fertile land and farm equipment lowered farm income 2. Overproduction helped keep farmers from participating in the prosperity of the times 3. Subsidies and other government programs dramatically increased farmers incomes 4. Higher prices for farm products resulted in a higher standard of living for farmers 35. Which economic trend of the 1920s helped cause the Great Depression? 1. rising cost of mass-produced goods 2. increasing income tax rates 3. falling tariff rates 4. widening income gap between the rich and the poor 36. The works of Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes reflected the 1. expanding role of women in the 1920s 2. achievements of the Harlem Renaissance 3. architectural innovations of the 1930s 4. influence of southern European immigrant groups 37. The economic boom of the 1920s was primarily caused by the 1. new economic policies of the League of Nations 2. development of new consumer goods industries 3. advent of advertising on radio 4. elimination of barriers to international trade 38. During most of the 1920s, which group experienced the most severe economic problems? 1. owners of small family farms 2. workers in the automobile industry 3. bankers in urban centers 4. entertainers in the field of radio 39. During the 1920s, controversies concerning the Scopes trial, national Prohibition, and the behavior of flappers were all signs of disagreement over 1. the return to normalcy 2. traditional values and changing lifestyles 3. causes of the Great Depression 4. the benefits of new technology
40. A major goal of the immigration acts of the 1920s was to 1. allow unlimited immigration from Southeast Asia 2. assure equal numbers of immigrants from all nations 3. favor wealthy and well-educated immigrants 4. use quotas to limit immigration from southern and eastern Europe 41. Which event of the 1920s symbolized a conflict over cultural values? 1. election of Herbert Hoover 2. transatlantic flight of Charles Lindbergh 3. Scopes trial 4. stock market crash 42. The data in the chart support the idea that the immigration laws of 1921 and 1924 were primarily designed to 1. stop illegal entry into the country 2. admit skilled workers 3. encourage immigration from southern Europe 4. reduce immigration from specific regions 43. The United States adopted the immigration policies shown in the chart mainly because of 1. pressures from nativists and labor unions 2. hardships caused by the Great Depression 3. prejudices generated during World War II 4. threats from other nations to stop migration to the United States
44. Which group of Americans generally failed to experience the economic prosperity of the 1920s? 1. farmers 2. retailers 3. consumers 4. manufacturers 45. Which pair of events illustrates an accurate cause-and-effect relationship? 1. Sacco and Vanzetti trial ---> ratification of the woman suffrage amendment 2. rebirth of the KKK ---> formation of the Populist Party 3. Red Scare ---> demand for limits on immigration 4. high food prices ---> start of the Great Depression 46. Which situation helped cause the stock market crash of 1929? 1. excessive speculation and buying on margin 2. unwillingness of people to invest in new industries 3. increased government spending 4. too much government regulation of business 47. Which pair of circumstances represents an accurate cause-and-effect relationship? 1. more jobs in factories ---> migration of African Americans from the South to northern cities 2. establishment of Jim Crow laws ---> beginning of Reconstruction 3. Dred Scott decision ---> passage of the Fugitive Slave Law 4. closing of the frontier ---> completion of the transcontinental railroad 48. Much of the economic growth of the 1920s was based on 1. increased trade with other nations 2. the production of new consumer goods 3. rising prices of agricultural products 4. the rapid development of the West 49. Langston Hughes and Duke Ellington are noted for their contributions to the cultural movement of the 1920s known as the 1. Gospel of Wealth 2. Lost Generation 3. Harlem Renaissance 4. Gilded Age
50. The failure of national Prohibition led to a public awareness that 1. crime rates decline when the sale of alcoholic beverages is banned 2. economic prosperity encourages social conformity 3. unpopular laws are difficult to enforce 4. geographic conditions affect law enforcement Public Ignores Prohibition Restrictions Evolution and Creation Debated in Scopes Trial Women Bring Change to the Industrial Workforce 51. What do headlines such as these from the 1920s illustrate? 1. conflict between traditional and modern values 2. trend toward mass consumption of consumer goods 3. hostility of certain groups toward ethnic minorities 4. debate over the role of government in the economy 52. What common problem did farmers of the 1890s and farmers of the 1920s face? 1. government overregulation of farming 2. overproduction compared to consumer demand 3. failure to plant enough crops to meet local needs 4. low tariffs on crops Teapot Dome Scandal Harlem Renaissance Scopes trial 53. During which decade did these events occur? 1. 1920s 2. 1930s 3. 1940s 4. 1950s