Question 1

What made Bush's 2002 "National Security Strategy" fundamentally different from previous American policy?
A) It began by defining freedom.
B) It called for a huge military buildup.
C) It did not refrain from nuclear weapons.
D) It advocated the use of preemptive war.
E) It called for multilateral action.

Accepted Answer

Bush's 2002 "National Security Strategy" was fundamentally different from previous American policy because it advocated for the use of preemptive war. This essentially means that the US would use military force to prevent an attack by an enemy, rather than waiting to be attacked first. This marked a departure from the traditional American policy of only using military force in self-defense.

Question 2

After the September 11 attacks,who authorized the National Security Agency (NSA)to listen to domestic telephone conversations without a court warrant?
A) Defense Secretary Rumsfeld.
B) State Secretary Powell.
C) National Security Advisor Rice.
D) President Bush.
E) Central Intelligence Director Tenet.

Accepted Answer

President Bush authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to listen to domestic telephone conversations without a court warrant after the September 11 attacks in 2001. This controversial decision raised concerns about civil liberties and the scope of executive power.

Question 3

Operation Enduring Freedom was launched in October 2001:
A) against Afghanistan, because the nation was harboring Osama bin Laden.
B) against Saudi Arabia, because it was harboring Osama bin Laden.
C) against Afghanistan, because the United States did not approve of the Taliban's treatment of women.
D) against Afghanistan, because the Afghan government had ordered the terrorist attacks of September 11.
E) as a way to combat rising unemployment.

Accepted Answer

Operation Enduring Freedom was launched in October 2001 against Afghanistan because the nation was harboring Osama bin Laden, who was the leader of Al-Qaeda and responsible for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The United States demanded that the Taliban government hand over bin Laden, but they refused, leading to military action.

Question 4

How did President Bush characterize the toppling of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan?
A) As a "mission accomplished."
B) As an end to the "axis of evil."
C) As the triumph of a "coalition of the willing."
D) As only the beginning of the war on terror.
E) As the end of the Al Qaeda terror network.

Accepted Answer

President Bush characterized the toppling of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan as only the beginning of the war on terror. He acknowledged that there was still a long battle ahead in the fight against terrorism.

Question 5

The Hurricane Katrina disaster highlighted which of the following to Americans in 2005?
A) The housing crisis was a minor problem compared to natural disaster.
B) Global warming required immediate action and generous government funds.
C) The nation and its economic recovery remained dependent on the price of oil.
D) Racial segregation in the lower wards of New Orleans had not changed since the 1950s.
E) A Democratically dominated Congress was as unsympathetic to the poor as a Republican one.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Hurricane Katrina disaster highlighted which of...

Question 6

The Kyoto Protocol of 1997:
A) was an apology to Japan for the dropping of the atomic bombs.
B) addressed the issue of global warming and was rejected by President Bush.
C) addressed the issue of global warming and was supported by President Bush.
D) was a trade agreement between Japan and the United States.
E) was a declaration of war guilt by the Japanese.

Accepted Answer

The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 was an international treaty that aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the issue of global warming. It was rejected by President Bush, who believed that it would harm the US economy.

Question 7

What made Barack Obama's presidential campaign "the first political campaign of the twenty-first century"?
A) Its widespread use of the Internet to raise money and communicate directly with voters.
B) Its use of televised debates.
C) Its use of television advertisements.
D) Its use of direct calling.
E) Its use of direct mailings.

Accepted Answer

Barack Obama's presidential campaign was unique in the sense that it extensively used the Internet and social media platforms to reach out to voters and raise funds. This made it the first political campaign of the twenty-first century to fully leverage the power of digital media for political campaigning.

Question 8

Why was the Iraq War compared to Vietnam?
A) Both had begun as nation-building projects.
B) Both featured free elections overseen by American officials that resulted in stable governments.
C) Both featured American policymakers with little knowledge of the country to which they sent troops.
D) Both the Vietnamese and Iraqi people welcomed American troops as liberators.
E) A and C

Accepted Answer

Both the Iraq War and the Vietnam War involved American policymakers who had limited understanding of the countries' cultures, histories, and political dynamics, leading to challenges in achieving their objectives.

Question 9

During his first year in office,George W.Bush:
A) raised tax rates for wealthy Americans.
B) sponsored legislation to protect the environment.
C) supported the accelerated reduction of nuclear weapons.
D) had the full support of Congress, which had a commanding Republican majority.
E) persuaded Congress to enact the largest tax cut in American history.

Accepted Answer

During his first year in office, George W. Bush persuaded Congress to enact the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, which was the largest tax cut in American history. This legislation reduced income tax rates, increased the child tax credit, and abolished the estate tax.

Question 10

By mid-2003,the American economy:
A) had fully recovered from the impact of the terrorist attacks of September 11.
B) was slowly recovering, as the number of new jobs increased.
C) was mixed, as the recession ended but the unemployment rate rose.
D) was especially strong in the technology sector.
E) rebounded, as fewer jobs went overseas.

Accepted Answer

By mid-2003, the American economy was in a mixed state; the recession had technically ended, but the unemployment rate was still rising, indicating an incomplete recovery.

Question 11

Why was the lack of preparedness of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Hurricane Katrina disaster so damaging for the George W.Bush administration?
A) As a native of Louisiana, he was expected to display particular care for New Orleans.
B) There was nothing unusual about this particular hurricane, but the city and state had not done anything to prepare the city's population.
C) President Bush had vociferously denied that hurricanes of this size could ever reach the United States.
D) President Bush had been the head of FEMA during his father's presidency.
E) The Bush administration had prided itself on its unique focus for homeland security.

Accepted Answer

The Bush administration had emphasized homeland security, and FEMA's lack of preparedness during Hurricane Katrina contradicted this focus, damaging the administration's credibility.

Question 12

What did the USA Patriot Act empower law enforcement agencies to do?
A) Convict U.S. citizens without trial.
B) Wiretap and spy on citizens without their knowledge.
C) Detain family members to secure the surrender of a suspect.
D) Employ physical torture to extract evidence from suspected gang members.
E) Prevent defendants from learning the charges brought against them.

Accepted Answer

The USA Patriot Act empowered law enforcement agencies to conduct intelligence gathering activities, including wiretaps and surveillance on citizens without their knowledge or consent.

Answer: C
 The Act also allowed for the detention of family members to secure the surrender of a suspect, commonly referred to as "material witness" detentions.

Answer: E
 The USA Patriot Act did not prevent defendants from learning the charges brought against them. It did, however, expand the use of secret evidence in legal proceedings, which critics argued could have the effect of limiting defendants' ability to defend themselves.

Therefore, the best choices are B and C.

Question 13

Early in 2003,President Bush announced that the United States would go to war against Iraq:
A) with the full support of the United Nations.
B) because its dictator, Saddam Hussein, had ordered the terrorist attacks on September 11.
C) because it was believed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
D) with the full support of the international community.
E) and unlike during the Vietnam War, an anti-war movement did not develop.

Accepted Answer

President Bush announced that the United States would go to war against Iraq because it was believed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

Question 14

Had President George W.Bush kept his focus on the issue that most concerned the foreign policy "realists" in his administration,he would have:
A) continued the pursuit of Al Qaeda, which was maintaining its capabilities.
B) kept the world's attention on North Korea.
C) prepared a liberation of the Darfur region in western Sudan.
D) invaded Iran.
E) continued his fight for an independent Tibet.

Accepted Answer

Al Qaeda posed the biggest threat to national security and continued to maintain its capabilities even after the initial invasion of Afghanistan. Focusing on this issue would have been the most practical approach for foreign policy "realists."

Question 15

Prior to the new national security atmosphere of the war on terror,what had separated Americans from the historical abuses of the CIA and FBI during the 1950s and 1960s?
A) The national security reforms of the Reagan administration.
B) The liberal civil rights enhancements of the Clinton administration.
C) The radical expansions of civil liberties under the Warren and Burger courts.
D) The discoveries of the Church Committee in the wake of Nixon's resignation.
E) The political reforms of the Republican Congress under Newt Gingrich.

Accepted Answer

The Church Committee, which was formed in the aftermath of Nixon's resignation, investigated and exposed the historical abuses of the CIA and FBI during the 1950s and 1960s. This prompted reforms and regulations to prevent similar abuses in the future. Therefore, prior to the war on terror, the discoveries of the Church Committee separated Americans from the historical abuses of the CIA and FBI.

Question 16

According to President George W.Bush's message to the American people in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks,what would have kept terrorists from attacking the United States?
A) Better education.
B) Better economic opportunities.
C) A love of country.
D) A true Christian faith.
E) A love of freedom.

Accepted Answer

In his message, President George W. Bush emphasized the importance of America's freedom and values, and stated that the terrorists' main goal was to destroy those freedoms. Therefore, it can be concluded that a love of freedom would have deterred terrorists from attacking the United States. The other options are not mentioned in the message and do not necessarily relate to preventing terrorist attacks.

Question 17

What did President George W.Bush's frequent references to freedom and liberty in his second inaugural address indicate?
A) He was more determined than ever to impose American democracy on the Middle East.
B) He was willing to expand his foreign policy focus from Iraq to North Korea.
C) He had decided to push for the repeal of the USA Patriot Act.
D) He wanted to restore support for the Iraq War with a focus on liberation, not terror.
E) He was the nation's staunchest defender of civil liberties for gays and lesbians.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What did President George W.Bush's frequent references...

Question 18

All of the following statements about John Kerry and the 2004 presidential campaign are true EXCEPT Kerry:
A) was a Vietnam War veteran.
B) was very in touch with the people and embraced by the common man.
C) was from Massachusetts and a Catholic.
D) was nominated by the Democrats.
E) voted for the Iraq War in the Senate, but denounced the war while campaigning.

Accepted Answer

Kerry was often criticized for being aloof and not connecting well with the common people.

Question 19

How did revelations about the U.S.military prison in Abu Ghraib,Iraq,change the position of the United States in the world?
A) Aware of American capabilities, terrorists began to proceed more cautiously.
B) Understanding that American forces took human rights less seriously overseas, Al Qaeda began to focus its activities in the developing world.
C) The incident undermined the reputation of the United States as a nation that adhered to standards of civilized behavior and the rule of law.
D) Realizing that the United States was overwhelmed by the task at hand, previously neutral European nations decided to assist the United States with the occupation of Iraq.
E) International observers started to pay more attention to American prison practices and strengthened their criticism of mass imprisonment within the United States.

Accepted Answer

The revelations about the U.S. military prison in Abu Ghraib, Iraq tarnished the reputation of the United States as a nation that upheld the standards of civilized behavior and the rule of law. The incident sparked widespread international condemnation and criticism, which undermines the credibility and influence of the United States in the world. The incident also raised serious questions about U.S. military tactics, practices, and values.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about Saddam Hussein turned out to be true?
A) He possessed a mobile chemical weapons laboratory.
B) He had hidden weapons of mass destruction in his many palaces.
C) He was a horrible tyrant who ruled Iraq ruthlessly.
D) He was hiding in his palace as a safe haven from the war.
E) He was seeking to acquire uranium in Africa to build nuclear weapons.

Accepted Answer

It is widely accepted that Saddam Hussein was a brutal and oppressive dictator who ruled Iraq with an iron hand. This is supported by numerous reports of human rights abuses, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities.

Quiz 28: A New Century and New Crises

What made Bush's 2002 "National Security Strategy" fundamentally different from previous American policy?

After the September 11 attacks,who authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to listen to domestic telephone conversations without a court warrant?

Operation Enduring Freedom was launched in October 2001:

How did President Bush characterize the toppling of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan?

The Hurricane Katrina disaster highlighted which of the following to Americans in 2005?

The Kyoto Protocol of 1997:

What made Barack Obama's presidential campaign "the first political campaign of the twenty-first century"?

Why was the Iraq War compared to Vietnam?

During his first year in office,George W.Bush:

By mid-2003,the American economy:

Why was the lack of preparedness of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Hurricane Katrina disaster so damaging for the George W.Bush administration?

What did the USA Patriot Act empower law enforcement agencies to do?

Early in 2003,President Bush announced that the United States would go to war against Iraq:

Had President George W.Bush kept his focus on the issue that most concerned the foreign policy "realists" in his administration,he would have:

Prior to the new national security atmosphere of the war on terror,what had separated Americans from the historical abuses of the CIA and FBI during the 1950s and 1960s?

According to President George W.Bush's message to the American people in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks,what would have kept terrorists from attacking the United States?

What did President George W.Bush's frequent references to freedom and liberty in his second inaugural address indicate?

All of the following statements about John Kerry and the 2004 presidential campaign are true EXCEPT Kerry:

How did revelations about the U.S.military prison in Abu Ghraib,Iraq,change the position of the United States in the world?

Which of the following statements about Saddam Hussein turned out to be true?