Question 1

The United States led an attack against Iraq in 2003 and deposed that country's longtime President:

Accepted Answer

The United States launched an attack against Iraq in 2003 and deposed former President Saddam Hussein.

Question 2

Which of the following ethnicities is prominent in Afghanistan?

Accepted Answer

The Pashtun ethnicity is the most prominent in Afghanistan, comprising around 42% of the population. Other ethnicities in Afghanistan include Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, and Turkmen, among others.

Question 3

Most governments in the world today consider China (officially, the People's Republic of China) and Taiwan (officially, the Republic of China) as one and the same sovereign state.

Accepted Answer

Most governments recognize the People's Republic of China as the sovereign state and do not recognize Taiwan as a separate sovereign state. However, there are a few countries that do recognize Taiwan as a separate sovereign state.

Question 4

________ is the process by which a state breaks down through conflicts among its ethnicities.

Accepted Answer

Balkanization is the process of a state breaking down due to conflicts among its ethnic groups, resulting in the creation of smaller, more homogeneous states. This occurred in the Balkan region of Europe during the 1990s, where Yugoslavia broke apart into multiple independent countries due to ethnic tensions and conflicts.

Question 5

Which of the following terrorist groups is implicated in most of the recent anti-U.S. terrorism?

Accepted Answer

Al-Qaeda is responsible for many recent anti-U.S. terrorist attacks, including the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001, as well as various other attacks around the world. While other groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad have also carried out attacks against the U.S., they have not been implicated in as many high-profile incidents as Al-Qaeda. The Taliban is primarily focused on domestic issues in Afghanistan and has not carried out many attacks against the U.S. or its interests. The Tamil Tigers, a separatist group in Sri Lanka, primarily targets the Sri Lankan government and military rather than the U.S. or its interests.

Question 6

This is a process in which a more powerful ethnic group forcibly removes a less powerful one in order to create an ethnically homogeneous region.

Accepted Answer

Ethnic cleansing is the process in which a more powerful ethnic group forcibly removes a less powerful one in order to create an ethnically homogeneous region. This involves the systematic displacement, deportation and killing of members of an ethnic group by another. It is often a result of deep-rooted ethnic conflicts or as a means of achieving political or territorial objectives.

Question 7

Which of the following nationalities did not gain independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991?

Accepted Answer

Turkey did not gain independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 because it was already an independent country.

Question 8

In Canada, ________ are clearly distinct from other Canadians in language, religion, and other cultural traditions.

Accepted Answer

Québécois are a distinct cultural group within Canada, primarily located in the province of Quebec. They speak primarily French, as opposed to English which is the predominant language in the rest of Canada, and have a unique culture and traditions that are different from those of other Canadians.

Question 9

In ________ in 1994, Hutus were involved in the genocide of Tutsis

Accepted Answer

The 1994 genocide where an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by Hutu militias took place in Rwanda.

Question 10

The term country is a synonym for state.

Accepted Answer

The terms "country" and "state" are often used interchangeably to refer to a political entity with a defined territory and government.

Question 11

Azeris are ________ who speak an Altaic language, but Armenians are Christians who speak an Indo-European language.

Accepted Answer

The statement mentions that Azeris speak an Altaic language, which indicates that they are likely Muslims. This is because the Altaic language family is primarily spoken in Central Asia, which is predominantly Muslim. Meanwhile, the statement mentions that Armenians speak an Indo-European language, which does not provide any indication of their religion. However, historically, Armenians are predominantly Christian. Therefore, the best choice is B, Muslims.

Question 12

In the United States, the term ________ refers to groups with supposedly distinct ancestry and cultural traditions, such as African Americans, Mexican Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, German Americans, and Polish Americans.

Accepted Answer

The term ethnicity refers to groups with a shared cultural heritage and can include language, religion, customs, and traditions. Race refers to physical characteristics such as skin color, while nationality refers to the country one is a citizen of. Tribe refers to a group of people who share a common ancestry and culture, often seen among indigenous groups. Country of origin refers to the country where a person or their ancestors originally came from. Therefore, ethnicity is the best choice as it encompasses the cultural traditions and ancestry mentioned in the question.

Question 13

Genocide is the:

Accepted Answer

Genocide is defined as the intentional and systematic destruction of a racial, ethnic, religious, or national group, with the aim of destroying the entire group. It involves mass killing, as well as other methods such as forced relocation, sexual violence, and sterilization.

Question 14

Which of the following are attitudes that tend to unify people and enhance support for a state?

Accepted Answer

Centripetal forces are attitudes, beliefs, or institutions that pull people together and create a sense of national unity. Examples of centripetal forces include a common language, shared history, cultural traditions, strong leadership, and national symbols. These forces enhance support for a state by fostering a sense of belonging and solidarity among the population.

Question 15

This is the systematic use of violence by a group in order to intimidate a population or coerce a government into granting its demands:

Accepted Answer

Terrorism is defined as the systematic use of violence or threats of violence by a group in order to intimidate a population or coerce a government into granting its demands. Therefore, this is the best choice that fits the given definition. Genocide and Balkanization refer to different forms of violence but do not involve coercion or intimidation for specific demands, while Jihad and Nationalism have specific religious or ideological connotations that do not necessarily involve violence or intimidation tactics.

Question 16

________ is identity with (or inclusion with) a group of people who share legal attachment and personal allegiance to a particular country, rather than merely sharing cultural affinity.

Accepted Answer

Nationality refers to legal attachment and personal allegiance to a particular country. It is different from ethnicity, which is based on shared cultural, linguistic, or ancestral traits. Similarly, country of origin refers to the country where a person was born or came from, while race is a social construct based on physical characteristics. Regionalism refers to identity based on a particular region within a country.

Question 17

Which of the following was not one of the five most numerous ethnicities in Yugoslavia?

Accepted Answer

Georgians were not one of the five most numerous ethnicities in Yugoslavia. The five most numerous ethnicities were Croats, Montenegrins, Serbs, Slovenes, and Muslims/Bosniaks.

Question 18

This country was created after World War I to unite several Balkan ethnicities that spoke similar South Slavic languages.

Accepted Answer

Yugoslavia was created after World War I to unite South Slavic ethnicities, which included Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Bosniaks, and Montenegrins. The country dissolved in the 1990s due to ethnic tensions and conflicts. Ukraine, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Serbia and Montenegro were not formed for the purpose of uniting South Slavic ethnicities.

Question 19

Which leader of al-Qaeda was killed by U.S. special forces in 2011?

Accepted Answer

Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces in a raid in Pakistan in 2011.

Question 20

Angola is a classic example of an elongated state.

Accepted Answer

Angola is not an elongated state; it is more compact in shape. An elongated state is one that is long and narrow, such as Chile.

Quiz 8: Political Geography