CHAPTER 32
Twenty-First-Century America, 1993–Present
TRUE/FALSE
1. By 2019, most of the country’s population was living in rural areas rather than cities or suburbs.
2. By 2019, for the first time in the nation’s history, the majority of immigrants came not from
Europe but from other parts of the world.
3. One legislative victory for President Clinton came when Congress approved NAFTA.
4. Bill Clinton resigned before the House of Representatives could impeach him.
5. George W. Bush won the popular vote in the 2000 presidential election.
6. President George W. Bush’s primary justification for the Iraq War was reaffirmed with
the discovery of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
7. Installing a democratic government in Iraq proved a far more difficult undertaking for
American troops than defeating the Iraqi army, as large parts of the country fell into civil war.
8. Between 1997 and 2006, home prices rose impressively in the United States.
9. In 2008, Barack Obama ran an impressive social media campaign.
10. President Obama stated that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “was an experiment,” and it
never passed Congress.
11. The Dodd-Frank bill called for government agencies to exercise less oversight over highly
leveraged and highly complex new financial instruments.
12. By 2011, the conservative insurgency led by the Tea Party focused on the record-breaking
federal deficit and the tepid economic recovery.
13. In 2013, the United States held its first high-level talks with Iran since 1979, when Iranian
militants took U.S. embassy employees in Tehran hostage.
14. Hillary Clinton struggled to articulate a compelling explanation for why she should be president
in the 2016 election beyond defining herself as different than Donald Trump.
15. One of the factors that most motivated voters in the counties that supported Trump in the
2016 election was a sense of having lost ground economically under Democratic
administrations.
16. The Me Too movement raised awareness of sexual harassment and assault using social media
platforms.
17. In June 2017, President Trump announced that the United States would become an active
leader in fulfilling the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. By 2019, what was the fastest-growing group in the United States?
a.
Canadians
b.
people who described themselves as “multiracial”
c.
Indians
d.
Koreans
e.
Nigerians
2. In 2005, what group replaced African Americans as the nation’s largest minority group?
a.
Pacific Islanders
d.
Latinos
b.
European immigrants
e.
Native Americans
c.
Asians
3. What was the major purpose of the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
a.
to give Bill Clinton an easy political victory
b.
to protect American industries such as steel and textiles
c.
to reward Bill Clinton’s supporters in organized labor
d.
to promote freer trade with Canada and Mexico
e.
to send American jobs overseas
4. The Heath Security Act of Bill Clinton’s administration called for large corporations to pay health insurance costs
for their workers, and for small businesses to
a.
pay their employees a lump sum for health costs based on the size of the company.
b.
pay an additional fee to the federal government to help fund Medicare/Medicaid.
c.
have exemptions from paying health insurance costs.
d.
bear 50 percent of the cost of health insurance for their employees.
e.
form “health alliances” to subsidize health insurance for their employees.
5. Which of the following statements accurately describes Bill Clinton’s plan for universal
medical coverage?
a.
It was approved but was criticized for not being large enough in scope.
b.
It was shot down in Congress and turned many away from the Democratic party.
c.
It increased his already impressive approval ratings and ensured his reelection.
d.
It was only a minor part of his legislative agenda and was overshadowed by foreign policy.
e.
It would make doctors federal employees and change the medical school system.
6. What was a major factor in the Republican takeover after the 1994 midterm election?
a.
the health care bill disaster
d.
the Iraq War
b.
the end of the cold war
e.
the advancement of gay rights
c.
the Gulf War
7. What was the Christian Coalition?
a.
It was a Christian organization that, unlike the Moral Majority, tended to favor Democrats.
b.
It founded a national chain of megachurches, thereby transforming religion in the United States.
c.
It replaced the Moral Majority as a major political force in the 1990s on issues such as school
prayer.
d.
It was a Christian organization that focused on advocating for government anti-poverty programs.
e.
It was a feminist group comprised of Christian women who wished to keep abortion legal.
8. Which of the following individuals led the Republican takeover of Congress in the mid-1990s?
a.
Kenneth Starr
d.
Pat Buchanan
b.
Newt Gingrich
e.
Alan Greenspan
c.
Dick Cheney
9. Which of the following statements accurately describes the Contract with America in 1994?
a.
It aimed to reduce big government and limit the welfare state.
b.
The new Republican Congress enacted it.
c.
It gave the Republicans a winning platform in the 1996 election.
d.
It revived the moderate Republicanism of the Eisenhower era.
e.
It stated general principles, but lacked specific proposals.
10. The conservative mood of the mid-1990s especially manifested itself in a number of court
rulings that limited
a.
capital punishment.
d.
affirmative action.
b.
government spending.
e.
sexual freedom.
c.
church-state separation.
11. Which of the following is true of the welfare-reform measure known as the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (PRWOA) passed by Congress in 1996?
a.
Its main source of opposition was the Republican party.
b.
It reinstated the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program.
c.
It limited the amount of time one could receive welfare payments.
d.
It quickly began to lower poverty rates.
e.
It significantly increased federal funding for welfare.
12. Which of the following statements characterizes the economy during the Clinton presidency?
a.
It showed unprecedented prosperity due in part to the growth of new digital companies called “dot–
coms.”
b.
It was locked in a debilitating recession that caused unemployment levels to gradually increase.
c.
It was dragged down by a growing federal budget deficit that overshadowed Clinton’s agenda.
d.
It briefly was in better shape than ever but quickly returned to resembling that of the 1980s.
e.
It became more inwardly focused, as tariffs and trade barriers stifled international trade.
13. The dramatic growth in American exports in the last years of the twentieth century was
mainly indicative of
a.
American military power.
d.
high unemployment levels.
b.
globalization.
e.
the falling cost of transportation.
c.
government regulation of trade.
14. In 1993, Clinton was able to preside over the signing of a peace agreement between the
leaders of Israel and
a.
Egypt.
d.
Jordan.
b.
Syria.
e.
the Palestine Liberation Organization.
c.
Lebanon.
15. What was the fundamental source of instability in the Balkans in the 1990s?
a.
the poverty of the region
b.
conflict over supplies of petroleum
c.
the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991
d.
German and Italian ambitions in the area
e.
conflict between Orthodox Christians and Catholics
16. In 1999, NATO air strikes helped stop “ethnic cleansing” in
a.
Bosnia.
d.
Kosovo.
b.
Somalia.
e.
Northern Ireland.
c.
Haiti.
17. What nearly cost Clinton his presidency was
a.
his history of war crimes while serving in the military.
b.
lying about his relationship with a White House intern.
c.
using public office to illegally enrich himself.
d.
improper hiring and firing practices in the White House.
e.
efforts to pressure members of a grand jury.
18. Which of the following was the result of the Starr Report?
a.
Clinton was completely exonerated.
b.
The Senate convicted Clinton of obstruction of justice.
c.
Clinton had no influence for the rest of his presidency.
d.
Clinton was impeached.
e.
The personal lives of presidents were declared to be off-limits.
19. Which of the following statements is true of George W. Bush during the 2000 presidential campaign?
a.
He emphasized how different a president he would be from his father.
b.
He promised he would be known as the environmental president.
c.
He stated his opposition to “nation building” overseas.
d.
He promised to attack and “take out” Saddam Hussein.
e.
He accused Al Gore of being a tool of the oil industry.
20. Ultimately, the outcome of the 2000 election depended upon the final result in
a.
Iowa.
d.
Ohio.
b.
Texas.
e.
Florida.
c.
California.
21. Bush’s major legislative victory in 2001 came with Congress’s passage of
a.
new environmental regulations.
d.
a tax cut.
b.
health care reform.
e.
banking-industry regulation.
c.
term limits.
22. By the 1990s, who had become the MOST dangerous enemies of the United States?
a.
the world’s remaining Communist countries such as Cuba
b.
left-of-center governments in Latin America
c.
neo-Nazis in Germany and eastern Europe
d.
shadowy terrorist organizations
e.
computer hackers and other high-tech saboteurs
23. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were organized by
a.
Osama bin Laden’s al–Qaeda terrorist network.
b.
Osama bin Laden’s Taliban terrorist network.
c.
Saddam Hussein’s intelligence agency.
d.
the Islamic State.
e.
a group of Islamist extremists unrelated to any larger organization.
24. Within a few weeks of the September 11 attacks, U.S. forces led an invasion of
a.
Pakistan.
d.
Afghanistan.
b.
Iraq.
e.
Iran.
c.
Saudi Arabia.
25. Which of the following did the Bush Doctrine emphasize?
a.
close coordination of U.S. foreign policy with the United Nations
b.
preemptive military action against terrorists and terrorist regimes
c.
a determination to contain terrorism by keeping it where it already existed
d.
strengthening America’s nuclear deterrent
e.
using terrorism against terrorists
26. Bush’s stated rationale for attacking Iraq in 2003 was
a.
its presumed threat to the United States.
b.
his personal hatred of Saddam Hussein.
c.
the need to acquire Iraq’s oil.
d.
Great Britain’s refusal to participate in the conflict.
e.
revenge for Iraq’s involvement in the September 11 attacks.
27. Which of the following statements accurately characterizes the Iraq War?
a.
Because dozens of countries participated in the war, Bush avoided the need to spend much in terms
of government funds and, thus, prevented Americans from feeling any impacts of the war.
b.
The American public was initially unsupportive of the war, but as it progressed and victory seemed
more and more imminent, Americans increasingly got behind the war effort.
c.
The use of nuclear weapons and targeted airstrikes by the Americans made it an unprecedentedly
modernized war in that it involved painstaking preparations and few casualties.
d.
Although the war was hardly successful in Iraq, the efforts meanwhile inadvertently resulted in
stripping power away from the Taliban and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
e.
The war lasted far longer and cost far more than expected, as the Bush administration
underestimated what would be involved in occupying, pacifying, and reconstructing postwar Iraq.
28. Bush won a second term in 2004 by defeating
a.
Al Gore.
d.
John Kerry.
b.
John Edwards.
e.
Hillary Clinton.
c.
Howard Dean.
29. After Hurricane Katrina, Bush’s presidency was marked by
a.
renewed confidence and vigor.
d.
continued Republican unity.
b.
growing public disapproval.
e.
serious attempts of impeachment.
c.
a series of legislative victories.
30. What did the bipartisan task force known as the Iraq Study Group conclude?
a.
U.S. combat troops should be withdrawn gradually from Iraq by the spring of 2008.
b.
The United States should send a “surge” of tens of thousands more troops to Iraq.
c.
Iraq should be divided into semi-independent states governed by Kurds, Sunnis, and Shiites.
d.
The United States should cut its losses by leaving Iraq immediately.
e.
Once Iraq was stable, the United States should invade Iran to install a democratic government there.
31. What was a result of the “surge” ordered in Iraq by President Bush?
a.
Most Americans once more began to support military involvement there.
b.
The Iraqi government became a model of democracy for the next decade.
c.
Attacks on American troops ceased, as a definitive end to the war had been reached.
d.
The war in Iraq dramatically decreased in its monetary cost.
e.
Levels of violence in Iraq declined dramatically, although the gains were likely to unravel.
32. The issue that dominated the last couple of months of the 2008 campaign was
a.
health care.
d.
the mounting war effort against Iraq.
b.
the economic crisis.
e.
illegal immigration.
c.
the war on terror.
33. What was the result of the housing industry crash in 2007?
a.
It affected only some reckless speculators but worried American voters.
b.
It destroyed the American economy but benefited the economies of most other countries.
c.
It sent bank profits soaring, given all the homes they were able to acquire through foreclosure.
d.
It froze credit, provoked the Great Recession, and helped shatter support for Bush.
e.
It had long been predicted by the Bush administration and helped it regain the public’s trust.
34. What was President Bush’s response to the financial crisis?
a.
to state publicly that nothing could be done until the markets corrected themselves
b.
to support a federal bailout of the banking industry
c.
to put the unemployed to work building roads and bridges
d.
to say he had lost faith in the free-enterprise system
e.
to blame it on Americans being greedy and not saving
35. In 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama presented himself to voters as
a.
the president who would win the war in Afghanistan.
b.
a proponent of majorly increasing the number of nuclear weapons.
c.
a fiscal conservative who would be liberal when it came to people.
d.
a leader who could inspire, unite, and forge collaborations across party lines.
e.
a politician who would deny undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.
36. Which of the following statements describes the centerpiece of President Obama’s effort to
restore the economy?
a.
He prioritized instating a plan that would fail to create any federal debt.
b.
He signed a huge economic stimulus package that saved the nation from a financial meltdown.
c.
He based his plan on the idea that health care reform was all that was needed to fix the economy.
d.
He instated tax cuts for the wealthy, which were immediately successful in ending the recession.
e.
He refused to infuse cash into the economy, resulting in his plan being rejected by Congress.
37. Arguably the MOST controversial element of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the
element upon which most debate centered was
a.
fees paid by medical equipment manufacturers.
b.
the lack of federal subsidies for lower–income households.
c.
the creation of a website to help people sign up for health care.
d.
the individual mandate involving having people buy health insurance.
e.
the denial of care to people with preexisting conditions.
38. Which of the following was the crowning achievement of President Obama’s anti-terrorism efforts?
a.
victory in Iraq
d.
the defeat of Afghanistan
b.
the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS)
e.
the closing of Guantánamo Bay
c.
the death of Osama bin Laden
39. What was the result of the “Arab Awakening” by 2014?
a.
The remainder of the decade saw the continuation of similar uprisings in countries across the wider
Middle East.
b.
The grassroots revolutionary movements had stalled, as the Middle East had no models of open
societies to follow.
c.
Countries such as Egypt, Yemen, and Libya established democratic governments for the first time
in their history.
d.
The authoritarian regimes that had organized and led the Arab Awakening were unseated by the
American military.
e.
Obama publicly adopted a military doctrine defined by confrontation and increased military
intervention.
40. In 2014, President Obama announced that the United States and Cuba were going to
a.
restore normal diplomatic relations.
d.
boycott Russia.
b.
war against one another.
e.
sign a free-trade agreement.
c.
join forces to defeat ISIS.
41. In January 2009, conservative activists coalesced into a decentralized nationwide protest movement challenging the
growth of government and federal spending. What was the name of this movement?
a.
the Green Party
d.
the Party of Hope
b.
the Reform Party
e.
the Tea Party
c.
the New Republican Party
42. Which of the following statements describes one of the factors that led to the waning of the Occupy Wall Street
movement?
a.
The activists were often willing to engage in violence, which discouraged public support.
b.
The activists struggled to articulate their goals as effectively as they voiced what they opposed.
c.
Scandals emerged over how the activists spent political campaign contributions.
d.
Because the activists supported Mitt Romney in the 2012 election, their efforts dissolved when he
lost.
e.
Reports surfaced that the activists accepted corporate funds, which undermined their message.
43. The DREAM Act of 2012 centered on what issue?
a.
sleep deprivation in schoolchildren
d.
environmental regulation
b.
women’s rights
e.
trade regulation
c.
undocumented immigrants
44. Which of the following statements accurately describes Obama’s decision in endorsing
marriage equality?
a.
He was certain the courts would rule in its favor.
b.
He sided with the Tea Party.
c.
He understood the issue had powerful political implications.
d.
He fulfilled a major 2008 campaign promise.
e.
He recognized that it was no longer a charged issue of the day.
45. What did the policy Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) provide?
a.
the ability for undocumented young adult immigrants to remain in the United States as long as they
refrained from working or attending school
b.
permanent legal status for all undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children
c.
the requirement that all undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children be
deported immediately
d.
temporary relief from deportation for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as
children
e.
the requirement that only one child could be brought to the United States at a time for each adult
immigrant
46. What was an effect of Shelby County v. Holder (2013)?
a.
It allowed states to deny spousal benefits to same-sex couples who had been legally married.
b.
It declared that same-sex marriage is a right guaranteed by the American Constitution.
c.
Counties and states in the South were able to push through laws making it harder for minorities and
poor people to vote.
d.
It outlawed requirements that all voters provide driver’s licenses or other forms of identification.
e.
It allowed corporations to spend indefinite amounts of money in support of political campaigns.
47. What was one of the ways the 2012 election was significant?
a.
It was the most expensive election in American history due to the Citizens United ruling that
corporations could spend an unlimited amount to support candidates.
b.
Mitt Romney showed his willingness to alienate right-wing voters by embracing giving
undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.
c.
The nation’s fastest–growing groups, including Latinos, Asian Americans, and African Americans,
tended to vote for Mitt Romney, signaling a new Republican party.
d.
Throughout the country, all laws that stifled voting by people of color, poor people, and immigrants
were repealed, and Obama won in a landslide as a result.
e.
A majority of the white voters voted for Obama, demonstrating how far civil rights had advanced
since the period following the Civil War.
48. Which of the following statements accurately describes the Black Lives Matter organization?
a.
It was a neighborhood watch group that tried to protect police officers from armed African
American youth after a series of officer deaths.
b.
It was created in response to mounting evidence that law enforcement officers and the judicial
system were treating African Americans unfairly.
c.
It had first emerged as a formal organization during the Civil War, attracting members through
abolitionist newspapers.
d.
It focused on celebrating the sense of cohesion the African American community finally felt with
white Americans in the twenty-first century.
e.
It was first established during George W. Bush’s presidency in response to African Americans
emerging as the largest minority group in 2015.
49. During Obama’s presidency, how did the United States government respond to the Syrian civil war?
a.
The civil war ended before Obama’s administration could react in any way, but the United States
still felt its economic repercussions.
b.
Obama followed through with a military strike on Syria due to encouragement by his secretary of
defense Leon Panetta.
c.
Because Bashar al-Assad was found to be a more compassionate ruler than previously believed,
Obama withdrew large numbers of troops.
d.
The Obama administration refused to enter any agreements in response to the conflict, as they were
preoccupied with Iran’s rapid production of nuclear weapons.
e.
Secretary of State John Kerry signed an agreement with Russia to dispose of Syria’s chemical
weapons, but the civil war continued.
50. By the end of 2014, Russia had
a.
annexed both Crimea and the Ukraine despite UN protests.
b.
annexed Crimea and sent soldiers into eastern Ukraine.
c.
proven its commitment to the NATO alliance by reducing its nuclear weapon stockpile.
d.
returned to a Communist-style economy.
e.
proven itself a staunch ally of the United States.
51. Which of the following characterizes Obama’s second term?
a.
the complete elimination of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the Middle East
b.
a period of gridlock due to intense partisanship
c.
an unprecedentedly energetic president who thoroughly accomplished his policy goals
d.
a lack of restraint in world affairs and increased military involvement
e.
a time of cooperation between parties on issues such as health care
52. In pledging to “make America great again,” one of the items Donald Trump promised was to
a.
decrease military spending and withdraw from Iraq.
b.
enhance NAFTA and reinvigorate relations with Mexico.
c.
repeal and replace Obamacare and increase military spending.
d.
accept more Muslim refugees from Syria and other unstable Arab states.
e.
promote conservationist policies to protect the environment.
53. Which of the following did Donald J. Trump do as a presidential candidate in the election of 2016?
a.
He mocked his opponents and promised that he was the only candidate who could save America
from decline.
b.
He promoted free trade and globalization while promising to promote open borders and
immigration on an unprecedented scale.
c.
He earned the vocal support of respected Republicans such as former president George H. W. Bush
and Senator John McCain at the nominating convention.
d.
He pledged to ensure that every American, especially the working class, had access to free, quality
health care.
e.
He displayed in-depth knowledge of policy issues and international relations during his debates
with Hillary Clinton.
54. In 2017, Trump issued an executive order banning immigrants or refugees from seven
countries from entering the United States. These countries had in common a large population
of what group?
a.
Jews
d.
Muslims
b.
Catholics
e.
Buddhists
c.
Latinos
55. In May 2017, Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller III special counsel to investigate
a.
nepotism within the Trump administration.
b.
allegations of sexual harassment by then-candidate Trump.
c.
Russian involvement in the 2016 election.
d.
questionable financial decisions made by FBI Director James Comey.
e.
Hillary Clinton’s violation of protocol by using a private email server as secretary of state.
56. Which of the following statements accurately describes the senior administration of the Trump presidency?
a.
It was bipartisan in that it was comprised of veteran officeholders and political operatives spanning
both major political parties.
b.
It experienced unprecedented turnover, with nearly half of Trump’s advisers and cabinet members
having resigned or been fired by 2018.
c.
It included many of Trump’s former primary opponents and leading Republicans such as Jeb Bush,
George W. Bush, and John Kasich.
d.
It included several scientists committed to fighting climate change as part of an effort to make
America a leading country in terms of environmental standards.
e.
It worked closely on messaging issues with the president, coordinating all announcements about
tariffs, border security, and the foreign policy before going public.
57. Which of the following did Trump accomplish during his first year in office?
a.
repealing Obamacare and officially replacing it with the American Health Care Act (ACHA)
b.
filling his cabinet with working-class people and expanding transgender rights in the military
c.
confirming Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and passing a comprehensive tax cut
d.
increasing aid payments to foreign governments and increasing protections for consumers
e.
signing the Paris Climate Agreement and building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border
58. With whom did Trump hold a summit meeting in Singapore in 2018 in an effort to denuclearize
the Korean Peninsula?
a.
Theresa May
d.
Muammar Gaddafi
b.
Emmanuel Macron
e.
Kim Jong-un
c.
Hosni Mubarak
ESSAY
1. Did American foreign policy change significantly when Bill Clinton became president?
Fully explain.
2. Briefly assess Clinton’s achievements in domestic policy.
3. What factors might have accounted for the Republican gains in the 1994 elections?
4. Describe the new patterns of immigration to the United States. What might account for these?
5. Detail the election of 2000. Discuss the major candidates and issues. How was the outcome
of this election ultimately decided?
6. Discuss the issue of global terrorism. How has this affected all aspects of American society?
7. Compare and contrast American military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan after September 11. Evaluate
American objectives and the experiences of American forces in these conflicts.
8. Detail the election of 2004. Who were the major parties, and which issues dominated this campaign?
9. Discuss the devastating situation in the Gulf coast region of the United States as a result of
Hurricane Katrina. How did the government respond to the crisis, and what impact did this
have on George W. Bush’s presidency?
10. What factors accounted for the public’s view of the Bush presidency by the time of the
2008 election?
11. Evaluate the presidency of Barack Obama. As part of your answer, be sure to discuss both international
developments as well as domestic events.
12. Trace the development of the Republican party from the midterm elections of 1994 to the
election of 2016. How has the party evolved over the course of this period, and what key
developments are important to understanding this change?
MATCHING
Match each description with the item below.
a.
was the Alaska governor and Tea Party favorite who ran as a vice-presidential candidate in the
2008 election
b.
campaigned for president on the theme of “compassionate conservatism” and chose advisers known
for their strong ideological convictions
c.
was the Californian congressional representative who became a historic House Speaker as a result
of the 2006 election
d.
was the independent counsel who initially investigated whether Bill Clinton was involved in the
Whitewater fraud and later prosecuted him for perjury and obstruction of justice
e.
was forced to resign as national security adviser for lying to the vice president and FBI about
contact with a Russian ambassador
f.
was a former history professor and later a House Republican who helped mobilize conservatives
associated with the Christian Coalition
g.
was the U.S. senator from New York who ran against Barack Obama in 2008 and who he appointed
secretary of state
h.
espoused the doctrine as president that America could not afford to police the world and had the
goal of making health care accessible to everyone
i.
was a longtime senator who had earned the reputation of a bipartisan “maverick” and ran as the
Republican presidential candidate in 2008
j.
was a central figure in a major sex scandal involving the president that received a mixed public
reaction
1. George W. Bush
2. Hillary Clinton
3. Monica Lewinsky
4. Sarah Palin
5. Newt Gingrich
6. Barack Obama
7. Michael Flynn
8. John McCain
9. Nancy Pelosi
10. Kenneth Starr