SOL Review: American History
1920s
In the United States, the Red Scare of 1919 and the
McCarthy Era of the early 1950’s were periods of
1. severe economic depression
2. widespread support for groups promoting
international anarchy
3. great growth in art, literature, and music
4. persecution of people suspected of holding antiAmerican political views
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.
Based on a study of the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti (1920’s)
and the internment of Japanese Americans (1940’s),
which conclusion is most accurate?
1. The Bill of Rights is not intended to apply to
naturalized citizens
2. Racial and ethnic hostilities are effectively checked by
adherence to due process of law.
3. Internment of suspected criminals is necessary during
wartime.
4. Nativism and racism sometimes override the ideals of
constitutional democracy
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
In the 1920’s, the Immigration Act of 1924 and the
Sacco-Vanzetti trial were typical of the
1.
2.
3.
4.
rejection of traditional customs and beliefs
acceptance of cultural differences
increase in nativism and intolerance
support of humanitarian causes
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
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
How the Other Half Lives, Jacob Riis (1890) The Jungle, Upton Sinclair
(1906) The Grapes ofWrath, John Steinbeck (1939) Unsafe at Any
Speed, Ralph Nader (1965)
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.
The 1925 trial of John Scopes reflects the conflict
between
1.
2.
3.
4.
science and religion
isolation and international involvement
traditional roles and new roles for women
Prohibition and organized crime
The works of Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes
reflected the
1.
2.
3.
4.
expanding role of women in the 1920s
achievements of the Harlem Renaissance
architectural innovations of the 1930s
influence of southern European immigrant
groups
During the 1920s, controversies concerning the
Scopes trial, national Prohibition, and the behavior
of “flappers” were all signs of disagreement over
1.
2.
3.
4.
the return to normalcy
traditional values and changing lifestyles
causes of the Great Depression
the benefits of new technology
Which pair of events illustrates an accurate causeand-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
“Public Ignores Prohibition Restrictions”
“Evolution and Creation Debated in Scopes Trial”
“Women Bring Change to the Industrial Workforce”
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