US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
Choose the best answer for each question and mark the corresponding letter on your scantron. 75 points.
1. The demand for automobiles in the
1920s
a. Stimulated growth in many other
industries
b. Led to a nationwide recession
c. Closed down the steel industry
d. Brought abou the collapse of the
suburbs
2. During the 1920s, American farmers as
a group
a. Prospered economically
b. Bought larger farms
c. Purchased a lot of stock
d. Suffered economically
3. What was the major result of Henry
Ford’s innovative manufacturing
techniques?
a. The sale prices of cars went down
b. The sale prices of the average car
increased
c. More Americans bought cars from
overseas
d. Fewer Americans had jobs
4. What was the condition of America’s
economy following World War I?
a. There was a long recession
b. There was immediate nationwide
prosperity
c. There was a brief recession,
followed by economic growth
d. There was a long, gradual decline in
America’s
5. Presidents Harding and Coolidge
favored policies that
a. Aided the growth of business
b. Brought about social reform
c. Encouraged activism
d. Discouraged a laissez-faire
approach to the economy
6. Under President Coolidge, the concerns
of Mexican Americans and African
Americans were
a. A high priority
b. Ridiculed
c. Answered with hostility
d. Largely ignored
7. As President, Warren G. Harding
a. Strengthened the regulations on
businesses put into place by the
Progressives
b. Abolished all regulations on
businesses
c. Reduced the regulations on
businesses put into place by the
Progressives
d. Took no action on economic matter
8. President Coolidge believed the
creation of wealth
a. Hurt the disadvantaged
b. Benefited the nation as a whole
c. Eroded personal freedoms
d. Helped America’s enemies
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
9. Abstract art was an expression of
a. Modernism
b. Victorianism
c. Prohibition
d. Traditionalism
10. Which of these was a major difference
between urban and rural lifestyles in
the 1920s?
a. Rural Americans had higher
incomes
b. Rural Americans had more free
time
c. Urban Americans had more free
time
d. Urban Americans worked longer
hours
11. The “New Woman” of the 1920s
a. Embraced Victorian morality
b. Rejected the notion of suffrage
c. Rejected Victorian morality
d. Began to prefer more modest
fashions
12. In 1920, America’s first radio station
a. Closed because few Americans
bought radios
b. Was an immediate success
c. Broadcast Al Jolson in The Jazz
Singer
d. Put early movie houses out of
business
13. What was the largest cultural split in
1920s America?
a. Between northern states and
southern states
b. Between eastern states and
western states
c. Betweeen young Americans and
elderly Americans
d. Between urban Americans and rural
Americans
14. Most Americans who opposed the Ku
Klux Klan embraced what notion?
a. That the races should remain
separate
b. That America was a “melting pot”
c. That immigrants should be
deported
d. That David Stephenson should be
elected President
15. At its heart, the Scopes Trial was a clash
between
a. Biology and science
b. Education and science
c. Evolution and science
d. Religion and science
16. Why was formal education more
important for urban Americans than
rural Americans?
a. Urban children needed a safe place
to stay while their parents worked
b. Urban Americans needed an
education to work in factories
c. Most higher-paying jobs in the cities
required a good education
d. Only educated people could obtain
urban housing
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
17. Why did so many African Americans
migrate north throughout the 1920s?
a. For the milder climate
b. For a chance at a better future
c. To save money
d. To serve in the military
21. One result of World War I was
a. The creation of new countries
b. An expansion of German colonies
c. A move toward democracy in Russia
d. An alliance between Germany and
France
18. Jazz was
a. A musical style created by southern
plantation owners
b. A style of art created by African
American activists
c. A fashion style that came and went
quickly
d. An American hybrid of African
American and European music
forms
22. What was the objective of the Red
Scare of the 1920s?
a. To limit immigration from abroad
b. To secure civil rights for minorities
c. To protect the nation from
Communism
d. To expose social and economic
abuses
19. The literature of the Harlem
Renaissance
a. Explored the origins of jazz
b. Explored the pains and joys of being
black in America
c. Is largely forgotten today
d. Argued for the separation of races
20. The sense of group identity created by
the Harlem Renaissance
a. Formed a basis for later progress
for blacks in America
b. Was lost by the end of the 1920s
c. Enabled African Americans to form
their own nation
d. Ended discrimination against blacks
in America
23. Which statement accurately describes
the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s?
a. An organization created to promote
African American businesses
b. A movement that sought to draw
people back to the inner cities
c. A relief program that provided jobs
for minority workers
d. A period of great achievement by
African-American writers and artists
24. During the 1920s, the Red Scare, the
trial of Sacco and Vanzetti and the rise
of nativism were all signs of
a. The benefits of new technologies
b. The start of the Great Depression
c. A rising fear of foreigners
d. The return of normalcy
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
25. What was the major goal of U.S.
immigration laws in the 1920s?
a. To increase immigration from
Southeast Asia
b. To establish equal numbers of
immigrants from all nations
c. To attract wealthy and welleducated immigrants from Latin
America
d. To restrict immigration from
Southern and Eastern Europe
26. One cause of suburbanization in the
United States during the 1920s was
increased
a. Overcrowding in cities
b. Economic opportunities in rural
towns
c. Emigration from the United States
d. Economic reliance upon agriculture
27. Actions such as those shown in the
picture above helped bring about
a. The decision in Plessy v. Ferguson
b. The decision in Brown v. Board of
Education
c. The 19th Amendment
d. The 26th Amendment
28. In the early 20th century, many AfricanAmericans moved from the South to
cities in the North. This “Great
Migration” helped stimulate a flowering
of artistic talent by African Americans in
New York known as the Harlem
Renaissance. One way in which the
Harlem Renaissance was significant was
that it
a. Reduced racial tensions in the
northern cities
b. Led to a decline in activity by the Ku
Klux Klan
c. Led to a relaxation of restrictions on
African-Americans in the South
d. Contributed to the recognition of
African-American culture
29. What was the effect of Jim Crow Laws?
a. Racial segregation was required by
law in southern states
b. Native Americans were moved onto
reservations
c. Restrictions were placed on
business monopolies
d. Women were denied the right to
vote in national elections.
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
30. The early 20th century saw a significant
northward migration of AfricanAmericans. During the 1920s, nearly
400,000 African-Americans settled in
New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.
Many lived in large cities such as New
York, Philadelphi and Chicago.
Which would be an ECONOMIC effect of
this migration?
a. The Harlem Renaissance was able
to spread
b. Jim Crow laws were abolished
c. The Ku Klux Klan prospered in the
North
d. There was more competition for
jobs between whites and blacks in
the North.
31. Actions taken by organizations such as
those shown in the photo above helped
bring about
a. The decision in Plessy v. Ferguson
b. The decision in Brown v. Board of
Education
c. The 19th Amendment
d. The 26th Amendment
32. This cartoon could be used to support
the thesis that opposition to women’s
suffrage was
a. Based on unemployment statistics
comparing men and women
b. Stronger among women than
among men
c. Stronger in western states than in
eastern states
d. Based on stereotyping of women’s
roles
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
33. Although the 14th Amendment to the
Constitution extended the rights of
citizenship to “all persons” born or
naturalized in the United States,
discrimination on the basis of gender
still existed throughout much of the
country during the late 1800s. Which
was a consequence of this
discrimination?
a. The end of the military draft for
women
b. The growth of the women’s
suffrage movement
c. The beginning of sit-ins to
desegregate lunch counters
d. The continuation of efforts to end
university admissions quotas.
34. What economic factor primarily
contributed to the movement of
African-Americans from the South to
the North in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries?
a. Greater employment opportunities
in urban areas
b. Increased imports from newlyacquired U.S. territories
c. The availability of free land under
the Homestead Act
d. The need for agricultural workers to
feed a growing population
35. The 18th Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution, ratified in 1919,
prohibited the manufacture and sale of
alcoholic beverages.
In terms of the evolution of the
Constitution, the ratification of the 18th
Amendment represented
a. A decrease in the powers of
Congress
b. An extension of federal power into
activities formerly regulated by
states
c. A limitation on the powers of the
federal government to regulate
interstate trade
d. An increase in the power of the
state courts to hear prohibition
cases
36. The United States Constitution is a
living document that changes over time
as a result of amendments and
Supreme Court decisions. How did the
Constitution change as a result of the
19th Amendment?
a. The voting rights of women were
expanded
b. The civil rights of Native Americans
were restricted
c. The civil rights of African-Americans
were protected
d. The voting rights of property
owners were expanded
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
37. The Red Scare was a period of
a. Severe economic depression
b. Widespread support for group
promoting international anarchy
c. Great growth in art, literature and
music
d. Persecution of people suspected of
holding anti-American political
views.
38. Which factors were the major causes of
the Red Scare and the Palmer Raids,
which followed World War I?
a. Success of the Communist Party in
congressional and Presidential
elections
b. Race riots in Los Angeles and the
revival of the Ku Klux Klan
c. Failure of the United States to join
the League of Nations and the
unpaid German war debts
d. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 in
Russia and the workers’ strikes in
the United States
39. Based on a study of the trial of Sacco
and Vanzetti, which conclusion is most
accurate?
a. The Bill of Rights is not intended to
apply to foreigners
b. Racial and ethnic hostilities are
effectively checked by adherence to
due process of law
c. Internment of suspected criminals
is necessary during wartime
d. Nativism and racism sometimes
override the ideals of constitutional
democracy
40. Which is true of the Red Scare of the
1920s?
a. It jeopardized the rights of
individuals suspected of unAmerican activity
b. It occurred during times of
economic depression
c. It addressed the issue of increased
government bureaucracy after a
world war
d. It led to the imprisonment of ethnic
minorities during wartime
41. Which is true of the trial of Sacco and
Vanzetti?
a. It dealt with nativist fears of foreign
influence in the United States
b. It was started by concern that the
United States would sink ito a
depression
c. It was a public reation against
organized crime
d. It was a grassroots movement to
gain equal rights for minorities
42. After World War I, why did American
farmers fail to share in the general
economic growth of the United States?
a. Many immigrants were settling in
the west and competing with
farmers
b. The Federal Government reduced
the number of acres on which
farmers could grow subsidized
crops
c. Farmers could not produce enough
to keep up with demand
d. Overproduction and competition
caused falling prices
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
43. The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s
was a period when African Americans
a. Left the United States in large
numbers to settle in Nigeria
b. Created noteworthy works of art
and literature
c. Migrated to the West in search of
land and jobs
d. Used civil disobedience to fight
segregation in the Armed forces
44. Public disregard for Prohibition and for
laws prohibiting gambling indicates that
a. The American film industry has
great influence on public opinion
b. The system of checks and balances
does not work
c. Attempts to legislate public
morality may be met with strong
resistance
d. American citizens have little, if any,
respect for laws
45. The 1920s are sometimes called the
“Roaring Twenties” because
a. Foreign trade prospered after
World War I
b. The United States assumed a
leadership role in world affairs
c. Political reforms made government
more democratic
d. Widespread social and economic
change occurred
46. Which events best support the image of
the 1920s as a decade of nativist
sentiment?
a. The passage of the National Origins
Act and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan
b. The Scopes trial and the passage of
women’s suffrage
c. The Washington Naval Conference
and the Kellogg-Briand Pact
d. The growth of the auto industry and
the Teapot Dome Affair
47. In the United States, the decade of the
1920s was characterized by
a. A willingness to encourage
immigration to the United States
b. Increased consumer borrowing and
spending
c. The active involvement of the
United States in European affairs
d. Major reforms in national labor
laws
48. In the 1920s, the Immigration Act of
1924 and the Sacco-Vanzetti trial were
typical of the
a. Rejection of traditional customs and
beliefs
b. Acceptance of cultural differences
c. Increase in nativism and intolerance
d. Support of humanitarian causes
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
49. After World War I, which factor was the
major cause of the migration of many
African Americans to the North?
a. The start of the Harlem Renaissance
b. Increased job opportunities in
Northern cities
c. Laws passed in Northern states to
end racial discrimination
d. Federal Government job-training
programs
50. A result of the Harlem Renaissance of
the 1920s was the
a. Restoration of buildings in New
York City
b. Increased recognition of AfricanAmerican writers and musicians
c. End of racial segregation laws in
New York State
d. Appointment of several African
Americans as presidential advisors
51. “The business of America is business”
-President Calvin Coolidge
By making this statement, President
Coolidge was expressing his support for
a. Higher taxes on corporations
b. Banking regulations
c. Democratic socialism
d. The free-enterprise system
52. Which action is an example of nativism
in the 1920s?
a. Widespread violation of Prohibition
laws
b. Efforts to improve living conditions
for Native American Indians
c. Passage of laws restricting
immigration
d. Provision of credit to farmers
53. Which economic practice became
significantly more widespread during
the 1920s?
a. Governmental regulation of
business
b. Stock market speculation
c. Dependence on government
welfare programs
d. Reduction of tariff rates
Use the poem below to answer question 54.
“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
54. This poem was a literary contribution
from the
a. Abolitionist movement
b. Progressive Era
c. Prohibition movement
d. Harlem Renaissance
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
55. The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s
can best be described as
a. An organization created to help
promote African-American
businesses
b. A movement that sought to draw
people back to the inner cities
c. A relief program to provide jobs for
minority workers
d. A period of great achievement by
African-American writers, artists,
and performers
56. What was the major reason American
farmers failed to obtain a fair share of
the economic prosperity of the 1920s?
a. Crops failed due to poor weather
conditions
b. The government controlled food
prices
c. Farm crops were overproduced
d. Banks refused to lend money to
farmers
57. Which statement most accurately
describes conditions of American
farmers during the economic boom of
the mid-1920s?
a. Shortages of fertile land and farm
equipment lowered farm income
b. Overproduction helped keep
farmers from participating in the
prosperity of the times
c. Subsidies and other government
programs dramatically increased
farmers’ incomes
d. Higher prices for farm products
resulted in higher standard of living
for farmers
58. What was a major result of Prohibition
in the United States during the 1920s?
a. Restriction of immigration
b. Growth of communism
c. Destruction of family values
d. Increase in organized crime
59. The economic boom of the 1920s was
primarily caused by the
a. New economic policies of the
League of Nations
b. Development of new consumer
goods industries
c. Advent of advertising on radio
d. Elimination of barriers to
international trade
60. During most of the 1920s, which group
experienced the most severe economic
problems?
a. Owners of small family farms
b. Workers in the automobile industry
c. Bankers in urban centers
d. Entertainers in the field of radio
61. During the 1920s, controversies
concerning the Scopes trial, national
Prohibition, and the behavior of
“flappers” were all signs of
disagreement over
a. The return to normalcy
b. Traditional values and changing
lifestyles
c. Causes of the Great Depression
d. The benefits of new technology
62. A major goal of the immigration acts of
the 1920s was to
a. Allow unlimited immigration from
Southeast Asia
b. Assure equal numbers of
immigrants from all nations
c. Favor wealthy and well-educated
immigrants
d. Use quotas to limit immigration
from southern and eastern Europe
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
63. Which event of the 1920s symbolized a
conflict over cultural values?
a. Election of Herbert Hoover
b. Transatlantic flight of Charles
Lindbergh
c. Scopes trial
d. Stock market crash
64. The data in the chart above support the
idea that the immigration laws of 1921
and 1924 were primarily designed to
a. Stop illegal entry into the country
b. Admit skilled workers
c. Encourage immigration from
southern Europe
d. Reduce immigration from specific
regions
65. The United States adopted immigration
policies shown in the chart above
mainly because of
a. Pressures from nativists and labor
unions
b. Hardships caused by the Great
Depression
c. Prejudices generated during World
War II
d. Threats from other nations to stop
migration to the United States
66. Which pair of events illustrates an
accurate cause-and-effect relationship?
a. Sacco and Vanzetti
trialratification of the woman
suffrage movement
b. Rebirth of the KKK formation of
the Populist Party
c. Red Scaredemand for limits on
immigration
d. High food prices start of the
Great Depression
67. Much of the economic growth of the
1920s was based on
a. Increased trade with other
nations
b. The production of new consumer
goods
c. Rising prices of agricultural
products
d. The rapid development of the West
68. The failure of national Prohibition led to
a public awareness that
a. Crime rates decline when the sale
of alcoholic beverages is banned
b. Economic prosperity encourages
social conformity
c. Unpopular laws are difficult to
enforce
d. Geographic conditions affect law
enforcement
US Multiple Choice: Postwar and the Roaring 20s
69. National Prohibition, as authorized by
the 18th Amendment, stated that
a. Americans must be 18 years old to
purchase alcoholic beverages
b. Only imported alcoholic beverages
would be sold
c. Alcoholic beverages could be sold
only in government-run stores
d. the manufacture and sale of
alcoholic beverages was banned
70. Jazz was born in t his southern city.
a. Chicago
b. Orlando
c. Dallas
d. New Orleans
71. Which is NOT an EFFECT of Prohibition?
a. There was disrespect for the law
b. Bootlegging occurred
c. There was wartime hostility
towards German American brewers
d. There was a growth of organized
crime
72. The movement of African Americans
from the rural south to the urban north
was called what?
a. The Long Walk North
b. The Great Migration
c. The Harlem Renaissance
d. The Temperance Movement
73. Because his house was damaged by a
bomb, he led raids against alleged
anarchists, communists, and socialists.
a. Bartolomeo Vanzetti
b. A. Mitchell Palmer
c. Marcus Garvey
d. George Gershwin
74. This is the 19th Amendment.
a. Prohibition
b. Suffrage for Women
c. Presidential inauguration moved to
January
d. Repeals Prohibition
75. The movement that favored the
interest of “natural born” Americans
over that of immigrants
a. Nativism
b. Temperance Movement
c. Black Nationalism
d. Immigration Act of 1924