Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
Choose the best answer for each question and mark the corresponding letter on your scantron. 75 points.
1. One factor that motivated
imperialism during the late 19th
and early 20th centuries was the
a. Development of closer political
ties with European nations
b. Closing of China to all foreign
trade
c. Support of international
peacekeeping operations
d. Acquisition of new markets and
sources of raw materials
2. The Age of Imperialism refers to
a. the colonization of Europe
b. the late 19th and early 20th
centuries
c. the early colonization of North
America
d. the effect of naval forces in the
early 1900s.
3. Imperialism affected almost the
entire continent of
a. Africa
b. Europe
c. Australia
d. North America
4. Two objectives of imperialism were
a. missionary work and trade
b. to maintain the area’s culture
and traditions
c. trade and provide well-paying
jobs for native people
d. stabilize the government and
maintain religious practices
5. Of what importance was the Open
Door Policy established by
Secretary of State John Hay in
1900?
a. it created political reform
b. it stopped all trade in Asia
c. it called for new trade with
Africa
d. it established new trade
relations with China
6. The Age of Imperialism was
marked by
a. a decrease in the number of
naval ships
b. the expansion of American
political influence
c. an increased interest in the
plight of day laborers
d. the reduction of military
intervention in other countries
7. Many people agreed with political
humorist Mark Twain who
commented, “I am opposed to
having the eagle put its talons on
any other land.” Mark Twain could
be described as a
a. an imperialist
b. an anti-imperialist
c. a Roosevelt supporter
d. an environmentalist
8. An economy that is based on
mining/producing raw materials to
be used in foreign industries is
called
a. an extractive economy
b. an export economy
c. a feudal economy
d. an industrial economy
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
9. The golden age of imperialism was
in the _______________.
a. 20th century
b. 1900s
c. 18th century
d. 1800s
13.
Which of the following is NOT
a reason for imperialism?
a. Democratic
b. Economic
c. Political
d. Ideological
10.
Objectives of American
expansion included
a. improved relations with Spain
b. the conversion of native peoples
to Christianity
c. restricting American
involvement in the Philippines
d. allowing for self-rule among the
islands of the Caribbean
14.
President Taft’s policy of
dollar diplomacy resulted in
a. restrictions on corporations
b. a reduction in the value of
money
c. American investments in Latin
America
d. Less American influence in the
Western Hemisphere
11.
During the Age of
Imperialism, the American press
engaged in yellow journalism, or
sensationalizing headlines and
news stories to sell more
newspapers. Which of the following
headlines about the sinking of the
USS Maine is the best example of
yellow journalism?
a. 253 Known to Be Lost
b. Who Destroyed the Maine?
c. Destruction of the Warship
Maine was the Work of an
Enemy
d. Naval Officers Believe the Maine
was Destroyed by a Spanish
Mine
15.
Which of the following
summarizes an effect of
imperialism?
a. colonial markets were closed to
manufactured goods from the
colonizing power
b. Land was distributed equally
among the main social classes
c. Colonial economies became
devoted to manufacturing goods
for the colonizing power
d. The wealth of the colonizing
powers often increased at the
expense of their colonies
12.
This country owned Alaska
before it became a U.S. territory
a. Russia
b. Japan
c. Great Britain
d. Canada
16.
Which of the following
provides evidence that imperialism
left a lasting impact on many
colonial territories?
a. Many African and Asian nations
are based on former colonial
boundaries
b. Many former colonies are still
ruled by European governments
c. Local languages are often used
in many African and Asian
nations
d. Most African and Asian nations
use European currencies
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
17.
The United States wanted
overseas territories because the
territories had
a. access to ports
b. customers who buy U.S.
products
c. connections with European
nations
d. access to raw materials
18.
Many of the nations colonized
were rich in natural resources. How
did Social Darwinists view the
mining of natural resources in
these colonized lands?
a. it was their right to take what
they wanted
b. it was a necessity for their
countries to survive
c. It was a way to preserve
traditional economies
d. It was a way to protect Africans
from the Industrial Revolution
19.
Which of the following was
NOT a reason the U.S. sided with
Cuba in their fight for
independence?
a. Yellow journalism
b. The sinking of the USS Maine
c. The Spanish stole the
Philippines from the US
d. Americans sympathize with the
Cuban struggle for
independence
20.
Favoring honorable
diplomacy but still resorting to
military intervention upon occasion
would be an example of
a. moral diplomacy
b. big stick diplomacy
c. dollar diplomacy
d. the Roosevelt Corollary
21.
Import tax that merchants
pay when shipping goods.
a. Import tax
b. Fee
c. Duty
d. Annexation
22.
This president was an antiimperialist who refused to annex
Hawaii unless that was what the
Hawaiians wanted.
a. McKinley
b. Wilson
c. Ford
d. Cleveland
23.
Japan resisted modernization
for most of its history. What
motivated Japan to modernize
beginning in the 1800s?
a. The Japanese people developed
a previously unknown desire for
Western goods
b. China threatened to attack
Japan, so modern weapons
were required for defense
c. The Japanese leadership feared
that if it did not modernize, it
might be controlled by Western
nations like China had been.
d. Japanese military leaders
admired the design of
Commodore Perry’s fleet of
steamships.
24.
Which of the following is a
major reason why countries
colonized other nations?
a. Need for raw materials
b. Fear of Asian dominance
c. Desire to learn about other
cultures
d. Surplus of manufactured goods
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
25.
After the Spanish-American
War, Cubans and Puerto Ricans
a. Became Spanish citizens
b. Had their rights restricted
c. Joined the U.S. military
d. Became U.S. citizens
26.
This country was the one
visited by Commodore Matthew
Perry in 1853 in an attempt to
open up trade.
a. Guam
b. Japan
c. China
d. Puerto Rico
27.
How did the United States
get access to the Canal Zone in
Panama?
a. killed mosquitoes
b. negotiated with Colombia
c. backed Panama rebels
d. bought it from Spain
28.
as
a.
b.
c.
d.
Who ran Mexico for decades
a dictator?
Carranza
Diaz
Huerta
Villa
29.
This is the practice of
extending a nation’s power by
gaining territories for a colonial
empire.
a. isolationism
b. colonialism
c. imperialism
d. none of the above
30.
This was the name of the
ship sunk in Havana Harbor which
helped to ignite the Spanish
American War.
a. USS Philadelphia
b. USS Maine
c. The Pride
d. The Lusitania
31.
During the late 19th century
the countries of Europe wanted
colonies so that
a. They could provide the colonies
with raw materials
b. They could get manufactured
goods from the colonies
c. They could become a market for
products from the colonies
d. They could get raw materials
from the colonies
32.
A political cause of
imperialism is:
a. Colonies could provide them
with markets for their raw
materials
b. Colonies were important for
their defense by adding
territories
c. Colonies would help them
become more friendly with other
European countries
d. Colonies would provide them
with more manufactured goods
33.
The Boxer Rebellion of 1900
was an attempt to remove
a. The British from India
b. The Europeans from South
Africa
c. The French from Algeria
d. The Europeans from China
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
34.
The U.S. wanted to take over
this territory because it was the
perfect stopping point on the way
to Asia.
a. Puerto Rico
b. Alaska
c. Guam
d. Hawaii
35.
Which of the following was
an indirect impact of imperialism?
a. All castes of people in India
prospered under British rule
b. Japan became a more modern
country
c. China entered a period of
tranquility
d. Modern technology was
introduced in Persia
36.
The United States became an
imperialist nation with interests in
the Caribbean, Central America,
the Far East, and the South Pacific
following which war?
a. The Civil War
b. The Spanish-American War
c. World War I
d. The Korean War
37.
One factor that motivated
U.S. imperialism during the late
19th and early 20th centuries was
the
a. Development of closer ties with
European nations
b. Closing of China to all foreign
trade
c. Support of international
peacekeeping operations
d. Acquisition of new markets and
sources of raw materials
38.
In 1898, U.S. support for
Cuban independence led to war
with Spain and contributed to the
United States becoming an imperial
power.
What was a decisive factor in
the decision to go to war?
a. The opportunity to annex Hawaii
b. The desire to acquire a naval
base
c. The protection of U.S.
commerce and trade
d. The need for a shorter route
from the Atlantic to the Pacific
39.
During the late 19th and early
th
20 centuries, U.S. foreign policy
was closely tied to domestic
economic concerns. The
annexation of Hawaii, the Open
Door Policy with China, and the
construction of the Panama Canal
in Latin America were all motivated
by an interest in
a. Breaking up monopolies and
trusts
b. Extending land grants for
railroad construction
c. Acquiring new markets and
sources of raw materials
d. Limiting the power of labor
unions to strike
40.
What new relationship with
Hawaii did Congress approve in
1898?
a. independence
b. statehood
c. secession
d. annexation
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
41.
The theory that life consists
of competitive struggles in which
only the strong survive is called
a. sovereignty
b. annexation
c. Social Darwinism
d. Extractive economics
42.
The 1898 Treaty of Paris
dealt with which
territory/territories?
a. Cuba
b. Hawaii
c. Cuba, Puerto Rico, the
Philippines
d. Hawaii and other former
Spanish colonies
43.
The famous American writer
Mark Twain express his opinion
about U.S. actions in the
Philippines after the SpanishAmerican War with the following
words:
“I have seen that we do not intend
to free, but to subjugate (place
under control) the people of the
Philippines. We have gone to
conquer, not to redeem (save)…I
am opposed to having the
(American) eagle put its talons on
any other land.”
The New York Herald,
October 15, 1900
This statement would be helpful in
supporting the thesis that Mark Twain
believed that
a. U.S. imperialism was wrong
b. U.S. imperialism would bring
stable government to the
Philippines
c. U.S. imperialism was necessary
for the United States to become
a world power.
d. U.S. imperialism civilized the
people of the Philippines
44.
Which of the following would
be an example of Roosevelt’s “Big
Stick” Diplomacy?
a. The US investing financially in
Latin American sugar crops
b. The US sailing ships into Japan’s
harbor in an attempt to open up
trade
c. The US attacking another nation
in order to expand our borders
d. The US trading openly with
other nations
45.
What policy was designed to
provide trade access to China?
a. Boxer
b. Gentleman’s Agreement
c. Russo-Japanese
d. Open Door
46.
Who won the Nobel Peace
Prize for helping to negotiate an
end to the Russo-Japanese War?
a. John Hay
b. Theodore Roosevelt
c. William Howard Taft
d. Emilio Aguinaldo
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
47.
During the Spanish-American
War, the U.S. Navy destroyed the
Spanish fleet in Manila Bay in the
Philippines. The U.S. Congress
later voted for annexation of the
Philippines.
What was one reason for this act of
U.S. imperialism?
a. To provide the U.S. with a
valuable naval base in the
Pacific
b. To provide the U.S. with a place
to relocate its immigrant
population
c. To decrease the U.S. need to
export raw materials for
industrialization
d. To increase the U.S. population
by extending citizenship to
Filipinos
48.
The Teller Amendment stated
that the United States
a. could not aid Cuba
b. could not go to war
c. could not develop colonies
d. could not annex Cuba
49.
a.
b.
c.
d.
a
a
a
a
Emilio Aguinaldo was
Spanish ambassador
Filipino freedom fighter
Cuban freedom fighter
Spanish general
50.
Which presidential candidate
ran on an anti-imperialist platform?
a. William Jennings Bryan
b. William Howard Taft
c. William McKinley
d. Theodore Roosevelt
51.
What did Governor Taft do to
help restore order in the
Philippines?
a. censored the press
b. limited self-rule
c. worked with rebel leaders
d. closed schools
52.
What liberated the
Philippines from Japanese
Occupation?
a. the President
b. the Boxer Rebellion
c. the Jones Act
d. the Great White Fleet
53.
This was NOT one of the
territories gained by the US after
the Spanish-American War.
a. Hawaii
b. Guam
c. Puerto Rico
d. The Philippines
54.
This was the main reason
why Americans wanted the Panama
Canal built.
a. to open trade with Panama
b. to have a naval base in Latin
America
c. to open negotiations with
Colombia
d. to cut travel time from the
Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans
55.
Which of the following is an
example of a positive effect of
imperialism on territories that were
under the control of Western
nations?
a. Wealth
b. Self-sufficient economies
c. Lasting stability
d. Roads
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
56.
Which of the following would
be an IDEOLOGICAL reason for
imperialism?
a. the desire for the U.S. to
“protect the free world”
b. France’s wish to restore its
reputation after losing a war
c. Europe’s wish to keep its
reputation within the global
community
d. The desire of Europe to find new
markets for its industry
57.
One important conclusion
that can be drawn as a result of
the Spanish American War is that
a. Only the President should
decide issues of war and peace
b. The media are a powerful
influence in shaping American
public opinion toward war
c. The public has little confidence
in the ability of the American
military
d. International organizations play
a decisive role in determining
the outcome of war
58.
Why did the US formulate
the Open Door policy toward
China?
a. To develop democratic
institutions and practices in
China
b. To prevent a European and
Japanese monopoly of Chinese
trade and markets
c. To establish a military presence
on the Chinese mainland
d. To support Japanese efforts to
industrialize China
59.
Which of the following is a
POLITICALLY motivated reason for
imperialism?
a. a Western nation pursues an
imperialist relationship with
South America in order to
secure raw materials for its
factories
b. European expansion in the late
19th century happened due to
the need for the European
capitalist economies to export
their surplus capital
c. Soviet expansion into Eastern
Europe after 1945 was pursued
for security, to protect its nation
from another invasion
d. An imperialist nation justifies its
control of a new territory by
seeking to convert its people to
Christianity
60.
Which of the following would
be an ECONOMIC reason for
imperialism?
a. The need for countries to
expand in order to protect their
borders
b. Industrialized nations taking
over non-industrialized nations
in order to use their raw
materials
c. Industrialized nations taking
over non-industrialized nations
in order to expand their markets
d. Both B and C
e. None of the above
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
61.
Which of the following would
be an example of Moral Diplomacy?
a. The United States aiding a prodemocratic government in Latin
America
b. Sending troops to a foreign
nation in order to force their
leader to resign
c. Sending money to a foreign
nation in exchange for opening
up trade
d. Declaring war on a neighboring
country in order to force their
non-democratic government to
resign
62.
What is the meaning of this
cartoon?
a. Roosevelt lacks authority for
change
b. Roosevelt is asking for a new
diplomacy
c. Roosevelt has assumed new
police powers
d. Roosevelt has given up power to
other countries
63.
Involvement in the Spanish
American War, the annexation of
Hawaii, and introduction of the
Open Door policy in China were
actions taken by the United States
government to
a. Establish military alliance with
other nations
b. Gain overseas markets and
sources of raw materials
c. Begin the policy of manifest
destiny
d. Support isolationist forces in
Congress
64.
Yellow journalists created
support for the Spanish-American
War by writing articles about the
a. Political popularity of William
Jennings Bryan
b. Efforts of the United States to
control Mexico
c. Destruction of United States
sugar plantations by Hawaiians
d. Sinking of the United States
battleship Maine in Havana
Harbor
Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism
65.
Which of the following is the
message of this political cartoon?
a. That the U.S. should remain
neutral in the Cuban fight for
independence.
b. That many Cubans are being
murdered by the Spanish
c. That the naval officers aboard
the USS Maine were murdered
by the Spanish
d. That Spain should allow Cubans
their independence