Short Answer Questions (approximately 4 sentences)
Geography
- Name the three major mountain ranges in the United States and briefly
explain the role they played in the settlement of the nation.
- Which mountain range is comparable to the Alps?
The Rockies
- Name all of the Great Lakes.
Michigan, Ohio…
- Why are the Great Lakes important to the American economy?
Shipping routes, interconnected, and connected to ocean via missippi
- Which two states are the leading producers of citrus fruits? Hawaii,
California, florida
- What do the terms “megalopolis” or “Boswash” mean? Chain of cities with
at least 10 million inhab. Boaswash  Boston to Washington
- Name the major tobacco-producing states.
- What are Mauna Loa and Kilauea?
- What role did rivers and mountains play in the settlement of the US?
Rivers : Natural roads. Mountains : barriers
- What part of the US is called the « Rust Belt » ?
- What is the « Sun Belt » ? south of USA
- Why is the US a great agricultural country?
- What role did rivers play in the settlement of the US?
- During what period were major cities and skyscrapers first developed?
Media
- What can be said about the content of US television programs
Tv shows, talk show, sports, young programs. Low intellectual quality.
- What is a television network?
Telecommunication Network like NBC; ABC; which has many channels
- What was the first “national” news medium in the United States?
American radio was the first national news medium. It dates back to November, 1920 with
updates on presidential election returns.
- Name the three US magazines that have the biggest circulation.
AARP Magazine; AARP Bulletin ; The Costco Connection
- What day of the week are the most newspapers sole in the US?
On weekend edition; thicker
- What is the principal objective of the media in the United States?
Entertainment, news, and variety of programs
- What US radio network uses109 transmitters to broadcast worldwide
in 50 different languages?
Voice of America network
- Name the two general news agencies in the US that provide the press
with information (the equivalent of Agence France Presse in France).
(Reuters;) United press international, AP
- What word in the United States designates “a hybrid category of
television program that combines facts and fiction and presents
information in an entertaining style?”
Infotainment
Why is the press in the US described as the “guardian of
democracy”?
Objective; Call attention to government abuse & violation of individual rights, press
cannot be censured.
- What is the role of television in US presidential elections?
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- Describe the concentration of media ownership in the US.
Few big companies are controlling increasingly medias (Disney, Warner, …)
- What is meant by vertical integration in the media industry?
- What are the main characteristics of newspapers in the US?
Has always been praised for its objectivity. Information is separated from comments and bias.
- Has television replaced radio in the US?
No, FM Stations are still going well, 80% of americans listen to the radio everyday
- What do critics say is the consequence of vertical integration,
interlocking directorates, and the concentration of ownership of the
media in the US?
Company that own many ≠ companies in ≠ markets (crossed marketing.) like Disney…
- How popular is watching television in the US?
Hugely popular (couch potato) 3 to 6 hours per day
- What has been the recent policy of the Federal Communications
Commission?
- What can be said of the content of US television programs?
Tv shows, talk show, sports, young programs
- How many television stations are there? How many radio stations are
there?
Thousands
- What are the names of the private networks? What do the private
networks provide to their affiliates?
CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox TV; they buy contents and programs to their affiliates from
production companies.
- What is the effect of the competition for high audience ratings on the
quality of TV programs?
They changed their target (eg Fox TV)…quality went down (dumbing down…)
American TV = Commercial TV; low quality
- Does the news occupy a relatively large or a relatively small amount
of time on TV?
Specialized channel with news only (CNN …)
- Are Americans more or less interested in the news today, compared
with twenty years ago?
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What is more important to most Americans – local news or national
news?
What do you know about political commercials, spots, and sound
bites?
Comment on the importance of a good TV image for an American
politician.
How much violence does the average child see on TV?
Are you likely to see nudity or sex on American TV? Why or why not?
In 1983, Ben Bagdikian wrote a book, The Media Monopoly. What was
his main argument and what did he hope to accomplish?
media too concentrated, before 50 companies, now 6
- What effect has the world economic crisis had on U.S. daily
newspapers?
- What was the first “national” medium in the U.S.?
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Institutions
- What is the system of checks and balances?
- What is a think tank?
- Give an example of a domain in which state laws can vary from one state
to another.
- Which American president was involved in the Watergate Scandal?
- What was the Watergate Scandal?
- What is the name of the newest Supreme Court justice?
- Which three presidents were impeached by the House of Representatives?
- What characteristic of the US Constitution has made it possible for it to be
used for over 200 years?
- What is the procedure for over-riding the President’s veto of an Act of
Congress?
- What made the 2000 Presidential elections so unusual?
- What happens after the House of Representatives impeaches a public
official?
- What particular class of immigrants does the Immigration Act of 1990
favor?
- Which United States president is associated with the “war on terrorism”?
- What is the term of office of a Supreme Court Justice?
- What is meant by “divided sovereignty”?
- What happens at the national conventions of the tow major parties
(Republican and Democrats)?
- What does the US Constitution do?
- What is the Bill of Rights and what does it contain?
- Why is the House of Representatives considered to represent the people
most closely?
- What effect has the clear population shift toward the sunbelt states had on
the composition of the House of Representatives?
- Why does Congress have the “power of the purse”?
- In what ways can Congress limit the power of the president?
- What powers does Congress have over the judicial branch?
- What special powers does the Senate have vis-à-vis the President?
- What is the purpose of the specialized committees in the House and the
Senate?
- What is the purpose of primary elections?
- Explain the indirect system of electing the President – the relationship
between the popular vote and the vote in the Electoral College.
- What is a lame duck president?
- What is the President’s Cabinet?
- What is the Executive Office of the President?
- What is the power of Judicial Review?
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What was the significance of the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision by the
Supreme Court?
Under the constitutional system of checks and balances, what risk is there
when Congress and the Presidency are not controlled by the same party?
What is meant by the “spoils system”?
What animals symbolize the Democratic and the Republican parties?
What is a filibuster? Why is it used?
What are the roles of the Vice President?
What is the role of the Conference Committee?
What is the purpose of the specialized committees in the House and the
Senate?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or
of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Which of the 27
amendments to the U.S. Constitution is this?
What happens after the U.S. House of Representatives impeaches a public
official?
What is the Tea Party movement and what is its goal?
What is a lobby and what does it do?
Founding Myths
- What role do myths and symbols play in the construction of the US national
identity?
Unify population despite their origins/
- Explain the origins of the term «Manifest Destiny » and its continued
relevance.
It was when USA thought the country would expand to the entire continent (during
War of Mexico…)
- What is the Puritan work ethic?
It means that hard work would benefit.., rewarded by God; manifest with material
possession.
- What was social Darwinism?
It was a belief in the 1870’s which thought strongest can survive and weakest
couldn’t.
- What is the American Dream?
National belief; every man & woman in the usa is free, and have the opportunity to
realize his prosperity goal and success in his life.
- What are the frontier traits?
Pragmatism and individualism
- What can be said about American geographic mobility?
Americans usually move a lot. 10% move every year.
- What can be said about American social mobility?
It’s something expected by everyone; reaching another social class..  possible
because : no social class in America.
- What is the triple melting pot theory?
Marriage; religion
- What is the difference between the Besty Ross flag and the present day
flag?
Stars as a circle, to represent the 13 colonies, and now, to represent the ≠ states
- Why are national myths and symbols important?
Immigration
- What were the three main reasons why Europeans emigrated to the US in
the early 19th century?
- Describe the bracero program.
- What changes were made in US immigration policy in 1965?
- Why did an estimated 500,000 people march in Los Angeles on March 25,
2006?
- Why did more than one million Irish emigrate to the United States between
1845 and 1855?
- What was the significance of the Quota Acts of 1921 and 1924?
- What national groups settled in the thirteen British colonies in the 17 th and
18th centuries?
- What is meant by “W.A.S.P”?
- What do Americans mean by “Old Immigration” and “New Immigration”?
- Where do most immigrants to the US settle today?
- What are the main problems face by Native Americans (American
Indians)?
- What was the particularity of immigration to the US during the 1930s?
- What was California proposition 187 of 1994?
- Why has the PATRIOT Act been harshly criticized?
- In 2008, how many illegal immigrants are estimated living in the US?
- What is a hyphenated American?
Minorities
- What are the four principal minority groups in the US?
- Where in the US do the three major Hispanic national groups live?
- What are the main characteristics of the minority population in the US?
- What is the main social characteristic of the African-American population?
- Why are African-Americans unlike the other major minority groups?
- What was the civil rights decade?
- What was the significance of the 1954 Supreme Court decision “Brown v.
Board of Education of Topeka”?
- What are the main problems that poor African-Americans face?
- What are the main characteristics of the Hispanic population?
- What things unite Hispanics?
- What are the main problems that poor Hispanics face?
- What distinguishes the Hispanic population from other immigrant groups?
- What are the main characteristics of the Asian minority group?
- What is meant by affirmative action?
- What criticisms are made of affirmative action?
- Explain what the “Jim Crow laws” are.
Religion
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What does creationism mean?
What are the four leading religions in the US today?
What is televangilism?
Over the past years, how has American religion become more fluid?
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How are non-believers perceived in America?
What is the official religion in the United States?
What are the 4 characteristics of religion in America?
Economy
- Very briefly describe the situation of labor unions today.
- The subprime crisis set off the world financial crisis, which led to the
present world economic crisis. What was the subprime crisis?
- Explain Adam Smith’s term “the invisible hand of the market.”
- What has been the policy of the U.S. government regarding working time
since 1951?
- What is the AFL-CIO?
- Which political Party favors higher taxes and why?
- List at least 2 reasons why labor union membership declined during the
second half of the 20th century.
- What are contingent workers?
Social Protection
- Do Americans have Social Security? Explain.
- To what extent is President Obama’s health care plan a state-funded,
public health care plan?
- What is special about their 67th birthday for Americans who were born after
1960?
Foreign Policy
- Why is the Middle East an area of strategic importance and vital interest to
the US?
- What is the reason for the ongoing conflict between the US and the Islamic
Republic of Iran?
- What can be said about the new US doctrine of preventive war?
- What is the Marshall Plan?
Anti-Americanism
- What are some different sources of anti-Americanism?
- Explain the notions in the terms “McWorld” and “Coca-Colanization”.
- Explain American exceptionalism.