Social Studies Practice Test

Use the graph below to choose which statement is true.

Read this excerpt and answer the question below.

Women’s suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. The demand for women’s suffrage began to gather strength in the 1840s, emerging from the broader movement for women’s rights. In 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention, passed a resolution in favor of women’s suffrage.

Many people believe that this event was one of the most important in the process of passing the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.

Which statement from the excerpt states an opinion?

Much of the prosperity of the 1990s was related to technological change and the advent of new information systems, most notably the rise of the personal computer and the Internet.

In 1994, the Clinton administration became the first to launch an official White House website and join the revolution of the electronically mediated world.

We must always remember that technology creates prosperity.

Which statement from the excerpt states an opinion?

Read this excerpt and answer the question below.

Three major economic systems have evolved over the years: traditional, command, and market economies. In the traditional economy, the WHAT, HOW, and FOR WHOM questions are answered by tradition, customs, and even habits handed down from generation to generation. In a command economy, a central authority answers the three basic questions. In a market economy, decision-making is decentralized with consumers and entrepreneurs playing a central role.

Which idea about a traditional economy is stated in the excerpt?

Using the figures provided in the databank, determine how many people in Mexico are under the age of 15.

The attacks of 9/11 taught the United States a devastating lesson about the risks of terrorist safe havens, no matter how far they are from U.S. borders. al-Qaeda operatives recruited, trained, and organized the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, and the September 11^th attacks from its harbor in Afghanistan.

It was well known that Afghanistan was harboring al Qaeda terrorists.

In the preceding sentence, what does “to harbor” mean?

This excerpt comes from the John F. Kennedy presidential library and museum website.

1) “President Kennedy pointed out that the Soviet Union “had hundreds of men and women, scientists, physicists, teachers, engineers, doctors, and nurses . . . prepared to spend their lives abroad in the service of world communism.” The United States had no such program, and Kennedy wanted to involve Americans more actively in the cause of global democracy, peace, development, and freedom. The Peace Corps was established by executive order on March 1, 1961.

2) “Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs….But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corp  —who works in a foreign land— will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace.”  – President John F. Kennedy, March 1, 1961″

Based on this, excerpt how did the historical circumstances shape his point of view?

Propaganda techniques use one-sided, messages and are designed to appeal to peoples’ emotions instead of their judgment and reasoning. These techniques are often used in political campaigns.

Name-calling, for example, links a person, or idea, to a negative symbol. People who use this technique hope that the audience will reject the person or the idea on the basis of the negative symbol, instead of looking at the available evidence.

Here is a hypothetical scenario: a local politician Mrs. Blue is running for election. She launched a new ad in local media.

Which statement from her campaign is an example of propaganda?

Glittering generalities occur very often in politics and political propaganda. Glittering generalities are words with different positive meanings for individual subjects but are linked to highly valued concepts.

When these words are used, they demand approval without thinking, simply because such an important concept is involved.

For example, when a person is asked to do something in “defense of democracy,” they are more likely to agree. Words often used as glittering generalities are honor, glory, love of country, and, especially in the United States, freedom.

Which of the slogans below would be an example of “glittering generalities” propaganda?

Sentiment to lower the nation’s voting-age dates back to WWII. As American involvement in the war increased, President Roosevelt sought to increase the size of the nation’s military and lowered the draft age of young men from 21 to 18 years old.

Many were dismayed at the notion that if young men could fight and die for their country, they could not participate in its fundamental democratic process – voting. “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote” became a widespread slogan, eventually prompting a proposal for a constitutional amendment to give 18-year-olds the right to vote. The proposal, however, failed to gain political traction.

By 1965, the United States became more heavily and directly involved in the war in Vietnam.

In turmoil surrounding the unpopular Vietnam War, lowering the national voting age became a controversial topic. Responding to arguments that those old enough to be drafted for military service should be able to exercise the right to vote, Congress lowered the voting age as part of the Voting Rights Act of 1970.

The quote below is part of the 26th Amendment to the US Constitution:

“The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of age.”

What was the voting age before the 26th Amendment?

The rule of law is one of the core organizing principles of the U.S. Constitution.

The rule of law exists in a democracy or any other kind of political system only when the following standards are met:

• laws are enforced equally and impartially
• no one is above the law, and everyone under the authority of the constitution is obligated equally to obey the law
• laws are made and enforced according to established procedures, not the rulers’ arbitrary will
• there is a common understanding among the people about the requirements of the law and the consequences of violating the law
• laws are not enacted or enforced retroactively
• laws are reasonable and enforceable

Which statement describes an impact of the rule of law?

The passage below is one of the grievances found in the Declaration of Independence.

“For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States.”

Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Which Amendment of the Bill of Rights addresses this issue?

Bias, symbolism, and propaganda can influence public opinion (the way that citizens feel about candidates or issues). The media plays a major role in influencing public opinion.

• Bias means that one side is favored over another in the way information is presented.
• Symbolism is the use of symbols to send a message.
• Propaganda relies on appealing to the viewer’s emotion rather than a reason.

Read this scenario: “An editor selects or deselects stories on ideological ground.”  It’s an example of …

Constitution of United States
Article II

The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected,

The system of checks and balances in government was developed to ensure that no one branch of government would become too powerful. Checks and balances operate throughout the U.S. government, as each branch exercises certain powers that can be checked by the powers given to the other two branches.

There is one exception, an executive order. Executive orders are not legislation; they require no approval from Congress, and Congress cannot simply overturn them.

Which of the following scenarios is the example of an executive order?

The terms libel, slander, and defamation are frequently confused. They are all similar in that they fall into the same general area of law that concerns false statements that harm a person’s reputation. This general area of law is called defamation law. Libel and slander are types of defamatory statements. Libel is a defamatory statement that is written. Slander is a defamatory statement that is oral.

Which of the following scenarios is an example of slander?