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SATSubjectTestPractice
U.S. History
1Youranswer (C) Correct!
"If the Creator had separated Texas from the Union by mountain barriers, the Alps or the Andes,
there might be plausible objections; but He has planed down the whole [Mississippi] Valley
including Texas, and united every atom of the soil and every drop of the water of the mighty
whole. He has linked their rivers with the great Mississippi, and marked and united the whole
for the dominion of one government, the residence of one people." This quotation from the
1840's can be viewed as an expression of
(A) The New Nationalism
(B) popular sovereignty
(C) Manifest Destiny Your Answer
(D) the Good Neighbor policy
(E) the frontier thesis
Explanation
Difficulty: Easy
The quotation is a clear example of the sentiments of Manifest Destiny, the idea that the
domination and expansion of the United States across the North American continent is
inevitable and divinely sanctioned. The author points to the geographical openness and
interconnection of the Mississippi Valley as evidence that it is created for one people to lay claim
to it.
2Youranswer (A) Correct!
One purpose of the Marshall Plan of 1948 was to
(A) rebuild European economies to make communism less appealing Your Answer
(B) aid the depressed agricultural economies of Latin American nations
(C) aid communist nations that would agree to embrace democracy
(D) give military aid to those nations resisting communist subversion
(E) help the peoples of Asia establish heavy industries
Explanation
Difficulty: Easy
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Following the Second World War, the United States' European Recovery Program (best known
as the Marshall Plan) was designed to help rebuild the economies of European countries with
the hope that stable economies would support democratic government. The United States was
concerned that weak economies, and the social conditions that would result from economic
instability, might make communism more appealing to European countries ravaged by war.
3Youranswer (A) Correct!
Which of the following best describes the pattern of immigration into Britains North American
colonies during the years 1620 to 1770?
(A) Largely English in the seventeenth century, non-English in the eighteenth century Your
Answer
(B) Chiefly of English origin during the whole period
(C) Largely non-English in the seventeenth century, English in the eighteenth century
(D) Predominantly from southern and eastern Europe, especially after 1700
(E) Predominantly from Asia, Africa and Spanish America especially after 1650
Explanation
Difficulty: Easy
Between 1620 and 1700, immigrants to Britains North American colonies came overwhelmingly
from England; it has been estimated that the ancestry of the British North American colonial
population was 80 percent English and Welsh in 1700. Between 1700 and 1770, however, this
changed as the population became far more diverse. In the eighteenth century, non-English
peoples such as Africans, Germans, Scots, Scots-Irish, Irish and Dutch came to the British North
American colonies in large numbers, as a whole exceeding the number of English immigrants.
In other words, immigrants to British North America in the seventeenth century were mostly
English, while immigrants in the eighteenth century were mostly non-English.
4Youranswer (E) Correct!
George Grenville viewed the Stamp Act primarily as a means to
(A) make the customs service more efficient
(B) punish rebellious colonists
(C) test the colonists will to resist England
(D) create more patronage positions for the kings courtiers
(E) raise revenue for the crown Your Answer
Explanation
Difficulty: Easy
The 1765 Stamp Act required people in the British North American colonies to purchase
specially stamped paper for all newspapers, legal documents and other public papers. This law
was enacted under the leadership of British Prime Minister George Grenville. In the aftermath
of the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years War), which ended in 1763, the
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British government was financially overextended, in part by the costs of defending its North
American colonies. Colonial tax rates had until this time been lower than those in Great Britain,
so Grenville sought the passage of the Stamp Act in order to spread taxation more evenly and
generate revenue for the British government (that is, for the crown). This law prompted
widespread protests in the colonies.
5Youranswer (B) Correct!
The controversy with Great Britain over the northern boundary of the shaded section in the map
above was settled during the presidency of
(A) John Quincy Adams
(B) James K. Polk Your Answer
(C) Franklin Pierce
(D) James Buchanan
(E) Andrew Johnson
Explanation
Difficulty: Easy
In the early nineteenth century, both the United States and Great Britain had overlapping
territorial claims to the Oregon Country, an area that embraced present-day Oregon,
Washington, Idaho and British Columbia. The disagreement eventually centered on the shaded
region labeled Crux of Dispute on the map. In 1846, the administration of President James K.
Polk and the British government agreed to divide the Oregon Country along the 49th parallel of
north latitude.
6Youranswer (A) Correct!
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Difficulty: Medium
Several factors drew the United States into the war, but Wilson's declaration was made in
response to Germany's decision to resume unrestricted U-boat attacks. Earlier unrestricted Uboat attacks (such as on the liner Lusitania) had resulted in United States casualties, and the
threat of more attacks was cited by Wilson as the central reason to declare war against Germany.
Wilson did not put forth the Fourteen Points declaration until 1918 as a part of his proposal for a
postwar settlement. The League of Nations was created at the Versailles peace conference in
1919, and was not pronounced in 1917 as a central reason to enter the war. While economic
concerns did enter into the debates over whether the United States should formally enter the
war, economic rivalry between the United States and Germany was not given by Wilson as the
main justification for declaring war. Similarly, cultural ties with England did influence the
debate, but were not cited by Wilson as a central justification.
8Youranswer (C) Correct!
Which of the following statements best represents a nativist attitude toward the influx of
immigrants around 1900?
(A) Slavs and Italians will be assimilated as easily into the American way of life as were earlier
immigrant groups.
(B) Ellis Island should be enlarged to accommodate the huge influx of immigrants.
(C) Immigrants will work for low wages and break strikes, thereby hurting all American
workers. Your Answer
(D) Native-born Americans should organize to help find jobs and homes for new immigrants so
that they can become citizens as quickly as possible.
(E) Political machines in the large cities should be responsible for providing immigrants with
food, shelter, and jobs in return for their votes.
Explanation
Difficulty: Medium
Nativism in the United States, consisting of anti-immigrant sentiment and fear of foreign
influence, was a major presence in politics in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Thus, a nativist
attitude would be one that reflects a bias against new immigrants. This points most clearly to the
anti-immigrant attitude in answer choice C, which describes immigrants as a threat to American
workers--an accurate description of an attitude held by many nativists around 1900.
9Youranswer (B) Correct!
Which of the following was true of Black soldiers in the United States Army during the First
World War?
(A) Black soldiers and White soldiers served in fully integrated units.
(B) Black soldiers served in segregated units often commanded by White officers. Your Answer
(C) Black Americans were drafted into the armed forces but were not allowed to enlist.
(D) Black Americans were not allowed in the armed forces, but were encouraged to take factory
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(C) The United States would not allow the creation of any new colonies in the Western
Hemisphere, although it would not interfere with existing ones. Your Answer
(D) The United States would insist that all nations be given equal access to markets in the Far
East.
(E) The United States would not extend diplomatic recognition to any foreign government that
came to power by force.
Explanation
Difficulty: Medium
The Monroe Doctrine asserted that the Western Hemisphere was not to be further colonized by
European countries, but also that the United States would not interfere with existing European
colonies nor in the internal concerns of European countries. The Doctrine was issued at the time
when many Latin American countries were on the verge of becoming independent from Spain
and the United States hoped to avoid having any European power take Spain's place.
14Youranswer (A) Correct!
Harriet Tubman was known as the "Moses" of her people because she
(A) helped slaves escape from the South Your Answer
(B) was instrumental in bringing about suffrage reform
(C) advocated emigration to Africa for Black people
(D) organized mass civil rights demonstrations
(E) traveled as a lay minister preaching the gospel
Explanation
Difficulty: Medium
Harriet Tubman was a notable African American abolitionist. As the use of the name "Moses"
may help you to remember, Tubman led many slaves to freedom in the North along the route of
the Underground Railroad. This achievement is not noted in any of the other choices, which
describe activities that Tubman did not pursue nor advocate.
15Youranswer (C) Correct!
Which of the following statements is generally true of the framers of the Constitution?
(A) They believed in the supremacy of the executive branch of the federal government.
(B) They had great faith in the goodness and rationality of people.
(C) They were opposed to the development of political parties. Your Answer
(D) They incorporated into the Constitution the most democratic ideals of the Declaration of
Independence.
(E) They believed the new American republic would be stable because of the unanimity of public
opinion in the country on major policy issues.
Explanation
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Difficulty: Medium
While it is difficult to generalize about the framers of the Constitution, most of the leading
framers did oppose political parties. In TheFederalist papers, Alexander Hamilton and James
Madison two of the most significant framers of the Constitution wrote strongly against
factions or political parties and explained the ways in which the structure of the Constitution
was designed to prevent factions from forming. In particular, Hamilton and Madison believed
that both the scale of the country, and the system of checks and balances that they had built into
the government, would mitigate factionalism. The framers did not believe in the supremacy of
the executive branch (A); another reason for the system of checks and balances was to restrain
the power of the presidency. They did not have great faith in the goodness and rationality of the
people (B); most federal offices were initially chosen by indirect election to prevent excessive
democratic influence. They did not incorporate the most democratic ideals of the Declaration of
Independence (D); they continued to tolerate nondemocratic elements such as slavery and
restrictions on the right to vote. They also did not believe in the unanimity of public opinion (E);
debates over the ratification of the Constitution highlighted already existing divisions.
16Youranswer (D) Correct!
Which of the following was symbolic of the rise of American influence in the fine arts after the
Second World War?
(A) Mary Cassatts work in Impressionism
(B) Thomas Eakins work in Realism
(C) Grant Woods work in Regionalism
(D) Jackson Pollocks work in Abstract Expressionism Your Answer
(E) John S. Copleys work of realistic portraiture
Explanation
Difficulty: Medium
Jackson Pollock was a leading American artist of the 1940s and 1950s, and his Abstract
Expressionist work helped make American painting much more prominent in the international
art world following the Second World War. By contrast, Mary Cassatts work (A) was most
prominent in the late nineteenth century. Thomas Eakins (B) was likewise most active in the
late nineteenth century. Grant Woods (D) most famous work appeared in the 1930s. John S.
Copley (E) worked in the late eighteenth century.
17Youranswer (B) Correct!
Major population shifts between 1915 and 1980 included all of the following except a
movement from
(A) the rural South to Northern cities
(B) New England to the Midwest Your Answer
(C) the North to the Sun Belt
(D) the inner cities to the suburbs
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Explanation
Difficulty: Medium
The "New Deal" was the term for a wide variety of programs, initiatives and agencies created by
Franklin D. Roosevelts administration to deal with the economic and social disruptions caused
by the Great Depression. The gradual recovery of the United States under the New Deal led
many people to feel that the government should continue to intervene to remedy economic
problems; in other words, people developed new attitudes about the role and function of
government.
22Youranswer (E) Correct!
Which of the following statements about social trends in the United States between 1945 and
1970 is INCORRECT?
(A) There was an overall increase in college enrollment.
(B) The proportion of blue-collar jobs in the economy decreased.
(C) Increasing numbers of African American children attended racially integrated schools.
(D) There was an exodus of population from the cities to the suburbs.
(E) By the end of the period, a lower proportion of women were working outside the home than
at the beginning. Your Answer
Explanation
Difficulty: Hard
After the dramatic increase of women in the workforce during the Second World War, there
were large-scale layoffs of women. Even so, women soon returned to work outside the home in
large numbers, and the proportion of women in the labor force continued to grow from that time
forward. So the key is not an accurate statement of a social trend between 1945 and 1970. All of
the other statements are accurate descriptions of social trends during the time between 1945
and 1970.
23Youranswer (E) Correct!
From the sixteenth through the eighteenth century, the cultural patterns of the American
Indians of the western plains were most dramatically influenced by
(A) major changes in ecological conditions
(B) contact with tribes from eastern coastal areas
(C) the adoption of European styles of dress
(D) the adoption of European agricultural techniques
(E) the introduction of the horse by Spanish explorers and settlers Your Answer
Explanation
Difficulty: Hard
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The introduction of the horse had a dramatic affect on the culture of American Indians of the
western plains. The horse vastly improved the Indians' ability to hunt buffalo and other game.
As a result of adopting horseback riding, many tribes were transformed in a few generations:
from semi-sedentary hunters, gatherers and farmers, to fully nomadic hunters. There was no
major change in the ecology of the Plains in this period. Contact between Plains tribes and
Eastern coastal tribes was indirect and unimportant. European styles of dress were not
necessarily adopted by Plains Indians, nor would they have represented a major change in
cultural patterns. The Indians of the plains did not adopt European farming practices in this
period.
24Youranswer (E) Correct!
The primary reason the United States advocated the Open Door policy in 1899 was to
(A) consolidate good relations between the United States and European countries holding leases
in China
(B) encourage Asian nations to protect Chinese interests
(C) expand the effort of European nations to Westernize China
(D) protect United States missionaries in China
(E) protect United States trading opportunities in China Your Answer
Explanation
Difficulty: Hard
The Open Door policy, enunciated in a series of diplomatic notes to various European countries,
was an effort to maintain equal trading access to Chinese markets for all nations, but was
promoted by the United States primarily to secure its own trading rights against those of other
powers that were trying to divide China into separate spheres of influence. The policy was an
appeal to European countries that were occupying China to refrain from interfering with United
States trade access, but it was not primarily focused on maintaining good relations with those
countries. The other answer choices were not primary reasons for the Open Door policy.
25Youranswer (B) Correct!
In the Declaration of Independence, the theory of government used to justify the break with
Britain was derived most directly from the ideas of:
(A) Rousseau
(B) Locke Your Answer
(C) Montesquieu
(D) Hobbes
(E) Voltaire
Explanation
Difficulty: Hard
John Locke's arguments that the legitimacy of government depends on the consent of the
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governed, that political authority is based on social contract, and that people have natural rights
to life, liberty, and property were fundamental to the Declaration of Independence.
Hobbes and Rousseau were important contributors to the development of contract theory and it
was Montesquieu who put forward the idea of separation of powers later applied in the
Constitution, but Locke's ideas were by far the most direct source for the Declaration's
justification of the break with Britain. The Enlightenment philosophy of Voltaire did not directly
contribute to the theory of government applied in the Declaration.
26Youranswer (D) Correct!
From 1870 to 1930, the trend in industry was for hours to be generally reduced, while both
money wages and real wages rose. What factor was primarily responsible for this trend?
(A) A reduction in profit margins
(B) Minimum wage laws
(C) Restriction of the labor supply
(D) Increased output per hour of work Your Answer
(E) Right-to-work legislation
Explanation
Difficulty: Hard
The best answer to this question is choice D. To arrive at this answer, you must be aware that
the trend referred to in the question came about primarily because of technological advances
that resulted in increased productivity. None of the other answer choices satisfactorily accounts
for all the conditions described in the question.
27Youranswer (E) Correct!
What is man born for but to be a reformer, a remaker of what man has made; a renouncer of
lies; a restorer of truth and good, imitating that great Nature which embosoms us all, and which
sleeps no moment on an old past, but every hour repairs herself, yielding every morning a new
day, and with every pulsation a new life?
These sentiments are most characteristic of
(A) fundamentalism
(B) Social Darwinism
(C) pragmatism
(D) neoorthodoxy
(E) transcendentalism Your Answer
Explanation
Difficulty: Hard
The excerpt, from an 1841 essay by transcendentalist thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson called Man
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II.
III.
I believe it is the duty of the Negro as the greater part of the race is already
doing to deport himself modestly in regard to political claims, depending upon
the slow but sure influences that proceed from the possession of property,
intelligence and high character for the full recognition of his political rights.
The truth is that integration is an image, its a foxy Northern liberals smokescreen that confuses the true wants of the American black man.
The talented tenth of the Negro race must be made leaders of thought and
missionaries of culture among their people. The Negro race, like all other races, is
going to be saved by its exceptional men.
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The most probable authors of statements I, II, and III, respectively, are
(A) Malcolm X, Nat Turner and Martin Luther King Jr.
(B) Booker T. Washington, Malcolm X and W.E.B. Du Bois Your Answer
(C) Martin Luther King Jr., Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. Du Bois
(D) Nat Turner, Martin Luther King Jr. and Booker T. Washington
(E) W.E.B. Du Bois, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
Explanation
Difficulty: Hard
The first statement reflects Booker T. Washingtons encouragement of African Americans to
accommodate themselves to existing conditions and to work gradually to gain greater social
standing. The second statement reflects Malcolm Xs rejection of both the existing power
structure and the goal of desegregation; he instead favored establishing greater autonomy for
African Americans. The third statement quotes W.E.B. Du Bois, who believed that the most
capable and best-educated African Americans could become advocates for their people and
elevate the social standing of their race.
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