OGT

1. OGT Practice Test II

2. 20081. 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

3. 2. How do absolute monarchs differ from constitutional monarchs in their ability to use power?A. The power of absolute monarchs is unlimited. *B. The power of absolute monarchs is maintained through periodic elections. C. The power of absolute monarchs is limited by the fundamental laws of the country. D. The power of absolute monarchs depends on continued support from their political party. 2008

4. 3. In a command economy, the question of what goods to produce is primarily determined byA. cultural traditions. B. decisions by individuals. C. government plans.* D. corporate policies. 2008

5. 20084. During World War I, conscientious objectors to military service were often accused of disloyalty, and some conscientious objectors were sentenced to prison. However, other conscientious objectors were willing to accept noncombatant service. The assignment of conscientious objectors to noncombatant service was an attempt by the government to A. promote ethnic diversity within the military. B. educate people about their constitutional rights. C. balance individual rights and the common good. D. encourage people to apply for conscientious objector status.

6. 7. The majority of people in Spain speak Spanish as their first language, but in the Basque region of Spain many people speak Basque as their first language. This is one reason many people in the Basque region believe they should separate from Spain and become an independent country. Which would be an argument of supporters of this idea? A. Boundaries once settled should remain in place. B. Economic considerations will promote national unity. C. Political boundaries should reflect cultural characteristic.* D. Natural boundaries should determine political boundaries. 2008

7. 8. 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 newly-acquired U.S. territories C. the availability of free land under the Homestead Act D. the need for agricultural workers to feed a growing population2008

8. 10. Minority students in public schools were given constitutional guarantees to equal educational opportunities as a result of theA. decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. B. ratification of the 19th amendment. C. ratification of the 26th amendment. D. decision in Brown v. Board of Education.* 2008

9. 13. Economic systems answer the question of how goods and services are produced. What is one way a country could change from a command economy to a market economy?A. if the government takes control of family-owned farms B. if privately owned banks become subject to stricter regulation C. if agricultural and factory workers are required to join labor unions D. if industries that had been owned by the government become privately owned* 2008

10. 31. Some countries that are dictatorships hold elections from time to time. These elections are different from elections in presidential democracies because typically elections in dictatorships A. only allow citizens to vote and to run for elected office. B. are monitored by international observers to ensure fairness. C. only have candidates from one political party on the ballot.* D. are held more often than elections in presidential democracies. 2008

11. 32. How did the U.S. government’s role in the economy change as a result of the Great Depression?A. The federal government had a diminished role in regulating economic activity. B. The federal government maintained the role it had in economic matters before the Great Depression. C. The federal government expanded its role in regulating economic activity and promoting economic growth.* D. The federal government transferred its role in economic affairs over to the state governments. 2008

12. 37. The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1919, prohibited the manufacture or 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. 2008

13. 41. In order to stimulate the economy, the United States government lowers personal income tax rates. Why would this action be expected to promote economic growth?A. Businesses would be required to hire more employees. B. Manufacturers would have to pay more for raw materials. C. The government would be less likely to engage in deficit spending. D. Consumers would have more money available to spend on goods and services.* 2008

14. 42. Citizens in presidential democracies and parliamentary democracies typically achieve governmental change byA. going on strike. B. voting in elections.* C. serving in the military. D. engaging in revolution. 2008

15. 6. Freedom of assembly is guaranteed by the First Amendment, but assemblies may legally be broken up when protesters A. attempt to disrupt public safety.* B. publicly oppose U.S. foreign policy. C. express opinions that are controversial. D. are members of a religious organization. 2007

16. 8. Which action could the U.S. government employ to protect U.S. automobile manufacturers from foreign competition? A. increase taxes on the production of U.S. automobiles B. create free trade agreements with automobile-producing countries C. increase tariffs and import restrictions on foreign automobiles* D. implement stricter control of competition among U.S. automobile manufacturers 2007

17. 20. One way the U.S. Constitution evolves is through the amendment process. How were the changes that occurred as a result of the ratification of the 19th and 26th Amendments similar? A. Large groups of people gained the right to vote.* B. The right of individuals to bear arms was restricted. C. The powers of the federal government were expanded. D. The separation of church and state was more clearly defined. 2007

18. 21. One way absolute monarchies are similar to dictatorships is that citizens under both systems of government typically A. can elect new leadership by voting in elections. B. have greater freedoms than citizens in democracies. C. can amend their constitutions by gathering signatures on petitions. D. must engage in revolution in order to achieve governmental change.* 2007

19. 22. In 1960, 8.9 million acres of land in northeast Alaska were designated as the Arctic National Wildlife Range. In 1980, legislation doubled the size of the Range and renamed it the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). In recent years, attempts have been made to open part of the ANWR to oil exploration. The reason for this proposal is that the A. need for oil has decreased. B. population of the region has increased. C. environmental features of the region have changed. D. perceived economic value of the region has changed. * 2007

20. 30. Which factor contributed to increased migration of people among regions of the United States in the second half of the 20th century? A. new restrictions on immigration from Asia B. increases in the number of small family farms C. the construction of the Interstate Highway system* D. increased immigration from Northern and Western Europe 2007

21. 34. When the government builds interstate highways, citizens can be forced (under the principle of eminent domain) to sell private land that lies in the path of the highway. The reason for this is that the property rights of individuals are balanced by A. the government’s need to raise tax revenues. B. the need to enforce laws against libel and slander. C. the need to guarantee equal opportunities to all citizens. D. a compelling government interest in providing public services.* 2007

22. 37. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a treaty designed to remove tariffs and other trade barriers between Canada, Mexico and the United States. This helped establish an economic region among those nations because A. participants enlarged their dependence on domestic markets. B. participants terminated trade relationships with other regions. C. participants imposed tariffs on goods imported from other countries. D. trade among participants increased, making their economies more interdependent.* 2007

23. 43. The growth of suburbs has caused the economic value of land around many U.S. cities to increase. One result of this increase in land value has been a decrease in A. U.S. food production for export. B. the availability of agricultural labor in urban regions. C. the construction of roads, water lines and sewer lines. D. the amount of land available for farming.* 2007

24. 3. What was the perspective of women who founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966? A. Women wanted to receive equal pay and opportunities for advancement in the workplace.* B. Women were afraid of being forced to work in physically challenging jobs. C. Women were angry at the prospect of having to serve in the military. D. Women wanted to gain the right to vote and to own property. 2006

25. 4. In 1950, New York City was the only city in the world with a population of more than ten million people. By 2000, there were nineteen cities with populations of over ten million people. One reason for this increase in urbanization was A. a decrease in birthrates around the world. B. the spread of industrialization around the world.* C. an increase in air pollution in industrialized areas. D. the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. 2006

26. 7. U.S. government enforcement of environmental regulations helps reduce health problems related to environmental pollution. How does this help promote economic growth and stability? A. It decreases the size of the available workforce. B. It creates new productive resources. C. It reduces the cost of raw materials for manufacturers. D. It lowers health care costs for individuals and businesses.* 2006

27. 10. Some Internet search engines offer the ability to automatically translate Web pages that are written in languages other than English. One effect of this feature is to A. reduce the desire for international trade. B. reduce the need for modern computer technology. C. increase the need for instruction in foreign languages. D. increase opportunities for exchanges of cultural practices.* 2006

28. 11. In 1959, rebel forces led by Fidel Castro overthrew the government of Cuba. Castro’s communist dictatorship seized privately owned farms and factories. People who spoke out against the government were imprisoned. From the 1960s through the 1980s, many people fled from Cuba to the United States. Based on these conditions, the reasons for this migration were A. health concerns. B. economic concerns.* C. environmental concerns. D. racial concerns. 2006

29. 14. What was the effect of the passage of Jim Crow laws in the United States in the late 19th century? 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. 2006

30. 22. In the years following World War II, the countries of communist Eastern Europe were often referred to as being “behind the iron curtain.” These countries were perceived as a single region based on A. a common cultural heritage. B. unique physical features. C. economic and political characteristics.* D. widespread immigration from other regions. 2006

31. 34. The burning of draft cards by those who objected to the Vietnam War is an example of civil disobedience because it was an action that A. was protected by the U.S. Constitution. B. was intended to draw the attention of the media. C. violated a law that the protesters considered to be unjust.* D. expressed a point of view that was unpopular at the time. 2006

32. 38. In recent decades, a number of states have passed laws designed to protect wetlands such as marshes and swamps. These laws make it difficult for developers to begin new construction on wetlands. This trend was motivated by A. a decrease in the economic value of wetlands. B. an increase in the geographical area covered by wetlands. C. a decrease in the number of environmental threats to wetlands. D. an increased awareness of the environmental importance of wetlands.* 2006

33. 44. In the United States, freedom of the press to report on certain matters may be restricted during wartime because A. reporting military secrets may threaten national security.* B. laws against libel and slander are strictly enforced during wartime. C. materials used to print newspapers must be conserved during wartime. D. the government has a compelling interest in suppressing opposing views. 2006