History of the Americas Questions

Which of the following has most influenced where humans have settled throughout history? A. Temperate climate B. Access to water C. Availability of game to hunt D. Natural barriers for protection

Which of the following is a true statement about a pure parliamentary system of government?A. Legislators who accept ministerial appointments must resign their seats.B. Seats in parliament are apportioned strictly according to proportional representation.C. Governments must be formed by a coalition of several parties.D. The head of government must be a current member of the legislature.

The Continental Divide passes through which of the following states?A. North DakotaB. KansasC. NevadaD. Colorado

The political system of modern Japan is best described asA. an autocracyB. an oligarchyC. a democracyD. a confederation

Which of the following is a subsistence crop? A. Corn B. Coffee C. Rubber D. Cocoa

An equatorial rain forest is associated with which of the following climatic conditions? A. Cold, dry winters and warm, moist summers B. Hot and wet conditions year-round C. Mild winters and hot, sultry summers D. Cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers

Which of the following rivers is NOT in Asia?A. YangtzeB. MekongC. EuphratesD. Nile

The media's impact on politics is primarily the ability to influence A. who people vote for B. which issues are perceived as important C. citizens' views on political ideology D. beliefs about political efficacy

Which of the following has most accelerated the spread of a global popular culture? A. The creation of the United Nations B. The growth of world religions C. New communications technologies D. Increased access to air travel

Which of the following correctly lists the order for passing a bill into a law in the House of Representatives? A. The bill is named, referred to the appropriate standing committee, scheduled for floor debate, and then voted on. B. The bill is referred to the appropriate standing committee, named, voted on, and then signed by the president. C. The bill is voted on, referred to the appropriate standing committee, sent to the Senate, and then scheduled for debate. D. The bill is scheduled for floor debate, voted on, referred to the appropriate standing committee, and then named.

Which of the following is true of a presidential system of government?A. There is typically more party discipline than in a parliamentary system.B. The executive is the head of government but not the head of state. C. The executive is also a member of the legislature.D. The executive serves a fixed term of office.

Federalism is best defined as a system of government in whichA. power is divided between national and subnational governmentsB. power is centralized in a national government that can devolve certain authority and responsibility to subnational governments C. a group of sovereign governments shares a supranational judicial institutionD. citizens determine national policy by voting directly in national referenda

Which of the following best describes separation of powers?Select all that apply. A. Power is divided between the national government and the 50 states. B. Power is distributed among three branches of government. C. State governments receive their powers from the people. D. The basic powers of government are gathered in a single agency.

Which of the following accurately describes the role of interest groups in the United States political system? A. They raise money to provide public funding for elections. B. Their membership generally includes a majority of potential beneficiaries of their efforts. C. They utilize lobbyists to provide policy makers with information on bills and issues. D. They hold national and state conventions to nominate candidates for political office.

In its purest form, a direct democracy exists when citizens do which of the following?A. Participate without intermediaries in political decision makingB. Elect representatives to participate in political decision makingC. Directly elect a chief executive who writes all legislationD. Vote to approve or overturn laws passed by elected representatives

What was the major purpose of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) ?A. To protect labor unions in the United States, Canada, and MexicoB. To increase energy production in the United States, Canada, and MexicoC. To reduce tariffs and other trade barriers among the United States, Canada, and Mexico D. To increase trade between North America and the European Union

Which of the following best describes the first group of European colonists to settle in Australia?A. Dutch merchants who established harbors and trading postsB. Landowners and aristocrats from Spain who settled on the eastern coastC. Prisoners from Great Britain who were forced into manual labor D. Immigrants from France who established farms and businesses

Which of the following was a major consequence of the treaties that ended the First World War?A. The Romanov dynasty was overthrown in the first phase of the Russian Revolution, and the Bolsheviks took power in the second phase. B. European powers applied the principle of national self-determination to their colonies.C. The dismantling of empires in central, eastern, and southeastern Europe led to the creation of numerous unstable states.D. Germany and Austria were admitted with nonvoting status to the League of Nations.

All of the following are aspects of disagreement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict EXCEPTA. territorial bordersB. water rightsC. religious claims to landD. state control of the economy

Which of the following was a significant factor contributing to the French Revolution in the late 1700s? A. Opposition of the revolutionaries to the political ideals of the American Revolution B. The French monarchy's policy of isolating France from the rest of Europe C. A sharp fall in the price of bread, a staple of the peasant diet D. A large national debt caused in part by foreign adventures and the need to support a large army and navy