US History- Regents Review Questions

Thomas Paine's Common Sense

Break away from England; time for independence

Key concepts of Declaration of Independence

Consent of the governed, natural rights, liberty, property

Three branches of the U.S. government

Executive (enforce laws), Legislative (make laws), Judicial (interpret laws)

Executive Branch role

President & VP - enforce laws

Legislative Branch role

Congress - make laws

Judicial Branch role

Supreme Court - interpret laws

Checks and Balances examples

President can veto bills, Congress can override veto, judicial review

Judicial Review definition & court case

Power to declare laws unconstitutional; Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Elastic Clause

Congress can stretch powers through implied powers; “necessary and proper”

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

House based on population; Senate has 2 per state

Hamilton's Financial Plan goal

Create a national bank

Impact of Jackson on Native Americans

Indian Removal Act, Trail of Tears, spoils system, forced west

Manifest Destiny definition

Belief that the U.S. should expand coast to coast

Manifest Destiny justifications

White superiority, make America stronger

Fugitive Slave Act purpose

Return runaway slaves; angered Northerners

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery

14th Amendment

Equal protection under law; citizenship for African Americans

15th Amendment

Gave African Americans the right to vote

Early immigrant groups (pre-1800s)

NW Europe (England, Ireland), later SW Europe (Poland, Russia), Asia (China, Japan)

Gov’t policy on immigration

Nativism; laws like Chinese Exclusion Act to limit immigration

Jacob Riis book & topic

"How the Other Half Lives" - exposed tenement conditions

Upton Sinclair book & topic

"The Jungle" - meatpacking industry abuses, led to FDA/meat inspection

Alice Paul’s role in suffrage

Protested outside Wilson’s White House, hunger strike

19th Amendment

Gave women the right to vote

18th Amendment

Made alcohol illegal (Prohibition)

21st Amendment

Ended Prohibition

What inspired Prohibition?

Temperance Movement (1800s)

The New Deal purpose

FDR’s programs to help during the Great Depression

FDR and the Supreme Court

Tried to add justices to pass New Deal laws

Cold War goal

Stop the spread of communism; support democracy

Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan

Gave aid to stop spread of communism

Berlin Blockade & Airlift

Soviets blocked West Berlin; U.S. flew in supplies

Domino Theory

If one country falls to communism, others will follow

Tonkin Gulf Resolution

Congress gave military power to fight in Vietnam

Great Society goal

Help poor, elderly, and minorities

Great Society programs

War on Poverty, Medicaid, low-income housing

Other civil rights movements

Feminist, Chicano, LGBTQ+ movements

War Powers Act (1973)

Limited president's ability to send troops without Congress

26th Amendment

Lowered voting age to 18 due to Vietnam War draft

Texas v. Johnson

Flag burning is symbolic speech and protected

Tinker v. Des Moines

Students have free speech if it doesn’t disrupt school

Engel v. Vitale

No school prayer in public schools

NY Times v. US

Freedom of the press upheld (Pentagon Papers)

Watergate scandal effect

Nixon resigned

1970s Oil Crisis effects

Gas rationing, push for renewable energy

Reaganomics/Trickle Down

Tax cuts for wealthy & businesses to boost economy

Cause of Persian Gulf War

Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait

Presidents who were impeached

Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump (twice)

2000 & 2016 Election controversy

Popular vote winner lost electoral vote (Gore/Clinton vs. Bush/Trump)

Social Security concern

Too many retirees, not enough workers

Response to 9/11 Attacks

Created Homeland Security, Patriot Act, invaded Afghanistan