14. The 1980s and the End of the Cold War

What happened in 1989 regarding the Berlin Wall? (A) West Germany invaded East Germany (B) The Berlin Wall fell as communist governments collapsed across Eastern Europe (C) NATO destroyed it (D) It was expanded)

B

What major Cold War policy shift allowed Eastern Europe to break free in 1989? (A) Truman Doctrine (B) Brezhnev Doctrine reinforced (C) Gorbachev rejected the Brezhnev Doctrine, ending Soviet intervention (D) Reagan Doctrine ended)

C

When did the Cold War officially end? (A) 1985 (B) 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union after Gorbachev resigned (C) 1979 (D) 2001)

B

What event accelerated the breakup of the USSR in 1991? (A) Berlin Airlift (B) Failed coup attempt in Moscow (C) Cuban Missile Crisis (D) Tiananmen Square)

B

What was George H. W. Bush’s “New World Order”? (A) Policy of isolationism (B) A vision for global stability using UN, NATO, diplomacy, democracy, and free markets after the Cold War (C) End of capitalism (D) A European trade alliance)

B

What was the Iran-Contra Scandal? (A) Legal trade agreement (B) U.S. secretly sold arms to Iran and illegally funneled profits to Contra rebels in Nicaragua (C) A peace treaty (D) Soviet sabotage)

B

Who was the central figure who diverted Iran arms-sale money to the Contras? (A) James Baker (B) Oliver North (C) George HW Bush (D) John Hinckley)

B

Why was Iran-Contra illegal? (A) Congress banned all trade with Iran (B) It violated Congressional bans on funding the Contras (C) It used nuclear weapons (D) It involved NATO troops)

B

What is NAFTA? (A) A military pact (B) A free-trade agreement between U.S., Canada, and Mexico negotiated in the late 1980s (C) An anti-terror alliance (D) A UN energy treaty)

B

Which president negotiated NAFTA before its 1992 signing? (A) Reagan (B) George H. W. Bush (C) Clinton (D) Obama)

B

What started the Persian Gulf War in 1990? (A) Iran invaded Iraq (B) Iraq invaded Kuwait under Saddam Hussein (C) U.S. overthrew Saudi Arabia (D) Israel attacked Jordan)

B

What was Operation Desert Storm? (A) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (B) U.S.-led coalition military campaign in 1991 to expel Iraq from Kuwait (C) Bombing of Libya (D) Invasion of Iran)

B

How long did the Desert Storm ground war last? (A) Months (B) A few days (C) One year (D) It never occurred)

B

Who remained in power after the Persian Gulf War? (A) Kuwait’s government collapsed (B) Saddam Hussein remained in power (C) Iraq became a democracy (D) Iran controlled Iraq)

B

Who led the anti-feminist STOP ERA movement? (A) Betty Friedan (B) Phyllis Schlafly (C) Gloria Steinem (D) Nancy Reagan)

B

What did Phyllis Schlafly argue about the ERA? (A) It would increase women’s rights without drawbacks (B) It would harm traditional family roles and remove legal protections for women (C) It would reduce taxes (D) It was unnecessary because women already could vote)

B

What characterized the Yuppie counterculture of the late 70s–80s? (A) Anti-materialism and rural living (B) Wealth focus, consumerism, career ambition among young professionals (C) Communal farms (D) Anti-capitalism)

B

What best describes Reagan’s early Cold War policy? (A) Détente (B) Escalation—calling USSR the “evil empire,” increasing military spending, aiding anti-communist forces (C) Withdrawal from NATO (D) Disarmament only)

B

What was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)? (A) Oil strategy (B) A proposed space-based missile defense system (“Star Wars”) (C) A Soviet weapon (D) A trade deal)

B

What treaty eliminated over 2,500 intermediate-range nuclear missiles? (A) SALT I (B) INF Treaty of 1987 (C) START treaty (D) Versaille Treaty)

B

What major Cold War event happened in Afghanistan in 1988? (A) U.S. invasion (B) Soviet troops withdrew, signaling declining Soviet power (C) Afghan civil war ended (D) NATO deployment)

B

Who attempted to assassinate President Reagan in 1981? (A) Oswald (B) John Hinckley Jr. (C) Sirhan Sirhan (D) James Earl Ray)

B

Why did Hinckley try to kill Reagan? (A) Political motives (B) To impress actress Jodie Foster (C) Soviet influence (D) Mental illness triggered by war trauma)

B

What was the legal outcome for Hinckley? (A) Executed (B) Found not guilty by reason of insanity and institutionalized (C) Life in federal prison (D) Deported)

B

What major disability rights protest occurred in 1988? (A) Stonewall (B) Gallaudet University “Deaf President Now” protest (C) Montgomery Bus Boycott (D) Watts uprising)

B

What law did the Gallaudet protest help build momentum for? (A) ERA (B) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (C) Voting Rights Act (D) No Child Left Behind)

B

What does the ADA (1990) do? (A) Outlaws bilingual education (B) Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in jobs, public accommodations, transport, communications (C) Guarantees jobs for veterans (D) Funds women’s shelters)

B

What civil rights challenge persisted for women in the 1980s workplace? (A) No women working (B) The “glass ceiling” limiting upward mobility (C) No access to education (D) Loss of voting rights)

B

What trend is described as the “feminization of poverty”? (A) More men becoming homeless (B) Women increasingly represented among the poor due to systemic inequality (C) Decline in poverty overall (D) Single men losing welfare rights)

B

How did the AIDS crisis initially affect LGBTQ+ rights? (A) It improved acceptance (B) It led to stigma and government neglect before recognition as HIV (C) It ended discrimination (D) It reduced activism)

B