Americke studije

1.Pueblos are made of what?

Stone and adobe (sun-dried bricks of clay and
straw)
2.Meaning of the word Anasazi? The ancient ones
3.After whom did Martin Waldeseemuller name
America? Amerigo Vespucci
4.1st English settlement in the New World?
Spanish settlement St. Augustine in Florida
(1565)
5.Rope of sand full quote: The main problem
with the Confederation was that the states
were united by a rope of sand and that what
was needed was greater degree of unity
George Washington
6.Fist English colony in the new World?
Jamestown, Virginia (1607)
7.Who wrote The Federalist papers? James
Madison and Alexander Hamilton
8.What led to Spanish-English war? Destruction
of American battle ship Maine in Havana harbor
9.Woodrow Wilson greatest hope for peace?
League of Nations
10. Franklin Delano Roosevelt- terms of office?
4
11. Truman doctrine? Rebuilding of Europe on
American money and containment of
communism , 12 billion dollars before 1951 and

establishment of NATO- North Atlantic Treaty

Organization to provide for common defence.
12. Who succeeded in passing Civil rights
act? Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964
13. Only court mentioned in the Constitution?
US Supreme Court
14. The vote of Florida was important for
Goerge Bush to win the elections? True
15. Term checks and balances? Each of tree
branches of government can limit power of the
others. This way, neither branch can become
too powerful. Each branch checks the power
of the others to make sure that the power is
balanced.
16. Inalienable rights of every man? Life,
liberty and pursuit of happiness
17. When are the elections traditionally held?
On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
November, in years divisible evenly by 4.
18. How did George Bush win the elections? He
was elected in 2000 after close and
controversial election, becoming the fourth
president to be elected while receiving fewer
popular votes nationwide than his opponent.
The outcome depended on the Florida vote,
won by Bush, by a margin (538) of more than
half a million votes overall. There were a

number of misplaced votes and missing ballot

boxes, African Americans being denied the
right to vote by officials overseeing the
elections, etc. On top of everything else, the
Governor of Florida was Jeb Bush, Georges
brother.
19. What are diversity cases? Federal law
also authorizes federal courts to hear cases
where the opposing parties are citizens of
different states. This is known as diversity
jurisdiction, because the plaintiff and the
defendant have different(=diverse),state
citizenships. Diversity jurisdiction enables a
federal court to hear cases where there is not a
federal question. In diversity cases, the federal
court provides a fair forum where citizens of
different states can have their cases heard.
20. Which 2 states have courts of last resort?
Oklahoma and Texas
21. Watergate scandal? Arose out of an
attempted burglary of the Democratic Party
offices , revealed that Nixon was surrounded by
corrupted people. The shame of the scandal
ruined the president and sent his cabinet
official to jail. Nixon himself had to be
pardoned by his successor Gerald Ford in order
to avoid being impeached by the Congress.

22. Why was Kennedy reluctant? He worries

that a strong civil rights stand might drive
southern white voters away from the
Democratic Party.
23. What does it mean dumbing down the
curriculum? giving students easier material so
all of them could get a diploma.
24. What is the purpose of Jim Crow laws?
Enforcing racial segregation in public
institutions
25. GI bill? 1944 provided financial aid for
WWII veterans, for college
26. Columbia- part of Ivy league? True
27. Which company bankrupted 2001? Enron
corporation
28. Newspaper with the biggest circulation in
the USA? The Wall street journal
29. Truman ended WWII? By dropping atomic
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August
6th and 9th, following, Japan capitulated
30. Who are baby boomers? baby boomers
are people who were born in the post WWII
period. They were a massive young population
during the 1960s who supported social change
at the time. They were young, making their
way through colleges and universities, often
embracing counter-cultural lifestyles and

radical politics, and supporting social groups

that had previously been subordinated.
31. End of the war between Native Americans
and the settlers? The surrendering of the
Apache leader Geronimo in 1886.
32. European philosophers? Montesquieu and
Locke
33. President suggest the judges, and the
Supreme Court? Watches over other 2
branches and determins whether or not their
laws are in accordance with the Constitution
34. The Gulf war? The Gulf war was waged by a
U.N authorized Coalition force from 34 nations
led by the United States, against Iraq in
response to Iraqs invasion and annexation of
Kuwait in 1990. A US led coalition liberated
Kuwait and launched a massive invasion of Iraq
by armored and infantry forces. The campaign
lasted only 100 hours due to superior speed,
mobility and firepower of the allied forces. The
Gulf war victory was hollow, however, because
the UN resolution only called for the expulsion
of Iraq from Kuwait, allowing Saddam Hussein
to remain in power.
35. Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal?
Clintons second term of office was marked by
the Monica Lewinsky scandal . When it was

discovered that the president had carried on an

affair with a young White House intern and,
even worse, lied under oath, the House of
Representatives began impeaching hearings,
focusing of perjury and obstruction of justice.
Hilary Clinton stood by her husband. Clinton
was seen at worst as a pleasant rogue, and he
was allowed to complete his second term,
having been acquitted of all charges in 1999.
36. Trial - John Scopes? For violating Tennessee
law that forbade teaching of evolution in public
schools
37. Diplomatic mission by who in 1776?
Benjamin Franklin
38. Teheran crisis ruined chances for reelection? Jimmy Carter
39. Right to vote- Afro Americans? Lyndon B.
Johnson
1.
When Columbus discovered New World he
believed he had reached India, whereas it was
most likely the island of San Salvador in the
Bahamas.
2.
The idea of an union of the American
colonies was first put forward in the course of
meeting known as the Albany Congress,

based on a proposal drafted by Benjamin

Franklin.
3.
The religious society of friends is otherwise
known as Quakers because they trembled
when the Lord spoke to them.
4.
No tea was actually drunk in the course of
the Boston tea party? True
5.
The first political parties in the Western
world were Federalists led by Alexander
Hamilton and Republicans led by Thomas
Jefferson.
6.
Trail of Tears? Indian removal from their
territories of North Carolina and Georgia
to Oklahoma.
7.
The U.S bought territory of Alaska from
Russia for 7 000 000 dollars.
8.
The second war of independence was
fought in New Orleans 1812-1815
9.
President Woodrow Wilson won re-election
in 1916. On the strength of the slogan He
kept us out of war
10. In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
assumed the presidency, introducing a
programme of economic recovery known as
New Deal
11. Two different musical styles by Bob Dylan:
rock, folk

12. The freedom of the pres in the U.S. is

guaranteed by the First Amendment? True
13. Whose radio Adaptation of what well known
work of literature caused widespread panic
when it was broadcast on October 13th 1938?
Radio adaptation of H.G. Wellss novel The
war of the Worlds, performed by Orson
Welles
14. 3 major US papers: USA today, Wall
Street Journal, NY Times
15. Muckracking? Digging out the dirt and
exposing it to the public
16. The purpose of introducing obligatory
literacy test in the Southern states in the 19 th
century was to contribute to the education of
the black and poor whites. - false
17.
Significance of Rosa Parks to the civil
rights movement- boycott of buses=bas
segregation ended
18. What do Arthur Clarkes words I remember
Babylon imply concerning the future of the
US? The uncertainty of American future
19. Why was USA patriot act criticized for? For
weakening protections of civil liberties
20. The existence of a link between Al-Qaeda
and Saddam Hussein was proved after the
defeat of the Iraqi army? False

21. The most notorious anti-communist warrior

was Senator Joseph R. McCarthy a
Republican from Wisconsin
22. Bill Clintons campaign rhetoric echoed that
of Richard Nixon? False
23. The legislative branch of the US federal
government is bicameral, it consist of two
houses The Senate and the House of
Representatives.
24. Vice-president becomes president in case
of? Incapacitation, death, resignation
25. The number of presidential electors is
equal to the number of Senators(100) and
Representatives(538) *+3 - District of
Columbia =538
26. Once theyre appointed, Supreme Court
justices hold office for life? True
27.
What are US courts guided by in their
daily practice? US courts are guided by the
statutes passed by the Congress and the
state laws. Laws cant possibly cover
every conceivable situation, and in such
case the courts often look to common law
to fill in the gaps.
28. What does it take to convict the defendant
in a criminal case? Determination of guilt
beyond a reasonable doubt.

29. US district court have original jurisdiction

in federal civil and criminal cases.
30. Loosing party in a civil case can be
imprisoned? False
31. The northwestern ordinance passed in
1787 provided for one square mile of land in
each township to be reserved for public
schools.
32. In the US education is a national
concern, a state responsibility, and a local
function.
33. Electives? Optional courses
34. Depending on the state, elementary school
in the US ends after grade 6 or 8? True
35. Three commodities of the triangular trade?
Molasses, slaves, rum
36. At the time of the American revolution 95%
of the population was engaged in farming,
today less than 2%
37. Why is US referred to as post-industrial?
Service industry dominates nowadays
38. In the 1920s farm prices increased sharply?
False
39. Two American born writers who were
claimed by both BE and AE literature? T.S.
Eliot and Henry James

40. Where did American country and western

music originate and when it developed?
England, Scotland and Ireland, in 1920s
1.
On September 11th 2001, Al Qaida
terrorists hijacked a total of 4 airplanes, 3 of
which hit their targets.
2.
In September 2001, George W. Bush
delivered an ultimatum to the Taliban regime
in Afganistan, demanding that they hand over
Osama Bin Laden.
3.
Purpose of USA patriot act? Expands the
authority of law enforcements agencies for
fighting terrorism in the US and abroad.
4.
The US dollar has gone up against major
international currencies since 2001? True
5.
Two prominent figures in African American
community at the beginning of the 20th
century? Booker T. Washington and W.E.B.
Du Bois
6.
Acronym NAACP? National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People
7.
How did president Kennedy ensure that
James Meredith was enrolled at the university
of Mississippi? Sent the National Guard to
enforce the court order (1962)

8.
Martin Luther Kings most famous speech?
I have a dream August 28 1963, Lincoln
memorial center, Washington
9.
Washington post reporters that covered the
Watergate scandal? Bob Woodward and Carl
Bernstein
10. First US media giants? Joseph Pulitzer
and William Randolph Hearst
11. Sources of income of American colleges?
Student tuition, endowments and
government funding
12. What are land grant colleges? State
supported institutions. Their establishment was
a result of the 1862. Congress law that
provides states with public lands to be used for
higher education, especially for agricultural
and mechanical-arts college.
13. accreditation of schools and universities?
They have self-governing groups, associations
or boards that accredit- certify them as
meeting certain minimum standards
14. New York university is part of Ivy league?
False
15. To win a civil law case, plaintiff has to show
preponderance of evidence a
formulation that essentially means more
likely than not
16. United States code is itself a law? False

17. Number of representatives for each state is

determined decennially on the basis of U.S.
Census
18. Meaning of first past the post election
system? the one who gets most votes wins,
there is no proportional accounting
19. Term checks and balances? each of three
branches of government can limit the power of
the others. This way, neither branch becomes
too powerful. Each branch checks the power
of the other branches to make sure that the
power is balanced between them.
20. To become the President of the USA it is
enough to win 270 electoral votes? False
21. Building of the Panama canal began during
the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt and
finished during the presidency of Woodrow
Wilson
22. Who are the baby boomers? People who
were born in the post WWII period, massive
young population during the 1960s who
supported social change at the time. They were
young, making their way through colleges and
universities, often embracing counter-cultural
lifestyles and radical politics and supporting
social groups that had previously been
subordinated

23. Why was the World on the brink of the

nuclear war in 1962? It was discovered that the
Russian were secretly installing nuclear
missiles in Cuba.
24. Bill Clinton avoided the Vietnam war
continuing his higher education? True
25. Monroe doctrine? Policy of the United
States introduces on December 2. 1823 by
president James Monroe. It stated that further
efforts by European nations to colonize land or
interfere with states in North or South America
would be viewed as act of aggression, requiring
U.S. intervention
26. How did the American government finance
the war of independence and with what result?
With Continental paper money that had
rapidly become worthless, and the country was
left with burdensome public debt after the War.
27. In 1497. Giovanni Caboto claimed
Newfoundland for his sponsor King Henry
VII
28. Spain entered the war of independence in
1779. As an American ally? False
29. Two major US news agencies(full name)?
AP- Associated Press and UPI- United
Press International

30. First American to win the Nobel prize for

literature? Sinclair Lewis in 1930.
31. How was Elvis Presley shown in his first
television appearance and why? Only from the
waist upwards, he shook his hips while
performing and that was considered to be
inappropriate for television
32. When did Bob Dylan turn electric?What was
the original reaction? In the mid 1960s, he was
booed by the folk purists for using an electric
guitar
33. How did white performers make rhythm
and blues acceptable to a mainstream
audience? Songs with the beat toned down and
the lyrics cleaned up
34. Levi Strauss sold his first pair of jeans to
gold minner during the California gold rush?
False
35. What is indentured servitude? Indentured
servitude is a contractual relationship by which
an immigrant from Europe agreed to work for
an American master for several years in order
to pay off the cost of the passage. During the
indenture period the servants were not paid
wages, but were provided with food,
accommodation, clothing and training. Though
the prospect of eventual liberty made this a

different issue from that of slavery, the

conditions of transportation and work were
often little better than those of slaves.
36. At its all time peak in the period
immediately following second world war,
America produced 50% of the gross world
product.
37. American economy today is dominated by
service industries which is why America is
often described as a postindustrial society.
38. Microsofts business policies have been
found to amount the monopolization? True
39. What is a bill in US legal terminology? A
proposal considered by Congress
40. How is the lawmaking power of Congress
regulated? By the system of checks and
balances.