Multiple Choice Identify the
choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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A BATTLE OVER THE SUPREME COURT
Civil rights was not the only issue over which President Nixon and the Supreme Court clashed
. During the 1968 campaign, Nixon had criticized the Warren Court for being too liberal. Once in the
White House, Nixon suddenly found himself with an opportunity to change the direction of the court.
During Nixon's first term, four justices, including chief justice Earl Warren, left the bench
through death, retirement, or resignation . President Nixon quickly moved to put a more conservative
face on the Court. In 1969, he appointed U.S. Court of Appeals judge Warren Burger as chief justice.
Burger's Senate confirmation went smoothly. However, Nixon's effort to fill a second
vacancy could not have been rougher. The Senate rejected Nixon's next two nominees-two
conservative Southerners . The Senate claimed that one judge had engaged in questionable business
dealings, while the other one was under qualified.
| Eventually, Nixon
placed on the bench three justices-Harry A. Blackman, William H. Rehnquist, and Lewis Powell-who
tilted the Court in a more conservative direction . However, the newly shaped Court did not always
take the conservative route-for example, it handed down the 1971 ruling in favor of racially
integrating schools through busing
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1.
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Who appoints people to the
supreme court when there are vacancies?
a. | the Chief
Justice | c. | the
Senate | b. | the President | d. | none of these |
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2.
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Who must approve appointments
to the supreme court?
a. | the
president | c. | the chief
justice | b. | the Senate | d. | the House of Representatives |
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3.
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Nixon tried to appoint
conservatives to the supreme court. Did his appointees always make conservative
rulings?
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Nixon Confronts a Stagnant
Economy
One of the more pressing issues facing Richard Nixon
was a troubled economy. Between 1967 and 1973, the nation's inflation rate doubled, from 3
percent to 6 percent. Inflation means that prices are rising. In addition, the unemployment rate, at
nearly 4 percent when Nixon took office, climbed to almost 6 percent by 1971 . Economists referred to
the double hit of rising inflation and unemployment as stagflation. Nixon's attempts to fight
stagflation mostly failed, and the nation's economic downswing would continue on throughout the
1970s, frustrating other administrations as well.
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4.
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In 1971 the U.S. economy
experienced, “stagflation.” What happens during stagflation?
a. | prices rise and unemployment goes
down | c. | prices rise and unemployment
rises | b. | prices fall and unemployment falls | d. | unemployment rises and prices
fall |
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THE CAUSES OF
STAGFLATION
The economic
problems of the late 1960s and early 1970s had several causes . One cause lay in Lyndon
Johnson's attempt to pay for the Vietnam War and the Great Society through massive deficit
spending, or spending more money than the government had collected in taxes . This influx of money
into the economy had spurred the growth of inflation. Second, America had begun losing out in
international trade markets to West Germany, Japan, and other rising industrial powers . Third, the
nation could not absorb a flood of new workers-mainly baby boomers and women into the labor market.
Between 1965 and 1980, America's labor force grew by almost 30 million workers . The number of
new jobs could not keep pace, leaving many unemployed.
Finally, the nation had begun to suffer
for its heavy dependency on foreign oil. America received much of its petroleum from the oil
producing countries of the Middle East. Many of these countries belonged to a cartel called the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC. (A cartel is an organization that controls
enough of the production of a commodity to set the price.) During the 1960s, OPEC gradually raised
oil prices . Then in 1973, the Yom Kippur War broke out, with Israel against Egypt and Syria. When
the United States sent massive military aid to Israel, its longtime ally, the Arab OPEC nations
responded by cutting off all oil sales to the United States .
From the fall of 1973 until
March of 1974, when the oil embargo ended, American motorists faced long lines at gas stations.
Across the nation, factories and schools closed . One New England mother of three lamented that her
children were no better off at home . "We'll have heating problems at home, too," she
said. "And I'm not sure I can keep them much warmer here." Moreover, when OPEC resumed
selling its oil to the United States, the price had quadrupled. This sharp rise in oil prices only
worsened the problem of inflation
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5.
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What is it called when the
government spends more money than it takes in through taxes.
a. | inflation | c. | deficit spending | b. | stagflation | d. | none of these |
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6.
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President Johnson dumped a
great deal of money into the economy through government spending. What effect did this have on prices
of products?
a. | made prices
fall | d. | all of
these | b. | made prices rise | e. | none of these | c. | made more products available |
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7.
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What is
OPEC?
a. | an organization of countries that
export oil to the rest of the world | c. | Oil Property Economic Council | b. | an organization of countries that import oil from the rest
of the world | d. | an organization of Arab nations and
Israel |
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8.
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When the middle east countries
cut oil exports to America, what effect did it have on the economy?
a. | gasoline prices went
higher | d. | all of these
happened | b. | there was a shortage of gasoline and oil | e. | none of these happened | c. | home heating oil prices went
higher |
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9.
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Why did the Arab Oil cartel cut
oil supplies to the U.S.?
a. | The U.S. tried to invade
Iraq | c. | The Arab nations were communist and
wanted to defeat capitalist America | b. | the U.S. supported Israel in the Yom Kippur
war | d. | none of
these |
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NIXON BATTLES
STAGFLATION
President Nixon took several steps to combat
stagflation, but none met with much success . To reverse deficit spending, Nixon attempted to raise
taxes and cut the budget . Congress, however, refused to go along with this plan. In another effort
to slow inflation, Nixon tried to reduce the amount of money in circulation by urging that interest
rates be raised . This measure did little except drive the country into a mild recession, or an
overall slowdown of the economy.
In August of 1971, the president turned to price and wage
controls to stop inflation. He froze workers' wages as well as businesses' prices and fees
for 90 days. Inflation eased for a short time, but the recession continued.
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10.
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How did Nixon attempt to battle
staglation
a. | raise
taxes | d. | all of
these | b. | cut government spending | e. | none of these | c. | raise interest rates |
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11.
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What did Nixon do to control
inflation?
a. | Nixon took a “hands off”
policy toward the economy in 1971 | d. | Nixon told businesses not to raise wages but allowed them to raise
prices. | b. | Nixon forced businesses to hire more workers | e. | none of these | c. | Nixon ordered companies not to raise wages for workers and not to raise
prices |
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Nixon's Foreign Policy
Triumphs
Richard Nixon admittedly preferred world affairs to
domestic policy. "I've always thought this country could run itself domestically without a
president," he had said in 1968 . Throughout his presidency, Nixon's top priority was
gaining an honorable peace in Vietnam . However, he also made significant advances in America's
relationships with China and the Soviet Union.
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12.
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Domestic policies are policies
that refer to things happening inside the United States. Foreign affairs refers to events that are
happening outside of the United States, such as relationships with foreign countries. Which type of
policies did President Nixon prefer to work with?
a. | foreign
affairs | c. | the
economy | b. | domestic policies | d. | civil rights |
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KISSINGER AND
REALPOLITIK
The architect
of Nixon's foreign policy was his adviser for national security affairs, Henry Kissinger.
Kissinger, who would later become Nixon's secretary of state, promoted a philosophy known as
realpolitik, from a German term meaning "realistic politics ." In terms of foreign policy,
realpolitik meant dealing with other nations in a practical and flexible manner, rather than by
following a rigid policy . Kissinger believed in evaluating a nation's power, not its
philosophy or beliefs. If a country was weak, Kissinger argued, it was often more practical to
ignore that country, even if it was Communist. | | On the other hand, Kissinger's philosophy called for
the United States to fully confront the powerful nations of the globe . In the world of realpolitik,
however, confrontation meant negotiation as well as military engagement. Realpolitik marked a
departure from the policy of containment, which refused to recognize the world's major Communist
countries. Kissinger urged the United States to recognize and deal directly with these nations. It
was impractical, for example, to deny the existence of mainland China, which contained at least
one-fifth of the world's population . It also was impractical not to ease relations with the
Soviet Union, with its massive stockpile of nuclear weapons. Nixon shared Kissinger's
belief in realpolitik, and together the two men adopted a more flexible approach in dealing with
Communist nations . They called their policy detente-a policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions . One
of the most startling applications of detente came in early 1972 when President Nixon-who had risen
in politics as a strong anti-Communist-visited Communist China.
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13.
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Nixon and Kissinger believed
that the U.S. needed to deal with all powerful countries in a practical way, even if they were
dictatorships. What was this philosophy called?
a. | human rights
| c. | capitalism | b. | socialism | d. | realpolitik |
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14.
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Nixon was an anti-communist but
because he believed in realpolitik he was able to visit and negotiate with
a. | Communist
China | c. | both China and the
Soviets | b. | the Soviet Union | d. | neither China nor the Soviets |
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15.
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Nixons policy for easing the
tensions between the United States, Communist China and the Soviet Union through negotiation was
called
a. | detente | c. | the Marshall Plan | b. | the Truman Doctrine | d. | the capitulation |
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16.
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From what we have learned about
Nixon and Kissinger, we can assume that they were _____ politicians.
a. | ideological | c. | rigid | b. | extremist | d. | practical |
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NIXON VISITS CHINA
Since the
takeover of mainland China by the Communists in 1949, the United States had not formally recognized
the Chinese Communist government . In late 1971, Nixon reversed that policy. In a 90- second
television speech, the president announced that he would visit China "to seek the normalization
of relations between the two countries and to exchange views on questions of concern to both
sides." By going to China, Nixon was trying, in part, to take advantage of the decade-long
rift between China and the Soviet Union. China had long criticized the Soviet Union as being too
"soft" in its policies against the West. The two Communist superpowers officially broke
ties in 1960. Nixon had thought about exploiting the fractured relationship for several years.
"We want to have the Chinese with us when we sit down and negotiate with the Russians," he
told a reporter in 1968. Nixon's visit to Beijing in February of 1972 scored high marks
from the American public .U.S. television crews flooded American living rooms with news reports and
film clips of Nixon at the Great Wall of China, at the Imperial Palace, and even toasting top
Communist leaders at state dinners. Observers noted that an important reason for the trip's
popularity back home was Nixon's strong anti- Communist background . It |
Nixon and
Mao
seemed that Nixon, and no one else, could convince the American people that the time
was right to negotiate with the Communists Besides the trip's enormous symbolic value, it
also resulted in important agreements between the United States and China. The two nations agreed
that neither would try to dominate the Pacific and that both would cooperate in settling disputes
peacefully. The two nations also agreed to participate in scientific and cultural exchanges as well
as to eventually reunite Taiwan with the mainland . | | |
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17.
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There is a phrase, often used
in political discussions, that says, “Only Nixon could go to China.” What does that
phrase mean?
a. | The American people might not trust
a liberal politician to go to China because liberals might not stand up to the
communists | c. | means neither of
these | b. | The American people trusted Nixon to negotiate with Communist China because he
was so anti-communist | d. | means both of
these |
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18.
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What did the U.S. and China
agree to because of Nixon’s trip to China?
a. | cooperate in settling disputes
peacefully | d. | neither would try
to dominate the Pacific | b. | eventually reunite Taiwan with the mainland China | e. | all of these | c. | scientific and cultural exchanges |
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19.
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Communist China was a sworn
enemy of the United States for many years. Why did Nixon go to China?
a. | he wanted to drive a wedge between
the Soviet Union and China | c. | he was an ideological politician | b. | he was afraid of the technology of
China | d. | he was plotting to attack North Korea and wanted
China’s help |
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20.
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When did the communists take
over mainland China?
a. | 1949 | c. | 1960 | b. | 1952 | d. | the communists did not take over mainland china, they took over
Taiwan |
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21.
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The majority of American people
_______ Nixon’s trip to China
a. | opposed | c. | supported | b. | did not care about | d. | protested |
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NIXON TRAVELS TO MOSCOW
In May of 1972, three months after visiting Beijing,
President Nixon headed to Moscow-the first U.S . president ever to visit the Soviet Union. By the
time the president arrived for a summit meeting with Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev, relations with
the Soviet Union had already warmed. In 1971, the United States and the Soviet Union had crafted an
agreement about Berlin . The Soviets promised to guarantee Western nations free access to West Berlin
and to respect the city's independence . In return, the Western allies agreed to officially
recognize East Germany.
Like his visit to China, Nixon's trip to the Soviet Union
received wide acclaim. After a series of meetings called the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT),
Nixon and Brezhnev signed the SALT I Treaty. This five-year agree ment limited the number of
intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched missiles to 1972 levels
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| The foreign
policy triumphs with China and the Soviet Union, which came just months before the 1972 presidential
election, helped Nixon win a second term in the White House. The administration's announcement
October of 1972, that peace was imminent in Vietnam also played a significant role in Nixon's
reelection.
However, peace in Vietnam proved elusive, and the Nixon administration grappled
with the war for nearly six more months before finally ending America's involvement in Vietnam.
By that time, another issue was about to dominate the Nixon administration- one that eventually led
to the downfall of the president.
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22.
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What was the First Strategic
Arms Limitation Treaty about?
a. | open access to Berlin in East
Germany | c. | opening trade with
the Soviets | b. | freeing Poland | d. | limiting nuclear missiles |
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23.
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We can safely assume that
Nixon’s trips to China and the Soviet Union
a. | was opposed by most people in the
world | c. | made world war more
likely | b. | promoted peace in the world | d. | made the U.S. weaker |
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24.
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After Nixon visited Communist
China and the Soviet Union, North Vietnam quickly agreed to peace in Vietnam
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25.
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The trips to the Soviet Union
and China _____ Nixon in the 1972 presidential election.
a. | had no effect on
| c. | helped | b. | hurt |
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