Quiz: The Story of US: Then & Now
How well do you know our nation’s story? Do you know which former president was initially viewed as “SO fringe, too conspiratorial and loony”? Or who participated in the “Shootout at Kansas City? Test your knowledge on some of the fascinating historical and political facts Dr. Guenther will be covering in class!
1. Which former president was initially viewed as “SO fringe, too conspiratorial and loony” that he would lose his first bid to become his party’s presidential nominee?
A) Abraham Lincoln
B) Ronald Reagan
C) Donald Trump
D) Jimmy Carter
2. In which state did a book ban fight evoke a visit from the KKK, bomb threats, and even a shooting?
A) Texas
B) California
C) Florida
D) West Virginia
3. The “shootout in Kansas City” refers to the tightest primary presidential race between which incumbent and his opponent?
A) President Lyndon B. Johnson and Eugene McCarthy
B) Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan
C) President Richard Nixon and Nelson Rockefeller
D) President Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy
4. Since the 1950s, which third-party presidential candidate has won the most electoral votes in a national election? Who was it and what were the consequences?
A) Ross Perot in 1992; his campaign highlighted the national debt.
B) George Wallace in 1968; his campaign impacted the civil rights movement and the future of Southern politics.
C) Ralph Nader in 2000; his candidacy drew votes that influenced the election outcome.
D) Pat Buchanan in 2000; his campaign raised issues on trade and immigration.
5. The conspiracy theories QAnon, Pizzagate, and Groomers, which have attracted millions of believers, have shared roots. In their most recent manifestations, the conspiracy theories falsely link a Satanic cabal, a “deep state” that must be overthrown, and a child sex trafficking ring to which president and his wife?
A) Bill and Hillary Clinton
B) Barack Obama and Michelle Obama
C) George W. Bush and Laura Bush
D) Joe Biden and Jill Biden
6. In the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, Congress acted quickly to close loopholes in laws (campaign finance reform) regarding campaign donations, which had largely funded Nixon’s illegal activities. Those campaign contribution limitations have been repeatedly struck down in divided opinions by the Supreme Court, using which amendment to make the majority’s case? (This amendment will be crucial to also understanding the meteoric rise of far right radio and television shows.)
A) The Fifth Amendment
B) The Fourteenth Amendment
C) The First Amendment
D) The Fourth Amendment
7. The roots of today’s “great replacement (conspiracy) theory,” anti-federal government sentiment, and the rise of far-right militia groups can be found in mid-century American history, but also in more recent violent manifestations, such as the Branch Davidian/Waco siege, the Ruby Ridge standoff, and the Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Which candidate for president held his first rally in Waco on the anniversary of the siege and what might that tell us?
A) Joe Biden; it indicates a focus on national healing and overcoming past divisions.
B) Donald Trump; it implies an appeal to anti-government sentiments and far-right supporters.
C) Elizabeth Warren; it highlights concerns about federal intervention and social justice issues.
D) Ted Cruz; focusing on Second Amendment rights and conservative values.
8. For more than two centuries, the Second Amendment rarely came up in public conversations, legislative arguments, or as a defense in court cases. These days, the “right to bear arms” has become politically divisive and has been used repeatedly to increase the “gun rights” of individuals. During which era, specifically, was the Second Amendment first used to expand individual gun “rights,” an expansion that has led to a jaw-dropping proliferation of guns in this country?
A) The Prohibition Era (1920s)
B) The Civil Rights Movement Era (1950s–1960s)
C) The Reconstruction Era (1865–1877)
D) 1930s, initially, and then 1980s, dramatically
Answers are below. To learn the full stories of these past yet prescient events, join Dr. Irene Guenther, professor of American cultural history at UH Honors college, in her upcoming class:
The Story of US – Then and Now
Wednesdays, 4 weeks | October 9 – October 30 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Answers:
1. B) Ronald Reagan
2. D) West Virginia
3. B) Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan
4. B) George Wallace
5. A) Bill and Hillary Clinton
6. C) First Amendment, the court interpreted “donations” to be a form of free speech
7. B) Donald Trump
8. D) 1930s, initially, and then 1980s, dramatically