SAT II US History : SAT Subject Test in United States History

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II US History

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : Facts And Details In U.S. Intellectual And Cultural History From 1899 To The Present

On July 20th, 1969, who became the first person to set foot on the moon?

Possible Answers:

Edwin Aldrin, Jr.

Chuck Yeager

Frank F. Borman, Jr.

James A. Lovell, Jr.

Neil Armstrong

Correct answer:

Neil Armstrong

Explanation:

American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon.

Example Question #2 : Facts And Details In U.S. Intellectual And Cultural History From 1899 To The Present

Malcolm X is most closely identified with the organization known as __________.

Possible Answers:

the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

the Nation of Islam

the Universal Negro Improvement Association

Correct answer:

the Nation of Islam

Explanation:

Formerly known as Malcolm Little, a former street hustler and ex-convict, Malcolm X gained notoriety in the 1950s as the leading speaker for the Nation of Islam. The Nation was a religious movement begun in the 1920s as a spin on traditional Islam, but with a distinct black nationalist message and a theology that considered all white people to be the children of Satan.

Malcolm X's spiritual change lifted him out of poverty and prison, but also made him a leading voice for black separatism. In 1965, Malcolm X began having issues with the Nation's leader, Elijah Muhammad, both because of Malcolm's controversial statements and because of Muhammad's philandering. Malcolm X converted to traditional Sunni Islam in late 1964, and was assasinated by disgruntled Nation members on February 21, 1965.

Example Question #3 : Facts And Details In U.S. Intellectual And Cultural History From 1899 To The Present

The counterculture of the 1960s was exemplified by all but which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Support of the women's rights movement

A deep respect of authority figures

Development of new popular musical styles

More adventurous approaches to drugs

Opposition to the Vietnam War

Correct answer:

A deep respect of authority figures

Explanation:

The counterculture of the 1960s developed as the post-World War II Baby Boom generation grew into their teens and twenties. A wide majority of this generation began defining themselves in opposition to their parents' generation. In particular, the burgeoning music scenes and "hippie culture" in metropolitan areas of the U.S. made acceptance of drugs and recreational sex more common. Politically, the counter culture moved increasingly to the left, with an anti-authoritarian streak and opposition to the Vietnam War, standing beside support of African-American Rights, Women's Rights, and the nascent Gay Rights Movements.

Example Question #4 : Facts And Details In U.S. Intellectual And Cultural History From 1899 To The Present

What is the name of the first satellite launched by the United States during the Space Age?

Possible Answers:

Sputnik I

 

Augusta I

Voyager I

Intrepid I

Explorer I

Correct answer:

Explorer I

Explanation:

The first satellite launched by the United States during the Space Age was named Explorer I. Explorer I was launched in January of 1958, a few months after the launch of Sputnik 1 and 2 by the Soviet Union. The launch of Explorer I marked the beginning of the Cold War era Space Race between the U.S.S.R and the United States. 

Example Question #5 : Facts And Details In U.S. Intellectual And Cultural History From 1899 To The Present

Who developed the first reliable polio vaccine in 1955?

Possible Answers:

Jonas Salk 

Orange Judd

Karl Slotta 

Thomas Edison

Ferid Murad 

Correct answer:

Jonas Salk 

Explanation:

Jonas Salk was the first scientist to develop a reliable vaccine for polio. Prior to Salk’s breakthrough in 1955 polio was generally considered one of the most terrifying public health problems in the post-war United States. Epidemics frequently broke out during the summer, and the disease heavily affected young children. In 1952, the worst epidemic on record, more than three thousand people died, and tens of thousands were left with debilitating illnesses. Salk forsook personal profit and refused to patent his idea—in his time he was hailed as a national hero, but is largely forgotten today. 

Example Question #1 : Facts And Details In U.S. Intellectual And Cultural History From 1899 To The Present

What was the name given to the investigative journalists of the early 1900s who advocated change and reform?

Possible Answers:

Yellow Journalists

Busybodies

Crusaders

Muckrakers

Charlatans

Correct answer:

Muckrakers

Explanation:

These early investigative journalists were called muckrakers.

Example Question #291 : Sat Subject Test In United States History

Timothy Leary is most closely associated with research into __________.

Possible Answers:

Marijuana

Cocaine

LSD

Heroin

Alcohol

Correct answer:

LSD

Explanation:

Timothy Leary was a Harvard University psychology professor who began conducting research into the effects of the psychedelic drug lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD. Leary's research and advocacy made the use of LSD, which would only be criminalized in 1970, one of the key features of the 1960s counterculture. The use of psychedelics would produce many "mind altering" forms of art, philosophy, and culture that greatly informed the youth culture of the 1960s.

Example Question #292 : Sat Subject Test In United States History

Stream-of-consciousness prose, opposition to 1950s postwar materialism, drug use, and interest in Eastern mysticism were all essential elements of which famous historical American literary movement?

Possible Answers:

The Lost Generation

The New Romantics

The Blank Generation

The Greatest Generation

The Beat Generation

Correct answer:

The Beat Generation

Explanation:

All of these elements were closely associated with the art and literature of the Beat Generation. The Beat Generation was a group of authors and aesthetes who came to exemplify the literary and intellectual counterculture of the postwar era, and were seen as the intellectual predecessors to the countercultural revolution of the 1960s.

Example Question #293 : Sat Subject Test In United States History

Who was the main proponent of Alternating Current (as opposed to Direct Current) electricity?

Possible Answers:

Henry Ford

Thomas Edison

George Westinghouse

None of these

Frederick W. Taylor

Correct answer:

George Westinghouse

Explanation:

George Westinghouse was the main proponent of Alternating Current (AC), as opposed to Direct Current (DC), for which Thomas Edison advocated. The conflict between these two set up what we now refer to as the “Currency Wars”; I strongly encourage you to look it up—it’s incredibly interesting.

The short of it is that there are advantages and disadvantages to both AC and DC. AC tends to be more economical in some instances where DC is more expensive. That said, AC is [more] dangerous (i.e. you can be electrocuted at a lower threshold) whereas DC is safer. This information formed the backdrop of the rivalry between Edison and Westinghouse, which included some very . . . shocking . . . moments (Edison, for example, attempted to coin the term “Westinghoused” rather than “electrocuted”).

In the end, Westinghouse won out—we use AC in the US today.

Example Question #294 : Sat Subject Test In United States History

Who is responsible for the first assembly line for the mass production of an automobile?

Possible Answers:

Mr. Chrysler

The Dodge Brothers

Alfred P. Sloan

Henry Ford

None of these

Correct answer:

Henry Ford

Explanation:

This should have been a very simple question. The answer is Henry Ford. Ford not only was the first to apply the assembly line to automobile manufacturing, he also made it more efficient. In other words, he took the different processes it takes to build an automobile (the Model T, in this instance) and then broke them down into discrete actions that only one person performed (and that person performed the same action, every day)

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