20th Century U.S. : One Question per Decade! Quiz

Answer: Hay-Herran Treaty

Colombia turned down the Hay-Herran Treaty, hoping for the U.S. to submit a better deal. Instead, the U.S. helped Panamian revolutionaries rebel, and then made a deal with the revolutionaries.

Answer: Mexico

The Zimmermann note was sent by Germany to Mexico in January 1917. It proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico, and said that Mexico would be able to take back the lands taken from it in the Mexican-American War. The threat of an actual invasion helped spur the United States to enter World War I.

Answer: October 24, 1929

The Great Depression was one of the worst times in American history. Stockholders lost $30 billion, and millions were unemployed. Many banks closed, so people were not able to get their savings out. The Depression didn't really improve much until the United States entered World War II.

Answer: National Defense Education Act

The National Defense Education Act was passed in the 1950s, to improve science, math, and foreign language education. Social Security provided a retirement fund for old people, the Federal Housing Administration helped people build and repair their homes, and the Soil Conservation Service worked to prevent soil erosion, partly to prevent another dustbowl from emerging in the Midwest.

Answer: Dixiecrats

Dixiecrats were a southern branch of Democrat that differed in that they were opposed to civil rights. Their candidate was Strom Thurmond, and he got 2.4% of the popular vote in the 1948 election.

Answer: Brinkmanship

Brinkmanship was the policy of confronting Communism, and not being afraid to use nuclear weapons if forced. Some felt that standing up to Communism made the world safer, while others feared nuclear devastation.

Answer: Operation Mongoose

Operation Mongoose was one of the weirdest CIA operations. Their plots to kill Castro included explosive cigars, poisoned wetsuits, and even Operation Dirty Trick, which was a plan to blame him and invade Cuba if John Glenn's spaceship crashed!

Answer: Vietnam War draft evaders

Jimmy Carter offered to pardon Vietnam War draft evaders if they performed two years of public service. It was controversial both to soldiers who had done their duty and to the evaders, who had just seen Ford pardon Nixon without any conditions despite his wiretapping and burglary.

Answer: Shifting tax burdens to the wealthy

Reaganomics was a plan to improve the economy by reducing government regulation and cutting taxes. It was paid for by reducing social programs. It was a partial success, lowering the inflation rate and creating great economic growth, but many minorities remained unemployed.

Answer: Rodney King

Rodney King was beaten by Los Angeles police officers and his beaters were acquitted, creating massive riots in southern Los Angeles.