Regents Prep: Global History & Geography
Multiple-Choice Questions
Regents Prep Global History & Geography: Topical Multiple-Choice Question Archive
Use of Topical Archive Multiple-Choice Questions
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Cold War: Question 1 of 36
The economic policies of the Soviet Union traditionally emphasized the production of
  1. automobiles for export
  2. building materials for luxury housing
  3. consumer goods
  4. heavy industrial goods

Correct Answer Number: 4

Explanation: The Five-Year Plans begun under the rule of Stalin in the Soviet Union emphasized the development of heavy industries in order to transform the traditionally agricultural nation into an industrial superpower.


Cold War: Question 2 of 36
Which is generally a characteristic of a communist economy?
  1. investment is encouraged by the promise of large profits
  2. the role of government in the economy is restricted by law
  3. government agencies are involved in production planning
  4. entrepreneurs sell shares in their companies to the government

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: A communist, or command economy, controls the means of production by having governmental agencies involved in production planning.


Cold War: Question 3 of 36
One reason the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact was to
  1. ease the transition to democracy
  2. help institute capitalism in Eastern Europe
  3. limit the threat of invasion from Western Europe
  4. challenge the economic successes of the Common Market

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: The Warsaw Pact was formed by the Soviet Union and seven of its satellite states as a response to NATO. The Warsaw Pact was a defensive military alliance.


Cold War: Question 4 of 36
Which statement best describes most Eastern European countries immediately after World War II? They
  1. adopted democratic reforms in their political systems
  2. became satellite states of the Soviet Union
  3. became dependent on aid provided by the Marshall Plan
  4. emerged as world economic powers

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: After World War II, Stalin forced pro-communists governments in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Eastern European nations. These nations became known as Soviet satellite states. The Soviets retained control through both economic and militaristic means.


Cold War: Question 5 of 36
Communist governments were established in most nations of Eastern Europe shortly after World War II because
  1. the region had a long tradition of strong communist parties
  2. communist governments were able to significantly increase agricultural productivity
  3. the Soviet Union used military and diplomatic pressures to install their governments
  4. members of the Communist party won free elections in these nations

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: After World War II, Stalin forced pro-communists governments in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Eastern European nations. These nations became known as Soviet satellite states. The Soviets retained control through both economic and militaristic means.


Cold War: Question 6 of 36
During the Cold War Era (1945-1990), the United States and the Soviet Union were reluctant to become involved in direct military conflict mainly because of
  1. the peacekeeping role of the United Nations
  2. pressure from nonaligned nations
  3. the potential for global nuclear destruction
  4. increased tensions in the Middle East

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: Bother superpowers had nuclear capabilities, and it was believed that a direct confrontation between them could lead to a nuclear war.


Cold War: Question 7 of 36
After World War II, the Soviet Union established satellites in Eastern Europe to
  1. support the remaining Fascist governments in Eastern Europe
  2. preserve capitalism in Eastern Europe
  3. establish democratic governments in Eastern European nations
  4. expand its power and control over Eastern Europe

Correct Answer Number: 4

Explanation: After World War II, Stalin forced pro-communists governments in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Eastern European nations. These nations became known as Soviet satellite states. The Soviet's retained control through both economic and militaristic means.


Cold War: Question 8 of 36
In the Soviet Union, a negative aspect of the Cold War Era was the
  1. attempt to preserve democratic ideals
  2. development of peaceful uses for modern technology
  3. development of effective means of international cooperation
  4. high cost of maintaining the arms race

Correct Answer Number: 4

Explanation: The Soviet Union devoted a large portion of its economy to maintaining a balance of power with the United States. This was often done at the expense of modernizing civilian areas of life and providing for the basic needs of their citizens.


Cold War: Question 9 of 36
“From Stetin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an Iron Curtain has descended across the continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I might call the Soviet Sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence, but to very high, and in some cases increasing measure of control from Moscow."

-Winston Churchill

What is the main idea of this quotation?
  1. The Soviet Union has expanded its influence throughout Eastern Europe
  2. The Soviet Union has helped the nations of Eastern Europe improve their standard of living
  3. The democratic nations of Western Europe have stopped the expansion of Soviet influence in the world
  4. The Soviet Union will support communist revolutions in Southeast Asia

Correct Answer Number: 1

Explanation: After World War II, Stalin forced pro-communists governments in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Eastern European nations. These nations became known as Soviet satellite states. The Soviet's retained control through both economic and militaristic means.


Cold War: Question 10 of 36
Prior to the 1980’s, the emphasis of the Five-Year Plans in the Soviet Union was on heavy industry. One result was the
  1. scarcity of consumer goods
  2. abundance of manufactured goods
  3. rejection of agricultural planning
  4. decline in military spending

Correct Answer Number: 1

Explanation: The Five Year Plans devoted most available resources to building heavy industry. This was done at the expense of consumer goods, which created shortages in all areas of civilian life.


Cold War: Question 11 of 36
The Soviet Union’s reaction to the 1968 revolt in Czechoslovakia was to
  1. permit limited political and economic reforms in Czechoslovakia
  2. withdraw Soviet troops from Eastern Europe
  3. send Soviet troops to occupy Czechoslovakia
  4. bring the matter to the attention of the United Nations

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: The Soviet Union sent troops into Czechoslovakia in 1968 to overthrow the current government and replace it with a pro-communist regime. This proved to the world that the Soviets were willing to use military force to keep their control over Eastern Europe.


Cold War: Question 12 of 36
Which was a major reason for the success of Soviet domination in Eastern Europe after World War II?
  1. Eastern Europeans accepted the doctrine of Pan-Slavism
  2. the democracies of Western Europe needed greater security
  3. the Soviet Union had military forces in Eastern Europe as a result of World War II
  4. Western Europeans feared that Nazism would be rekindled in Eastern Europe

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: After World War II, Stalin forced pro-communists governments in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Eastern European nations. These nations became known as Soviet satellite states. The Soviet's retained control through both economic and militaristic means.


Cold War: Question 13 of 36
The events that took place in Hungary in the 1950’s and in Czechoslovakia in the 1960’s demonstrated the Soviet Union’s
  1. support of nationalism among satellite nations
  2. influence on the economies of developing nations
  3. determination to maintain political control over Eastern Europe at that time
  4. attempts to promote its artistic and literary achievements in Western Europe

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: The Soviet Union used its military power to maintain control over its satellite states. This became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine, which maintained the Soviet Union's right to intervene in the domestic affairs of any Warsaw Pact nation.


Cold War: Question 14 of 36
The expansion of communism into Eastern Europe was a direct result of
  1. the Crimean war
  2. the Napoleonic Wars
  3. World War I
  4. World War II

Correct Answer Number: 4

Explanation: After World War II, Stalin forced pro-communists governments in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Eastern European nations. These nations became known as Soviet satellite states. The Soviet's retained control through both economic and militaristic means.


Cold War: Question 15 of 36
United States involvement in the Vietnam War and the Soviet Union’s involvement in Afghanistan were motivated mainly by a desire to
  1. exploit the mineral resources of the regions
  2. support governments that would remain strong allies
  3. stop the expansion of Japan into the Middle East
  4. establish independent nation-states in the regions

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: The Soviet Union supported various communist governments around the world, while the United States worked to stop the spread of communism. In cases like Afghanistan and Vietnam, this type of support led to warfare.


Cold War: Question 16 of 36
“Warsaw Pact Tanks Invade Budapest"
"Wall Divides Berlin”
“Liberal Czechoslovak Government Replaced”

These historical newspaper headlines were related to
  1. Mikhail Gorbachev’s introduction of the policy of Glasnost
  2. Adolf Hitler’s efforts to promote national socialism
  3. the Soviet Union’s acceptance of capitalism
  4. attempts by the Soviet Union to strengthen communist control

Correct Answer Number: 4

Explanation: After World War II, Stalin forced pro-communists governments in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Eastern European nations. These nations became known as Soviet satellite states. The Soviet’s retained control through both economic and militaristic means.


Cold War: Question 17 of 36
The invasion of Hungary in 1956 by the Soviet Union and the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 are examples of
  1. United Nations Security Council resolutions
  2. Truman Doctrine failures
  3. Marshall Plan effects
  4. Cold War Era conflicts

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: The Truman Doctrine was a United States policy that sent economic and military aid to any country trying to resist Soviet expansion. This policy failed to stop the Soviet control of Hungary or East Germany.


Cold War: Question 18 of 36
During the Cold War Era, many Asian and African nations followed a policy of nonalignment because they
  1. had the same goals and needs as the Soviet Union
  2. needed the natural resources of Western European nations
  3. wished to receive aid from the Soviet Union and the United States
  4. were afraid of losing their vote in the United Nations

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: These nations hoped to receive aid from both the Soviet Union and the United States while remaining neutral. The main goal of most of these nations was economic progress while remaining free from cold war entanglements.


Cold War: Question 19 of 36
“We believe in nonaggression and noninterference by one country in the affairs of another and the growth of tolerance between them and the capacity for peaceful coexistence. We, therefore, endeavor to maintain friendly relations with all countries, even though we may disagree with them in their policies.”

-Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India

This statement describes the foreign policy known as
  1. imperialism
  2. mercantilism
  3. isolationism
  4. nonalignment

Correct Answer Number: 4

Explanation: Nonaligned nations, such as India, wished to remain free of cold war entanglements while pursuing economic and social progress.


Cold War: Question 20 of 36
Which is a major reason Cuban and Nicaraguan revolutionary movements were attracted to communism?
  1. communist groups promised economic reform and better living standards
  2. business owners and the military were supported by communist groups
  3. the goal of communism was to encourage religion
  4. communist leaders promised to reduce Spanish colonialism in the Western Hemisphere

Correct Answer Number: 1

Explanation: Both countries had suffered under corrupt governments that did very little to help the majority of citizens who were poor. Socialist ideas of government aid appealed to this group of people.


Cold War: Question 21 of 36
The main reason the United Nations sent troops to Korea in 1950 was to
  1. ensure that food reached areas of the Korean Peninsula affected by famine
  2. prevent North Korea from conquering the people of South Korea
  3. force the inspection of nuclear weapons plants in North Korea
  4. restore peace between warring factions of Buddhism and Shinto

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: North Korean forces sought to unify the country under a communist regime. The United Nations, strongly supported by the United States, sent troops to prevent this from occurring.


Cold War: Question 22 of 36
The conflict between Israel and the Arab nations since 1948 was often considered part of the Cold War primarily because
  1. the policy of detente evolved from this conflict
  2. communist governments were established in many Arab nations
  3. the leadership of Joseph Stalin strongly influenced the policies of Saddam Hussein
  4. the United States supported Israel and the Soviet Union supported several Arab nations

Correct Answer Number: 4

Explanation: The conflict in the Middle East has often been a surrogate for cold war tensions. The United States supported Israel, while the Soviets supported Egypt under Gamal Nasser, and other nations opposed to the United States and Israel.


Cold War: Question 23 of 36
-Berlin Blockade (1948-1949)
-Premier Khrushchev’s visit to the United States (1959)
-Cuban missile crisis (1962)
-Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963)
-Joint Apollo-Soyuz space mission (1975)
-Russian invasion of Afghanistan (1979)

What does this list of events suggest about the Cold War Era?
  1. throughout the period, the United States and the Soviet Union were reluctant to solve conflicts
  2. the level of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union varied
  3. economics played a key role in causing conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union
  4. the United Nations was instrumental in reducing tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: During the Cold War, tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States often varied between near cooperation and near war.


Cold War: Question 24 of 36
Which statement would be consistent with the views of Fidel Castro?
  1. The spread of communism is the greatest danger facing Latin America
  2. An American military presence is the key to the defense of Latin America
  3. Progress and justice in Latin America can only be achieved through revolutionary socialism
  4. Introducing a free-market system will improve the economies of Latin American nations

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: Fidel Castro led the revolution that setup a communist government in Cuba with him at its head. He has been a strong advocate of revolutionary socialism in other Latin American nations.


Cold War: Question 25 of 36
From the perspective of the North Vietnamese, the war in Vietnam in the 1960’s was a battle between
  1. fascism and liberalism
  2. nationalism and imperialism
  3. republicanism and totalitarianism
  4. theocracy and monarchy

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: The North Vietnamese viewed the United States as an imperialist nation seeking to subjugate them. The nationalistic feelings of the North Vietnamese led them to rebel against United States intervention in their country.


Cold War: Question 26 of 36
Which headline concerning the Soviet Union refers to a Cold War event?
  1. “Yeltsin Assumes Power”
  2. “Trotsky Forms Red Army
  3. “Germany Invades USSR”
  4. “Warsaw Pact Formed”

Correct Answer Number: 4

Explanation: The Warsaw Pact was formed by the Soviet Union and seven of its satellite states as a response to NATO. The Warsaw Pact was a defensive military alliance.


Cold War: Question 27 of 36
A major development in relations between the Soviet Union and the United States occurred in the late 1980’s when the two nations agreed to
  1. purchase all their oil from Mexico
  2. withdraw from the United Nations
  3. eliminate a group of nuclear missiles
  4. ban arms sales to developing nations

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: The United States and Soviet Union worked together throughout the 1970s and 1980s to reduce the number of nuclear weapons each possessed.


Cold War: Question 28 of 36
During the 1980’s, the Soviet Union experimented with modifications of its command economy by
  1. eliminating central planning
  2. allowing private ownership of major industries
  3. introducing some market economy strategies
  4. legalizing independent trade unions

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: The Soviet Union sought to boost its weak economy by using market economy strategies.


Cold War: Question 29 of 36
In the 30 years after World War II, which area was most influenced by the Soviet Union?
  1. Southeast Asia
  2. North Africa
  3. Eastern Europe
  4. Central America

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: After World War II, Stalin forced pro-communists governments in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Eastern European nations. These nations became known as Soviet satellite states. The Soviet’s retained control through both economic and militaristic means.


Cold War: Question 30 of 36
Which statement best describes the political situation in Eastern Europe during the 1980’s?
  1. nationalism has often been a strong force for change
  2. communist governments have gained power through democratic elections
  3. ethnic rivalries have been eliminated throughout the region
  4. United States influence has been used to keep communist governments in power

Correct Answer Number: 1

Explanation: During the 1980s, nationalistic feelings began to dominate the political landscape in Eastern Europe, eventually leading to independence for many of these nations.


Cold War: Question 31 of 36
The withdrawal of France from Indochina, the involvement of the Soviet Union in Cuba, and the United States support of the Contras in Nicaragua illustrate that nations
  1. consistently discard traditional foreign policy goals after changes in administration
  2. tend to base foreign policy decisions on what they believe to be their self-interests
  3. no longer use warfare as a means to resolve international conflict
  4. tend to refer foreign policy conflicts to the United Nations

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States sought new spheres of influence throughout the world.


Cold War: Question 32 of 36
Which is a valid statement about the Soviet Union from the time of the Bolshevik Revolution through 1991?
  1. Education has been limited to the communist party elite
  2. Demand for consumer goods has exceeded production
  3. Military expenditures have been low
  4. Industrialization has not occurred

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: A communist, or command economy, controls the means of production by having governmental agencies involved in production planning. The Soviet Union devoted most available resources to building heavy industry. This was done at the expense of consumer goods, which created shortages in all areas of civilian life.


Cold War: Question 33 of 36
In the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP) and Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy of Perestroika both sought to
  1. increase spending of nuclear weapons
  2. strengthen central planning
  3. increase production through individual enterprise
  4. reduce the influence of middle-class farmers

Correct Answer Number: 3

Explanation: Traditionally, a communist, or command economy, controls the means of production by having governmental agencies involved in production planning. Both Lenin and Gorbachev sought to increase production in vital areas by introducing individual enterprise.


Cold War: Question 34 of 36
During the 1980’s in the Soviet Union, a major element of the economic policy of Perestroika was
  1. increased collectivization of farms
  2. more reliance on local and regional decision making
  3. the expanded use of national Five-Year plans
  4. an emphasis on the redistribution of wealth

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: Traditionally, a communist, or command economy, controls the means of production by having government agencies involved in production planning. Gorbachev’s policy of perestroika sought to increase production in vital areas by introducing individual free enterprise.


Cold War: Question 35 of 36
· Blockade of Berlin
· Operation of the Berlin Airlift
· Organization of the Warsaw Pact
· Construction of the Berlin Wall

These events of the Cold War are examples of
  1. efforts to prevent military conflict between the superpowers
  2. situations that increased tensions between communist and democratic nations in Europe
  3. attempts to weaken the Soviet Union’s control of its Eastern European allies
  4. policies of peaceful coexistence and détente

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: These are all examples of situations that caused conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.


Cold War: Question 36 of 36
In Eastern Europe during the 1950’s and 1960’s, the Soviet Union responded to challenges to its control by
  1. allowing free elections, when necessary
  2. imposing prompt and severe repression
  3. obtaining United Nations assistance
  4. granting independence to its satellite nations

Correct Answer Number: 2

Explanation: The Soviet Union used its military power to maintain control over its satellite states. This became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine, which maintained the Soviet Union’s right to intervene in the domestic affairs of any Warsaw Pact nation.




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