U.S. History Practice Test Part 2

Session 1 Item 21 U.S. support for Israel had significant effects on U.S. relations with countries in the Middle East. Drag and drop the four correct events into the flow chart in chronological order from earliest to most recent to show the effects of U.S. support for Israel on U.S. relations with countries in the Middle East. Scoring for Session 1 Item 21 Two points = four events in the correct positions One point = three or two events in the correct positions Zero points = one or zero events in the correct position Session 2 Item 32 Many factors contributed to changes in American society and culture during the 1920s. Drag and drop the two correct factors that contributed to change and the two correct changes in American society and culture into the chart. Scoring for Session 2 Item 32 Two points = four statements in the correct positions One point = three or two statements in the correct positions Zero points = one or zero statements in the correct position Scoring for Session 2 Item 37 Based on the sources and your knowledge of U.S. history, evaluate whether the United States was justified in its involvement in Asia during the late nineteenth century and the twentieth century. As you write, follow the directions below. Address all parts of the prompt. Include information and examples from your own knowledge of U.S. history. Use evidence from the sources to support your response. Scoring The response should be scored holistically on its adherence to two dimensions: Content and Claims. Each response should be given the score that corresponds to the set of bulleted descriptors that best describes the response. Dimension: Claims Score 4 3 2 1 0 Description The student9s response: Develops a valid claim that effectively expresses a solid understanding of the topic; Thoroughly supports the claim with well-chosen evidence from the sources; Provides a logically organized, cohesive, and in-depth explanation of the connections, patterns, and trends among ideas, people, events, and/or contexts within or across time and place. The student9s response: Develops a relevant claim that expresses a general understanding of the topic; Supports the claim with sufficient evidence from the sources; Provides an organized explanation of the connections, patterns, and trends among ideas, people, events, and/or contexts within or across time and place. The student9s response: Presents a claim that expresses a basic understanding of the topic; Includes limited support for the claim by using some evidence from the sources; Provides a weak explanation of the connections, patterns, and trends among ideas, people, events, and/or contexts within or across time and place. The student9s response: Presents a claim with little or no evidence from the sources; Provides a vague, unclear, or illogical explanation of the connections among ideas, people, events, and/or contexts within or across time and place. The student9s response is blank, incorrect, too brief to evaluate, or lacks a claim that addresses the prompt. Dimension: Content Score 4 3 2 1 0 Description The student9s response: Reflects thorough knowledge of U.S. justification for its involvement in Asia during the late nineteenth century and the twentieth century by incorporating ample, focused factual information from prior knowledge and the sources; Contains accurate understandings with no errors significant enough to detract from the overall content of the response; Fully addresses all parts of the prompt. The student9s response: Reflects general knowledge of U.S. justification for its involvement in Asia during the late nineteenth century and the twentieth century by incorporating adequate factual information from prior knowledge and the sources; Contains mostly accurate understandings with minimal errors that do not substantially detract from the overall content of the response; Addresses all parts of the prompt. The student9s response: Reflects limited knowledge of U.S. justification for its involvement in Asia during the late nineteenth century and the twentieth century by incorporating some factual information from prior knowledge and the sources; Contains some accurate understandings with a few errors that detract from the overall content of the response; Addresses part of the prompt. The student9s response: Reflects minimal knowledge of U.S. justification for its involvement in Asia during the late nineteenth century and the twentieth century by incorporating little or no factual information from prior knowledge and the sources; Contains few accurate understandings with several errors that detract from the overall content of the response; Minimally addresses part of the prompt. The student9s response is blank, incorrect, or does not address the prompt. Characteristics of a Strong Response A strong response is logically organized into several paragraphs. Any errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, or capitalization do not interfere with the ability of the reader to understand the ideas presented. A strong response may develop one or more lines of reasoning to support the claim. Here are some examples. The United States was justified in its involvement in Asia for economic reasons. Access to markets, raw materials, and resources in Asia was essential for the continued economic growth and development of the United States in the late nineteenth century. At a time when European countries had already colonized many parts of the world, the United States needed to look beyond its borders in order to be competitive. With its large population, China was a valuable market for U.S. businesses; however, European powers tried to divide China into economic spheres of influence. As a result, the United States issued the Open Door Policy and declared that all countries should have equal trading privileges with China. Asia also had valuable raw materials that were unavailable in the United States. U.S. businesses invested in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia to get access to rubber and other raw materials. These resources played an important role during World War II as Japan engaged in aggressive expansion in the region. After World War II, Asia continued to be an important economic market for the United States. The United States remained in Asia to help rebuild the economies of postwar Japan and South Korea and established new trade relationships in the region. These partnerships were important to American business interests, providing outlets for the sale of goods. In the 1970s, during the height of the Cold War, the United States succeeded in improving relations with communist China, which allowed the countries to reestablish trade relations. The United States had valid military interests in Asia, which justified U.S. involvement in the region. The United States acquired Hawaii as well as the Philippines by the end of the nineteenth century. It was essential to national security for the United States to maintain a presence in the region, so that rising Asian and European powers could not gain a strategic advantage over the United States and threaten the American Pacific Coast. In the 1930s, Japan pursued a policy of military aggression and imperialism in Asia. The United States responded by restricting Japan9s access to certain resources in order to protect U.S. interests and support its allies in the region. In addition, the United States needed to defend itself against Japan after Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. During the Cold War, communist regimes threatened U.S. interests in Asia. The United States established a democratic government in South Korea, while the Soviet Union helped establish a communist regime in the north after World War II. When communist North Korea invaded South Korea, the United States was forced to intervene. Then communist China joined the fight, further justifying U.S. involvement in the conflict. The Korean War lingered in U.S. memory and likely influenced its policy in Vietnam. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident provided the needed justification for President Johnson and Congress to increase involvement in the conflict in Vietnam. The domino theory also influenced U.S. involvement in the region. The government believed that it must intervene to prevent the countries in Southeast Asia from falling to communism in the way that Eastern European nations had. The United States was not justified in becoming involved in Asia in the late nineteenth century and twentieth century. American foreign policy during these periods undermined the sovereignty and international rights of countries in Asia. In the late nineteenth century, the United States shifted its foreign policy to imperialism. The United States gained new colonies and territories, including the Philippines, following the U.S. victory in the Spanish-American War. The United States used its acquisition of the Philippines as a way to project its power into Asia. Despite promoting the importance of democracy and liberty, the United States declined to grant independence to the Philippines and suppressed the Philippine Insurrection. During the Cold War, the United States believed that it had to prevent the spread of communism. U.S. involvement in Vietnam exemplified a policy of confronting communism. The Vietnamese wanted to gain their independence from France and unify Vietnam. Rather than recognizing these goals, the United States supported France against the Viet Minh because Ho Chi Minh had communist sympathies. Consequently, the United States missed an opportunity to help Vietnam become an independent unified country that may have become an ally. Following the defeat of the French by the Viet Minh, the United States supported the brutal and corrupt dictatorship in South Vietnam. In the 1960s the United States escalated its involvement in the conflict between communist and non-communist forces in Vietnam, leading to the loss of many American and Vietnamese lives. A strong response shows understanding of the topic by analyzing the required sources and including well-chosen evidence from the sources, such as: The Philippines became a U.S. territory following the U.S. victory in the SpanishAmerican War (Source 1). The United States promoted an Open Door Policy toward China to protect equal trading privileges in China (Source 1). The United States made loans to China and placed restrictions on Japanese trade in the 1940s because of Japan9s aggressive militaristic policies (Source 1). Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, causing the United States to enter World War II (Source 1). Communist North Korea invaded South Korea to start the Korean War (Source 1). The domino theory influenced U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia (Source 1). Albert Beveridge noted that the United States planned to plant the < flag of a liberal government= in the Philippines and spread democratic ideals (Source 2). Albert Beveridge explained that the United States needed < outposts of commerce= in Asia to benefit U.S. business interests (Source 2). Albert Beveridge explained that the United States needed to be involved in Asia to compete with European countries for commercial markets (Source 2). Albert Beveridge noted that the United States needed to be involved in Asia to protect national security interests (Source 2). The United States prevented the division of China into spheres of influence by European powers (Source 2). The Potsdam Declaration states that the United States was fighting against < irresponsible militarism= (Source 3). The Potsdam Declaration indicates that the United States intended to establish < a new order of peace, security, and justice= in the world (Source 3). President Lyndon Johnson justified an increase in U.S. military and economic aid to South Vietnam, based on the premise that North Vietnamese forces fired on American ships (Source 4). A strong response also includes important information beyond what is presented in the sources, such as: explaining the importance of military campaigns and strategies in the Pacific Theater during World War II; explaining the influence of the brutal treatment of civilians and prisoners of war in the Pacific Theater during World War II; explaining the events of the Korean War, which involved the United States receiving support from the United Nations to intervene in South Korea to protect the sovereignty of South Korea; explaining that the United States provided loans to Japan after World War II to assist the country in rebuilding its economy; explaining that U.S. presidents did not want to appear weak against communism; and explaining that President Nixon visited China with the hope of breaking the bond between the Soviet Union and China.