Global History and Geography II Regents Exam: Part I: Stimulus-Based, Multiple-Choice Questions (With Answers)

Directions (1–10) : For each statement or question, choose the number of the word or expression that, of those given, best completes the statement or answers the question.

Base your answers to questions 1 and 2 on the following documents and on your knowledge of social studies.

1. Which political philosophy is best supported by both documents?
(1) Rule of law represents a social contract with the people.
(2) Tyranny encourages liberty and security.
(3) Separation of powers guarantees people fair treatment.
(4) Oppression promotes the general will.

2. Which event most directly influenced the writing of both documents?
(1) Iranian Revolution
(2) Cuban Revolution
(3) French Revolution
(4) Russian Revolution

Base your answers to questions 3 and 4 on the following illustration and on your knowledge of social studies.

3. Which point of view is expressed in this illustration?
(1) The Russian Orthodox Church caused the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
(2) The Russian government encouraged a diversity of opinions.
(3) The Romanovs suppressed Enlightenment ideas within their empire.
(4) The Russian Revolution made conditions worse for most minorities.

4. Which long-term historical circumstance about Russia is shown in this illustration?
(1) appeal of Marxism to the Russian nobles
(2) autocratic rule of Russian royalty
(3) rejection of the Pan-Slavism movement
(4) support of the Russian Orthodox Church for democratic ideals

Base your answers to questions 5 and 6 on the following poem and on your knowledge of social studies.
 

Attack
At dawn the ridge emerges massed and dun [brownish dark grey]
In the wild purple of the glowering [glaring] sun,
Smouldering through spouts of drifting smoke that shroud
The menacing scarred slope; and, one by one,
Tanks creep and topple forward to the wire.
The barrage roars and lifts. Then, clumsily bowed
With bombs and guns and shovels and battle-gear,
Men jostle and climb to meet the bristling fire.
Lines of grey, muttering faces, masked with fear,
They leave their trenches, going over the top,
While time ticks blank and busy on their wrists,
And hope, with furtive eyes and grappling fists,
Flounders in mud. O Jesu, make it stop!
— Siegfried Sassoon, 1918

5. This poem describes events related to which international conflict?
(1) World War I
(2) World War II
(3) Korean War
(4) Vietnam War

6. Which claim about modern warfare is best supported by this poem?
(1) Soldiers were not as brave as in the past.
(2) Technology made combat more deadly.
(3) Religion became more central to long-standing conflicts.
(4) Scientific research did not supply battle-ready innovations.

Base your answers to questions 7 and 8 on the following maps and on your knowledge of social studies.

7. What would be the best use for this pair of maps?
(1) to explain why European powers used the mandate system
(2) to examine the relationship between fresh water and Arab settlement patterns
(3) to understand a reason used to establish boundaries for partition
(4) to illustrate the advantages Palestinian Arabs have over Arabs living in Egypt

8. Which situation was a contributing factor in the decision to partition British Palestine as shown on the 1947 map?
(1) mass migrations following the Holocaust
(2) decolonization from French rule
(3) capture of the Suez Canal
(4) formation of the Warsaw Pact

Base your answers to questions 9 and 10 on the following article and on your knowledge of social studies.

Atatürk’s Fashion Police
Turkey’s restrictions on wearing overtly religious-oriented attire are rooted in the founding of the modern, secular Turkish state, when the republic’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, introduced a series of clothing regulations designed to keep religious symbolism out of the civil service. The regulations were part of a sweeping series of reforms that altered virtually every aspect of Turkish life—from the civil code to the alphabet to education to social integration of the sexes.
The Western dress code at that time, though, was aimed at men. The fez—the short, conical, red-felt cap that had been in vogue [fashion] in Turkey since the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II made it part of the official national attire in 1826—was banished. Atatürk himself famously adopted a Panama hat to accent his Westernstyle gray linen suit, shirt, and tie when he toured the country in the summer of 1925 to sell his new ideas to a deeply conservative population. That autumn, the Hat Law of 1925 was passed, making European-style men’s headwear de rigueur [fashionable] and punishing fez-wearers with lengthy sentences of imprisonment at hard labor, and even a few hangings. . . .
— Roff Smith, “Why Turkey Lifted Its Ban on the Islamic Headscarf,” National Geographic, October 12, 2013

9. According to this article by Roff Smith, the goal of Atatürk’s reforms was to
(1) prevent the elimination of the civil service system
(2) implement a legal system based on religious teachings
(3) revive Turkey’s interest in Ottoman-era customs
(4) modernize Turkey in the image of European nations

10. The phrases “deeply conservative population,” “lengthy sentences of imprisonment,” and “a few hangings” suggest that
(1) Atatürk’s reforms were eagerly embraced throughout Turkey
(2) tensions existed between reformers and traditionalists in Turkey
(3) the policy of westernization was abandoned by the Turkish government
(4) most Turks preferred punishment to rapid change

Answer Explanations

PART I: STIMULUS-BASED, MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

1.1 The political philosophy that is best supported by both documents is the idea that the rule of law represents a social contract with the people. The intention of a social contract is to have a collective understanding that is in everyone’s self-interest in society and can help enforce the rules and laws that keep everyone safe. In other words, rules and laws should not inhibit freedom; rather, they should protect freedom by keeping society safe. Two key phrases from the documents support this philosophy of a social contract: “The exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights” (Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen – 1789) and “The Law must be the expression of the general will; all citizens, female and male, should concur [agree] personally or through their representatives in its formation, and it must be the same for all” (Declaration of the Rights of Woman and Female Citizen – 1791). These quotes are stating that in order to have freedom and justice for all in society, there must be a collective understanding and acceptance that rules and laws must be enforced and obeyed to protect everyone’s rights.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(2) Tyranny is defined as an oppressive government that uses cruelty to maintain absolute power over the people. The authors of Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen – 1789 and Declaration of the Rights of Woman and Female Citizen – 1791 emphasized the importance of being free from tyranny because tyranny does not support or encourage liberty and security.
(3) Although the idea of separation of powers was an Enlightenment philosophy, there is no mention of a separation of powers among the branches of government in either of these documents.
(4) Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen – 1789 states that “law is the expression of the general will.” Oppression never promotes the general will of the people because oppression leads to tyranny.

2.3 The event that most directly influenced the writing of both documents was the French Revolution. This question is an example of how outside knowledge should be used when answering the questions in Part I. Neither document specifically mentions the French Revolution. However, from your studies of global history and geography, you may remember that the French Revolution was a time during which people attempted to put Enlightenment ideals into practice. Several of those Enlightenment ideals, such as liberty and equality, are discussed in these documents, which were written around the time of the French Revolution.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(1) Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is dated 1789, while Declaration of the Rights of Woman and Female Citizen is dated 1791. The Iranian Revolution, which led to the fall of the last monarch of Iran, lasted from 1978 to 1979.
(2) The Cuban Revolution was a communist revolution that was led by Fidel Castro. It occurred in 1959.
(4) The Russian Revolution was a communist revolution that led to the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917.

3.3 The point of view that is expressed in this illustration is that the Romanovs suppressed Enlightenment ideas within their empire. The Enlightenment, which swept Europe from the 17th century to the early 19th century, was a philosophical movement that promoted ideals like freedom of thought and expression, equality, and natural rights. The artist of this illustration depicts the Romanovs (who ruled Russia from the early 1600s to the early 1900s) as rulers who certainly did not share these Enlightenment ideals. According to the artist, the Romanovs actually suppressed these Enlightenment ideals. In the illustration, the palace is closed with a sign hanging outside that states, “Liberal and democratic ideas not permitted.” The artist is accusing the Romanovs of censorship and of imprisonment without reason. These practices are in direct conflict with the ideals of the Enlightenment and demonstrate the Romanovs’ attempts to suppress Enlightenment ideas within their empire.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(1) This illustration suggests that the Romanovs supported the orthodoxy because one of the domes of the palace is labeled “orthodoxy.” Additionally, nothing in the illustration represents the fall of the Romanov dynasty. Rather, this illustration depicts the tactics used by the Romanovs to maintain strength and power over the people.
(2) This illustration depicts the Romanovs as rulers who attempted to oppress, not encourage, a diversity of opinions. One sign in the illustration declares, “Liberal and democratic ideas not permitted.” Additionally, the telescopes are labeled “secret police,” “censorship,” and “arbitrary imprisonment,” which were all used to suppress any diverse opinions.
(4) The focus of this illustration is not the Russian Revolution. Instead, the focus is on the Romanov dynasty, which ruled over Russia for more than 300 years before the Russian Revolution occurred. Although the Romanovs’ mismanagement of the nation was a factor that led to the Russian Revolution, this illustration does not mention anything specific about the Russian Revolution or its impact on most minorities.

4.2 The long-term historical circumstance about Russia that is shown in this illustration is the autocratic rule of Russian royalty. The autocratic, or absolute, rule of Russian royalty dates back to the establishment of the Romanov dynasty in 1613. For three centuries, the Romanovs ruled Russia with absolute power over the people. Czars like Peter the Great and Catherine the Great brought great changes and progress to the nation. However, others, such as Czar Nicholas II, mismanaged the nation, which eventually led to a revolution.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(1) Marxism, or early communism, is not mentioned in this illustration. Additionally, Russian nobles were the wealthy class. They would not have supported Marxism because supporting those ideas would have caused the nobles to lose their wealth and social status.
(3) Pan-Slavism was a political and cultural movement in the 19th century that recognized the common ethnicity of the Slavic people. This movement was supported, not rejected, by Russia. In this illustration, the palace dome labeled “Pan-Slavism” symbolizes Russian support for this movement.
(4) Nothing in this illustration demonstrates the Russian Orthodox Church’s support for democratic ideals. In fact, a sign on the right side of the wall states that, during the Romanov dynasty, “liberal and democratic ideas [were] not permitted.”

5.1 This poem describes events related to World War I. Many clues in the poem should lead you to the correct response. From your studies of global history and geography, you should remember that World War I was the first war that involved the widespread use of trench warfare. In the poem, the author states, “They leave their trenches, going over the top.” This demonstrates the use of trench warfare. Additionally, you should always remember to read the source. In this case, the source states that this poem was written in 1918. From your studies of global history and geography, you should recall that World War I was fought between 1914 and 1918.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(2) World War II was fought between 1939 and 1945. The poem is dated 1918, which was 21 years prior to the start of World War II.
(3) The Korean War was fought between 1950 and 1953. In this conflict, the United States and South Korea were on one side, and North Korea was on the other. The goal was to contain communism.
(4) The Vietnam War was fought between 1954 and 1975. In this conflict, the United States and South Vietnam were on one side, and North Vietnam was on the other. The goal was to contain communism.

6.2 The claim about modern warfare that is best supported by this poem is that technology made combat more deadly. The poem mentions tanks, which were a relatively new weapon of war during World War I. The poem states, “Men jostle and climb” and are met with the fire of “bombs and guns.” These newer weapons of war led to high death tolls.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(1) The poet’s tone is sympathetic toward the bravery of the soldiers. This is supported by the poet describing how the soldiers climbed out of their trenches, knowing they would be met with gunfire, bombs, and tanks. Nothing in the poem supports the claim that these men were not as brave as soldiers were in the past.
(3) Religion is not the central focus of this poem. Although the poet does call out to “Jesu” to make the fighting stop, sufficient evidence is not provided to make the claim that religion was the cause of this conflict.
(4) As stated in the poem, battle-ready innovations (such as tanks and bombs) were readily available during World War I.

7.3 The best use for this pair of maps is to understand a reason used to establish boundaries for partition. The first map depicts Palestine, part of which is now the modern-day country of Israel. Palestine was established through the terms of the British Mandate for Palestine, which lasted from 1920 to 1948. The second map depicts the United Nations’ Partition Plan, which was established in 1947. The proposed changes for this region are illustrated according to the map’s key, which shows Arab areas, a Jewish state, and the International Zone of Jerusalem. By 1947, a distinct Jewish state and Arab areas had been outlined, which demonstrates that the country of Israel was partitioned based on religion and ethnicity.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(1) Although the first map does depict how the British used the mandate system to create the political entity of Palestine, these maps do not explain why that system was used. Additionally, the maps demonstrate that the United Nations, not simply “European powers,” partitioned Palestine.
(2) Neither map depicts a relationship between fresh water and Arab settlement patterns.
(4) The focus of both maps is the region of Palestine (part of modern-day Israel). Although Egypt borders this nation, Arabs living in Egypt are not mentioned or discussed in either map.

8.1 A situation that was a contributing factor in the decision to partition British Palestine as shown on the 1947 map was mass migrations following the Holocaust. As a result of the Holocaust, many Jewish people fled to Palestine, which led to Britain’s decision to partition that region into Arab areas and a Jewish state, as depicted on the second map. The Zionist movement was a force behind this decision as the United States supported the Zionist desire to create a Jewish homeland in Israel. Unable to find a practical solution to the problem, Britain allowed the United Nations to vote to partition the region in 1947.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(2) Decolonization from French rule affected regions of Africa and Asia, but it did not directly affect the region of Palestine.
(3) Although the Suez Canal is an important waterway for this region, its capture did not directly affect the partitioning of Palestine.
(4) The Warsaw Pact was a mutual-defense treaty, formed by the Soviet Union and several other nations, that was designed to counteract NATO during the Cold War. It was formed in 1955, and therefore, had no direct impact on the Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947.

9.4 According to this article by Roff Smith, the goal of Atatürk’s reforms was to modernize Turkey in the image of European nations. The article states that Atatürk attempted to modernize and secularize the civil service by regulating clothing and limiting religious-oriented attire. The fez (the traditional headpiece worn by men in Turkey since 1826) was banned and replaced with the Panama hat, which was in fashion in Western European nations at the time.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(1) The civil service system was not in jeopardy during Atatürk’s rule. His goal was to modernize the system, not to prevent its elimination.
(2) Atatürk sought to secularize the legal system by separating church and state, as was done in nations in Western Europe.
(3) Atatürk wanted to ban, not revive, Ottoman-era customs to modernize Turkey in the image of European nations.

10.2 The phrases “deeply conservative population,” “lengthy sentences of imprisonment,” and “a few hangings” suggest that tensions existed between reformers and traditionalists in Turkey. Those who held onto traditional Ottoman customs did not embrace Atatürk’s modernization efforts. The population is described as being “deeply conservative,” and Atatürk had to “sell” his modernizations to the people. A “Hat Law” was put into place, but some traditionalists broke this law (by continuing to wear fezzes) and were punished with lengthy sentences of imprisonment. Some were even sentenced to death. This information supports the claim that there were tensions between reformers and traditionalists in Turkey during this time.

WRONG CHOICES EXPLAINED:
(1) These phrases clearly show that not everyone throughout Turkey eagerly embraced Atatürk’s modernization reforms. These reforms were met with resistance by traditionalists, who broke the laws and were punished by imprisonment and even death.
(3) Atatürk passed laws to ensure that his modernization efforts were adopted by the people and were not abandoned by the Turkish government.
(4) Although some traditionalists did break modernization laws and were subsequently punished, nothing in the article indicates that most Turks preferred punishment to rapid change.