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    Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams Volume II
    Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams Volume II
    Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams Volume II
    Ebook909 pages9 hours

    Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams Volume II

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    About this ebook

    The only official prep guide from the makers of the DSSTs, Peterson's Offical Guide to Mastering DSST Exams includes full-length DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs) on a variety of subjects to help non-traditional students earn college credits for life and learning experiences.

    • Full-length DSSTs with detailed answer explanations
    • Reviews of verbal, clerical, math, and memory skills you'll need to score high
    • Expert tips and strategies from the editorial team that writes and prepares actual DSSTs
    • Offers students a cost-effective, time-saving way to use the knowledge they've acquired outside of the classroom to accomplish their education goals
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPeterson's
    Release dateJul 15, 2012
    ISBN9780768936353
    Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams Volume II

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      Book preview

      Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams Volume II - Peterson's

      Peterson’s

      Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams

      (PART II)

      Petersons_Publishing.pdfPetersons_Publishing.pdf

      About Peterson’s Publishing

      Peterson’s Publishing provides the accurate, dependable, high-quality education content and guidance you need to succeed. No matter where you are on your academic or professional path, you can rely on Peterson’s print and digital publications for the most up-to-date education exploration data, expert test-prep tools, and top-notch career success resources—everything you need to achieve your goals.

      Visit us online at www.petersonspublishing.com and let Peterson’s help you achieve your goals.

      For more information, contact Peterson’s, 2000 Lenox Drive, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648;

      800-338-3282 Ext. 54229; or find us online at www.petersonspublishing.com.

      Peterson’s makes every reasonable effort to obtain from reliable sources accurate, complete, and timely information about the tests covered in this book. Nevertheless, changes can be made in the tests or the administration of the tests at any time and Peterson’s makes no representation or warranty, either expressed or implied as to the accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of the information contained in this book.

      © 2012 Peterson’s, a Nelnet company

      Facebook® and Facebook logos are registered trademarks of Facebook, Inc. Facebook, Inc. was not involved in the production of this book and makes no endorsement of this product.

      Bernadette Webster, Director of Publishing; Mark D. Snider, Editor; Ray Golaszewski, Publishing Operations Manager; Linda M. Williams, Composition Manager; Reyna Eisenstark, Dina Ellsworth, Ph.D., Margaret C. Moran, Nomi J. Waldman, Contributing Writers, Practical Strategies, LLC

      ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, or information storage and retrieval systems—without the prior written permission of the publisher.

      For permission to use material from this text or product, complete the Permission Request Form at http://www.petersons.com/permissions.

      ISBN-13: 978-0-7689-3635-3

      ISBN-10: 0-7689-3635-7

      First Edition

      Table of Contents

      Before You Begin

      How This Book is Organized

      Special Study Features

      You’re Well on Your Way to Success

      Find Us on Facebook

      Give Us Your Feedback

      About the DSST

      What Is the DSST?

      Why Take the DSST?

      DSST Test Centers

      How to Register for a DSST

      Preparing for the DSST

      Test Day

      1 The Civil War and Reconstruction

      Diagnostic Test

      Answer Explanations

      Causes of the Civil War

      1861

      1862

      1863

      1864 to May 1865

      Reconstruction

      Post-Test

      Answer Explanations

      Summing It Up

      2 Introduction to World Religions

      Diagnostic Test

      Answer Explanations

      Definition and Origins of Religion

      Indigenous Religions

      Hinduism

      Buddhism

      Confucianism

      Taoism

      Judaism

      Christianity

      Islam

      Religious Movements

      Post-Test

      Answer Explanations

      Summing It Up

      3 Environment and Humanity

      Diagnostic Test

      Answer Explanations

      Ecological Concepts

      Environmental Impacts

      Environmental Management and Conservation

      Political Processes and the Future

      Post-Test

      Answer Explanations

      Summing It Up

      4 Personal Finance

      Diagnostic Test

      Answer Explanations

      Foundations of Personal Finance

      Credit and Debt

      Major Purchases

      Taxes

      Insurance

      Investments

      Retirement and Estate Planning

      Post-Test

      Answer Explanations

      Summing It Up

      5 Human Resource Management

      Diagnostic Test

      Answer Explanations

      An Overview of the Human Resource Management Field

      Human Resource Planning

      Staffing

      Training and Development

      Performance Appraisals

      Compensation Issues

      Safety and Health

      Employee Rights and Discipline

      Employment Law

      Labor Relations

      International Human Resource Management

      Current Issues and Trends

      Post-Test

      Answer Explanations

      Summing It Up

      6 Organizational Behavior

      Diagnostic Test

      Answer Explanations

      Organizational Behavior Overview

      Individual Processes and Characteristics

      Interpersonal and Group Processes and Characteristics

      Organizational Processes and Characteristics

      Change and Development Processes

      Post-Test

      Answer Explanations

      Summing It Up

      7 Introduction to Business

      Diagnostic Test

      Answer Explanations

      Foundations of Business

      Functions of Business

      Contemporary Issues

      Post-Test

      Answer Explanations

      Summing It Up

      8 Here’s to Your Health

      Diagnostic Test

      Answer Explanations

      Health, Wellness, and Mind/Body Connection

      Human Development and Relationships

      Substance Use and Abuse

      Fitness and Nutrition

      Risk Factors, Diseases, and Disease Prevention

      Safety, Consumer Awareness, and Environmental Concerns

      Post-Test

      Answer Explanations

      Summing It Up

      Before You Begin

      How This Book is Organized

      Peterson’s Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams (Part II) provides content outlines of test sections and subsections, diagnostic tests, post-tests, and subject matter reviews for eight different DSST tests. The following table provides a summary of the information covered in each chapter.

      Each chapter of the book is organized in the same manner:

      • Content outline of test sections and subsections, including a comparison of the percentage of questions covered in the diagnostic test and post-test versus the actual exam

      • Diagnostic Test—20 questions, followed by an Answer Explanations

      • General subject overview and subject review

      • Post-Test—60 questions, followed by an Answer Explanations

      The content outline at the beginning of each chapter allows you to see the sections and subsection covered on the DSST exams. In each outline, there are three columns that offer helpful information on the number and percentages of questions covered in each section and subsection. The first column lists the percentage of questions covered for each section on the actual exam. The second column tells you how many test questions per section and subsection can be found in the chapter. The third column tells you the percent of practice questions per section and subsection in the chapter.

      The purpose of the diagnostic test is to help you figure out what you know . . . or don’t know. The 20 multiple-choice questions are similar to the ones found on the DSST, and they should provide you with a good idea of what to expect. Once you take the diagnostic test, check your answers to see how you did. Included with each correct answer is a brief explanation regarding why a specific answer is correct, and why other options are incorrect. In most instances, additional information has been added to the answers to increase their usefulness to you. Take note of the questions you miss, so that you can spend more time reviewing that information later. As with any exam, knowing your weak spots greatly improves your chances of success.

      Following the diagnostic test in each chapter is a subject matter review. The review summarizes the various topics covered on the DSST exam. Key terms are defined, important concepts are explained, and, when appropriate, examples are provided. As you read the review, some of the information may seem familiar while other information may seem foreign. Again, take note of the unfamiliar because that will most likely cause you problems on the actual DSST. If you need more information about a topic than what the review provides, refer to one of the textbooks recommended for the test.

      After studying the subject matter review, you should be ready for the post-test. The post-test for each chapter contains 60 multiple-choice items, and it will serve as a dry run for the real DSST. Take the time to answer all of the questions because they are similar to those found on the specific DSST exam you’re studying. As with the diagnostic test, post-test answers and explanations are at the end of each chapter.

      Special Study Features

      Peterson’s Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams (Part II) is designed to be as user-friendly as it is complete. To this end, it includes two features to make your preparation more efficient.

      Overview

      Each chapter has a bulleted overview listing the topics covered in the chapter. This will allow you to quickly target the areas in which you are most interested and need to review.

      Summing It Up

      Each review chapter ends with a point-by-point summary that captures the most important information in the chapter. The summaries offer a convenient way to review key points.

      You’re Well on Your Way to Success

      You’ve made the decision to take the DSST and earn college credit for your life experiences. Peterson’s Official Guide to Mastering DSST Exams (Part II) will help prepare you for the steps you’ll need to achieve your goal—scoring high on the exam!

      Find Us on Facebook

      Join the DSST conversation by liking us on Facebook at facebook.com/petersonspublishing. Here you’ll find additional test-prep tips and advice. Peterson’s resources are available to help you do your best on these important exams—and others in your future.

      Give Us Your Feedback

      Peterson’s publishes a full line of books—test prep, education exploration, financial aid, and career preparation. Peterson’s publications can be found at high school guidance offices, college libraries and career centers, and your local bookstore or library. Peterson’s books are now also available as eBooks.

      We welcome any comments or suggestions you may have about this publication. Your feedback will help us make educational dreams possible for you—and others like you.

      About the DSST

      Overview

      • What is the DSST?

      • Why take the DSST?

      • DSST test centers

      • How to register for a DSST

      • Preparing for the DSST

      • Test day

      What Is the DSST?

      The DSST is a nationally accepted prior learning assessment program that enables individuals to earn college credit for knowledge they have acquired outside of the traditional university classroom. Experience gained through independent reading, work-related tasks, life experiences, or military training may provide you with the skills and qualifications needed to pass a DSST exam and receive college credit. The American Council of Education (ACE) suggests that colleges award 3 credit hours for passing scores on most DSST exams.

      Why Take the DSST?

      DSST exams, previously known as DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, offer a way for you to save both time and money in your quest for a college education. Why enroll in a college course in a subject you already understand? For over thirty years, the DSST program has offered the perfect solution for people who are knowledgeable in a specific subject and who want to save both time and money. A passing score on a DSST exam provides physical evidence to universities of proficiency in a specific subject. Nearly 2,000 accredited and respected colleges and universities across the nation award undergraduate credit for passing scores on DSST exams. With the DSST program, individuals can shave months off the time it takes to earn a degree.

      The DSST program offers numerous advantages for people in all stages of their educational development:

      • Adult learners

      • College students

      • Military personnel

      Adult learners desiring college degrees face unique circumstances—demanding work schedules, family responsibilities, and tight budgets. Yet adult learners also have years of valuable work experience that can be applied toward a degree through the DSST program. For example, adult learners with on-the-job experience in business and management might be able to skip the Business 101 courses if they earn passing marks on DSST exams such as Introduction to Business and Human Resource Management. Adult learners can put their prior learning into action and move forward with more advanced course work.

      Adults who have never enrolled in a college course may feel a little uncertain about their abilities. If this describes your situation, then sign up for a DSST exam and see how you do. A passing score may be the boost you need to realize your dream of earning a degree.

      With family and work commitments, adult learners often feel they lack the time to attend college. The DSST program enables adult learners the unique opportunity to work toward college degrees without the time constraints of semester-long course work. DSST exams take 2 hours or less to complete, so in one weekend, you could earn credit for multiple college courses.

      The DSST exams also benefit students who are already enrolled in a college or university. With college tuition costs on the rise, most students face financial challenges. The fee for each DSST exam is $80 plus administration fees charged by most testing facilities—significantly less than the average cost of a 3-hour college class, which may be $300 or higher. Maximize tuition assistance by taking DSST exams for introductory or mandatory course work. Once you earn a passing score on a DSST exam, you are free to move on to higher-level course work in that subject matter, take desired electives, or focus on courses in a chosen major.

      Not only do students and adult learners profit from DSST exams, but military personnel reap the benefits as well. If you are a member of the armed services at home or abroad, you can initiate your post-military career by taking DSST exams in areas with which you have experience. Military personnel can gain credit anywhere in the world, thanks to the fact that almost all of the tests are available through the Internet at designated testing locations. DSST testing facilities are located at over 500 military installations, so service members on active duty can get a jump-start on a post-military career with the DSST program. As an additional incentive, DANTES provides funding for Internet-based DSST test fees for eligible civilians and members of the military.

      Thirty-eight subject matter tests are available in the fields of Math, the Social Sciences, the Humanities, Business, Physical Science, and Technology.

      NOTE: DANTES does not fund paper-and-pencil DSST testing at national test centers. Also, DANTES no longer funds retesting on previously funded DSST exam titles.

      AVAILABLE DSST EXAMS

      As you can see from the table, the DSST program covers a wide variety of subjects. However, it is important to ask two questions before registering for a DSST exam.

      • Which universities or colleges award credit for passing DSST exams?

      • Which DSST exams are the most relevant to my desired degree and my experience?

      Knowing which universities offer DSST credit is important information to uncover. In all likelihood, a college in your area awards credit for DSST exams, but find out before taking an exam by contacting the university directly. Second, review the list of DSST exams to determine which ones are most relevant to the degree you are seeking and to your base of knowledge. Schedule an appointment with your college advisor to determine which exams best fit your degree program and which college courses the DSST exams can replace. Advisors should also be able to tell you the minimum score required on the DSST exam to receive university credit.

      DSST Test Centers

      You can find DSST testing locations in community colleges and universities across the country. Contact your local college or university to find out if the school administers DSST exams, or check the DSST Web site (www.getcollegecredit.com) for a location near you. Keep in mind that some universities and colleges only administer DSST exams to enrolled students. DSST testing is available to men and women in the armed services at over 500 military installations around the world.

      How to Register for a DSST

      Once you have located a nearby DSST testing facility, you need to contact the testing center to find out the exam administration schedule. Many centers are set up to administer tests via the Internet, while others use printed materials. Almost all DSST exams are available as online tests, but the method used depends on the testing center. Each DSST exam costs $80, and most testing locations charge a fee to cover their costs for administering the tests. Credit cards are the only accepted payment method for taking online DSST exams. Credit card, certified check, and money order are acceptable payment methods for paper-and-pencil tests.

      Test-takers are allotted two score reports—one mailed to them and another mailed to a designated college or university if requested. Online tests generate unofficial scores at the end of the test session, where as individuals taking paper tests must wait four to six weeks for score reports.

      Preparing for the DSST

      Even though you are knowledgeable in a certain subject matter, you should still prepare for the test to ensure you achieve the highest score possible. The first step in studying for a DSST exam is to find out what will be on the specific test you have chosen. Information regarding test content is located on the DSST fact sheets, which can be downloaded at no cost from www.getcollegecredit.com. Each fact sheet outlines the topics covered on a subject matter test as well as the approximate percentage assigned to each topic. For example, questions on the Introduction to Business exam break down in the following way: 25 percent on the foundations of business, 60 percent on the functions of business, and 15 percent on contemporary issues.

      In addition to the breakdown of topics on a DSST exam, the fact sheet also lists recommended reference materials. If you do not own the recommended books, then check college bookstores. Avoid paying high prices for new textbooks by looking online for used textbooks. Don’t panic if you are unable to locate a specific textbook listed on the fact sheet because the textbooks are merely recommendations. Instead, search for comparable books used in university courses on the specific subject. Current editions are ideal, and it is a good idea to use at least two references when studying for a DSST exam. Of course, the subject matter provided in this book will be a sufficient review for most test-takers. However, if you need additional information, then it is a good idea to have some of the reference materials at your disposal when preparing for the DSST.

      Fact sheets include other useful pieces of information besides a list of reference materials and topics. On each fact sheet, you will find a few samples of questions found on the DSST exam in the specific subject matter. The samples provide an idea of the type of questions you can expect on the exam. Test questions are multiple choice with one correct answer and three incorrect choices. The fact sheet also includes information about the number of credit hours that ACE has recommended be awarded by colleges for a passing score on the DSST. However, you should keep in mind that not all universities and colleges adhere to the ACE recommendation for DSST credit hours. Some institutions require DSST exam scores higher than the minimum score recommended by ACE. Once you have acquired appropriate reference materials and you have the outline provided on the fact sheet, you are ready to start studying, which is when this book can help.

      Test Day

      After reviewing the material and taking practice tests, you are finally ready to take the DSST. As with any exam, preparation is the key to a successful test experience. Prepare to do the following four things on the day of the test:

      Arrive early. Be sure to leave enough time to get to the testing site at least fifteen minutes early. In case there’s a traffic tie-up, you won’t be sitting in your car or on the bus or subway worrying. Being early also ensures you’ll have enough time to take care of check-in procedures and settle into your surroundings.

      Bring identification. DSST test facilities require that candidates bring a valid government-issued identification card with a current photo and signature. Acceptable forms of identification include a current driver’s license, passport, military identification card, or state-issued identification card. Individuals who fail to bring proper identification to the DSST testing facility will not be allowed to take an exam.

      Bring the right supplies. If you are taking the paper-and-pencil test, you will need to bring several sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers and a black pen if an essay section is included on the exam. You should also bring a watch since the tests are timed. However, do not bring a watch with a beeping alarm. If you are taking the test online, you will have time to review how the test software works before the timed test begins. Cell phones, books, and papers are not allowed inside the testing center. For some tests, candidates are allowed to use non-programmable calculators, slide rules, and scratch paper, but you should double check with the test administrator when you arrive.

      Take the test. During the exam, take the time to read each question and answer option carefully. Eliminate the choices you know are incorrect to narrow the number of potential answers. If a question completely stumps you, take an educated guess and move on—remember that the DSST is a timed test; you will have 2 hours to take the exam.

      With the proper preparation, DSST exams will save you both time and money. So join the thousands of people who have already reaped the benefits of DSST exams and move closer than ever to your college degree.

      The Civil War and Reconstruction

      The following chart outlines the sections and subsections in The Civil War and Reconstruction test and offers a comparison between the percent of practice questions in this chapter and the actual DSST exam.

      Overview

      • Diagnostic test

      • Answer explanations

      • Causes of the Civil War

      • 1861

      • 1862

      • 1863

      • 1864 to May 1865

      • Reconstruction

      • Post-test

      • Answer explanations

      • Summing it up

      Diagnostic Test

      Directions: Carefully read each of the following 20 questions. Choose the best answer to each question. The Answer Explanations can be found following this Diagnostic Test.

      1. By about 1860, the South

      (A) had fewer slaves than it had a century earlier.

      (B) supplied nearly three quarters of the cotton for British textile industries.

      (C) was mostly made up of large cotton plantations.

      (D) wanted to make slavery legal in the North.

      2. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was

      (A) a novel that supported the right of Southerners to own slaves.

      (B) a factual account of one man’s escape from slavery.

      (C) an antislavery novel meant to convince Northerners to support abolitionism.

      (D) an abolitionist tract written by publisher William Lloyd Garrison.

      3. Former Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston is quoted as saying that Lincoln’s assassination was the greatest possible calamity for the South. He and others felt this way because

      (A) the South would be blamed for the death.

      (B) the Radical Republicans would now be free to exact harsh terms on the South.

      (C) they admired Lincoln.

      (D) they thought former enslaved African Americans would riot in Southern cities.

      4. In total, how many battle casualties—wounded and killed—did the North and South have during the Civil War?

      (A) 250,000

      (B) 350,000

      (C) 500,000

      (D) More than 1 million

      5. John Brown’s goal for his raid on Harpers Ferry was to

      (A) help slaves escape to the North.

      (B) create the independent state of West Virginia.

      (C) overthrow the national government.

      (D) invade the South and abolish slavery.

      6. At the start of the Civil War, what was one advantage the South had?

      (A) The South grew most of the country’s food and was well-equipped to feed a large army.

      (B) The South had well-trained and experienced officers.

      (C) The South had a much more developed railroad system, which would allow for easier transport of supplies.

      (D) The South had a larger and better-trained navy.

      7. What is the significance of First Manassas, also known as Bull Run?

      (A) It was the first Union victory in the Civil War.

      (B) It was the only Civil War battle to take place deep in Northern territory.

      (C) It was the worst defeat of the Confederacy.

      (D) It was the first major battle of the Civil War.

      8. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

      (A) It freed all slaves in the border states.

      (B) It freed slaves in those Southern states that had seceded from the Union and had not been retaken by Union forces.

      (C) It freed slaves in Southern areas that had been retaken by Union forces.

      (D) It made slavery illegal in the United States.

      9. The Copperheads were

      (A) conservative Southern Democrats who regained control of state governments during Reconstruction.

      (B) a group of Northern Democrats who sympathized with the Confederacy.

      (C) Union loyalists in the western portion of Virginia who kept the area from joining the Confederacy.

      (D) another name for Free-Soilers.

      10. Who became President in the election of 1876?

      (A) Samuel J. Tilden

      (B) Ulysses S. Grant

      (C) Rutherford B. Hayes

      (D) William T. Sherman

      11. After the Civil War, white Southerners

      (A) accepted black voting rights.

      (B) still believed blacks should not be allowed to vote.

      (C) supported the Republican Party.

      (D) accepted political, but not economic rights for blacks.

      12. What was the significance of the Union victory at Vicksburg?

      (A) Vicksburg was the last major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River.

      (B) Vicksburg forced Lee’s Confederate troops to surrender to Grant because their supply lines had been cut.

      (C) Lee was never able to mount another major offensive against the Northern army.

      (D) Sherman burned Vicksburg to the ground, eliminating a major center of commerce for the Confederacy.

      13. Which of the following was one of the terms of surrender at the end of the war?

      (A) Confederate soldiers were to be imprisoned until they swore loyalty to the Union.

      (B) Lee’s troops would become part of the U.S. army.

      (C) Ordinary soldiers could take their hand guns.

      (D) Confederate soldiers were allowed to go home.

      14. Who was the initial commander of the Army of the Potomac?

      (A) Robert E. Lee

      (B) George B. McClellan

      (C) Don Carlos Buell

      (D) Philip Sheridan

      15. The Fifteenth Amendment was passed to

      (A) abolish slavery.

      (B) guarantee all citizens equal rights before the law.

      (C) enable freed slaves to exercise the same rights as white citizens.

      (D) guarantee the right of all male citizens to vote regardless of race.

      16. By March 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant planned to win the war

      (A) by causing cotton prices to drop.

      (B) by wearing down the Confederate army.

      (C) by sinking Confederate ships.

      (D) with the assistance promised by Great Britain.

      17. What was an immediate result of the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter?

      (A) The Southern states organized the Confederate States of America.

      (B) Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas seceded from the Union.

      (C) South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union.

      (D) General George McClellan was appointed commander of the Army of the Potomac.

      18. Reconstruction came to an end with

      (A) the success of the Ku Klux Klan.

      (B) the defeat of Grant for President in 1876.

      (C) the Compromise of 1877.

      (D) passage of the Fifteenth Amendment.

      19. The major cause of military deaths on both sides in the war was

      (A) disease.

      (B) harsh treatment in prisoner of war camps.

      (C) untended wounds received in battle.

      (D) mortal wounds suffered in battle.

      20. What was the Virginia?

      (A) A former Union ship that had been repurposed for the Confederate navy

      (B) The first Confederate warship to be sunk in the Civil War

      (C) A battleship that the British had sold to the Confederacy

      (D) A Confederate wooden ship that could not withstand the damage from the ironclad Union ship Monitor

      Answer Explanations

      1. The correct answer is (B). By about 1860, the South provided 70 percent of the cotton for the British textile industry. The South in 1860 was made up of mostly small plantations and had more slaves than it had in the previous century, so choices (A) and (C) are incorrect. Choice (D) is incorrect because making slavery legal in the North was not an aim of the South. Southerners wanted to be able to extend slavery westward as they moved west.

      2. The correct answer is (C). Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written by abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, so choice (D) is incorrect. In addition, it was a novel, not a tract. Her purpose in writing the novel in 1852 was to protest slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act that had been passed two years earlier. Stowe also intended her book to bring more Northerners to the cause of abolition. Choice (A) is incorrect because the novel was written to protest slavery. Choice (B) is incorrect because it was about enslaved people on a plantation.

      3. The correct answer is (B). A number of Southerners, Johnston among them, feared that with Lincoln dead, no one would be able to keep the Radical Republicans from legislating harsh terms for the readmission of Southern states to the Union. Their fears turned out to be true. Choices (A) and (D) are incorrect. Some Southerners might have respected and even admired Lincoln, choice (C), but this was not the reason for their concern over his assassination.

      4. The correct answer is (D). Together, the North and South had more than 1 million casualties. The North alone lost 365,000 soldiers and the South, 256,000. In choices (A), (B), and (C), the numbers are too low.

      5. The correct answer is (D). John Brown’s ultimate goal was to abolish slavery, and in 1859, he planned a raid that would eventually spark a violent revolt of slaves across the South. Brown’s goal was not to help slaves escape to the North, but to destroy slavery, so choice (A) is incorrect. Choice (B) is incorrect because the western part of Virginia did not split from Virginia until the Civil War. Choice (C), an overthrow of the national government, is incorrect because Brown’s goal was to overthrow slavery.

      6. The correct answer is (B). The Confederate army had a well-trained and experienced set of officers, many of whom—like Robert E. Lee—had attended West Point or other military academies. Choice (A) is incorrect because the major crops of the South were cotton, tobacco, and rice. The South did not have a well-developed railroad system, so choice (C) is incorrect. The South did not have a navy of its own, so choice (D) is incorrect.

      7. The correct answer is (D). First Manassas (Bull Run), which took place in July 1861, was the first major battle of the Civil War. Fort Donelson, February 1862—quickly followed by the battle to take Fort Henry—was the first Union victory, so choice (A) is incorrect. Choice (B) is incorrect because Gettysburg was the only battle to take place deep in Northern soil. Choice (C) is incorrect because First Manassas was a decisive victory for the Confederacy.

      8. The correct answer is (B). The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 declared free all slaves in states that had seceded from the Union and had not been retaken by federal forces. It did not free slaves in the border states because those states had not seceded from the Union, nor did it abolish slavery, so choices (A) and (D) are incorrect. Choice (C) is incorrect because the Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves in areas that the Union forces had not as yet retaken.

      9. The correct answer is (B). Copperheads, also known as Peace Democrats, believed that the Republicans had provoked the South into seceding and wanted a negotiated peace. Choice (A) is incorrect because Southern Democrats who regained control of state governments were self-styled Redeemers. Choice (C) is incorrect because Copperheads were not Union loyalists in western Virginia. Choice (D) is incorrect because Copperheads and Free-Soilers were not the same; the latter were members of the Free-Soil Party who wanted to keep slavery out of new territories.

      10. The correct answer is (C). Democrat Rutherford B. Hayes was eventually elected President in the election of 1876, even though Samuel J. Tilden, the Democratic Presidential candidate, won the popular vote. Choices (A), (B), and (D) are incorrect. Grant won the Presidency in 1868 and 1872, and Tilden and Sherman were never elected President.

      11. The correct answer is (B). Southerners in general did not accept the idea of equal rights for African Americans, and some groups tried to prevent them from voting, so choices (A) and (D) are incorrect. Choice (D) is also incorrect because white Southerners in general did not accept economic rights for African Americans either. Choice (C) is incorrect because white Southerners became Democrats, because Republicans were seen as the party of Lincoln, the end of slavery, and Radical Reconstruction policies.

      12. The correct answer is (A). With the fall of Vicksburg, the Union had control of the Mississippi. Choice (B) is incorrect because while Lee needed supplies, he surrendered at Appomattox, not Vicksburg, because it was futile to continue fighting in the face of the superior numbers of Union forces and their position. Choice (C) is not true. Choice (D) is incorrect because Sherman burned Atlanta, not Vicksburg.

      13. The correct answer is (D). One of the terms of surrender was that Confederate soldiers would be allowed to go home. Choice (A) is the opposite of what was true. Choice (B) is incorrect for the same reason. Choice (C) is incorrect because officers could keep their handguns, but not ordinary soldiers who typically had rifles and bayonets.

      14. The correct answer is (B). McClellan was the initial commander of the Union’s Army of the Potomac. Choice (A) is incorrect because Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia for the Confederacy. Choice (C) is incorrect because Buell fought in the West as commander of the Army of the Ohio. Choice (D) is incorrect because Sheridan was in charge of the Shenandoah Valley campaign at the end of the war.

      15. The correct answer is (D). Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment in response to Southern attempts to prevent African American men from voting. Choice (A) is incorrect because it describes the Thirteenth Amendment. Choice (B) is incorrect because it describes the Fourteenth Amendment. Choice (C) is incorrect because it describes the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

      16. The correct answer is (B). When Grant took over as commander of all Union armies, his plan was to fight until he wore out the Confederate army. Choices (A) and (C) don’t make sense as activities of an army general. Choice (D) is incorrect because it was the Confederacy that needed help—that never came—from Great Britain.

      17. The correct answer is (B). After Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter, forcing a Union retreat, four more states—Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas—seceded from the Union. South Carolina had already seceded, so choice (C) is incorrect. Choice (A) is incorrect because the Confederacy was organized on February 4, 1861. Choice (D) is incorrect because McClellan was given command of the Army of the Potomac in July 1861.

      18. The correct answer is (C). Reconstruction ended with the Compromise of 1877, in which Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was awarded the electoral votes needed to become President in exchange for a promise that all federal troops would be withdrawn from the South. Choice (B) is incorrect because Grant did not run for reelection in 1876. Choice (A) is incorrect because while powerful in some areas of the South, the Ku Klux Klan was not powerful enough to end Reconstruction, which required a political act. The Fifteenth Amendment, choice (D), is incorrect because it dealt with the voting rights of African Americans, not with Reconstruction.

      19. The correct answer is (A). More soldiers died of disease in the Civil War than from wounds received in battle, so choices (B), (C), and (D) are incorrect.

      20. The correct answer is (A). The Virginia, a sunken Union ship named the Merrimac, had been salvaged by the Confederacy, covered in iron, and used by the Confederates. It fought the Union’s Monitor to a draw. Choice (B) is incorrect because it wasn’t sunk. Choice (C) is incorrect because the ship had belonged to the U.S. Navy, not Great Britain. Choice (D) is incorrect because the two ships fought to a draw; neither ship could sink the other.

      Causes of the Civil War

      The differences between North and South had been evident since the first colonists—gold seekers in Virginia Colony and devout Puritans in Massachusetts Bay—set foot on land. These differences were tempered by the desire of colonists to forge a united front against Great Britain, but as the nineteenth century wore on, the disparity between the regions widened and deepened.

      United States Society in the Mid-Nineteenth Century

      By the middle of the nineteenth century, about two thirds of the U.S. population lived and worked on farms, but industry was becoming more important as farmers turned from growing crops and raising animals for their own use to commercial agriculture. Mid-century also saw a huge increase in immigration and with it a new cultural diversity.

      Sectional differences emerged and hardened during this period. For a variety of reasons, the Northeast became the center of a rapidly developing industrial economy and forged close ties with the new states of the Midwest. These economic and socio-cultural connections underlined and magnified the growing political differences with the South.

      Industrialization

      At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the United States was a mostly rural and agricultural country. Generally, people lived on farms or in small villages. By the 1820s, however, the U.S. economy began to change as a result of industrialization, first slowly and then rapidly. The development of steamboats, canals, and railroads reduced the cost of shipping goods to market, speeded communication, and increased agricultural and industrial production as demand for goods and foodstuffs grew. At the same time, the number of city dwellers rose from about 7 percent of the nation’s population to slightly less than 20 percent by 1860. This was an increase greater than during any other era in U.S. history and was due in part to the increased demand for laborers in urban factories and in part to immigration.

      Immigration

      During the mid-nineteenth century, immigration also increased sharply. Between 1820 and 1860, some 4.6 million immigrants came to the United States, most after 1840. From a low of about 20,000 in 1820, the numbers jumped to a high of 430,000 in 1854 and tapered off during the rest of the decade. Most immigrants came from Ireland and Germany. The Irish tended to stay in Northeast cities and look for work in factories or as laborers, whereas Germans tended to settle in the Midwest and take up farming.

      A variety of push and pull forces specific to ethnic or national groups spurred the rise in immigration. For the Irish, push factors included the potato famine and religious and cultural persecution by British overlords. The growing U.S. economy, which created opportunities for anyone willing to work hard, was the chief pull force.

      With immigration came a new religious diversity. Irish immigrants were predominantly Roman Catholic and were especially discriminated against in housing and employment in the mid-nineteenth century because of their religion. Riots against them and church and convent burnings occurred in a few Northern cities during this period. These were carried out by native-born Americans who felt threatened by the immigrants and what they perceived as their alien and potentially dangerous influence on U.S. institutions and values.

      Religiosity

      By 1860, nearly 80 percent of Americans went to church regularly and religion was influential on secular society. The Southern defense of slavery, for example, was largely formulated by Protestant clergymen and predicated on a supposed biblical validity of the institution. Northern church leaders were instrumental in a variety of reform movements of the day, including abolitionism and temperance. Churches also served as vehicles for social welfare and assistance to the poor.

      Standard of Living and Demographics

      At the beginning of the nineteenth century, self-employed farmers and artisans made up 90 percent of the free workforce. By mid-century, about 50 percent of white males no longer owned property. They were either factory workers or laborers and belonged to the lower economic class of wage earners or they worked in stores or offices for salaries and belonged to the rising middle class. Professional men such as doctors belonged to the middle class as well. Those who continued to own and work farms in the North or Midwest found their fortunes rising and falling on commodity prices.

      In the South, the richest plantation owners lived well, but not as well as wealthy Northern industrialists. These large plantation owners and their families made up a tiny minority of Southerners and as the century wore on, they found themselves in increasing debt. Next came middle-class professionals such as lawyers and doctors and merchants. However, most Southerners worked small farms with five or fewer enslaved workers or with no help other than family members. The latter group scraped by on a subsistence level.

      The total U.S. population in 1860 was 31,443,321. This was an increase of over 8 million, or 35.6 percent, from the 1850 Census. About 19.8 percent were urban dwellers and 80.2 percent lived in rural areas.

      Of the total population of more than 31 million, 3,950,528, or 13 percent, were enslaved Africans. Most were in Southern states, though slavery was legal in the southern tier of territories. The Census counted 5,155,608 families living in the United States, and of these, 393,975, or 8 percent of the populations, were slave owners.

      Growing Differences Between the North and South

      By 1860, the economies of the North and the South had radically diverged. The geography of much of the South encouraged the development of large-scale agriculture, first, tobacco, rice, and indigo along the eastern coastal plains and later, cotton in the Deep South and west. The South became dependent on the production of cotton and the use of slave labor. Raw cotton could be processed in greater quantities after Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin in the 1790s. That invention plus the use of slave labor spread cotton production across the South and into western areas like Texas. By the mid-1800s, the South grew 60 percent of the world’s cotton and provided 70 percent of the raw material for the British textile industry.

      At the same time, northern factories manufactured nine tenths of the industrial goods produced in the United States. The North had five times the number of factories as the South and over ten times the number of factory workers. In addition, the North was the center of the nation’s finance and commerce. Besides being more industrialized than the South, the North had better transportation systems. By 1860, an extensive railroad system stretched across the Northeast and through the Upper Midwest. In the South, however, disputes between states prevented the construction of major railroad systems across the region. Southern planters and farmers relied on the extensive waterway system, including the Mississippi River, and access to the coast to ship their goods to market.

      Perhaps the greatest difference was political and centered on slavery.

      Slavery as a Southern Institution: Importance of Cotton

      In the South, slavery spread as the economic need for it increased. By 1860, cotton had become the South’s most important crop. Cotton exports amounted to more than 50 percent annually of all U.S. exports. Cotton over time depletes the soil of nutrients, so cotton planters moved westward to new land. As more and more Southerners moved west and cleared land to grow cotton, the demand for slaves grew. Most slave labor in the South was used for planting, cultivating, and harvesting single crops on plantations, including rice and tobacco in the Upper South and cotton in the Deep South. Although large slaveholders were few in number, they owned most of the South’s enslaved African Americans. Over half of all slaves lived on plantations with 20 or more slaves, and a quarter lived on plantations with more than 50 slaves.

      After 1830, white Southerners began to defend slavery as a natural part of society. They argued that it created a beneficial hierarchical institution superior to the democratic society of the North that forced factory workers to find and pay for their own housing, food, and clothing. Many Southerners also defended slavery on racial grounds, claiming that blacks were inferior to whites. By the 1850s, a growing number of Northerners believed that Southerners threatened to subvert basic American ideals of liberty and equality. At the same time, Southerners felt that their interests were not being addressed by the northern-dominated Congress. The threat of ending slavery had the potential to reduce the wealth of many Southerners and also interfered with what they believed were their property rights.

      Living Conditions of Slaves

      On the largest plantations, which were like small villages, some slaves also worked as carpenters, blacksmiths, cabinet makers, and bricklayers. A few worked in the plantation house as cooks and maids or butler and footmen. However, most—both male and female, adults, and children—were field hands. They typically worked ten hours a day, six days a week. The hardest work came during planting and harvesting seasons, when the workday could last 15 hours. Most field hands lived in small one-room cabins in an area called the slave quarters. Some had small gardens where they grew vegetables to supplement their diets. Generally, slave owners used harsh punishments to control slaves, including whipping, and for those who ran away, branding.

      Abolition Movement: Leaders and Methods

      In the late 1700s, the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, became the first group to organize opposition to slavery. In 1775, Quaker abolitionist Anthony Benezet founded the world’s first antislavery society. In 1787, it became the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. Most abolitionists were white, and the largest number was concentrated in New England. As the movement grew in the 1800s, many women joined.

      Early abolitionists adopted the concept of gradualism, believing slavery should be phased out slowly so that the economy of the South would not be disrupted. Gradualists also believed that blacks were inferior to whites. This led to the formation of the American Colonization Society, which proposed to purchase slaves, free them, and send them to a colony in Africa that would be established for this purpose. Abolitionists who believed that free blacks could not easily enter U.S. society saw this as the solution to the problem of what to do with freed blacks if slavery were ended. Although the colony of Liberia was established in 1822 and some African Americans emigrated there, by the late 1820s, it became obvious that colonization was impractical. The Society could not afford to purchase nearly 4 million slaves, and very few African Americans wanted to move to Africa. Many recognized colonization as a way for the United States to rid itself of its black population.

      By the 1830s, the U.S. abolitionist movement had changed its focus, mostly because of the leadership of speaker, editor, and publisher William Lloyd Garrison. He demanded immediatism, the immediate end to slavery and establishment of equal rights for all African Americans. Garrison helped found the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833, and following his lead, hundreds of antislavery societies were created in the North.

      In the 1840s, the abolitionist movement split again with Garrison and his followers championing the most radical view. They believed that men should refuse to hold political office, vote, or use the courts until slavery was ended. Any government that upheld slavery by allowing it to continue should be shunned. On the other side were abolitionist leaders who determined to use politics. Some, like members of the Free-Soil Party and the Liberty Party, wanted to prevent slavery from spreading westward rather than to abolish it. Others wanted to use political means to end slavery.

      Among those who became powerful speakers against slavery were ex-slaves Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass.

      Many white women were drawn to the antislavery cause in the 1830s and 1840s because of strong religious or moral principles. Some women joined the movement because, like both enslaved and free blacks, white women were denied many political and economic rights. Among the women who became prominent in antislavery circles were the Southern sisters, Sarah and Angelina Grimké. In 1837, Sarah wrote about the similarities between women and slaves.

      Uncle Tom’s Cabin

      By the late 1850s, the abolitionist movement had reached its peak as an increasing number of Northerners began to oppose slavery. In 1852, abolitionist and author Harriet Beecher Stowe published the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Stowe’s book was written to protest the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. This law required that all runaway slaves, regardless of where they were found, be returned to their owners. This meant that any formerly enslaved person could be forced back into slavery. Stowe also hoped to bring more Northerners to the cause of abolition through

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