GED Social Studies Test #5 3

Question 1

The concept of "popular sovereignty" means:

Accepted Answer

Political authority comes from the consent of the governed

Answer

Popular sovereignty is the principle that government derives its authority from the people. It is a foundation of American democracy, expressed in the Declaration of Independence: governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed."

Question 2

The New Deal programs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1939) were primarily responses to:

Accepted Answer

The Great Depression — mass unemployment and economic collapse

Answer

The New Deal was FDR's response to the Great Depression (1929–1939), which caused 25% unemployment and widespread economic suffering. Programs created jobs, regulated banks, and established social safety nets like Social Security.

Question 3

A political cartoon shows a factory owner growing larger while workers grow smaller. This most likely represents the cartoonist's view that:

Accepted Answer

Corporate power is growing while workers' economic power is declining

Answer

Political cartoons use visual symbolism to express opinions. A growing owner and shrinking workers symbolize increasing inequality — the cartoonist is criticizing the concentration of wealth and power among business owners at workers' expense.

Question 4

The primary function of the Federal Reserve (the "Fed") is to:

Accepted Answer

Manage monetary policy and regulate the money supply to maintain economic stability

Answer

The Federal Reserve is the U.S. central bank. It manages monetary policy by setting interest rates and controlling the money supply, aiming to maintain low inflation, maximum employment, and stable economic growth.

Question 5

The term "détente" in U.S.-Soviet Cold War relations refers to:

Accepted Answer

A period of relaxed tensions and improved diplomatic relations

Answer

Détente (French for "relaxation") was a period in the 1970s when the U.S. and USSR sought to reduce Cold War tensions through diplomacy, arms control treaties (SALT), and trade agreements.

GED Practice Test

GED Practice Test

GED Social Studies Test #5 3