The 1920s: cars, radio, the Harlem Renaissance and Prohibition

Grade 11 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Cards A to F. Card A, a cause and effect chain in our words. Long-term causes: wartime fears for national security; the 1917 revolution in Russia and an over-hyped Red Scare; sometimes violent labor strikes across the country. Trigger: in 1919, a series of attacks with explosives, including at Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer's home. Effects: in December 1919 suspected radicals were deported to Russia on a ship the press called the "Soviet Ark"; in January 1920 raids in many cities arrested thousands of suspected radicals and foreigners, with poor planning. Card B, in our words: a 1921 law limited immigrants to 3 percent of each nationality counted in the 1910 census. The 1924 Immigration Act limited them to 2 percent of each nationality counted in the 1890 census and shut out all immigrants from Asia. Using an earlier census lowered the share of Southern and Eastern Europeans. Card C, exact, the 18th Amendment, ratified January 16, 1919, Section 1: "After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited." It took effect on January 17, 1920, and the 21st Amendment repealed it on December 5, 1933. Card D, a summary in our words: the FBI says the raids of 1920 taught lessons about protecting civil liberties and constitutional rights. Card E, an example made up for this sheet, not real data: the census of 1910 counted 400,000 people of one nationality, called Country X, living in the United States, and the census of 1890 counted 100,000. Card F, a note in our words: card B's quotas applied to each nationality separately, as a share of that nationality's count in the base census.

2. 1.

   Under card B's 1921 rule, Country X on card E has a yearly limit of 12,000. Ari hears that the 1924 change from 3 to 2 percent cut it to 8,000. What is missing?

   • The percent fell again, to 1 percent, so the limit became 4,000
   • Nothing is missing, since the percent is the sole thing that changed in 1924
   • The base year also moved to 1890, so the limit became 2,000
   • The base year moved to 1890, so the limit rose to 20,000
3. 2.

   Bo wants to show the base year's effect alone on Country X. Which comparison is fair?

   • 3 percent of 1910 against 2 percent of 1890: 12,000 against 2,000
   • 3 percent of 1890 against 2 percent of 1910: 3,000 against 8,000
   • 2 percent of 1890 against 3 percent of 1890: 2,000 against 3,000
   • 2 percent of both counts: 8,000 from 1910 against 2,000 from 1890
4. 3.

   Card B says an earlier census lowered the share of Southern and Eastern Europeans. Esme asks why a base year matters.

   • A base year has no effect, since the percent is the same for each nationality
   • More people from those regions had arrived by 1890, so their limits were larger
   • The 1890 census undercounted those regions, so their limits were smaller
   • Fewer people from those regions had arrived by 1890, so their limits were smaller
5. 4.

   A friend says "Section 1 made it a crime to drink." What does the text of card C show Jun?

   • It sets penalties, since "hereby prohibited" carries them with it
   • It names drinking, since "for beverage purposes" means drinking it
   • It names owning, since selling and moving liquor imply that a person owns it
   • It names making, selling, moving and importing liquor for drink, not drinking
6. 5.

   A student says the Red Scare was caused by the Russian Revolution alone. What is the best reply from card A, Luz asks?

   • Card A shows the Revolution mattered least, since it is listed second
   • Card A shows the strikes alone caused the Red Scare
   • Card A shows the Revolution was the trigger, so it was the cause
   • Card A lists three long-term causes and a trigger, so one is too little
7. 6.

   A student says the quotas of 1921 and 1924 continued the Red Scare's fear of foreigners. What do cards A and B support, Noah asks?

   • There is no link, since one used arrests and the other used laws
   • The raids caused the quotas, since the raids came first
   • Both answered fear, but the raids are not shown to cause the quotas
   • The quotas ended the Red Scare, since they came after it
8. 7.

   Which statement about card B's two laws is supported, Pia asks?

   • The 1924 law used a smaller percent and an earlier census, lowering that share
   • The 1924 law used a larger percent and a later census, which raised that share
   • Both laws used the 1890 census, and they differed just by the percent
   • The 1921 law shut out immigrants from Asia, and the 1924 law did not
9. 8.

   A ship brings intoxicating liquors from abroad to sell as drink. Under card C, how does Ren treat the import?

   • It is covered if the liquor is drunk on the ship, since drinking is named
   • It is not covered before January 1920, but it was covered from ratification in 1919
   • It is not covered, since the text names just making liquor inside the country
   • It is covered, since importation of such liquors for beverage purposes is named
10. 9.

    Tala's note says: "Prohibition was repealed in 1933 because it was unpopular." What does card C support?

    • It supports the note, since repeal follows when a law has lost public support
    • It contradicts the note, since a constitutional amendment ended it rather than public opinion
    • It dates the repeal to December 5, 1933 but gives no reason for it
    • It supports the note on cost, since the card says Prohibition lasted nearly fourteen years
11. 10.

    Which phrase on card A labels the fear as bigger than the facts, Zee asks?

    • "an over-hyped Red Scare"
    • "with poor planning"
    • "suspected radicals and foreigners"
    • "sometimes violent labor strikes"