SDC History Challenge Exam Questions
with 100% Correct Answers
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) - ✔✔National Union/Republican (Liberal
back then)
-Civil War
-Emancipation Proclamation (Freedom Manifesto) abolished slavery in
North
-13th Amendment
-Battle of Gettysburg
-Domestic Affairs (borders)
-Homestead Act of 1862 (encouraged Western migration by providing
settlers 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid small
filing fee and required to complete five years of continuous residence
before receiving ownership of the land)
-Assassinated by John Wilkes Booth
,©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
-Foreign Affairs: Preventing foreign recognition of the Confederacy &
blockade of Confederate ports
Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) - ✔✔National Union/Republican (Liberal
back then)
-Reconstruction
-First president impeached (tried to dismiss Edwin M. Stanton w/o
permission of Senate ((Tenure of Office Act)))
-Purchased Alaska (Seward's Folly)
-Black Suffrage
-14th Amendment (give citizenship to slaves who were freed after civil war)
-Force out French puppet state in Mexico (Maximilian)
-Repair Anglo (Hispanic)-American Relations
-Loyal to union
Ulysses Grant (1869-1877) - ✔✔Republican
-Union military hero of the Civil War
-Reconstruction continued
-Fought for Blacks' rights
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-Black Friday scandal: James Fisk and Jay Gould tried to influence the gov.
and manipulate gold market. Plot failed resulted in financial panic on
September 24, 1869.
-Whiskey Ring scandal: group of whiskey distillers (and President's
secretary) didn't pay federal taxes on whisky were making/selling.
Collected taxes from consumers and split money
-Credit Mobilier Scandal: Crédit Mobilier of America was company created
by Union Pacific RR to funnel money during building of transcontinental
RR. Money split between investors (VP was part of it)
Rutherford Hayes (1877-1881) - ✔✔Republican
-Spoils system: appointed friends and political supporters to federal
position in exchange for support (no experience needed). Republicans
wanted it to end bc it was too corrupt.
-Compromise of 1877: states federal government pulled the last troops out
of the South, and formally ended the Reconstruction Era exchanged for his
getting presidency
James A. Garfield (1881) - ✔✔Republican
-Civil service reform
-Chinese immigration
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-Assassinated by Charles Guiteau who was angry bc he didn't get a job in
the gov.
-Assassination led to Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act (positions within
the federal government should be awarded by skill, not relationship).
-Anti Spoils system
Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885) - ✔✔Republican
-Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883
-Chinese Exclusion Act
-Oppose high tariff
-Father of the Steel Navy: sought construction of steam-powered steel
cruisers, steel rams, and steel-clad gunboats.
-Discussion of Panama Canal (pushed for its building)
Grover Cleveland (1885-1889) - ✔✔-Democrat
-Knights of Labor, 1886
-Haymarket Riot, 1886
-Interstate Commerce Act, 1887
-Washburn v. Illinois, 1886
Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893) - ✔✔Republican
-supported higher tariffs