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practice testMultiple Choice

Practice Test

Question 1 • United States History

Which of these events contributed to Joseph McCarthy’s rise to power during the early 1950s?

Answer
A
Republicans gained control of both houses of Congress.
B
The Senate passed a resolution to censure McCarthy.
C
The House Un-American Activities Committee was formed.
D
Alger Hiss was prosecuted and convicted as a Soviet spy.

Explanation

The Alger Hiss case heightened public fears that Soviet agents had infiltrated the U.S. government. Hiss was convicted of perjury in 1950 after denying accusations that he had passed secrets to the Soviets, and McCarthy used the broader climate of anti-communism to gain support. The House Un-American Activities Committee had been formed earlier, while the Senate’s censure of McCarthy came later and marked his decline.

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