When the United States was founded at the end of the eighteenth centur

Question

When the United States was founded at the end of the eighteenth century, it was a small and weak country, made up mostly of poor farmers. Foreign policy, reflecting this domestic condition, stressed “no entangling alliances.”The State Department then had a staff of less than half a dozen persons, whose total salary was $6,600 (of which $3,500 went to the Secretary of State), and a diplomatic service budget (July, 1790) of $40,000. Militarily, too, the country was insignificant. The first United States army, soon after the American Revolution, was made up of one captain (John Doughty) and 80 men. Clearly, the United States did not consider itself a real power and was not taken seriously by the rest of the world.

It was not until immense changes took place inside the United States that the country began to play an important role in foreign affairs. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the United States had ceased to be a predominantly agricultural nation and had become an industrial one. Its population had grown to more than 30 times its original number. George Washington was president of 3,000,000 Americans; Theodore Roosevelt, of 100,000,000.    1 
 1. A country today cannot expect to play an important part in world affairs unless it

I. has wealth
II. has a large population
III. is strong internally

(A) I only
(B) III only
(C) I and II only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II, and III

2 
 2. The writer seems to think that a major factor in making the United States a world power was

(A) industrialization
(B) the passing of time
(C) a change in government policies
(D) the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt
(E) the avoidance of entangling alliances

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 82 Date: 24-Feb-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Tanvay · Answer

1 - All 3 things are mentioned in the passage because of which USA become powerful

2- Let us go through the options

(A) industrialization - Mentioned clearly in 2nd Para
(B) the passing of time - Not mentioned
(C) a change in government policies - Not mentioned. Please note internal issues are mentioned and not gp
(D) the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt - irrelevant
(E) the avoidance of entangling alliances - not mentioned.

FarhinR · Answer

Question 1:
The passage stated that the country was weak, had no real power and was not taken seriously by the rest of the world for the following reasons: 
(I) Lack of wealth: the farmers were poor, and the diplomatic service budget was low. 
(II) Low population- Less staff in the State Department, Insignificant military, 80 men in the army. Additionally, when it started to gain power, its population started to grow, indicates that it is a factor to consider.
(III) Became internally strong- due to agriculture and industrialization.

Question 2:
Both agriculture and industrialization played a role; however, the options only have industrialization.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. A country today cannot expect to play an important part in world affairs unless it

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

The passage describes the transformation of the United States from a small and weak country into a significant player in world affairs. It states that immense changes took place inside the United States, including the transition from an agricultural to an industrial nation and a significant population growth. These changes allowed the United States to play an important role in foreign affairs.

Based on the information provided, we can infer that for a country to play an important part in world affairs, it needs:

I. Wealth:  The passage mentions the transformation of the United States into an industrial nation, indicating the importance of economic strength.

II. A large population:  The passage highlights the substantial growth in the population of the United States, indicating that a large population contributes to a country's significance in world affairs.

III. Internal strength:  The passage emphasizes the immense changes that took place inside the United States, suggesting that internal strength, which could include factors like military power, political stability, and social cohesion, is necessary for a country to play an important role in world affairs.

Therefore, all three factors - wealth, a large population, and internal strength - are essential for a country to expect to play an important part in world affairs. Hence, the correct answer is  (E)  I, II, and III.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

2. The writer seems to think that a major factor in making the United States a world power was

Difficulty Level:   550

Explanation

The passage describes the transformation of the United States from a small and weak country into a significant player in world affairs. It highlights the immense changes that took place inside the United States, including the transition from a predominantly agricultural nation to an industrial one. It also mentions the substantial growth in the country's population. These changes are presented as the factors that led to the United States playing an important role in foreign affairs.

Given this information, we can infer that the writer attributes industrialization as a major factor in making the United States a world power. Industrialization refers to the development of industries and the shift towards an economy based on manufacturing and technological advancements. The passage suggests that the United States' transformation into an industrial nation contributed to its rise as a world power.

The other answer choices are not explicitly supported by the passage:

(B)  The passing of time: While the passage mentions changes over time, it does not explicitly state that the passing of time alone was a major factor in making the United States a world power.

(C)  A change in government policies: The passage does not emphasize specific government policies as a major factor in the United States' rise as a world power. It focuses more on the country's internal changes.

(D)  The presidency of Theodore Roosevelt: While the passage mentions Theodore Roosevelt as a president, it does not suggest that his presidency alone was a major factor in the United States becoming a world power. The passage highlights broader changes within the country.

(E)  The avoidance of entangling alliances: The passage mentions the United States' foreign policy of "no entangling alliances" but does not explicitly suggest that this policy was a major factor in the country's rise as a world power. It emphasizes the internal changes and industrialization instead.

Therefore, based on the information provided, the writer seems to attribute the major factor in making the United States a world power to (A) industrialization.

Answer: A

Prob2303 · Answer

Hello Sajjad,

Can I get a brief summary of the passage?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Summary of the Passage

At its founding, the United States was a small and weak country with a focus on avoiding international entanglements. With minimal military and diplomatic capabilities, it was not considered a significant global power. However, substantial internal changes, including industrialization and population growth, transformed the U.S. into a major player in foreign affairs by the early 20th century.

When the United States was founded at the end of the eighteenth centur

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When the United States was founded at the end of the eighteenth centur

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