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59. The correct answer is (D). The French used the vast system of inland waterways in North America
to explore North America:
St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, was established in Florida by the Spanish in 1565.

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U.S History Subject Test
149
ARCO
■ SAT II Subject Tests
w w w . p e t e r s o n s . c o m / a r c o
60. The correct answer is (A). By the time Columbus “discovered” the New World, it was already
inhabited by 15 million to 20 million people. It is now believed that the first inhabitants of North
America came from Siberia and crossed over a land bridge at the site of what is now the Bering Strait.
61. The correct answer is (C). Criminal codes classify crimes according to their seriousness. The more
serious crimes, such as rape, kidnapping, and murder, are called felonies. The less serious crimes, such
as petty theft, disorderly conduct, and trespassing, are called misdemeanors. Felonies are, of course,
punished more severely than misdemeanors. Conviction of a misdemeanor usually warrants probation,
a fine, or a short jail term. Conviction of a felony can result in heavy fines and a long term of imprison-
ment. Criminal codes also include a third category: offenses or violations. This category covers actions
such as smoking in a nonsmoking area, violating the public health code, and traffic infractions. Viola-
tions are treated as quasi-criminal actions and are tried using some variation of the usual rules of crimi-
nal procedure. But conviction of a violation or offense doesn’t result in a criminal record.
62. The correct answer is (B). World War I was precipitated by the assassination of the Austrian Arch-
duke at Sarajevo in 1914, but the United States did not immediately enter the war. Although most
Americans tended to sympathize with Great Britain and to distrust Germany, the express policy of the
United States government was neutrality. Gradually, however, the events of the war, amplified by
British propaganda, polarized the Americans, and most favored the British. The immediate cause for
U.S. entry into the war was German submarine warfare. In 1915, hoping to stop supplies coming from
Britain, Germany announced that it would thenceforth consider the waters surrounding the British Isles
a war zone and warned neutral ships to stay clear. The main weapon for enforcing the blockade was the
submarine. In 1915, a German U boat (for unterseeboot) torpedoed and sank the British passenger liner
Lusitania. Over a hundred American passengers were lost. After strong protest by the United States, the
German government promised that it would sink no more passenger ships. But in March 1916, a Ger-
man submarine mistakenly sank the ferry Sussex in the English Channel. This time the German govern-
ment responded with the Sussex Pledge promising that it would not attack merchant vessels without
warning. This move reduced tensions with the United States but also permitted supplies to reach the
Allied forces in Europe. In 1916, Wilson’s supporters coined the slogan “He kept us out of war.” But in
early 1917, Germany decided that it could not win the war without enforcing the blockade and an-
nounced the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare. Several American merchant ships were
sunk. In February, the British intercepted a message from the German foreign secretary, Alfred
Zimmerman, to the German ambassador in Mexico, instructing the Ambassador to offer Mexico a mili-
tary alliance against the United States with the promise it would help Mexico recover lost territory. On
April 2, President Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war.