In the 1952 election, the president won the majority in 41 of the lower 48 states. How many states is that?

In the 1952 election, the president won the majority in 41 of the lower 48 states. How many states is that?

• A. 35
• B. 41
• C. 44
• D. 49

Answer: (B)

This question tests your recall of how many states a candidate carried by a majority in the 1952 election, specifically within the forty-eight states that existed at that time. Alaska and Hawaii weren’t states yet, so the tally comes from the lower forty-eight. In that election, Dwight D. Eisenhower won in a broad landslide, capturing a large majority of those states. The final count by states is forty-one carried by the president by majority, with the remaining states voting for his opponent. So forty-one is the number that matches the actual historical result. Think of it as a measure of how widespread his support was across the country, not just his electoral votes. The other possible counts would either exceed the number of states available or reflect a less sweeping victory than what occurred.

This question tests your recall of how many states a candidate carried by a majority in the 1952 election, specifically within the forty-eight states that existed at that time. Alaska and Hawaii weren’t states yet, so the tally comes from the lower forty-eight.

In that election, Dwight D. Eisenhower won in a broad landslide, capturing a large majority of those states. The final count by states is forty-one carried by the president by majority, with the remaining states voting for his opponent. So forty-one is the number that matches the actual historical result.

Think of it as a measure of how widespread his support was across the country, not just his electoral votes. The other possible counts would either exceed the number of states available or reflect a less sweeping victory than what occurred.