UNITED STATES HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT
February Break Practice
Part I
Student Name: ______
Teacher: ______
Part / Possible Points / Student PointsPart I50 Multiple-Choice Questions / 50
Part IIDocument-Based Questions Scaffolding / 10
Total
Approximate score
SSE-69 (1/10/17)Page 1
U.S. History and Government
February Break
U.S. History - Multiple-Choice - Scantron
Directions: Answer all items in this part. For each statement or each question, use the separate answer sheet to bubble in the letter of the best answer.
1.Which city is paired with the geographical feature that directly contributed to its growth?
A.San Francisco – Rocky Mountains
B.New Orleans – Mississippi River
C.Pittsburgh – Hudson River
D.Cleveland – Atlantic Coastal Plain
2. The physical features of a place include
A.human life, artifacts, economics, government and history.
B.seasons, weather, rainfall and plains.
C.soil, plant life, mountains and bodies of water.
D.language, religion, planets, politics and culture.
3.The agreement that united the Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Mohawk and Seneca people into the powerful Iroquois Confederacy was the
A.Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace.
B.Indian Reorganization Act.
C.Canandaigua Treaty.
D.Indian Removal Act.
4.During the 18th century in the original thirteen English colonies, the northern economy differed from the southern economy in that
A.many northern colonists relied on Native Americans to work farms and plantations.
B.the northern colonists never used slave labor to work agriculture and industry.
C.the southern colonists relied on mainly fishing and farming.
D.many southern colonists used enslaved people to work on farms and plantations.
5. Which of the following groups is correctly paired with why they came to the present-day United States?
A.English – economic opportunities and servant of the Dutch
B.Dutch – worship freely as Muslims and start a new life
C.Spanish – search for wealth and as missionaries
D.French – for rich farmland in Canada
6.Conflict between Native Americans and European colonists was a result of the
A.Europeans building houses and farms on land belonging to Native Americans.
B.Native Americans not wanting to share their food.
C.European men marrying the Native women.
D.Europeans fishing and establishing corn plantations.
7.The status of women in colonial times best reflected
A.a continuation of traditional European attitudes.
B.the lack of work opportunities for women in an agricultural society.
C.the participation of women in political elections.
D.the surplus of women in frontier societies.
8.The idea of natural rights is best defined as
A.an individual’s duties to their government.
B.the economic interests of the people.
C.a government’s powers over its citizens.
D.rights belonging to all people because they are human.
9.Which quotation from the Declaration of Independence describes the fundamental principle of government in the United States?
A.“imposing taxes on us without our consent”
B.“governments long established should not be changed for light and transient
causes”
C.“depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury”
D.“deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”
10.The Federal government that was created under the Articles of Confederation lasted only a few years because the government
A.supported the extension of slavery into the Northwest Territory.
B.lacked the ability to enforce its authority.
C.circulated a uniform paper currency.
D.compelled the states to abide by its treaties.
11.The purpose of the Three-Fifths Compromise, which was adopted by the Constitutional Convention of 1787, was to
A.balance power between states with large populations and those with smaller
populations.
B.help decide disputed presidential elections.
C.allow Congress to override a presidential veto of acts passed by both Houses.
D.reduce the fear of loss of representation by Southern States with large slave
populations.
12.The flexibility of the original United States Constitution is due mainly to
A.its provision for the amending process and elastic clause.
B.its guarantee of freedom and justice for all people.
C.the extensive powers delegated to the executive branch.
D.the willingness of the states to accept Federal control.
13.The Bill of Rights was added to the United States Constitution primarily to
A.protect citizens from state governments.
B.guarantee economic equality to all people living in the United States.
C.expand the delegated powers of the Federal Government.
D.protect citizens from excessive power of the Federal Government.
14.Which is a valid statement about the national nominating conventions of the major political parties in the United States?
A.They are provided for in the Constitution.
B.They are a creation of the age of radio and television.
C.They have formed the basic nominating procedures since the mid-19th century.
D.They have been waived for incumbent Presidents who desire the nomination.
The following quotation contains a point of view expressed at the Constitutional Convention (1789).
“...The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right. Give therefore to the [upper] class a permanent share in the government. They will check the unsteadiness of the [lower], and as they cannot receive any advantage by a change, they will ever maintain good government....”
15.Viewpoints such as the above led the authors of the Constitution to include
A.protection of civil liberties.C.the electoral college.
B.judicial review.D.the “elastic clause”.
16.At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, the Great Compromise settled the issue of representation in Congress by
A.giving each state two senators and a number of representatives based on
population.
B.allowing all states to have equal representation in Congress.
C.having both houses of Congress chosen by the state legislatures.
D.having both houses of Congress elected directly by the people.
17.Much of the authority of the United States Supreme Court is based on its power to
A.propose legislation to Congress.
B.change the distribution of powers as outlined in the Federal Constitution.
C.amend state and federal constitutions.
D.interpret the Federal Constitution.
18.Which best illustrates the concept of federalism as it is reflected in the United States Government structure?
A.The constitutional system of checks and balances tends to concentrate power in
the judicial branch.
B.The Constitution assigns some responsibilities to the Federal Government and
some to the States, while others are shared by Federal and State governments.
C.According to the Constitution, economic power is divided among the Federal
Government, union leaders, and business officials.
D.Authority to make, implement, and enforce decisions is derived from a written
constitution.
19.All delegates who were in attendance at the Constitutional Convention were
A.naturalized citizens of Britain.C.white, male landowners.
B.not yet citizens of Philadelphia.D.wealthy southern farmers.
20.Actions and policies of the Government under President George Washington generally resulted in the
A.establishment of strong political ties with other nations.
B.liberation of many enslaved persons.
C.failure to create a sound financial program for the country.
D.strengthening of the Federal Government.
21.In the United States during the late 1780s, the Federalists were most likely to support
A.continued loyalty to the British Government.
B.establishment of a weak national government.
C.strengthening of States rights.
D.ratification of the United States Constitution.
22.Adherence to a strict interpretation of the Constitution would have prevented President Thomas Jefferson from
A.making the Louisiana Purchase.
B.writing “State of the Union” messages.
C.receiving ambassadors.
D.commissioning military officers.
23.“No man has a right to fix the boundary of the march of a nation; no man has a right to say to his country: this far you should go and no further.”
The author of this statement would most likely have supported the United States policy of
A.containment.C.sectionalism.
B.manifest destiny.D.isolationism.
24.In announcing the Monroe Doctrine, President Monroe aimed to
A.protect United States interests in the Pacific Ocean.
B.block Cuban expansion in Africa.
C.increase United States influence in European affairs.
D.prevent European nations from establishing new colonies in the Western
Hemisphere (Latin America).
25.President Andrew Jackson’s Native American policy resulted in which of the following?
A.The first effort to grant citizenship to Native Americans.
B.The division of tribal lands into small farms.
C.Uprisings of many tribes against government.
D.The forced removal of the Cherokee from Georgia.
Base your answers to questions 26 and 27 on the quote below and on your knowledge of social studies.
“How can an industrialized Northeast, a plantation South, and a small farms West peacefully share the same nation?”
26.This quotation best describes the United States during which time period?
A.Federal Era (1789-1800)
B.Pre-Civil War (1820-1860)
C.Era of Overseas Expansion (1898-1914)
D.Reconstruction (1865-1877)
27.Which term can be most accurately applied to the situation in the quotation?
A.sectionalismC.liberalism
B.protectionismD.militarism
28.In the United States during the first half of the 19th century, reformers who advocated the rights of women also most often supported
A.the abolition of slavery.
B.the provision of free land to new settlers.
C.increases in immigration.
D.territorial expansion into Mexico and Canada.
29.What is the most valid conclusion to be drawn from the following statement?
“In the pre-Civil War South, less than one-fourth of the white families owned slaves. Yet, the slave owners dominated the economic thinking of the South.”
A.The South suffered from a shortage of slave labor.
B.The majority of white Southerners opposed slavery.
C.Only a small proportion of the people in the South were white.
D.Slave owners had an influence out of proportion to their numbers.
30.According to this graph, even though industry started to employ many people,
A.population in rural areas was three times greater than the population in urban
areas in 1810.
B.only 10 million people lived in the U.S. in 1830.
C.the majority of Americans lived in rural areas.
D.the majority of Americans lived in urban areas.
31.Between 1820 and 1860, the greatest problem created by the proposed admission of a new state into the Union was
A.whether the new state would allow slavery.
B.whether the new state had many natural resources.
C.where the new state’s boundaries would be located.
D.how many representatives the new state would have in Congress.
32.Which was the most direct result of the use of interchangeable parts in industry?
A.an increase in the amount of goods produced
B.massive unemployment among unskilled workers
C.a decrease in the number of profitable large businesses
D.an increase in the number of hours needed to make a product
33.Which was a major result of the Homestead Act of 1862?
A.increased public awareness of the need for conservation of natural resources
B.increased development of Western lands
C.decreased conflicts between Native American Indians and white settlers
D.decreased economic opportunities for easterners
34.Early in his Presidency, Abraham Lincoln declared that his primary goal as President was to
A.enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.
B.preserve the Union.
C.end slavery throughout the entire country.
D.encourage sectionalism.
35.The purpose of Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation was to
A.grant “freedom” to all African people in the United States and beyond.
B.“free” African people who were living in states that were rebelling.
C.make African soldiers equal to all other soldiers in the Confederacy.
D.immediately stop the fighting between the northwest and southeast.
36.In the period after the Civil War, many southern state governments established poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses in an attempt to
A.deprive African Americans of the right to vote.
B.improve economic conditions for the poor.
C.restore the Reconstruction period.
D. increase the public's participation in government.
Base your answer to question 37 on the quote below and your knowledge of social studies.
“Although important strides were made, Reconstruction failed to provide lasting guarantees of the civil rights of the freedmen”
37.Which evidence best supports this statement?
A.passage of Jim Crow Laws in the latter part of the 19th century
B.ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments
C.refusal of Southern States to allow sharecropping
D.passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
38.The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is important because, in addition to awarding citizenship to former slaves, it
A.guarantees women the right to vote.
B.abolishes the poll tax.
C.guarantees equal protection under the law
D.provides protection against illegal searches and seizures.
39.During the period 1865-1900, government contributed to the growth of corporations mainly by
A.giving them direct aid when they went bankrupt.
B.allowing them to develop with few restrictions.
C.providing low-cost housing for their workers.
D.buying large amounts of corporate stocks.
40.Natural resources, technology, labor, and transportation are necessary for a nation to achieve
A.democracy.C.a free-enterprise system.
B.industrialization.D.nationalism.
41.Which is a fundamental characteristic of a free market economy?
A.Traditional methods of production are used.
B.Governmental economic plans are followed to meet market demand.
C.Consumer market tastes are shaped by product advertising.
D.Prices are determined by the forces of supply and demand.
Base your answer to question 42 on the quote below and your knowledge of social studies.
“Not evil, but good, has come to people from the accumulation of wealth by those who have the ability and energy that produce it.”
42.The author of this statement would most probably support
A.government ownership of the means of production.
B.equal distribution of income.
C.increased capital investment from foreign sources.
D.the doctrine of laissez-faire.
43.When writing about warfare between the United States cavalry and Native American tribes in the Old West, some authors called the outcome a victory when the cavalry won, and a massacre when the tribes won. Which is the most valid conclusion that can be drawn from this interpretation?
A.Certain American art forms have traditionally emphasized violence.
B.Biased reports are often used to justify historical injustice.
C.Writers have objectively portrayed American society.
D.Most writers are of Native American (American Indian) descent.
Base your answer to question 44 on the quote below and your knowledge of social studies.
“Every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade…is…illegal.”
44.The law from which this quotation was taken was passed to enable the Federal Government to control
A.tariff rates.
B.monopolistic business organizations.
C.large-city political machines.
D.farm cooperatives and unions.
45.Why did the United States follow a policy of unrestricted immigration for Europeans during most of the 1800s?
A.Business and industry depended on the foreign capital brought by immigrants.
B.The American economy needed many unskilled workers.
C.Most Americans desired a more diversified culture.
D.The United States wanted to help European nations by taking in their surplus
population.
46.In the United States in the last quarter of the 19th century, a major cause of farmer discontent was the
A.belief that the railroads were exploiting the farmer.
B.depletion of the soil by poor farming methods.
C.steadily increasing flow of immigrants settling on farms.
D.elimination of free homesteads by the Federal Government.
47.In the United States, the major role of third parties has been to
A.elect Presidents.
B.try to destroy the two-party system.
C.regulate the Federal Government.
D.voice the concerns held by political minorities.
48.Suffragists such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were most interested in bringing about
A.antitrust legislation.C.women’s right to vote.
B.consumer protection laws.D.a fair income tax.
49.The Chinese Exclusion Act, the Gentlemen’s Agreement, and the National Origins Act all show that at times the United States
A.opposed the principle of open immigration.
B.supported the restriction of immigration from western Europe.
C.encouraged immigrants who would provide cheap labor.
D.favored immigration from all parts of the world.
50.This cartoonist probably believes
A.the United States was founded by immigrants of all nationalities.
B.Native Americans view U.S. citizens as illegal immigrants.
C.only children should be allowed to stay today.
D.Native Americans support American policies of deporting illegal immigrants.
immigrants.
SSE-69 (1/10/17)Page 1
U.S. History and Government
Midterm Examination—January 2001
CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
UNITED STATES HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
January 2001
Parts II and III
Student Name: ______
Teacher: ______
Part / Possible Points / Points EarnedPart IIDocument-Based Questions Scaffolding
Document-Based Essay / 10
20 / ______
______
Part IIIThematic Essay / 20 / ______
Parts II and III are answered in this booklet. Scrap paper should be provided.
SSE-69 (1/10/17)Page 1
U.S. History and Government
Midterm Examination—January 2001
Answers to the essay questions are to be written in this essay booklet. In developing your answers to Part II and Part III, be sure to keep these general definitions in mind:
A.discuss means “to make observations about something using facts, reasoning, arguments, to present in some detail”
B.describe means “to illustrate something in words or tell about it”
C.evaluate means “ to examine and judge the significance, worth, or condition of; to determine the value of”
Part II: Thematic Essay (20 points)
Directions: Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several paragraphs addressing the task below, and a conclusion. [Refer to the Thematic Essay Rubric as a guide in earning the most points for your response.] [20 points]
Theme: Rights in the Constitution
In the Bill of Rights and the rest of the amendments to the United States Constitution, there are many rights guaranteed to citizens. Many amendments have come through struggles and are still important to us today.