USHC EOC Review

Front

Which factor best explains the difference in economic activity between the northern and southern colonies? Options: The North had limited access to the Atlantic Ocean, The South lacked skilled laborers for manufacturing, The North had better conditions for large-scale agriculture, The South had fertile land and a warm climate suited for cash crops.

Back

The South had fertile land and a warm climate suited for cash crops.

Answer explanation

The southern colonies’ agricultural economy was shaped by geography: fertile soil and a longer growing season made plantation farming ideal.

Front

Which conclusion best explains how this excerpt illustrates a major debate in early U.S. foreign policy?

Back

It reflects early fears that alliances with foreign powers could drag the United States into unnecessary wars.

Answer explanation

Washington warned against permanent foreign alliances, fearing they would involve the young nation in costly conflicts. His advice marked a foundational principle in U.S. foreign policy debates through the early 1800s.

Front

Which change in political thinking occurred in the American colonies between 1763 and 1800? Options: Colonists increasingly believed their rights came from the king, not Parliament. Colonists accepted higher taxes in exchange for stronger British protection. Many colonists began to view government as a contract between the people and their rulers. Most colonists rejected Enlightenment ideas and returned to loyalty under the British crown.

Back

Many colonists began to view government as a contract between the people and their rulers.

Answer explanation

After 1763, British actions sparked a shift toward Enlightenment principles like the social contract, believing governments should protect rights and be accountable to the governed.

Front

What does this cartoon reveal about early efforts to form a shared colonial identity?

Back

Colonists recognized that cooperation was necessary for mutual survival

Answer explanation

The cartoon uses fear of division to argue for unity—first against the French, then revived against Britain, showing growing inter-colonial awareness and identity.

Front

Which best describes the shift in U.S. foreign policy between these two presidents? Options: From imperial expansion to peaceful neutrality, From support for British military to support for France, From a commitment to neutrality to a willingness to engage in war, From economic isolation to colonial conquest

Back

From a commitment to neutrality to a willingness to engage in war

Answer explanation

Washington urged the U.S. to avoid alliances and war, while Madison declared war against Britain for violating American neutrality, showing a shift in how the U.S. acted on the global stage.

Front

How did Madison’s concern in this excerpt shape the U.S. Constitution?

Back

It resulted in a system of separated powers and checks and balances

Answer explanation

Madison believed in the need for a government strong enough to rule but restrained enough to prevent tyranny, leading to three branches and a system of checks and balances in the Constitution.

Front

What does this conflict reveal about early American government?

Back

That debates over individual rights and federal power began early in U.S. history

Answer explanation

The Alien and Sedition Acts sparked a constitutional crisis about free speech and the limits of federal authority.

Front

How does the 1851 painting by Emanuel Leutze of George Washington crossing an icy river contribute to the national memory of the American founding?

Back

It idealizes Revolutionary leadership and American perseverance.

Answer explanation

The heroic posture, lighting, and dramatic imagery reinforce a patriotic myth of Washington as a brave and unshakable leader.

Front

Based on the excerpts, what issue most divided the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification of the Constitution?

Back

Whether individual rights would be protected under the new government.

Answer explanation

Anti-Federalists like Mason demanded a Bill of Rights to protect freedoms, while Federalists like Hamilton believed it was unnecessary because the Constitution did not grant power to restrict those rights.

Front

What does Adams believe is at stake in the debate over slavery and western expansion?

Back

The survival of the Union itself

Answer explanation

Adams feared that conflict over the expansion of slavery could tear the country apart which was an early warning of sectional crisis.