STAAR Practice Test

This table shows details about two English colonies in North America.

Which purpose completes the table for why these colonies were established?

• To block Spanish settlements

• To avoid debtors’ prison

• To extend triangular trade routes

• To escape religious persecution

This time line shows events associated with the colonial government in Virginia. Based on this time line and your knowledge of U.S. history, why was the House of Burgesses important in the development of the United States?

• It was the first time elected representative government flourished in an English colony.

• It was the first time governmental powers were separated in an English colony.

• It was the first time women were granted government voting rights in an English colony.

• It was the first time governmental powers were balanced in an English colony.

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, which cause of sectionalism did Lincoln “hate”?

• The spread of slavery

• Northern manufacturing

• Western expansion

• The enforcement of tariffs

This excerpt is from an account of the founding of Jamestown in 1607.

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, why was the founding of this colony significant?

• Because it offered the English access to vast gold deposits

• Because it was an English settlement built on religious freedom

• Because it provided the English with immediate profits

• Because it represented the first permanent English settlement

Which question arose directly after the Mexican Cession?

• Should the United States annex Texas into the union?

• Should the Oregon Territory be required to pay taxes to the government?

• Should the United States regulate mining in Utah?

• Should slavery be allowed when California is added as a state?

Which action describes a violation of the Fifth Amendment?

• A state judge requiring a person accused of a crime to remain in jail until the trial

• A governor using the pardoning power to release a person from jail

• A state government annexing a farmer’s land without providing payment

• A mayor proposing a plan to replace old buildings with new construction

This list describes some contributions to American culture by German immigrants.

Which statement describes the impact these contributions had on American culture?

• Public demand for live orchestral performances decreased.

• People started celebrating the new year with their families.

• People began to distribute candy every fall in their neighborhoods.

• Families were encouraged to send young children to school.

What was the primary purpose of the Monroe Doctrine?

• To establish trade relations with Europe

• To prevent European colonization in the Americas

• To promote the spread of democracy in Asia

• To create a military alliance with South America

Which event marked the beginning of the American Revolution?

• The signing of the Declaration of Independence

• The Boston Tea Party

• The Battle of Lexington and Concord

• The drafting of the U.S. Constitution

What was the main cause of the War of 1812?

• British interference with American trade

• The annexation of Texas

• The discovery of gold in California

• The election of Thomas Jefferson