June 2025 US History Regents Review

Engraving: The Town of Secota, 1590. Shows an organized Native American village with crops and housing. Question: Which statement about Native American societies can be inferred from this engraving?

• The inhabitants valued entertainment over field work.
• The layouts of their villages were based on European societies.
• Internal conflict and disease led to their decline.
• Their communities were planned and supported an organized way of life.

Answer explanation

Context: Native village before Europeans take over.
Gist of image: Neat fields, roads, houses, people working.

• 1️⃣ The inhabitants valued entertainment over field work. ❌ You can see lots of farming, not parties.

• 2️⃣ Layouts of their villages were based on European societies. ❌ This is a Native town, 1590, before English towns here.

• 3️⃣ Internal conflict and disease led to their decline. ❌ Nothing in the picture shows fighting or sickness.

• 4️⃣ Their communities were planned and supported an organized way of life. ✅ Fields and homes in rows, clear paths, looks organized.

Engraving: The Town of Secota, 1590. Question: A historian would find this engraving most useful for

• describing Native American societies prior to European colonization
• examining the way Native Americans dealt with hardship
• illustrating the influence colonial leaders had on Native American societies
• understanding the trading patterns of Native American societies

Answer explanation

Context: Historians use pictures to learn about the past.
Gist: Title says Native town, 1590.

• 1️⃣ describing Native American societies prior to European colonization ✅ Shows what Native life looked like before large European settlements.

• 2️⃣ examining the way Native Americans dealt with hardship ❌ We do not see drought, war, or disaster.

• 3️⃣ illustrating the influence colonial leaders had on Native American societies ❌ No colonists or leaders here.

• 4️⃣ understanding the trading patterns of Native American societies ❌ No clear trade routes or goods shown.

Map: North America, 1775. Shows the Proclamation Line of 1763 running along the western border of the colonies. Question: The Proclamation Line of 1763 generally followed which geographic feature?

• Great Lakes
• Appalachian Mountains
• Rocky Mountains
• Mississippi River

Answer explanation

Context: Britain tries to stop westward movement after French and Indian War.
Gist: Line hugs the first mountain chain west of the colonies.

• 1️⃣ Great Lakes ❌ Those are big blobs of water, not a long skinny line.

• 2️⃣ Appalachian Mountains ✅ Eastern mountain chain that matches the line.

• 3️⃣ Rocky Mountains ❌ Way farther west than the colonies.

• 4️⃣ Mississippi River ❌ Straight-ish river, not jagged like mountains.

Map: North America, 1775. Question: How did many American colonists respond to the establishment of the Proclamation Line of 1763?

• They argued it was an abuse of British authority.
• They established a colony on the Florida peninsula.
• They honored Native American treaties.
• They purchased land needed to construct the National Road.

Answer explanation

Context: Colonists want land, Britain says “stop.”
Gist: Line blocks settlers from moving west.

• 1️⃣ They argued it was an abuse of British authority. ✅ Fits the usual colonist attitude: “you are too controlling.”

• 2️⃣ They established a colony on the Florida peninsula. ❌ Not about the line at all.

• 3️⃣ They honored Native American treaties. ❌ That would mean they happily obeyed, which is the opposite.

• 4️⃣ They purchased land needed to construct the National Road. ❌ National Road is later, not about this.

Passage: Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 15, 1787. "The measures of the Union have not been executed... the frail and tottering edifice seems ready to fall..." Question: Based on this passage, what action would Alexander Hamilton recommend?

• strengthening the national government
• establishing a monarchy
• increasing the power of the states
• continuing to use the Articles of Confederation

Answer explanation

Correct answer: 1️⃣ strengthening the national government ✅

Historical context:

• Under the Articles of Confederation, the national (federal) government was weak and could not enforce laws or collect enough taxes.

• Hamilton was a Federalist. Think: “Federalist = wants a strong FEDERAL government.” 💪

Gist of the passage:

• He calls the current system a “frail and tottering edifice” that might fall down.

• That sounds like he thinks the national government is too weak.

Using context clues to eliminate:

• 4️⃣ continuing to use the Articles of Confederation ❌ He is clearly complaining about that system, not keeping it.

• 2️⃣ establishing a monarchy ❌ He never says “king” or anything royal.

• 3️⃣ increasing the power of the states ❌ Federalists want federal power, not more state power.

• 1️⃣ strengthening the national government ✅ Matches both the complaint and the word Federalist.

Passage: Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 15, 1787. Question: Based on this passage, the purpose of the Federalist Papers was to

• discourage the creation of political parties
• justify the American Revolution to the colonists
• support ratification of the Constitution
• argue for a bill of rights

Answer explanation

Correct answer: 3️⃣ support ratification of the Constitution ✅

• “Federalist” again = strong federal / national government.

• After writing the new Constitution, states had to ratify it.

  • Ratify = officially approve / vote yes on a document. 🗳️

• Federalists wrote essays (the Federalist Papers) to convince people to ratify the Constitution.

Gist of the question:

• It asks: what were the Federalist Papers trying to do?

Using context clues to eliminate:

• 1️⃣ discourage the creation of political parties ❌ Parties are not the main topic of these essays.

• 2️⃣ justify the American Revolution to the colonists ❌ Revolution was already over; different time period.

• 4️⃣ argue for a bill of rights ❌ That was mostly the Anti-Federalists, not the Federalists.

• 3️⃣ support ratification of the Constitution ✅ Matches both:

  • the word Federalist,

  • and what “ratify” means: get the Constitution officially passed.

Excerpt: Marbury v. Madison, 1803. "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is." Question: The Supreme Court's decision in this case established the principle of

• states' rights
• nullification
• judicial review
• popular sovereignty

Answer explanation

Correct answer: 3️⃣ judicial review ✅

Historical context:

• Early 1800s, the new federal government is figuring out how powerful the Supreme Court will be.

• Marbury v. Madison (1803) is the big case where the Court says it can rule laws unconstitutional.

Gist of the excerpt:

• Marshall says the Constitution is the “fundamental and paramount law.”

• If a law goes against the Constitution, it is “void.”

• He says it is the “province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.”

Using clues to eliminate:

1️⃣ states’ rights ❌ That is about states vs. federal government. The excerpt talks about courts and laws, not states.
2️⃣ nullification ❌ That is when states cancel federal laws. Again, this is about courts, not states.
3️⃣ judicial review ✅ “Judicial” = courts, “review” = check laws. The quote literally describes courts deciding if laws are constitutional.
4️⃣ popular sovereignty ❌ That is about the people voting, not judges.

Excerpt: Marbury v. Madison, 1803. Question: What was a direct result of the Supreme Court's decision in this case?

• The power of the federal judiciary was strengthened.
• The court increased the number of justices.
• The legislative branch's power was increased.
• The authority of the executive branch expanded.

Answer explanation

Correct answer: 1️⃣ The power of the federal judiciary was strengthened. ✅

Historical context:

• After Marbury, the Supreme Court can strike down laws that violate the Constitution.

• This makes the Court a true equal branch of government.

Gist of the excerpt:

• Courts decide which law wins when two laws conflict.

• Courts decide if a law is “repugnant to the Constitution.”

• That gives the judicial branch a big new power.

Using clues to eliminate:

1️⃣ The power of the federal judiciary was strengthened. ✅ That is exactly what happens when courts get judicial review.
2️⃣ The court increased the number of justices. ❌ Nothing in the excerpt about adding justices.
3️⃣ The legislative branch’s power was increased. ❌ Lawmakers lose power when courts can throw out their laws.
4️⃣ The authority of the executive branch expanded. ❌ The case limits power by adding a strong court check, not boosting the president.

Excerpt: President Andrew Jackson, 1830. Question: What was the primary reason President Andrew Jackson supported the removal of Native Americans from their tribal lands?

• it provided fertile farmland to Native Americans
• it gave political support to Native Americans
• it opened Native American land to white settlement
• it granted citizenship to Native Americans

Answer explanation

Correct answer: 3️⃣ it opened Native American land to white settlement ✅

Historical context:

• 1830s: Indian Removal Act, Trail of Tears.

• White southerners want land in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi.

Gist of the passage:

• He says removal will place a “dense and civilized population” where only “a few savage hunters” live now.

• Removal will “open the whole territory… to the settlement of the whites” and help states gain “population, wealth, and power.”

Using clues to eliminate:

1️⃣ it provided fertile farmland to Native Americans ❌ The passage talks about whites gaining land, not Natives.
2️⃣ it gave political support to Native Americans ❌ Actually, it takes their power away.
3️⃣ it opened Native American land to white settlement ✅ Jackson says this directly: “open… to the settlement of the whites.”
4️⃣ it granted citizenship to Native Americans ❌ Citizenship for most Native Americans comes much later.

Excerpt: President Andrew Jackson, 1830. Question: Which Supreme Court case was directly related to the control of Native American land in the southeast?

• McCulloch v. Maryland
• Worcester v. Georgia
• Dred Scott v. Sanford
• Plessy v. Ferguson

Answer explanation

Correct answer: 2️⃣ Worcester v. Georgia ✅

Historical context:

• Worcester v. Georgia (1832) said Georgia could not take Cherokee land, but Jackson ignored it.

• Case is about Native land in Georgia / Southeast.

Gist of question:

• Asks about “control of Native American land in the southeast.”. Georgia is the only state mentioned in the Southeast in the answer options.

• The passage just described removal of Native peoples there.

Using clues to eliminate:

1️⃣ McCulloch v. Maryland ❌ Bank and taxes, not Native land.
2️⃣ Worcester v. Georgia ✅ Only one about Native Americans and Georgia.
3️⃣ Dred Scott v. Sanford ❌ About slavery and citizenship, not Natives.
4️⃣ Plessy v. Ferguson ❌ Segregation on trains, 1896, wrong topic.