Wayground
Imperialism - Printable History Worksheets - Wayground

Imperialism

17 questions

8th - 8th Grade

History

This free printable Grade 8 American history worksheet helps students review U.S. imperialism through 17 multiple-choice questions. It asks students to define imperialism, identify reasons nations pursued it, and connect expansion to events such as the purchase of Alaska, the U.S. takeover of Hawaii, the Panama Canal, and the explosion of the USS Maine. Students also distinguish major ideas and policies, including Manifest Destiny, expansionist policy, the Big Stick Policy, the Roosevelt Corollary, the Open Door Policy, and Yellow Journalism. Several questions require students to match historical terms with their meanings or outcomes, while the political-cartoon item asks them to identify the foreign policy being illustrated. The worksheet is designed for Grade 8 history review, independent practice, or assessment, and includes a complete answer key for efficient checking.

Worksheet settings

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Imperialism

Total questions: 17

Name
Class
Date
1.
Imperialism is __________.
a)
when a powerful nation uses its resources to help a weaker nation
b)
when a weaker nation invites a powerful nation to help it industrialize
c)
when a powerful nation takes control of the economy and government of a weaker nation
d)
when weak nations join together to fight a strong nation
2.
Why did nations want to be imperialistic?
a)
They wanted prestige among other nations
b)
They needed more natural resources
c)
They needed more markets to sell industrial goods
d)
All of the Above
3.
Who did the U.S. buy Alaska from?
a)
Cuba
b)
Germany
c)
Russia
d)
Canada
4.
Describe how the United States acquired Hawaii. 
a)
The U.S government won Hawaii in a battle with Japan
b)
After Queen Liliuokalani died the U.S. purchased Hawaii for 20 million dollars
c)
U.S. won a war with Spain and Spain sold Hawaii for $7million to the U.S.
d)
U.S. Overthrew Queen Liliuokalani and became a U.S. territory in 1898
5.
Teddy Roosevelt's policy was to "Speak softly and carry a big stick," what did he mean by this when dealing with foreign countries.
a)
Debate calmly, and always be willing to negotiate
b)
Speak quietly, but yell if necessary.
c)
Negotiate peacefully, but always have the threat of the military to back you up.
d)
Never back down when there is conflict.
6.
Why was building the Panama Canal so important to the United States? 
a)
It allowed endangered animals to expand their territory
b)
It allowed U.S. families to stay connected with each other
c)
It increased Canada's military capability.
d)
It would be a major shipping canal connecting the Pacific & Atlantic Oceans
7.
 How did the U.S. get the land for the Panama Canal?
a)
The U.S. took it with military force.
b)
Bought it from Colombia for $10 million
c)
Made a deal with  Panama after the U.S. helped it  gain their independence from Colombia
d)
The U.S. rented it from Panama
8.
What area is known as "Seward's Folly"?
a)
Hawaii
b)
Cuba
c)
Alaska
d)
Puerto Rico
9.
US ship that exploded in Havana harbor
a)
USS Missouri
b)
USS Maine
c)
USS Constitution
d)
USS Virginia
10.
Roosevelt Corollary is also known as
a)
Big Stick Policy
b)
Dollar Diplomacy
c)
Rough Riders
d)
Monroe Doctrine
11.
What is false, biased reporting called?
a)
Red Journalism
b)
Yellow Journalism
c)
Fake Journalism
d)
Plagiarist Journalism
12.
In 1899, the United States urged other nations to allow free trade in China. This approach to dealing with China was known as the
a)
 Monroe Doctrine.
b)
Open Door Policy.
c)
Teller Amendment.
d)
Roosevelt Corollary.
13.
Examine the political cartoon below. Which foreign policy is illustrated in the cartoon?
a)
 Big Stick Policy
b)
 Dollar Diplomacy
c)
Moral Diplomacy
d)
Open Door Policy
14.
The Belief Americans were morally superior and had the divine right to expand the nation from sea to sea
a)
Manifest Destiny
b)
Expansionism
c)
American Individualism
15.
A nations idea to expand its boundaries
a)
Native American Removal Act
b)
Expansionist Policy
c)
Declaration of Independance
d)
Monroe Doctrine
16.
What disease killed thousands of workers at the Panama Canal?
a)
Yellow fever or malaria
b)
Scarlet Fever
c)
Polio
17.
What was the name of the ship that had exploded that journalists claimed to be the work of Spaniards? It also became a new rallying cry.
a)
Missouri
b)
Washington
c)
Alabama
d)
Maine
Answer Key

Imperialism

Total questions: 17

1.
c) when a powerful nation takes control of the economy and government of a weaker nation
2.
d) All of the Above
3.
c) Russia
4.
d) U.S. Overthrew Queen Liliuokalani and became a U.S. territory in 1898
5.
c) Negotiate peacefully, but always have the threat of the military to back you up.
6.
d) It would be a major shipping canal connecting the Pacific & Atlantic Oceans
7.
c) Made a deal with  Panama after the U.S. helped it  gain their independence from Colombia
8.
c) Alaska
9.
b) USS Maine
10.
a) Big Stick Policy
11.
b) Yellow Journalism
12.
b) Open Door Policy.
13.
a)  Big Stick Policy
14.
a) Manifest Destiny
15.
b) Expansionist Policy
16.
a) Yellow fever or malaria
17.
d) Maine

Browse by subjects

Browse by grades

Browse by format

FAQs

What does this Imperialism worksheet cover, and how does it help Grade 8 students learn the topic?

This worksheet uses 17 multiple-choice questions to assess students’ understanding of U.S. imperialism, including its definition and motives, the acquisitions of Alaska and Hawaii, the Panama Canal, and key foreign-policy ideas. Students build recall and concept-discrimination skills by matching terms such as Manifest Destiny, Yellow Journalism, the Open Door Policy, and the Big Stick Policy with their meanings, examples, or historical outcomes.

How can I use this worksheet to teach U.S. imperialism?

Introduce imperialism by having students define it and identify why nations sought prestige, resources, and markets, then use the questions on Alaska, Hawaii, and the Panama Canal to trace U.S. expansion. After students complete the multiple-choice items, ask them to explain how the USS Maine, Yellow Journalism, the Open Door Policy, and the Big Stick Policy connect to U.S. involvement abroad. Use the political-cartoon question as a discussion prompt about how foreign policy can be represented visually.

What mistakes should I watch for when students complete this imperialism worksheet?

Students may confuse Alaska with Hawaii when identifying U.S. acquisitions, or select a general expansion term instead of distinguishing Manifest Destiny from expansionist policy. Watch for confusion among the Big Stick Policy, Roosevelt Corollary, and Open Door Policy, as well as errors matching the USS Maine with the Havana harbor explosion and identifying Yellow Journalism as biased reporting. The political-cartoon item may also reveal difficulty recognizing the Big Stick Policy from its visual message.

How do I assign and grade this Imperialism worksheet?

The worksheet is available as a printable PDF and as a digital quiz on Wayground, so you can use the 17 multiple-choice questions for paper-based review or online assessment. It includes a complete answer key, and printable submissions can be graded by scanning student work with the Wayground for Teachers app.

How can I differentiate this multiple-choice imperialism worksheet for my students?

Use the worksheet’s Advanced Settings to adjust font spacing and font size so the historical terms, answer choices, and political-cartoon question are easier to read. You can also enable a dyslexia-friendly font or translate the worksheet into another language when that better supports access to the 17 multiple-choice items.

Where can I find more worksheets like this on Wayground?

Wayground offers a broad collection of free printable worksheets and practice problems across subjects, with downloadable PDFs and answer keys to help students master essential skills and concepts. Browse more resources at https://wayground.com/en-us/worksheets.

© 2026 Wayground Inc.

Accessibility and Inclusion