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WorksheetsSTAAR Social Studies
Total questions: 45
Worksheet time: 45mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
A certain small town has many choices for people who want to attend religious services, including two churches, a synagogue, a cathedral, a mosque, and a temple. These choices are protected by the —
a)
First Amendment
b)
Third Amendment
c)
Sixth Amendment
d)
Eighth Amendment
2.
Under Washington's presidential cabinet, Thomas Jefferson was Secretary of State and Alexander Hamilton was Treasury Secretary. Disagreements between these two cabinet members led to
a)
the creation of reservations for Natives
b)
a struggle to ratify the Bill of Rights
c)
the establishment of the first U.S. political parties
d)
a compromise over slavery in western territories
3.
The decision in Marbury v. Madison was significant in U.S. history because it —
a)
reinforced federal authority over American Indian affairs
b)
confirmed the power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce
c)
established the practice of judicial review by the Supreme Court
d)
upheld the power of the Electoral College to choose the vice president
4.
Which Supreme Court case declared that slavery would be permitted throughout the United States?
a)
McCulloch vs. Maryland
b)
Gibbons vs. Ogden
c)
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
d)
Worcester vs. Georgia
5.
Which Supreme Court case declared that slavery would be permitted throughout the United States?
a)
McCulloch vs. Maryland
b)
Gibbons vs. Ogden
c)
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
d)
Worcester vs. Georgia
6.
The Sugar Act, Quartering Act, and Stamp Act all led to the start of the Revolutionary War by
a)
restricting colonial trade with the Natives
b)
imposing regulations on colonial agriculture
c)
angering colonists who believed their civil liberties had been violated
d)
punishing colonists for resisting the authority of Parliament
7.
A biography on the military career of General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson would include his involvement in which Civil War events?
a)
The First Battle of Bull Run and the Confederate victory at Fredericksburg
b)
The Union capture of Atlanta and the March to the Sea through Georgia
c)
The Virginia Peninsula campaign and the Union victory at Gettysburg
d)
The Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House
8.
The North had factories and many canals. The South had many plantations and fertile soil for cash crops. Which statement is true about the West?
a)
They had large farms and slave labor
b)
They had cottage industry and mild weather
c)
They had mining and metal ores/minerals
d)
They had raching and railroads to transport goods/people
9.
The Triangular Trade involved trading between Europe, Africa, and the 13 Colonies. Which factor most encouraged the growth of this trade?
a)
Invention of the Steam Engine
b)
The Profitability of Cash-Crop Agriculture
c)
The Development of Factories
d)
The Establishment of Protective Tariffs
10.
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American author who discussed individualism and wrote the famous book "Nature" Which movement did this writer most likely lead?
a)
Temperance
b)
Abolitionism
c)
The 2nd Great Awakening
d)
Transcendentalism
11.
The Whiskey Rebellion, the creation of the National Bank, the Alien and Sedition Acts, and Marbury vs. Madison are all examples of
a)
topics discussed during the 2nd Constitutional Convention
b)
domestic issues faced by leaders of the new republic
c)
weaknesses of the government under the Articles of Confederation
d)
issues leading to the ratification of the first constitutional amendments
12.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War. Which western regions were now part of the U.S.?
a)
Texas and the Louisiana Purchase
b)
Oregon and the Louisiana Purchase
c)
Texas and the Mexican Cession
d)
Louisiana Purchase and Mexican Cession
13.
Artists from the Hudson River School liked to paint grand images of nature and western landscapes. These images encouraged Americans to
a)
Fight for independence
b)
Expand westward
c)
hunt new types of animals
d)
Increase pollution of rivers and lakes
14.
Distance from Great Britain; Mayflower Compact; House of Burgesses. These factors contributed most to the
a)
creation of alliances between British settlers and American Indians
b)
election of British colonists to Parliament
c)
growth of representative government in the British colonies
d)
expansion of British trade in the Americas
15.
During the 1840, American experienced rapid population growth, economic panic, access to inexpensive land, and foreign trade opportunities. These factors all led to the support for which of the following?
a)
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
b)
Manifest Destiny
c)
States' Rights
d)
Spread of Slavery
16.
Early industrialization in America was possible due to an abundance of laborers, the availability of capital, and ________.
a)
new transportation systems
b)
increased government regulation
c)
a decline in agricultural production
d)
the growth of labor unions
17.
How did Samuel Morse’s best-known innovation contribute to U.S. growth and development?
a)
It enabled instantaneous long-distance transmission of information
b)
It allowed manufactured goods to be produced at lower costs.
c)
It boosted the speed of cross-country mail delivery.
d)
It increased national unity by reducing sectional differences.
18.
"The President . . . shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur." —U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 2
This excerpt provides one example of which constitutional principle?
This excerpt provides one example of which constitutional principle?
a)
Federalism
b)
Checks and Balances
c)
Popular Sovereignty
d)
Individual Rights
19.
Lewis and Clark traveled along the Missouri River to explore new territory that President Jefferson had purchased from
a)
Spain
b)
France
c)
England
d)
Netherlands
20.
Thomas Jefferson is most famously remembered for writing the
a)
Articles of Confederation
b)
Bill of Rights
c)
Treaty of Paris
d)
Declaration of Independence
21.
The election of President Andrew Jackson led to the idea of Jacksonian Democracy. This is the idea that
a)
All votes should be cast anonymously
b)
Anyone who votes must own property
c)
All voters should be required to pay a poll tax
d)
White men of any social class should participate in government
22.
Which of these prompted Congress to propose the Fourteenth Amendment?
a)
The popular sovereignty provision in the Kansas-Nebraska Act
b)
The positions taken in the Know-Nothing Party platform
c)
The Black Codes enacted by southern states after the Civil War
d)
The opposition by southern states to the Emancipation Proclamation
23.
In 1773, British Parliament passed the Tea Act. Angry about this tax, American colonsits dump tea in the Boston Harbor. What happened next?
a)
Parliament repealed the Tea Act
b)
King George III gave the colonies their independence
c)
Parliament passes the Intolerable Acts
d)
King George III allows Americans to have representation in Parliament
24.
Which group was the first to call for an end to slavery
a)
Native Americans because they viewed the plight of slaves as similar to their own
b)
Quakers because slavery contradicted their religious beliefs
c)
British loyalists because England had ended the slave trade
d)
Puritans because New England's economy did not rely on slavery
25.
When debating about the ratification on the Constitution, which statement would a Federalist most likely agree with?
a)
"The existing national government lacks the ability to add new states to the nation"
b)
"The states are in danger of losing the ability to raise revenue"
c)
"The existing national government lacks the power to perform essential functions"
d)
"The states are unable to protect the rights of the people"
26.
After the Battle of ________, the British surrendered to the Americans. The Revolutionary War ended.
a)
Saratoga
b)
Concord
c)
Lexington
d)
Yorktown
27.
What was a direct effect of the construction of the National Road
a)
Federal regulations were adopted to ensure safety and easy of travel
b)
State governments cooperated closely to maintain road quality
c)
Improved transportation to western states expanded trade and settlement
d)
Road construction became a major industry in the US
28.
What was one long-term consequence of the sharecropping system?
a)
Agricultural workers organized into labor unions
b)
Many former slaves became trapped in a cycle of debt
c)
Many agricultural workers moved to cities to start small businesses
d)
Landowners sold property to pay wages to former slaves
29.
Anti-Federalist Patrick Henry stated in response to the Constitution, "The President may easily become king." What part of the Constitution was he criticizing?
a)
requirements for running for congress
b)
the power granted to the central government
c)
the establishment of a separate judicial branch
d)
the difficulty of the amendment process
30.
Boston and New Orleans were founded as...
a)
port cities
b)
farming communities
c)
industrial centers
d)
military forts
31.
What was one major effect of the Second Great Awakening?
a)
churches turned away from public politices and focused on internal religious issues
b)
people were inspired to join reform movements to address social problems
c)
religious leaders petitioned legislatures to give suffrage to women
d)
politicians encouraged states' rights over federal unity
32.
In the 1830's, Native Americas were forcibly relocated onto reservations. What was a major cause for this relocation?
a)
To persuade American Indians to become farmers
b)
To gain access to important rivers
c)
To punish American Indians who were allies with the British
d)
To acquire valuable agricultural land and natural resources
33.
Which choice correctly matches the colonial region with its geographic or economic feature?
a)
New England, Fertile Soil
b)
Middle Colonies, Wheat
c)
Southern, Natural Harbors
d)
Western, Rocky Soil
34.
Which of the following statements is true about Ulysses S. Grant?
a)
He commanded the U.S. military in the West during the Indian Wars
b)
He led the Radical Republicans in Congress during Reconstruction
c)
He was appointed general in chief of the Union army during the Civil War
d)
He became Andrew Johnson’s vice president after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination
35.
Which document protects Americans from excessive bail and cruel punishments?
a)
The Constitution
b)
The Declaration of Independence
c)
The Articles of Confederation
d)
The Mayflower Compact
36.
Which document protects Americans from excessive bail and cruel punishments?
a)
The Constitution
b)
The Declaration of Independence
c)
The Articles of Confederation
d)
The Mayflower Compact
37.
"No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever... all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion. . . . —The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Which document was most influenced by this statute?
Which document was most influenced by this statute?
a)
The Declaration of Independence
b)
The Articles of Confederation
c)
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
d)
The Bill of Rights
38.
Which of the following documents encouraged blacks to fight for the Union, strengthened the union, and shifted the focus of war to freedom for all?
a)
President Lincoln's Inaugural Address
b)
The Gettysburg Address
c)
The Empancipation Proclamation
d)
The 13th Amendment
39.
Which of the following correctly describes the Three-Fifths Compromise?
a)
A portion of the slave population was counted for legislative representation.
b)
A federal law enforcing the return of fugitive slaves was passed.
c)
The census bureau was established to help apportion representation.
d)
The election of senators was delegated to state legislatures.
40.
Which of the following explains why Irish immigrants moved to the United States in the 1800s?
a)
Religious persecution
b)
Escaping debt
c)
Enslavement
d)
Potato Famine
41.
What was a major effect of the use of steamboats and canals?
a)
the cost to transport goods decreased
b)
the production of wagons increased
c)
new states were added to the Union
d)
railroads were no longer used
42.
Which statement accurately describes the reasons for establishing Plymouth and Jamestown?
a)
Both colonies were established to bring wealth to stockholders
b)
Plymouth’s founders intended to produce raw materials, while Jamestown’s founders expected to discover gold.
c)
Both colonies were established to limit the expansion of other European empires
d)
Plymouth was founded as a refuge from religious persecution, while Jamestown was founded for commercial profit.
43.
In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railway Act. What was their main goal?
a)
to promote settlement in the West
b)
to protect industry in the Northeast
c)
to improve transportation to the South
d)
to transport manufactured goods to the East
44.
What was the purpose of the Monroe Doctrine?
a)
prevent further European colonization in the Western Hemisphere
b)
deter Spain from inciting revolution in former U.S. colonies
c)
encourage European powers to invest in Latin America
d)
keep the war between France and Spain from spreading to Latin America
45.
The Fifteenth Amendment was ratified in order to —
a)
establish legal requirements for the education of former slaves
b)
mandate fair labor contracts between African American workers and plantation owners
c)
abolish the institution of slavery
d)
protect the voting rights of African American men
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