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STAAR Most Tested

Total questions: 70

Worksheet time: 35mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What assurance did this argument give to those who opposed ratifying the Constitution?

a)

The amendment process would allow state governments to overrule federal law

b)

making the federal government superior to state governments would lead to greater stability

c)

the rights of citizens would be better protected by having both federal and state levels of government

d)

Giving greater power to the federal government would allow it to assist states in times of crisis

2.

Which speaker is in favor of ratifying the Constitution?

a)

Speaker 1

b)

Speaker 2

c)

Speaker 3

d)

Speaker 4

3.

Why did Anti-Federalists demand that a bill of rights be added to the U.S. Constitution?

a)

To strengthen the authority of the federal government

b)

to improve organization of the judiciary

c)

to give each state an equal amount of power

d)

to protect individual freedoms from the federal government

4.

Patrick Henry opposed ratifying the Constitution because he believed that under it -

a)

alliances could not be formed with other countries

b)

the states would surrender too much power to the federal government

c)

the courts would not be able to hold government officials accountable

d)

individuals would exercise too much power over the federal government

5.

Why were southern delegates to the Constitutional Convention willing to accept the Three-Fifths

Compromise?

a)

It allowed the South to increase its industrial output

b)

It decreased the federal tax on property in the South

c)

It increased political influence in the South

d)

It allowed indentured servants in the South to become citizens

6.

Which of the following should replace the question mark in the diagram?

a)

Direct Democracy

b)

Great Compromise

c)

Checks and Balances

d)

House of Burgesses

7.

Why is the Battle of Saratoga considered a turning point in the Revolutionary War?

a)

The British victory extended the fighting for another year.

b)

The American defeat led many soldiers to desert the Continental army.

c)

The British defeat marked the beginning of a steady decline in British military superiority.

d)

The American victory convinced France to ally with the United States.

8.

What was one result of the Treaty of Paris in 1783?

a)

Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent country.

b)

Competing Seminole and Spanish claims in West Florida were resolved.

c)

The British navy agreed to stop pressing American sailors into service.

d)

British territory in eastern Canada was ceded to France.

9.

Which of the following best completes this excerpt?

a)

Saratoga

b)

Concord

c)

Trenton

d)

Yorktown

10.

To which of the following is Abigail Adams referring in this excerpt?

a)

The bravery of American soldiers at Valley Forge

b)

The American victory at the Battle of Yorktown

c)

The negotiation of the Treaty of Paris by American diplomats

d)

The arrival of French aid after the Battle of Saratoga

11.

How did mercantilism policies create tension between Great Britain and the colonies?

a)

By introducing indentured servitude to the middle colonies

b)

By requiring colonists to enlist in the military

c)

By preventing colonists from trading with most other foreign countries

d)

By limiting the amount of farmland each colonist could have

12.

Which of the following best completes this diagram?

a)

Colonists sought military support from France.

b)

Colonists organized boycotts of British goods.

c)

Colonists signed the Declaration of Independence.

d)

Colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

13.

Sugar Act - Stamp Act - Quartering Act - These acts contributed to the start of the Revolutionary War by —

a)

restricting colonial trade with American Indians

b)

imposing regulations on colonial agriculture

c)

angering colonists who believed that their civil liberties had been violated

d)

punishing colonists for resisting the authority of Parliament

14.

The excerpt above reflects the dissatisfaction of American colonists with the —

a)

political debates that took place at the Albany Convention

b)

interference of Great Britain in the slave trade

c)

economic consequences of the Great Awakening

d)

economic policies imposed by Great Britain following the French and Indian War

15.

British colonists objected to the Proclamation of 1763 because they -

a)

feared it would provoke attacks from American Indians

b)

did not want to share control of the fur trade with France

c)

resented the limits it imposed on westward expansion across the Appalachian Mountains

d)

wanted to be able to trade freely with foreign nations

16.

How did the provisions of the Northwest Ordinance affect U.S. expansion?

a)

By funding a transportation network in uninhabited regions

b)

By establishing a process for territories to govern themselves

c)

By promoting the growth of southern plantation economies

d)

By creating a national bank to loan money to land investors

17.

The Northwest Ordinance established guidelines for the orderly expansion of the United States by instituting a -

a)

method to purchase territory from foreign powers

b)

procedure for military takeovers of existing countries

c)

process through which states could be added to the Union

d)

compromise line that prohibited slavery in the West

18.

The Northwest Ordinance is considered a historical milestone because it —

a)

more than doubled the size of the U.S.

b)

established a method for admitting new states into the Union

c)

encouraged state legislatures to ratify the Constitution

d)

proposed treaties with American Indians to allow the peaceful settlement of new territories

19.

After the end of the Revolutionary War, states were eager to expand into newly available territory. The states of New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia argued over competing claims to land west of the Appalachian Mountains. This conflict was addressed by the -

a)

Missouri Compromise

b)

Wilmot Proviso

c)

Northwest Ordinance

d)

Kansas-Nebraska Act

20.

Which factor most contributed to the creation of the documents in this list?

a)

The distance of the colonies from Great Britain

b)

The opportunity for trade with American Indians

c)

The doctrine of the Church of England

d)

The economic system of mercantilism

21.

Which statement explains the significance of this colonial institution?

a)

The assembly served as a model for other colonial legislatures.

b)

Colonists used the assembly to overrule decisions of the royal governor.

c)

The assembly sent delegates to Parliament to represent Virginia.

d)

The king revoked Virginia’s charter because the assembly became too powerful.

22.

Distance from Great Britain - Mayflower Compact - Town hall meetings


The factors listed above contributed most to the -

a)

creation of alliances between British settlers and American Indians

b)

election of British colonists to Parliament

c)

expansion of British trade in the Americas

d)

growth of representative government in the British colonies

23.

From 1690 to 1760, Parliament and the king of England allowed colonists in America to exercise a great deal of control over local and regional matters. Historians have described this practice as “salutary neglect.”


Which of the following happened as a result of this policy?

a)

The colonies refused to participate in a system of common defense

b)

The colonies developed a strong tradition of self-government

c)

Many proprietary colonies were converted to royal colonies

d)

Many colonies sought economic aid from other countries

24.

What reason did the U.S. give for declaring war against Mexico in 1846?

a)

To overturn a corrupt Mexican government

b)

To defend U.S. territory from Mexican aggression

c)

To end a Mexican slave rebellion

d)

To respond to attacks on U.S. merchant ships by Mexican pirates

25.

Which event on the time line contributed most directly to the outbreak of the U.S.-Mexican

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

26.

Which map shows the boundaries of the United States just after the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

27.

The Compromise of 1850 allowed certain territories to use popular sovereignty to determine whether the territory would be free of slave. This decision applied to much of the land gained from the -

a)

Revolutionary War

b)

War of 1812

c)

U.S.-Mexican War

d)

Civil War

28.

Which of these best completes the diagram?

a)

California

b)

Texas

c)

Florida

d)

Nevada

29.

Why did the Siege of Vicksburg affect the balance of power during the Civil War?

a)

The Confederate territory was divided in half.

b)

Several important Confederate generals were killed.

c)

Union troops were pushed back across the Ohio River.

d)

Severe casualties were inflicted on Union forces.

30.

Many historians argue that the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln changed the course of Reconstruction. Which of the following is usually cited as an aspect of that change?

a)

The Thirteenth Amendment was approved by Congress.

b)

Congress imposed taxes on cotton imports to pay war debts.

c)

Congress repealed legislation regulating railroad construction.

d)

Radical Republicans took control of Congress.

31.

Which of the following completes this diagram?

a)

President Lincoln's Inaugural Address

b)

The Gettysburg Address

c)

The Emancipation Proclamation

d)

The 13th Amendment

32.

How was the event depicted in this image significant to the Civil War?

a)

The Confederate defense of the besieged fort lengthened the war

b)

The Union victory divided the Confederacy along the Mississippi River

c)

The Confederate attack upon the Union fort started the war

d)

The invasion of the Confederate capital resulted in the surrender of the Confederacy

33.

After General Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, the main priority of the United States was to -

a)

elect a new president and vice president

b)

complete construction of the Capitol

c)

establish Union forts in the former Confederate states

d)

implement a plan to bring the Confederate states back into the Union

34.

Which argument would a Federalist make to support ratification of the Constitution?

a)

The Constitution will enable states to nullify laws that are harmful to citizens.

b)

A strong federal government will be more stable than a loose confederation of states.

c)

The Constitution will allow states to establish banks to stabilize the national economy.

d)

A republican system of government will better represent large states.

35.

During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, George Mason argued —

a)

against increased power for the national government

b)

for the dissolution of state governments

c)

for the creation of a strong executive branch

d)

against the passage of a bill of rights

36.

Patrick Henry was criticizing which aspect of the Constitution in this excerpt?

a)

The eligibility requirements for congressional office

b)

The power granted to the central government

c)

The establishment of a separate judicial branch

d)

The difficulty of the amendment process

37.

George Mason refused to sign the Constitution and opposed its ratification because he believed that it -

a)

did not adequately protect individuals from potential government abuse

b)

did not give the executive branch enough power to oversee the military

c)

prevented the legislative branch from effectively governing the states

d)

prevented the judicial branch from using judicial review to overturn acts of the legislture

38.

Which of these was a primary reason Chinese immigrants came to the United States in the early 1850s?

a)

To seek gold

b)

To purchase inexpensive farmland

c)

To avoid a plague

d)

To escape religious persecution

39.

Between 1846 and 1855 the population of Ireland decreased by a third, including the approximately 1.5 million Irish immigrants who left for the United States. What was the primary reason for this migration?

a)

Massive unemployment resulting in British occupation

b)

Political unrest during an economic recession

c)

Famine caused by a major crop failure

d)

civil war between the Catholics and Protestants

40.

Which quotation from this letter reveals the main reason for the surge in Irish immigration to the U.S. in the mid-nineteenth century?

a)

"I am exceedingly well pleased at coming to this land of plenty."

b)

"I would advise all my friends to quit Ireland..."

c)

"What you labour for is sweetened by contentment and happiness..."

d)

"There is no failure in the potato crop..."

41.

Which factor accounted for much of Chinese immigration to the U.S. in the mid-1800s?

a)

An opportunity for free land in the Midwest

b)

The prospect of religious freedom

c)

A economic boom in the West

d)

The possibility of a free education

42.

What was one result of industrialization in the United States during the mid-1800s?

a)

Sectional differences increased.

b)

The federal government prohibited immigration.

c)

Job opportunities decreased.

d)

Fewer public lands were devoted to transportation.

43.

Which of these occurred during early U.S. industrialization?

a)

Manufacturers instituted a five-day workweek.

b)

Labor laws required factories to provide a safe working environment.

c)

Workers were required to attend schools to develop technical skills.

d)

Production of goods transitioned from homes to factories.

44.

Job opportunities in cities increased - Agriculture became more mechanized - Prices of consumer goods decreased


These developments occurred as a result of increased -

a)

industrialization

b)

westward migration

c)

expansion of U.S. territory

d)

government regulation of business

45.

Which statement best describes a result of industrialization in the U.S. during the mid-nineteenth century?

a)

People moved to cities in search of economic opportunity

b)

Farmers began to cultivate land west of the Appalachian Mountains

c)

Native peoples were forcibly relocated to western territories

d)

Government officials began to promote the idea of Manifest Destiny

46.

Which of these was an effect of the Industrial Revolution on U.S. women in the early nineteenth century?

a)

Women in unions gained bargaining power with employers

b)

The government passed laws to improve safety for women in the workplace

c)

Women seeking work migrated from rural communities to cities

d)

State governments called conventions in support of women's suffrage

47.

Which of these directly resulted from the event announced in this headline?

a)

The abolitionist movement gained momentum in the North.

b)

Members of the U.S. Senate sought to end Black Codes in the southern states.

c)

The federal government allowed the expansion of slavery into all new western territories.

d)

Abolitionists moved to the South to avoid living under the new law.

48.

Which statement best explains the changes shown in this table?

a)

Slaves from the Upper South were moved to the Lower South to work on cotton plantations.

b)

The Upper South experienced an agricultural labor shortage in the reform period.

c)

Slaves were transferred from the Lower South to the Upper South to work in newly built factories.

d)

The Lower South lost population as settlers migrated west to establish new plantations.

49.

These data could be used to support which conclusion?

a)

Gulf states had to rely on steamboats to transport goods

b)

States in the lower South had more land devoted to plantations

c)

Border states had to import needed raw materials

d)

States in the upper South were heavily industrialized

50.

Which of these was a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854?

a)

Fighting broke out between pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups in Kansas

b)

Kansas entered the Union as a slave state through popular sovereignty in 1856

c)

Nebraskan settlers who supported abolition moved to Kansas

d)

The boundary established by the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was extended farther south

51.

One result of the trend shown in this table was the —

a)

creation of specialized trade guilds

b)

expansion of available labor

c)

decrease in educational opportunities for women

d)

increase in production costs for manufacturers

52.

Which factor accounts for this trend?

a)

The Second Great Awakening motivated people to join reform movements.

b)

Manifest Destiny inspired many people to become homesteaders.

c)

Jacksonian Democracy allowed more people to vote in elections.

d)

The Industrial Revolution encouraged people to pursue jobs in cities.

53.

Which factor best completes this diagram?

a)

New transportation systems

b)

Increased government regulation

c)

A decline in agricultural production

d)

The growth of labor unions

54.

Life - Liberty - Pursuit of Happiness


This list includes rights that are considered -

a)

transferable

b)

legislated

c)

unalienable

d)

inherited

55.

In this excerpt, the authors of the Virginia Declaration of Rights are describing rights they consider —

a)

granted to citizens by their government

b)

natural and possessed at birth

c)

protected under religious doctrine

d)

defined by the courts

56.

Unalienable Rights - Life, Liberty, & Happiness


The rights listed above were -

a)

established by a series of Supreme Court decisions

b)

defined by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence

c)

established by the ratification of the U.S. Constitution

d)

defined by President George Washington in his Farewell Address

57.

Which of the following was an argument made against slavery in the 13 Colonies?

a)

Manufacturers argued that slavery discouraged the development of industry

b)

Quakers argued that slavery violated Christian principles

c)

Farmers argued that using slave labor was expensive and insufficient

d)

Puritans argued that the slave trade encouraged materialism

58.

Which group was among the first to call for an end to slavery?

a)

American Indians, because they viewed the plight of slaves as similar to their own

b)

Quakers, because slavery contradicted their religious beliefs

c)

British loyalists, because Great Britain had ended the slave trade

d)

Purtians, because the New England economy did not rely on slavery

59.

What was one result of the law described above?

a)

Northerners who believed the law was unfair began to support the abolitionist movement.

b)

Religious groups left the abolitionist movement to avoid political controversy.

c)

Southerners used the law to challenge the constitutionality of abolitionist goals.

d)

Abolitionist societies began to focus their efforts on promoting women’s suffrage.

60.

What was one major impact of this novel?

a)

The profits from book sales funded early labor organizations

b)

The Supreme Court overturned fugitive slave laws

c)

Congress was inspired to pass laws outlawing the abuse of slaves

d)

Support grew for the abolitionist movement

61.

Daughters of Temperance - Women's Christian Temperance Union


How did the growth of these organizations most affect the role of women in U.S. society?

a)

By providing economic opportunities for women in urban areas

b)

By expanding the participation of women in social reform

c)

By increasing the number of women teachers in rural areas

d)

By securing the establishment of private universities for women

62.

The abolitionist movement achieved its goal with the passage of which amendment?

a)

12th Amendment

b)

13th Amendment

c)

14th Amendment

d)

15th Amendment

63.

The speaker quoted above was a supporter of the movement to -

a)

end the international slave trade

b)

discourage the consumption of alcoholic beverages

c)

establish strict limits on immigration

d)

expose corruption in the federal government

64.

How did this invention contribute to the expansion of the plantation system?

a)

By reducing the slaves needed for growing cotton

b)

By increasing the time needed to cultivate cotton

c)

By increasing the profitability of slavery

d)

By reducing the demand for raw cotton

65.

Which box lists some results of improved steamboat technology in the U.S. as of the mid-1830s?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

66.

The innovation shown in this photograph most affected the U.S. economy by -

a)

decreasing the need for canals

b)

allowing for the more efficient movement of goods

c)

reducing the cost of settling in California

d)

transporting workers the East coast to Great Britain

67.

The invention discussed in this article led directly to —

a)

the expansion of educational opportunities for women

b)

rapid communication of information to distant locations

c)

the increased ability of people to work at night

d)

rapid population growth in the western territories

68.

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

69.

What was one major effect of the Erie Canal on the U.S. in the early 1800s?

a)

A decrease in trade between settlers and American Indians

b)

An increase in the cost of shipping goods to Europe

c)

A rise in cotton exports to Great Britain

d)

the rapid growth of cities in the Northeast

70.

What was one major effect of the opening of the Erie Canal?

a)

The cost of shipping goods on eastern roads increased

b)

The number of ships passing through northern ports decreased

c)

The cost of shipping goods from the Great Lakes region decreased

d)

The volume of trade passing through the southern ports increased