wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

2021 Benchmark Review

Total questions: 48

Worksheet time: 2hrs 36mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What impact did Samuel Morse's telegraph have on the American's daily life?

a)

It was the major method of communication among Americans.

b)

It was the only way in which government leaders negotiated with foreign leaders.

c)

It was an expensive and inconvenient manner of communication.

d)

It increased sectionalism among the states.

2.

Southern colonies - warm, humid climate, fertile soil

New England Colonies - cold, rocky soil


The colonial differences in geography led to -

a)

an increase in educational opportunities in the New England Colonies

b)

the implementation of an import tax

c)

the development of different types of economies in the two regions

d)

an increase of Catholicism in the Southern Colonies

3.

How did the southern states react to the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment?

a)

By allowing all black, male citizens to vote

b)

By establishing Jim Crow Laws

c)

By forcing African Americans to engage in the practice of sharecropping and tenant farming

d)

By implementing strict requirements designed to deny the African American population the right to vote

4.

Sectionalism

States' Rights

Slavery


The above causes led to -

a)

Civil War

b)

American Revolution

c)

War of 1812

d)

French and Indian War

5.

Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton among other women gathered in Seneca Falls, NY for the Seneca Falls Convention. There they presented the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments closely modeled after the US Declaration of Independence.


What were the women advocating for?

a)

an increase in wages

b)

the right to vote

c)

the right to a free public education

d)

the right to own property

6.

Which answer correctly identifies the reasons for and against ratification of the US Constitution?

a)

For: The proposed document expands state authority

Against: The proposed document lacks a provision for a national bank

b)

For: The proposed document prevents foreign alliances

Against: The proposed document restricts the Judicial Branch

c)

For: The proposed document expands the power of the local government

Against: The proposed document limits the authority of the executive branch

d)

For: The proposed document increases the power of the national government

Against: The proposed document lacks a bill of rights

7.

Reasons for North American Colonization

1 to convert the Native to Catholicism

2 to extract natural resources from the Southern region

3 to expand agriculture in the Chesapeake Bay area

4 to profit from the fur trade


Which is the primary reason for French Colonization?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

8.

We can give employment to from 50 to 100 girls, at the usual wages paid in this place. Our custom is to pay the new girls one dollar per week, until they can tend the machines without assistance. After than they are paid for all the work they can get off... - John Clark, July 27, 1847


The economic growth demonstrated by this recruitment letter was primarily a result of -

a)

The new production methods brought on by industrialization

b)

The expansion of the new cottage industries

c)

The abolition of slavery

d)

The passage of strict federal labor laws

9.

"We whose names are underwritten...do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant, and combine ourselves into a civil body politick, for our better orders and preservation.. - Mayflower Compact, 1620


For what reason did a group of Pilgrims agree to this contract?

a)

to declare independence from Great Britain

b)

to demonstrate a goodwill towards the Native American population

c)

to form a social contract among themselves

d)

to establish trade relations with France

10.

Which of the answer choices below best demonstrates the US principle of Republicanism?

a)

The creation of Congress to carry out the will of the people

b)

The power of the Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional

c)

The separation of power among three branches

d)

The establishment of the Supreme Court to interpret the laws

11.

The great ideal in Article V [of the Constitution] is that change requires two elements...national agreement, as well as agreement in most of the states, that an urgent problem exists that cannot be remedied by the courts, legislatures of Congress. - Mary Frances Berry, The New York Times


The author is expressing her opinion about -

a)

impeaching the president

b)

amending the Constitution

c)

disobeying the Supreme Court

d)

recalling Supreme Court justices

12.

US Reasons for building up the military

*American Indian attacks on the frontier

*??????????

*Conflicts with pirates in North Africa


Which reason best completes the table above?

a)

Impressment of US soldiers by the British

b)

Abolition of the US Navy

c)

Requirements to maintain an alliance with France

d)

Interest in conquering Spanish owned Florida

13.

"The Constitution meant that its co-ordinate branches should be checks on each other. But the opinion which gives to the judges the right to decide what laws are constitutional, and what not, not only for themselves in their own sphere of action, but for the legislature & executive also in their spheres, would make the judiciary a despotic branch." - Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, September 11, 1804


despotic - of or typical of a despot; tyrannical.


This excerpt supports the conclusion that Thomas Jefferson disagreed with -

a)

the Supreme Court's power of judicial review

b)

the congressional power of impeachment

c)

the states' power to amend the Constitution

d)

the presidential power to veto bills

14.

How did opposition to Mercantilism affect the economy of the United States in the late 1700s?

a)

The government imposed tariffs on imported goods

b)

The US adopted the free enterprise system

c)

There was an increase in cottage industries

d)

Interstate trade taxes were forbidden

15.

Which action is one part of the official path to US citizenship through the naturalization process?

a)

attending an finishing a four-year university

b)

working for the US government

c)

attending a seminar on jury duty

d)

passing a US civics exam

16.

Are you willing to...elect to all offices of Honor, Profit, or Trust, none but native born citizens of America, of this country to the exclusion of all foreigners...? - Examiner's questions for admittance to the Know-Nothing Party, 1854


Which inference about the know-nothing party is supported by the excerpt above?

a)

Its members blamed Irish immigrants for taking away jobs.

b)

The party encouraged western migration of settlers.

c)

Its members opposed enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act in the Northeast.

d)

The party supported universal suffrage

17.

One of the conflicts that emerged as a result of industrialization and urbanization was the difference of political beliefs between immigrants and American-born citizens. This resulted in the formation of -

a)

Democratic Party

b)

Whig Party

c)

Unionist Party

d)

Know-Nothing Party

18.

What effect did Francis Scott Key's poem entitled "The Defense of Fort McHenry" have on the United States?

a)

It served to usher in a time of nationalism and patriotism

b)

It led to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence

c)

It summarized the events that led to the War of 1812

d)

It highlighted sectional differences between the North and the South.

19.

Francis Scott Key wrote a poem titled "The Defence of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, his song later became the Star Spangled Banner in 1931.


What is one reason this song has endured for so many years?

a)

This song was inspired by Brigham Young

b)

This song is about protecting individual rights

c)

This song celebrates a patriotic act from the past

d)

This song is a religious song sung in many churches

20.

What was one reason for the establishment of Georgia in the Southern region of the 13 colonies in 1733?

a)

It acted as a buffer between Spanish Florida and the rest of the 13 British Colonies

b)

It increased the number of Quakers living in the British colonies

c)

Georgia was the main stop for the Transatlantic slave trade

d)

The number of Native Americans living in the region decreased

21.

How did the Supreme Court decision in Worcester v. Georgia affect the Native Americans?

a)

Current reservation policies were replaced with land grants for the American Indians

b)

Georgia ignored the ruling and distributed Indian land to American settlers

c)

The ruling gave the state the authority to negotiate with American Indians

d)

The court decided to remove the American Indians from their Native lands

22.

"The time has passed for argument. Noting more need to be said. For a long time it has been clear that colored persons must be senators" - Charles Sumner, from his debate on the Senate Floor


The quote from Sumner above is explaining the -

a)

reasons for passing the black codes

b)

justification for the 13th Amendment

c)

election of Hiram Rhodes Revels

d)

reasons against integration in the South

23.

The _________________ began in the early 1800s and it was a religious revival that led to social reforms such as temperance, women's rights, and the abolition of slavery. In western New York, the spirit of revival encouraged the emergence of new denominations.


Which term best completes the excerpt?

a)

Second Great Awakening

b)

temperance movement

c)

Era of Good Feelings

d)

Early Republic

24.

Why did the use of slaves as a labor source increase in the United States during the early 1800s?

a)

The indentured system of servitude was banned.

b)

The need for agricultural workers increased as a result of the cotton gin.

c)

Improved transportation systems made it easier for workers to migrate

d)

Advancements in technology led to the increase in the need for factory workers.

25.

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in , to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have born the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. - Abraham Lincoln, second inaugural address


Which leadership quality does President Lincoln best demonstrate in this address?

a)

Inspiration - he wants the union to be a model of democracy for all nations.

b)

Compassion - he wants to help those who suffered during the Civil War

c)

Persistence - he believes the Union must surrender in order to have peace

d)

Confidence - He believes history would prove him correct to fight in the Civil War.

26.

Resolved. that the taxation of the people by themselves, or by persons, or by persons chosen by themselves to represent them...is the only security against a burdensome taxation... - Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions, May 30, 1765


Which statement best explains why this resolution was adopted?

a)

The colonists were angered by the punishments imposed after the Boston Tea Party

b)

The colonists created this in order to address the causes of the Boston Massacre

c)

The colonists were opposed to the colonial laws being created only by Parliament

d)

The colonists wanted to expand the powers given to the royal governors.

27.

Which person is most likely a supported of free enterprise?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

28.

So soon as there shall be five thousand free male inhabitants, of full age in the district, upon giving proof thereof to the governor, they shall receive authority, with time and place, to elect a representative from assembly..There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory.


The above excerpt best explains...

a)

US Constitution

b)

Mayflower Compact

c)

Emancipation Proclamation

d)

Northwest Ordinance

29.

Provisions of the Northwest Ordinance

-Congress appoints a territorial governor for each authority

-When territory has 5,000 adult males it can elect its own legislature

-???????

-The territory must allot land for public schools


Which provision is missing from the list?

a)

When the territory was 60,000 free settlers

b)

The people must pass a resolution allowing all men to vote

c)

The territories can vote on the issue of slavery

d)

The people must elect a territorial governor

30.

What factor led to the increase of different types of religious groups in the United States in the late 1700s?

a)

Beliefs expressed by the Abolitionists

b)

Growth of reform movement

c)

Freedoms listed in the Bill of Rights

d)

The expansion of suffrage during the Age of Jackson

31.

Speaker 1 - The states do not have to follow the laws created by the government...if those laws are in direct contradiction to the meaning of the Constitution.


Speaker 2 - The power of a state to annul a law of the United States is in direct violation as to the purpose of our Union and creation of the Constitution.


The two speakers above were debating an issue that was known as the -

a)

Whiskey Rebellion

b)

Shays' Rebellion

c)

Nullification Crisis

d)

Indian Removal Act

32.

What was the main issue behind the Nullification of Crisis of 1832?

a)

Do states have the power to declare federal laws unconstitutional?

b)

Do courts have the power to rule on the constitutionality of state laws?

c)

Does the federal government have the power to enact laws regarding slavery?

d)

Does the president have the authority to use the military to enforce the law?

33.

-Brook Farm community members practiced plain living according to transcendentalists philosophy

-The Amana colonies established a network of villages with an agricultural base

-Shakers practiced communal living, pacifism, and gender equality


The communities in this list were established in American during the 18th and 19th centuries. What did they have in common?

a)

The were devoted to creating ideal Utopian societies

b)

They were dedicated to improving working conditions in factories

c)

They attempted to expand suffrage

d)

They served as camps for escaped slaves.

34.

What grievance from the Declaration of Independence is addressed by the sixth amendment in the Bill of Rights?

a)

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly

b)

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury

c)

He has obstructed the...laws for establishing judiciary powers

d)

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us...

35.

What was the primary reason President James K. Polk asked Congress to declare war against Mexico?

a)

To prevent human rights violations from occurring in Mexico

b)

To ensure slavery would continue in Texas

c)

To stop the Mexican Army from attacking the US troops

d)

To expand Catholicism in the newly acquired Republic of Texas

36.

The American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European Power. - President James Monroe, message to Congress, 1823


What was the main purpose President Monroe made this statement?

a)

To strengthen political ties with European Nations

b)

To expand political influence across the North America

c)

To increase US military readiness for European expansionism

d)

to prevent European intervention in countries near the United States and South America

37.

Which of the following pairs led to the creation of political parties in the United States?

a)

Continental Army

English Army

b)

George Washington

Sam Adams

c)

Virginia Plan

New Jersey Plan

d)

Thomas Jefferson

Alexander Hamilton

38.

Why is this type of interaction important in US society?

a)

Due process laws are guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment

b)

Free speech allows people to create a better government

c)

Slavery was made illegal by the Fourteenth Amendment

d)

Freedom of the press helps the government respond the the public's opinions

39.

Which event occurred as a result of General Corwallis's surrender at the Battle of Yorktown?

a)

France recognized American independence and declared war against Great Britain

b)

The 2nd Continental Congress agreed to the Articles of Confederation.

c)

The 2nd Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition the King George.

d)

Great Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris

40.

Which choice lists three factors that contributed most to the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the United States?

a)

Fertile soil, mild climate, unskilled labor

b)

Protective tariffs, abundant land, slavery

c)

Telegraph, nativism, cotton gin

d)

Investment capital, new means of transport, large labor force

41.

In the 1630s, Thomas Hooker and Roger Williams disagreed with the religious leaders of Massachusetts. These disagreements were resolved when Thomas Hooker and Roger Williams -

a)

founded new political parties in Massachusetts

b)

left Massachusetts and established new colonies

c)

practiced civil disobedience and refused to buy British goods

d)

left Massachusetts and explored Canada

42.

What was one result of the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828?

a)

renewal of the bank charter

b)

elimination of the spoils system

c)

ratification of the 18th amendement

d)

increased levels of voter participation

43.

What was one effect of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?

a)

The Republican Party lost influence in the federal legislature

b)

The Kansas-Nebraska Act was deemed unconstitutional by federal courts

c)

Native Americans were forced to relocate from eastern cities to western territories

d)

Tensions increased between the Northern and Southern States

44.

California Census Data

Year Population

1850 - 92, 597

1860 - 379,994


What factor contributed most to the population change shown in the information above?

a)

Completion of the Panama Canal

b)

Discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill

c)

Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad

d)

Relocation of American Indians to reservations

45.

How did the Union treat former Confederate leaders under the Radical Reconstruction Plan?

a)

They were allowed to obtain federal loans to help restore the cotton industry.

b)

They were denied the ability to obtain political positions

c)

They were required to enlist in the US army for two years

d)

They were denied citizenship and the right to vote

46.

Which of the following was an impact of the Embargo of 1807 on the Northern states of the United States?

a)

prices for manufactured goods decreased

b)

factories closed as workers returned to farms

c)

a decline in foreign trade damaged the commercial shipping industry

d)

fishing revenues decreased as a result of reduced demand

47.

Responsibility - Second president of the United States

Courage - Defending the Redcoats at the Boston Massacre Trial

Perseverance - Negotiating the Treaty of Paris


Which of the following Founding Fathers is described above?

a)

John Adams

b)

George Washington

c)

Thomas Jefferson

d)

James Monroe

48.

Where would a history student most likely find this image>

a)

In a biography of early Texan explorers

b)

In a museum about the French Revolution

c)

In a book about Irish Immigration patterns

d)

In a presentation about Manifest Destiny