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Worksheets8th grade Social Studies STAAR Review
Total questions: 143
Worksheet time: 2hrs 37mins
How did railroads impact the prices of goods & services?
Made goods and services more expensive & harder to ship
Made goods and services cheaper & easier to ship and helped settle the west
Gave people safer transportation
Opened new land for exploring and settlements
What is the invention that led to the sending of electrical impulses usually in code language, along a wire led to instantaneous communication?
Telegraph
Electronic Mail
Wired Transfer
Electrical Coding
Which land acquisition was purchased from France in 1803 and doubled the size of the U.S and gave us control of the Mississippi river.?
Mexican Cession
Louisiana Purchase
Treaty of Paris
Gadsden Purchase
The event that launched the settlement of California was:
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Gadsden Purchase
California Gold Rush
Mexican Cession
Women's Rights Suffrage
Reforms that altered the system of public schools
Horace Mann
Dorthea Dix
responsible for improving conditions in jails, poorhouses and insane asylums throughout the U.S
An organized campaign to eliminate alcohol consumption.
suffrage(voting) rights; Seneca Falls Convention, 1848- Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B Anthony
Southern states passed "Black Codes" in order to-
limit the effects of Reconstruction amendments
increase the labor supply for factories in the North
decrease the number of northern representatives in Congress
improve relations with the Democratic Party
Which of the following reversed the Supreme Court ruling in Dred Scott v Sanford?
The Dawes Act
The 14th Amendment
The Compromise of 1877
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
The 13th Amendment to the Constitution affected the lives of millions of African Americans by-
providing them with voting rights
guaranteeing their freedom of speech
providing them with access to the Court system
guaranteeing their permanent freedom from slavery
Which of the following was a job that the Freedmen's Bureau performed?
Established Schools
Certified applications for political office
Granted small business loans
Provided funds for farming supplies
Poll taxes and Literacy tests are examples of ways Southern states weakened the effects of the-
Compromise of 1850
15th amendment
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Dred Scot v Sanford decision
What was one long-term consequence of the sharecropping system?
Agricultural workers organized labor unions
Many former slaves became trapped in a cycle of debt
Many agricultural workers moved to cities to start small businesses
Land owners sold property to pay wages to former slaves
During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, George Mason an Anri-Federalist argued —
against increased power for the national government
for the dissolution of state governments
against the passage of a bill of rights
for the creation of a strong executive branch
Characteristics of California and Florida:
•Good climates for agriculture
•Long coastlines with natural harbors and bays
•Originally inhabited by American Indians
Which of these characteristics also describes these two states?
Founded as work colonies for debtors
Former slave states
Were havens for religious dissenters
Former Spanish colonies
What was one result of the Treaty of Paris of 1783?
Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent country.
Competing Seminole and Spanish claims in West Florida were resolved
The British navy agreed to stop pressing American sailors into service.
British territory in eastern Canada was ceded to France.
Which of the following was an argument made against slavery in the Thirteen Colonies?
Manufacturers argued that slavery discouraged the development of industry.
Farmers argued that using slave labor was expensive and inefficient.
Quakers argued that slavery violated Christian principles.
Puritans argued that the slave trade encouraged materialism.
How did the War of 1812 most affect the U.S. economy?
Disruption in trade contributed to domestic industrial growth.
Small farmers benefited from higher export prices for grain crops.
The sale of treasury bonds to international companies was prohibited.
New trade alliances resulted in increased foreign investment.
How did this invention contribute to the expansion of the plantation system?
By reducing the number of slaves needed for growing cotton
By increasing the time needed to cultivate cotton
By increasing the profitability of slavery
By reducing the demand for raw cotton
What was one reason James K. Polk won the presidential election of 1844?
He was against removing American Indians from their native lands.
He favored the policy of popular sovereignty in the Kansas and Nebraska territories.
He was committed to fulfilling the goals of Manifest Destiny.
He opposed the extension of slavery west of the Mississippi River.
Which of these correctly describes an effect of the Compromise of 1850 on escaped slaves and freedmen?
Members of both groups were captured under the Fugitive Slave Law.
Unlike freedmen, escaped slaves were welcome in the gold mines of California.
Members of both groups could be sold in Washington, D.C., slave markets.
Unlike escaped slaves, freedmen could vote in the territories of the Mexican Cession.
The assembly served as a model for other colonial legislatures.
Colonists used the assembly to overrule decisions of the royal governor.
The assembly sent delegates to Parliament to represent Virginia.
The king revoked Virginia’s charter because the assembly became too powerful.
The Northwest Ordinance established guidelines for the orderly expansion of the United States by instituting a —
method to purchase territory from foreign powers
procedure for military takeovers of existing countries
process through which states could be added to the Union
compromise line that prohibited slavery in the West
Massachusetts= Puritans
? = Catholics
Which colony correctly completes this question?
Maryland
Virginia
South Carolina
Georgia
This information was included in a slide-show presentation to a high school history class:
Strengths
•Ability to declare war
•Ability to make treaties
•Authority to operate post offices
Which document was the focus of this presentation?
The Mayflower Compact
The Articles of Confederation
The Virginia Declaration of Rights
The Declaration of Independence
After the Civil War, southern states adopted Black Codes to —
punish plantation owners for the use of slavery
support Radical Reconstruction objectives in the South
promote the activities of the Freedmen’s Bureau
limit the impact of the Thirteenth Amendment
How did the loss of its control of the Mississippi River contribute to the defeat of the Confederacy during the Battle of Vicksburg?
The river had provided direct access to the Union’s base of military operations.
Losing control of the river removed the physical barrier between slave and free states.
The river had provided the Confederacy with a power source for factories and mills
Losing control of the river divided the Confederacy in two and cut off its supplies.
•Unreasonable searches and seizures are illegal.
•Search warrants may not be issued without probable cause.
•The place to be searched and the people or items to be seized must be described in a warrant.
Which amendment provides for the protections described in this list?
First Amendment
Fourth Amendment
Fifth Amendment
Tenth Amendment
Which of the following was a major reason for the flow of the transatlantic slave trade?
The economic demands of the plantation system
The construction needs of the railroad
Increased textile manufacturing
Increased western migration
Which excerpt from the U.S. Constitution best illustrates the principle of popular sovereignty?
“Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members....”
“The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States....”
“The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore....”
“The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof.”
No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land.—Magna Carta, 1215
Which political idea was influenced by this provision of the Magna Carta?
Federalism
Due process
A bicameral legislature
The social contract
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?
Massive unemployment resulting from British occupation
Political unrest during an economic recession
Famine caused by a major crop failure
Civil war between Catholics and Protestants
Cause: Parliament passes the Stamp Act.
Effect:?
Which of the following best completes this diagram?
Colonists sought military support from France.
Colonists organized boycotts of British goods.
Colonists signed the Declaration of Independence.
Colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.
That all Men are . . . equally free & independent, & have certain . . . Rights, of which they can not by any Compact, deprive or divest [remove] their Posterity [future generations]; among which are the Enjoyment of Life and Liberty, with the Means of acquiring and possessing Property, and pursuing and obtaining Happiness and Safety.—Virginia Declaration of Rights, 1776
In this excerpt, the authors of the Virginia Declaration of Rights are describing rights they consider —
granted to citizens by their government
natural and possessed at birth
protected under religious doctrine
defined by the courts
Primary Motives of European Exploration:
1. To Increase Wealth
2. Promote Christianity
3. ?
Which motive best completes the diagram?
To promote free enterprise
To extend democracy
To expand empires
To found utopian communities
Industries of the New England Colonies
•Shipbuilding
•Fishing
•Fur trapping and trading
•Lumber milling
Which physical characteristics made these economic activities possible?
Tall mountains, a long shoreline, and fertile soil
A temperate climate, vast grasslands, and plentiful lakes
Dense forests, natural harbors, and swift rivers
Natural harbors, an arid climate, and rocky soil
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the states respectively, or to the people.
—Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Conflicting interpretations of this amendment played a major role in the —
Bank War
Nullification Crisis
Corrupt Bargain
XYZ Affair
•Worked in California goldfields
•Helped build the western section of the Transcontinental Railroad
•Established distinct communities in California cities
•Faced intense nativism
This list describes the nineteenth-century experiences of immigrants from —
Italy
China
Germany
Japan
The first political parties in the United States formed mainly in response to disagreements over —
taxation without representation
the doctrine of judicial review
territorial expansion to the west
the extent of federal power and creation of national bank
A historian is writing an article for a history website.
The article is divided into the following topics:
•The division of the South into military districts
•The impeachment of the president
•The ratification of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments
Which era in U.S. history is the focus of this article?
The Jacksonian era
The antebellum era
The Federalist era
The Reconstruction era
Speaker 1: A strong central government will provide order and stability.
Speaker 2: We have just left the control of one tyrant; let us avoid an American tyrant.
Speaker 3: The strength of our union lies in the independence of our states.
Speaker 4: We were led into a war by a minority who desired independence.
Which speaker is in favor of ratifying the Constitution?
1
2
3
4
•Blasting tunnels through mountains
•Building bridges across rivers
•Leveling hills and filling in hollows
These environmental modifications were made in order to construct —
permanent housing for immigrants in urban areas
canals that linked the Midwest to the Northeast
a transcontinental railroad
a harbor on the Mississippi River
What was a major result of the Missouri Compromise?
It increased the number of immigrants settling in northern states
It provided financing for canal construction.
It rapidly expanded railroad construction in southern states.
It temporarily relieved sectional tensions.
’Tis our true policy to steer clear of ___?___ with any portion of the foreign World—So far, I mean, as we are now at liberty to do it....But in my opinion, it is unnecessary and would be unwise to extend them. —President George Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796
Which phrase completes this excerpt?
colonial Settlements
protective Tariffs
permanent Alliances
territorial Disputes
Which of these is a guarantee in the First Amendment?
States have the power to regulate public education
People can choose whether and how to participate in religious services.
Persons accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Citizens have the right to be judged by a jury of their peers.
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States....—U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 1
This provision is a response to which grievance from the Declaration of Independence?
“For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever...”
“For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government...”
“He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records.”
“He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners.”
In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court established a principle that would eventually be used by all courts to —
strike down any law that the court deems unconstitutional
decide the outcome of contested election results
overturn any impeachment that the court deems unsupported by evidence
mediate disputes related to commerce between states
Hamilton's plan for the government included:
1. Assume States' debts
2. The federal government would ?
Which action completes this diagram?
oversee state government agencies
regulate the creation of new businesses
establish a national bank
eliminate protective tariffs
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
•Defined and limited the powers of government
•Created a general assembly
•Granted government the right to levy and collect taxes
Which statement best describes the influence of this document?
It helped establish the tradition of self-government.
It was the first attempt to combine political and religious laws.
It established the concept of unalienable rights.
It outlined a plan for independence from British rule.
Which of these was a goal shared by many advocates of Manifest Destiny?
Abolishing slavery throughout the United States
Occupying all of North America
Withdrawing from foreign affairs
Returning to an agrarian economy
Major Nineteenth-Century Innovations
AGRICULTURE
• Mechanical reapers
• Interchangeable parts
• Combine harvesters
INDUSTRY
• Power looms • Steel plows
• Steam engines • Grain drills
• Bessemer process
These innovations in agriculture and industry resulted in —
higher consumer costs
decreased profits for investors
less consumer choice
more efficient production of goods
History and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of Republican government. . . . It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances.
—President George Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796
The idea expressed in this quote is that the United States should avoid —
becoming involved in the political affairs of other countries
being a part of a global trade network
establishing U.S. territories overseas
allowing U.S. citizens to emigrate
- Invention of the cotton gin
- Opening of lands along the Mississippi River
- Growing demand for inexpensive labor
Which change occurred as a direct result of these developments?
A reduction in the number of skilled workers in northern states
The expansion of manufacturing into the western territories
A reduction in trade with European countries
The expansion of slavery into newly acquired territories
(?) CAUSE -------------- EFFECT (The War of 1812)
French naval attacks on U.S. harbors
British invasions of countries allied with the United States
French embargoes on trade with the United States
British impressment of U.S. sailors
Which of the following best completes the following list?
- Entrepreneurship
- Competition
- Private Property
- Profit Motive
- Consumer Choice
Free Enterprise System
Mercantilism
Federalism
Republicanism
Which of the following is the best example of an early U.S. struggle to define the domestic authority of the central government?
The XYZ Affair
The War of 1812
The Barbary Wars
The Whiskey Rebellion
'The Bills of Rights . . . are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous.'
Those who agreed with this point of view were known as —
Minutemen
Loyalists
Federalists
Patriots
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
—U.S. Constitution, Tenth Amendment
What was the purpose of this amendment?
To encourage citizens to monitor the federal government
To prevent conflicts between state and local governments
To limit the authority of the federal government
To increase the participation of citizens in state government
EIGHTH AMENDMENT
- Excessive fines cannot be imposed
- Excessive bail cannot be required
- ?????????
Which sentence completes this diagram?
People cannot be forced to be witnesses against themselves
Cruel and unusual punishment cannot be inflicted
Warrants cannot be issued unless probable cause is established
A defendant cannot be denied a speedy and public trial
The completion of the Erie Canal played a key role in which development?
New York City becoming a vital commercial center with the country’s busiest seaport
New Orleans becoming a leader in manufacturing and overseas trade
Washington, D.C., becoming the cultural and political center of the nation
Boston becoming one of the country’s largest transportation hubs
The Whiskey Rebellion challenged the idea that —
the federal government had the power to pass and enforce tax laws
a national military was needed for dealing with foreign threats
the federal government could raise tariffs to protect industries
a national court system was needed for resolving disputes between states
The Great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign Nations is in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements let them be fulfilled, with perfect good faith. Here let us stop.
Which of the following is the source of this statement on foreign policy?
George Washington’s Farewell Address
The Monroe Doctrine
Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address
The Federalist Papers
In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court first stated the principle that —
only the courts may regulate interstate commerce
the president may veto federal legislation
the courts may declare a federal law unconstitutional
only the president may issue an executive order
Which of these occurred during early U.S. industrialization?
Manufacturers instituted a five-day workweek.
Labor laws required factories to provide a safe working environment.
Workers were required to attend schools to develop technical skills.
Production of goods transitioned from homes to factories.
Leading Members of President George Washington's Cabinet:
- Secretary of State - Thomas Jefferson
- Secretary of the Treasury - Alexander Hamilton
Disagreements between these two cabinet members led to
the creation of reservations for American Indians
a struggle to ratify the Bill of Rights
the establishment of the first U.S. political parties
a compromise over slavery in western territories
The decision in Marbury v. Madison was significant in U.S. history because it —
reinforced federal authority over American Indian affairs
reinforced federal authority over American Indian affairs
established the practice of judicial review by the Supreme Court
upheld the power of the Electoral College to choose the vice president
- The Whiskey Rebellion
- The Bank of the United States • The Alien and Sedition Acts
- Marbury v. Madison
This list provides examples of —
topics discussed during the Second Constitutional Convention
domestic issues faced by the leaders of the new republic
weaknesses of the government under the Articles of Confederation
issues leading to the ratification of the first constitutional amendments
Factors That Contributed to Early Industrialization in the United States:
- An abundance of laborers
- The availability of capital
- ???????????
Which factor best completes this list?
New transportation systems
Increased government regulation
A decline in agricultural production
The growth of labor unions
- Job opportunities in cities increased.
- Agriculture became more mechanized
- Prices of consumer goods decreased.
These developments occurred as a result of increased —
Industrialization
Westward Migration
Expansion of U.S. territory
Government Regulation of Business
Which of these best summarizes the Monroe Doctrine?
The immigration of Europeans to the United States must be discouraged.
International peace can be maintained without complicated alliances.
The power to nullify federal laws is necessary to preserve sovereignty.
Further colonization of the Americas by European countries is prohibited.
How did the War of 1812 affect the U.S. economy?
The use of federal paper currency increased.
Agricultural imports increased
Imports of raw materials increased
Manufacturing increased
Fourth Amendment
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause. . . .
The constitutional amendment excerpted above protects people in the United States from —
excessive fines for traffic violations
imprisonment for life without a jury trial
excessive surveillance by the government
conscription by the armed forces
Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Republicanism
Unalienable Rights
Bill of Rights
5th Amendment
Right that protects freedom of personal expression.
1st Amendment
2nd Amendment
4th Amendment
8th Amendment
Each branch of government has the power to control the other two.
Republicanism
Process for Amendment
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Authority to govern must be given by the people.
Popular Sovereignty
2nd Amendment
9th Amendment
6 Amendment
Right that protects owning a firearm.
7th Amendment
2nd Amendment
5th Amendment
1st Amendment
Right that gives authority to the individual States if not addressed in the Constitution.
3rd Amendment
8th Amendment
7th Amendment
10th Amendment
Individual rights listed in the Constitution that are a result of colonial grievances.
Bill of Rights
7th Amendment
Judicial
Executive
Right to other rights not necessarily listed in the Constitution.
3rd Amendment
9th Amendment
5th Amendment
2nd Amendment
Right to a timely and public trial.
7th Amendment
3rd Amendment
6th Amendment
2nd Amendment
Right to refuse testimony against yourself.
7th Amendment
10th Amendment
2nd Amendment
5th Amendment
What happened in 1607?
Jamestown was founded
Plymouth was founded
The Magna Carta was written
The Louisiana Purchase
What happened in 1620?
Jamestown was founded
Plymouth was founded
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution was written
What happened in 1776?
Plymouth was founded
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution was written
The Civil War
What happened in 1787?
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution was written
The Louisiana Purchase
The Civil War
When was the Louisiana Purchase?
1787
1803
1812
1860
Which war was fought between 1861 and 1864?
The French and Indian War
The American Revolution
The US-Mexico War
The Civil War
Marbury v. Madison happened in the same year as -
The War of 1812
The Louisiana Purchase
The writing of the Constitution
the Nullification Crisis
The Mayflower Compact was written in the same year as -
The founding of Jamestown
The French and Indian War
The founding of Plymouth
The Treaty of Ghent
Which group of people does the picture above make reference to during the Reconstruction Era?
