NEW
Font size
WorksheetsMock STAAR Exam Review
Total questions: 60
Worksheet time: 10hrs 0mins
Which situation violates the Eighth Amendment protections regarding criminal punishment?
A protester is jailed for violent acts at a political rally.
A person is sentenced to life in prison for shoplifting.
A person is sentenced to ten years imprisonment for assault and robbery.
A judge orders that an accused person be jailed until bail is paid.
How did the free enterprise system MOST benefit industrial development in the first half of the1800s?
By allowing entrepreneurs to raise money and invest in companies
By establishing quotas on immigrants
By providing safe working conditions for factory workers
By encouraging the government to put taxes on businesses
What was the INITIAL reason many European explorers sailed to the Americas?
To find new trade routes to Asia
To form military alliances
To spread Christianity to Africa
To find new sources of cheap labor
Settlers in Maryland struggled to resolve various disputes in the early days of the colony. The Maryland Assembly resolved many of those disputes in 1649 by passing a law that —
granted farmland to former indentured servants
allowed men without property to vote in elections
allowed all Christians to worship freely
extended citizenship to all American Indians
Which constitutional issue contributed to sectional conflict before the Civil War?
Disagreement over the boundaries of the Oregon Territory
Growing support for limiting female suffrage and immigration
The limits on free speech and press included in the Alien and Sedition Acts
Debate over the expansion of slavery into the West
The Great Compromise addressed disagreements over federal representation by —
creating a bicameral legislature
enumerating the powers of the central government
giving veto power to the executive
establishing three branches of government
Thomas Hooker’s Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is important in U.S. political history because it was an early colonial document that —
outlawed protected tariffs
extended suffrage to women
provided for the election of representatives
proposed the creation of an independent country
How did immigrants MOST contribute to the rapid industrialization of the United States during the early-to-mid 1800s?
By serving as an inexpensive source of labor
By raising the money needed for investment
By introducing skilled craftsmanship in cottage industries
By designing the methods used to mass produce goods
Why did President Thomas Jefferson approve the negotiations that led to the Louisiana Purchase?
He wanted to settle boundary disputes with Great Britain.
He wanted to take control of the Mississippi River.
He wanted to obtain land to limit Russian colonization.
He wanted to take control of the Appalachian Mountains.
What was the issue in Worcester v. Georgia?
The taxation of Cherokee lands
The use of subsistence farming by the Cherokee people
The sovereignty of the Cherokee nation
The abandonment of the Cherokee culture by its people
What was one effect of the cotton gin in the United States?
Improved soil fertility
Expansion of mercantilism
Increased efficiency of crop irrigation
Expansion of the plantation system
Which statement describes BOTH the Free-Soil Party and the Republican Party in themid-1800s?
They supported actions to stop escaped slaves from entering the North.
They supported enacting safety regulations to protect factory workers.
They were against the expansion of slavery into the western territories.
They were against the establishment of American Indian reservations.
Why is John Paul Jones remembered as the “Father of the American Navy”?
He won naval victories against the British during the Revolutionary War.
He led the naval assault against the Barbary States.
He commanded the first steam-powered warship in the U.S. Navy.
He served as the first Secretary of the Navy.
During the colonial period, what was one difference between slave labor in the North and slave labor in the South?
More slaves in the North worked in gold mines.
More slaves in the North worked in cash-crop production.
More slaves in the North worked in trade-related jobs.
More slaves in the North worked as craftsmen on plantations.
What is the significance of the Pilgrims’ arrival in America?
It led to an alliance between the British and the French.
It led to an early attempt at self-government in the English colonies.
It caused Puritans to separate from the Church of England.
It introduced the slave trade to the Atlantic colonies.
Boston, Massachusetts, and San Francisco, California, are geographically similar in that they BOTH —
have a Mediterranean climate
are located near active volcanoes
have a hot desert climate
are located on a coast
Why did Alexander Hamilton think a national bank would strengthen the central government?
The bank would help provide stability for the U.S. economy.
The bank would create a monopoly that would eliminate state banks.
The bank would encourage foreign competition for manufactured goods.
The bank would have the power to regulate interstate commerce.
Which statement explains one of the motivations behind Manifest Destiny?
“These are the times that try men’s souls: the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country. . . .”
“I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free. . . .”
“And that claim is by the right . . . to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us. . . .”
“That it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise.”
Which statement explains how the work of Dorothea Dix benefited U.S. society?
Mental-health facilities were opened to treat patients.
Doctors were required to get federal licenses to practice medicine.
States passed laws giving harsher sentences to criminals.
The government distributed land to poor people.
Why did many farmers, artisans, and former Anti-Federalists support the Democratic-Republican Party?
The Democratic-Republicans favored the expansion of a strong national government.
The Democratic-Republicans supported strict restrictions on immigration.
The Democratic-Republicans supported the use of tariffs.
The Democratic-Republicans favored states’ rights and the rights of the common man.
In which court case was the U.S. principle of judicial review established?
McCulloch v. Maryland
Gibbons v. Ogden
Marbury v. Madison
Dred Scott v. Sandford
What was one way slow communication with the British government affected the American colonies?
The colonies united for trade and defense.
Self-government developed in the colonies.
Smuggling of goods in the colonies decreased.
The colonies petitioned the government to establish a navy.
How did the introduction of barbed-wire fences benefit farmers?
By making irrigation of the land more effective
By helping to break up the soil before plowing
By making the harvesting of cotton more efficient
By protecting crops from damage caused by animals
Which phrase best represents the U.S. principle of republicanism?
The creation of a Congress to carry out the will of the people
The establishment of courts to interpret laws and government actions
The division of power between a federal government and state governments
The power of a court to declare a law unconstitutional
Which action is one part of the official path to U.S. citizenship through the naturalization process?
Attending college in the United States
Being employed in the United States
Passing a U.S. civics exam
Working for the U.S. government
How did the Supreme Court decision in Worcester v. Georgia affect American Indians?
The ruling gave the state authority over relations with American Indians.
The state ignored the ruling and distributed Cherokee lands to white settlers.
More American Indian tribes decided to grant licenses to missionaries to live on tribal lands.
Reservation policies were overturned and replaced with land grants to individuals.
Why did slavery become a widespread practice in the United States during the early nineteenth century?
The system of indentured servitude was banned.
The need for agricultural labor increased as a result of expanded cotton production.
Improved transportation systems made it easier for workers to migrate.
Advancements in technology led to the need for skilled workers.
According to the Northwest Ordinance, which condition did a U.S. territory have to meet in order to apply for statehood?
Have a population of sixty thousand free settlers
Hold a vote on whether to become a free or slave territory
Establish one public school per district
Have a territorial governor appointed by the president
Which factor contributed to the founding of new religious groups in the United States?
Freedoms listed in the Bill of Rights
Expansion of individual voting rights
Growth of abolitionist movements
Beliefs expressed by Transcendentalists
Which constitutional issue led to the Nullification Crisis of 1832?
Do courts have the power to rule on the constitutionality of state laws?
Does the president have the authority to use the military to enforce the law?
Does the federal government have the authority to enact laws regarding slavery?
Do states have the power to declare a federal law unconstitutional?
Which grievance from the Declaration of Independence is addressed by the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
“He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly.”
“For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury . . .”
“He has obstructed the . . . Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.”
“For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us . . .”
What reason did President James K. Polk give when he asked Congress to declare war against Mexico?
To stop Mexican attacks against U.S. territory
To prevent human rights abuses in Mexico
To preserve religious freedom within Texas
To ensure slavery would continue in Texas
Which event occurred as a result of General Cornwallis’s surrender at the Battle of Yorktown?
France recognized American independence and declared war against Great Britain.
The Second Continental Congress agreed to the Articles of Confederation.
Great Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris.
The Second Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George III.
In the 1630s, Thomas Hooker and Roger Williams disagreed with the religious leaders of Massachusetts. These disagreements were resolved when Hooker and Williams —
left Massachusetts and established new colonies
founded new political parties in the Massachusetts Bay area
petitioned Parliament to revise the Massachusetts Bay charter
left Massachusetts and explored the Mississippi Valley
What was one result of the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828?
Renewal of the charter of the Bank of the United States
Elimination of the spoils system
Ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment
Increased levels of voter participation
What was one effect of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?
The Republican Party lost influence in the federal legislature.
The Missouri Compromise was deemed unconstitutional by federal courts.
Tensions among the populations of northern and southern states increased.
Immigrants were forced to relocate from eastern cities to western territories.
Which pair contributed to the development of political parties in the United States?
• Continental Army
• English Army
• George Washington
• Paul Revere
• Virginia Plan
• New Jersey Plan
• Thomas Jefferson
• Alexander Hamilton
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 reason President Monroe made this statement?
To strengthen political alliances with European allies
To address European competition for natural resources
To increase U.S. military readiness for European expansionism
To prevent European intervention in countries near the United States
As towns are established . . . along the rivers Savannah and Alatamaha, they will make such a barrier as will render the southern frontier of the British Colonies on the Continent of America, safe from Indian and other enemies.
—General James Oglethorpe, 1733
Which human geographic factor most likely prompted this observation?
The number of Quakers living in British colonies
The Caribbean slave trade with British colonies
The number of religious sects in the British colonies
The Spanish land claims close to the British colonies
The economies of the new western states were very different from those of the northeastern states in the mid-1800s. One major difference was that western states —
relied on subsistence farming
used natural harbors for shipping
focused on mining and agriculture
traded freely with other nations
What was one result of industrialization in the United States during the mid-1800s?
Sectional differences increased.
The federal government prohibited immigration.
Job opportunities decreased.
Fewer public lands were devoted to transportation.
Why was it difficult for Congress to fulfill its duties under the Articles of Confederation?
Any congressional action required executive approval.
Congress lacked the power to declare war.
Most congressional decisions required the approval of at least nine states.
Congress lacked the power to regulate foreign trade.
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
One environmental consequence of the large-scale cultivation of cotton in the South was —
widespread soil exhaustion caused by decades of farming
drought caused by overuse of river water to irrigate farmland
air pollution caused by the use of cotton gins
widespread water contamination caused by fertilizer runoff
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 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 most sweet and tender, the most innocent and encouraging society may be found in any natural object, even for the . . . most melancholy man. There can be no very black melancholy to him who lives in the midst of Nature and has his senses still. . . .While I enjoy the friendship of the seasons I trust that nothing can make life a burden to me.
—Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854
Which statement shows how this excerpt is an example of transcendentalism in the early-to-mid 1800s?
Thoreau uses reason to explain natural events that happen in the world.
Thoreau focuses on the role of science in changing the natural world.
Thoreau studies the relationship between nature and historical events.
Thoreau focuses on the relationship between humans and the natural world.
I am now convinced, beyond a doubt that unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place . . . this Army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of these three things. Starve, dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner they can; rest assured Sir this is not an exaggerated picture. . . .
—General George Washington, letter to the Continental Congress,December 23, 1777
Which of the following prompted General Washington to write this letter
A shortage of Continental soldiers to maintain the siege of Yorktown
The high number of casualties suffered during the Battle of Bunker Hill
Low morale after the British army captured New York City
Concern for the Continental troops during the winter at Valley Forge
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
—Declaration of Independence
How was this grievance addressed by the Founding Fathers?
By making the president the commander in chief of the armed forces
By requiring the president and members of Congress to take the oath of office
By giving the president and Congress the power to make treaties
By giving Congress the power to draft civilians into the armed forces
We can give employment to from 50 to 100 girls, at the usual wages paid in this place. Our custom is to pay to new hands one dollar per week, & board in the Weaving & Dressing Rooms, &one dollar & a half & board, in the Carding & Spinning Rooms,until they can tend the Machines without assistance. After that 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 —
the passage of strict federal labor laws
the abolition of the slave trade
the expansion of the cottage industry system
the new production methods of industrialization
The great idea 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 or Congress.
—Mary Frances Berry, The New York Times, September 13, 1987
This author is expressing her opinion about —
recalling members of Congress
impeaching the President
disobeying the Supreme Court
amending the Constitution
The Hudson River School artists were influenced by the —
success of social reform movements in the United States
migration of settlers to the U.S. frontier
natural landscape of the United States
environmental effects of U.S. industrialization
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
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.
Which description is an example of an unalienable right from the Declaration of Independence?
Equality — People’s education should be equal in every state.
Wealth — People’s salaries should be dependent on their skills.
Happiness — People can do lawful things that they enjoy.
Patriotism — People can choose to join any of the armed forces.
Resolved, that the taxation of the people by themselves, 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?
Colonists were upset by the punishment imposed after the Boston Tea Party.
Colonists created this in order to address the causes of the Boston Massacre.
Colonists were opposed to colonial laws being created only by Parliament.
Colonists wanted to expand powers given to governors appointed by King George III.
Which box lists three factors that contributed most to the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the United States?
• Fertile soil
• Mild climate
• Unskilled labor
• Investment capital
• New means of transport
• Large labor force
• Telegraph
• Nativism
• Cotton gin
• Protective tariffs
• Abundant land
• Slavery
The States have their status in the Union, and they have no other legal status. . . . The Union, and not themselves separately, procured their independence and their liberty.
—President Abraham Lincoln, message to Congress, July 4, 1861
Which constitutional issue was President Lincoln addressing in this excerpt?
The right of citizens to choose representatives
The power of states to organize militias
The unalienable rights of citizens
The legal ability of states to secede
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?
Federalism
Checks and balances
Popular sovereignty
Individual rights
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?
Its members blamed Irish immigrants for taking away jobs.
The party encouraged western migration of settlers.
Its members opposed enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act in the Northeast.
The party was in favor of universal suffrage.
