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US History to the Civil War

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 45mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which explorer discovered the New World?

a)

Marco Polo

b)

Christopher Columbus

c)

Ferdinand Magellan

d)

Henry Hudson

2.

Which group of colonists sailed on the Mayflower and established an early colony?

a)

Virginia Company

b)

Pilgrims

c)

Puritans

d)

The Quakers

3.

Who did the United States fight in the War of 1812?

a)

Spain

b)

Great Britain

c)

France

d)

Russia

4.

The 1849 discovery of what drew hundreds of thousands of settlers out west?

a)

Planinum

b)

Golf

c)

Tin

d)

Gold

5.
What is the name given to the belief that the United States had the right and duty to expand across the North American continent?
a)
Manifest Destiny 
b)
 Monroe Destiny
c)
Moving West
d)
Louisiana Purchase
6.

What was the agreement made by Congress in 1820 that said Missouri was admitted to the U.S. as a slave state and Maine was admitted as a free state?

a)

Missouri Compromise

b)

"Gag Rule"

c)

Wilmont Proviso

d)

Compromise of 1850

7.

The Mexican-American War in 1846 broke out between the US and Mexico because...

a)

Mexico tried reclaiming Texas.

b)

The US refused to import goods from Mexico.

c)

There was a dispute over the shared border between the 2 countries.

8.

was law enforced by then President Andrew Jackson to remove all

native Americans from the south.

a)

Immigration

b)

Indian Removal Act

c)

Indian Wars

d)

Mexican American War

9.

State that fought for independence from Mexico.

a)

Arizona

b)

Texas

c)

New Mexico

d)

California

10.

Law that allowed slave owners find runaway slaves and bring them back to their plantation.

a)

Fugitive Slave act

b)

Runaway slave act

c)

Underground Railroad

d)

Ex slave act

11.

Who was the first president of the United States of America?

a)

Benjamin Franklin

b)

John Adams

c)

George Washington

d)

Patrick Henry

12.

When did the Americans declare their independence?

a)

1976

b)

1876

c)

1492

d)

1776

13.

Which of the following is not one of the original 13 colonies

a)

Pennsylvania

b)

Virginia

c)

Delaware

d)

Vermont

14.
Which of the following was not included in the Compromise of 1850?
a)
California was added as a free state
b)
The Fugitive Slave Act was enacted
c)
Slave trade was banned in Washington DC
d)
New Mexico was now a slave state
15.
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
a)
Made it a crime to be a slave
b)
Made being an abolitionist a crime
c)
Required citizens to assist in the recovery of fugitive (runaway) slaves
d)
Made slaves that ran away to Canada free and middle class
16.
According to the Kansas Nebraska act the issue of slavery would be decided there by:
a)
Having people vote on it
b)
The government
c)
A popular representative named Steve McQueen
d)
Playing the lotto
17.
"Bleeding Kansas" refers to the:
a)
The cries of the buffalo that were hunted to near-extinction
b)
A brutal disease that many newcomers had
c)
Violence that erupted between pro and anti-slavery forces within the state
d)
The water that caused bleeding gums
18.

Who originally took about 300 families into Texas to start an American colony?

a)

Stephen Austin

b)

Davey Crockett

c)

William Travis

d)

General Santa Anna

19.

Britain sold what territory to the United States?

a)

Louisiana

b)

Canada

c)

Oregon

d)

California

20.

Was what happened at the Alamo in San Antonio, TX, an important part in the fight for Texas independence?

a)

Yes

b)

No

c)

Maybe

d)

What's the Alamo?

21.

Manifest Destiny was

a)

A member of Destiny's Child

b)

the idea that the U.S. had the right/duty to expand on the continent.

c)

the idea that the Constitution is a living, flexible document.

d)

the idea that Thomas Jefferson was chosen by god to lead the country.

22.

The action that doubled the size of the U.S. was

a)

the annexation of Texas

b)

the claiming of the Oregon Territory

c)

the Louisiana Purchase

d)

the War with Mexico

23.

In 1836, the issue of annexing Texas became an important topic in American history. The word annex most closely means?

a)

giving back

b)

adding

c)

staying

d)

leaving alone

24.

According to the concept of Manifest Destiny, who should possess the North American continent?

a)

Americans

b)

the Spanish

c)

the British

d)

Native Americans

25.

What is one reason that the Texans wanted independence from Mexico?

a)

Mexico charged settlers high fees for land.

b)

Mexico promoted slavery.

c)

Mexico had banned American settlement in Texas.

d)

Mexico wanted Texas to become an American state.

26.

What was the result of the Texas War for Independence?

a)

Texas lost the war but negotiated its independence from Mexico.

b)

Texas lost the war and remained part of Mexico for 10 years.

c)

Texas won the war and immediately became the 28th state of the United States.

d)

Texas won the war and became an independent nation.

27.

Which president favored the annexation of Texas?

a)

Martin Van Buren

b)

Andrew Jackson

c)

Sam Houston

d)

James K. Polk

28.

Why did northerners object to the annexation of Texas?

a)

It would support the Missouri Compromise.

b)

It would create additional alliances with Mexico.

c)

It would increase the number of free states.

d)

It would increase the number of slave states.

29.

Which event happened after the Mexican-American War ended?

a)

U.S. general Winfield Scott invaded Mexico.

b)

The Wilmot Proviso was passed in the Senate.

c)

The United States bought the Oregon Territory from Britain.

d)

The United States stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

30.

Who were the forty-niners?

a)

settlers who received 49 acres of land in California in the 1800s

b)

gold-seekers who came to California in 1849

c)

Catholic priest who build 49 missions in California in the 1800s

d)

leaders who drafted a constitution for California in 1849

31.

What agreement gave America present-day California, Nevada, and Utah as well as parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming?

a)

Treaty of Paris

b)

Gadsden Purchase

c)

Treaty of Ghent

d)

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

32.

As a result of President Andrew Jackson's policies, Native American Indians were

a)

relocated to Mexico

b)

granted US Citizenship

c)

forcibly removed to areas west of the Mississippi River

d)

gradually allowed to return to their homes

33.

The California Gold Rush, the Homestead Act (giving people land), and the completion of the Transcontinental all

a)

encouraged westward settlement.

b)

promised everyone, even Natives a home in the west.

c)

recognized Native American Indian land rights.

d)

promoted the conservation of natural resources.

34.

This angel in the image represents

a)

protection during a new change.

b)

Destiny leading the way to its purpose.

c)

power over the people.

d)

confidence.

35.

Which geographic feature was the boundary line between the United States in 1783 and the Louisiana Territory in 1803?

a)

Appalachian Mountains

b)

Rocky Mountains

c)

Great Lakes

d)

Mississippi River

36.

Which of the following is a reason Americans wanted to expand their territory?

a)

Settlers wanted land on which to work and build homes.

b)

Businesses wanted resources and places to sell their goods.

c)

Leaders wanted the United States to be safe and strong.

d)

All of the above

37.
As Americans took over more and more land, what happened to Native Americans?
a)
They agreed to give up their land.
b)
They were given their choice of where to live.
c)
They were forced to live in reservations.
d)
They voluntarily moved to Canada and Mexico.
38.
Name the piece of Land.
a)
Texas Annexation
b)
Mexican Cession 
c)
Louisiana Purchase 
d)
Florida Cession
39.
What were the difficulties of the Oregon Trail?
a)
Length of the journey
b)
Disease
c)
Weather
d)
All of the above
40.
Why would people head West on the Oregon Trail?
a)
Free pizza at the end of the trip.
b)
They win a million dollars.
c)
New land, opportunities & life.
d)
The Oregon coast was prettier than the East coast.
41.

The U.S. bought the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico for $10 million. Which letter represents this territory?

a)

D

b)

J

c)

E

d)

C

42.
What states were part of the Mexican Cession?
a)
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania
b)
Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi
c)
Oregon, Washington, Idaho
d)
California, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada
43.
What did the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the annexation of Texas in 1845, and the Mexican War of 1846 have in common?
a)
They brought about a war with Spain.
b)
They increased the territory of the United States.
c)
Each resulted in territory annexed by the United States.
d)
Each involved land forcibly taken from Mexico.
44.

The US claimed that Texas’ southern border was the ______________________ river, and Mexico claimed Texas’ border was at the ____________________ River.

a)

Nueces and Rio Grande

b)

New Aces and Oro Grande

c)

Cohansey and Maurice

d)

Yangtze and Ho

45.

Why do you think President Polk sent US troops to the Rio Grande River?

a)

a. He was trying to encourage the Mexican army to attack the Texas settlers                                                        

b)

b. He thought that if US troops moved into the disputed area, that Mexico would attack them

c)

c. Polk sent troops to the Rio Grande to distract Mexico from the US forces invading from the sea

d)

d. He was trying to prevent illegal aliens from coming into the USA

46.

Which compromise allowed Maine to enter the union as a free state and Missouri to enter the union as a slave state?

a)

Compromise of 1850

b)

Missouri Compromise

c)

3/5 Compromise

d)

Maine Compromise

47.
Which of the following presidents purchased Louisiana?
a)
Adams
b)
Jefferson
c)
Jackson
48.

Why was the Santa Fe Trail important to the growth of the United States?

a)

Important trade route from the east to New Mexico

b)

Important trade route from the north to New Mexico

c)

Important trade route from the south to New Mexico

d)

Important trade route from the west to New Mexico

49.
What big event is NOT associated with Manifest Destiny
a)
Oregon Territory Dispute
b)
Mexican-American War
c)
California Gold Rush
d)
The Revolutionary War
50.

Which piece of legislation caused the Trail of Tears?

a)

Dawes Act

b)

Great Compromise

c)

3/5 Compromise

d)

Indian Removal Act