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Worksheets1st Qtr Benchmark_US History_SY25-26
Total questions: 100
Worksheet time: 52mins
How did Britain’s mercantilist economy impact the Colonists?
It encouraged free trade between the colonies and other countries.
It restricted colonial trade to benefit the British economy.
It allowed the colonies to print their own money.
It promoted independence for the colonies.
What three continents were included in Trans-Atlantic trade under mercantilism?
Asia, Africa, Australia
Europe, Africa, North America
South America, Europe, Asia
Africa, Australia, South America
Which religious denomination was LEAST LIKELY to be found in the Mid-Atlantic Colonies?
Quakers
Catholics
Puritans
Lutherans
Define Middle Passage:
The route taken by explorers to Asia
The journey of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas
The trade route between the colonies and England
The migration of settlers to the western frontier
Why did enslaved Africans in English societies develop a distinct new culture?
They were allowed to return to Africa frequently.
They blended African traditions with new experiences in America.
They were isolated from other groups.
They rejected all forms of cultural expression.
List 3 examples of salutary neglect.
Allowing colonial assemblies to govern themselves, lax enforcement of trade laws, and limited royal oversight
Strict enforcement of trade laws, direct royal rule, and heavy taxation
Complete independence, no British presence, and free trade with all nations
Military occupation, forced conscription, and religious persecution
How did Salutary Neglect impact colonists?
It encouraged the development of independent colonial governments and economies
It led to immediate rebellion against Britain
It caused the colonies to become more dependent on Britain
It resulted in the colonies refusing to trade with Britain
Describe how the structure of early colonial governments mirrored the government of England.
Both had representative assemblies and a governor/monarch
Both had no form of government
Both were ruled by direct democracy
Both had a single leader with absolute power
Define the Great Awakening.
A religious revival movement in the American colonies during the 18th century
The start of the American Revolution
The signing of the Declaration of Independence
The end of the French and Indian War
What was the significance of the Great Awakening?
It encouraged ideas of equality and challenged traditional authority
It led to the end of slavery in the colonies
It resulted in the creation of the U.S. Constitution
It caused the colonies to unite against France
How did the governing structures of churches formed during the Great Awakening reflect traditional New England beliefs about government?
They emphasized self-governance and democratic decision-making
They promoted monarchy and centralized power
They discouraged participation in government
They required all decisions to be made by England
What countries participated in the French and Indian War?
Britain and France (with Native American allies)
Spain and Portugal
Germany and Italy
Russia and China
What was the significance of the 1763 Treaty of Paris?
It ended the French and Indian War and changed territorial claims in North America
It started the American Revolution
It established the first U.S. government
It abolished slavery in the colonies
How did the 1763 Treaty of Paris lay the groundwork for the American Revolution?
It led to British taxation and restrictions that angered colonists
It gave complete independence to the colonies
It united the colonies with France
It ended all conflicts in North America
Why did North American colonists feel the taxes placed on them after the 1763 Treaty of Paris were unjust?
They had no representation in the British Parliament
They wanted to pay more taxes
They supported British rule completely
They were exempt from all taxes
What was the significance of the Proclamation of 1763?
It restricted colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains
It allowed unlimited westward expansion
It declared independence from Britain
It ended the slave trade
What was the significance of the Stamp Act?
It was the first direct tax on the colonies and led to widespread protest
It abolished all taxes in the colonies
It granted independence to the colonies
It created the first colonial army
What was the significance of the Intolerable Acts?
They united the colonies against Britain and led to the First Continental Congress
They ended all colonial protests
They granted more rights to the colonists
They reduced British control over the colonies
List two colonial groups that were created as a response to the Proclamation of 1763 and the Stamp Act .
Sons of Liberty and Committees of Correspondence
Redcoats and Loyalists
Parliament and Monarchy
Patriots and Tories
Define: Committees of Correspondence.
Groups formed to communicate and coordinate resistance to British policies
British tax collectors
Colonial governors
Military leaders
Define: Sons and Daughters of Liberty.
Groups that organized protests and resisted British policies
British loyalists
Colonial merchants
Native American allies
What was the significance of Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense?
It persuaded many colonists to support independence from Britain
It supported British rule
It called for reconciliation with the King
It promoted trade with France
Which argument of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was MOST effective in persuading undecided colonists to support independence from Britain?
The idea that it was common sense for a continent to govern itself, not be ruled by a distant island
The need for more British soldiers in the colonies
The benefits of remaining loyal to the King
The importance of British trade
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence AND how did it criticize the King of England?
Thomas Jefferson; it listed grievances against the King’s abuses of power
George Washington; it praised the King’s leadership
Benjamin Franklin; it supported British rule
John Adams; it ignored the King’s actions
What group helped write the Declaration of Independence?
The Committee of Five
The Sons of Liberty
The British Parliament
The Continental Army
What individual influenced Thomas Jefferson and the Committee of Five when writing the Declaration of Independence?
John Locke
George Washington
Baron von Steuben
Marquis de LaFayette
What was the significance of John Locke’s Social Contract?
It justified the right of people to overthrow a government that fails to protect their rights.
It established the U.S. Constitution.
It ended the American Revolution.
It created the Land Ordinance of 1785.
What was the role of American Indians during the American Revolution?
Some tribes allied with the British, while others supported the Americans.
They wrote the Declaration of Independence.
They led the Continental Army.
They signed the Treaty of Paris 1783.
What was the significance of the Treaty of Paris 1783?
It officially ended the American Revolution and recognized American independence.
It started the American Revolution.
It created the Articles of Confederation.
It established the Bill of Rights.
How did the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 encourage westward migration?
They provided a system for settling and governing new territories.
They banned all westward expansion.
They increased taxes on settlers.
They limited land ownership to the original colonies.
Which of the following were benefits of the Articles of Confederation?
They allowed states to retain independence and sovereignty.
They created a strong central government.
They established the presidency.
They required all states to pay equal taxes.
How did Daniel Shays’ Rebellion impact the Articles of Confederation?
It exposed the weaknesses of the Articles and led to calls for a stronger central government.
It ended the American Revolution.
It resulted in the Treaty of Paris 1783.
It created the Northwest Ordinance.
What was the purpose of the Constitution?
To establish the framework for the federal government of the United States
To declare independence from Britain
To end the Civil War
To create the Bill of Rights
How did the Great Compromise solve the issue of state representation in the new federal government?
By creating a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House
By giving all states equal votes in both houses
By allowing only large states to vote
By abolishing the Senate
How did the Three-Fifths Compromise solve the issue of state representation in the new federal government?
By counting three out of every five slaves for purposes of representation and taxation
By granting all slaves the right to vote
By abolishing slavery
By giving southern states more senators
List three limits to the power of the federal government in the Constitution.
Checks and balances, separation of powers, federalism
Unlimited presidential power, no elections, no courts
No taxation, no military, no laws
Only Congress has power, no president, no courts
What were the political beliefs of the Anti-Federalists?
They favored strong state governments and opposed a strong central government
They supported a monarchy
They wanted a dictatorship
They supported only the executive branch
List 2 famous Anti-Federalists.
Patrick Henry, George Mason
Alexander Hamilton, John Jay
Thomas Jefferson, James Madison
George Washington, John Adams
What were the political beliefs of the Federalists?
They supported a strong central government and a loose interpretation of the Constitution
They wanted no government at all
They supported only state governments
They wanted to abolish the presidency
Define ratification.
The official approval of a document or law
The rejection of a law
The process of voting for president
The act of declaring war
What was the purpose of the Federalist Papers?
To promote the ratification of the Constitution
To declare war on Britain
To write the Declaration of Independence
To oppose the Constitution
What did the Anti-Federalist want added to the Constitution, in exchange for ratifying the Constitution?
The Bill of Rights
A monarchy
A new president
A new capital city
What was the purpose of the Bill of Rights?
To protect individual liberties and limit the power of the government
To create a new government
To declare independence
To end the Revolutionary War
What was the significance of Washington’s Farewell Address?
It warned against political parties and foreign alliances
It declared war on France
It established the Supreme Court
It created the Bill of Rights
List 7 precedents established under Washington’s Presidency.
Two-term limit, cabinet, neutrality, inaugural address, title of "Mr. President," farewell address, enforcing federal laws
Unlimited terms, monarchy, no cabinet, no laws, no address, no neutrality, no enforcement
One-term limit, no cabinet, no neutrality, no address, no title, no farewell, no enforcement
Three-term limit, no cabinet, neutrality, no address, no title, no farewell, no enforcement
Why was the Alien & Sedition Act created during the John Adams’ Presidency?
To suppress opposition to the government and limit the rights of immigrants
To promote free speech
To encourage immigration
To abolish the presidency
How did Adam’s Sedition Act influence the election of 1800?
It made Adams unpopular and contributed to his defeat
It made Adams more popular
It had no effect
It led to a war
Why did Thomas Jefferson think twice about the Louisiana Purchase?
He was unsure if the purchase was constitutional
He wanted to sell the land
He wanted to go to war with France
He wanted to abolish the presidency
How did the Louisiana Purchase benefit America?
It doubled the size of the country and provided new resources
It decreased the size of the country
It led to war with Britain
It caused economic depression
What two adventurers explored the land gained by the Louisiana Purchase?
Lewis and Clark
Hamilton and Burr
Washington and Adams
Jefferson and Madison
What was the significance of the Lewis and Clark expedition?
It provided valuable information about the western territories and encouraged westward expansion
It started a war with Native Americans
It led to the end of the presidency
It caused economic depression
Why did James Madison and Congress declare war on Britain in the War of 1812?
Because of British interference with American shipping and impressment of sailors
To gain land from France
To end slavery
To create a new constitution
How did the War of 1812 impact and strengthen America?
It increased national pride and proved the country could defend itself
It led to the loss of territory
It caused the collapse of the government
It ended the presidency
What was the significance of James Monroe’s presidency?
It marked the "Era of Good Feelings" and promoted national unity
It started a civil war
It ended the Bill of Rights
It abolished the Supreme Court
What was the significance of the Monroe Doctrine?
It warned European powers not to interfere in the Americas
It encouraged European colonization
It ended the presidency
It started the Civil War
The list below describes reasons for the settlement of which colonial region? - Gold - Farming - Profit - Religious freedom for Catholics - Debtors haven
Mid-Atlantic Colonies
New England Colonies
Southern Colonies
None of the above
Which colonial region was founded for the following reasons? - Religious freedom for Puritans - Trade
Southern Colonies
None of the Above
Mid-Atlantic Colonies
New England Colonies
The following list BEST describes the reasons for the founding of which colonial region? - Fur trade - Farming - Religious freedom for Quakers - Trade
Mid-Atlantic Colonies
Southern Colonies
None of the Above
New England Colonies
Read the passage: "The land was fertile for farming of all sorts of crops. There were many port cities and good supplies for ship building. The fur trade was very profitable as the American Indians and colonists had an overall positive trading relationship. You could walk down the streets of New York City and hear many different languages spoken and people who practiced many different religions." This passage most likely describes which colonial region?
None of the above
the Southern Colonies
the Mid-Atlantic Colonies
the New England Colonies
Read the passage: "Wealth was bound to the land. A man could make his fortune if he had enough land on which to grow tobacco. He did not even have to go to town, simply send his crop down river to the sea. He relied much on slave labor as toiling so many acres would be impossible with enslavement." This passage best describes which colonial region?
None of the Above
the Mid-Atlantic colonies
the New England colonies
the Southern colonies
Which event led to the movement to rewrite the Articles of Confederation?
the Stamp Act
the Proclamation of 1763
the Intolerable Acts
Shays' Rebellion
What role did the colonies play in mercantilism?
They provided manufactured goods to Britain.
They provided slave labor to Britain.
They provided raw materials to Britain.
They provided a military source for Britain.
Molasses, Sugar, Rum, Iron, Tobacco, Slaves, Guns, Finished goods—All were important in
the Great Awakening
the trans-Atlantic trade
the cash crop economy
Salutary Neglect
The Three-Fifths Compromise allowed states to count 3/5 of the slave population for representation in the House of Representatives. This would have benefitted
southern states because most slaves were found in the agricultural south
Small states because they relied heavily on slaves
New England states because of their large slave populations
the Mid-Atlantic states where very few slaves were found
Which act punished the citizens of Boston for the actions of the Sons of Liberty at the Boston Tea Party?
Stamp Act
Proclamation of 1763
Intolerable Acts
Sugar Act
John Adams and Benjamin Franklin both
fought under George Washington at the Battle of Trenton
served as diplomats to France during the American Revolution
served as generals during the American Revolution
were opposed to the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution
The third part of the trans-Atlantic trade route which stretched from Africa to the new colonies was known as?
Salutary Neglect
merchants trade route
the Middle Passage
the Great Awakening
The major growth of the African population in the new colonies was due to...
small pox out break in Africa
migration
immigration
the growth of agriculture known as "cash crops"
The 1st Great Awakening, which started as a religious revival also sparked which of the following?
religious persecution of other groups
the desire for American independence and challenging church and government authority
uprising against the American Indians
rebellions against the church
How did the French and Indian War along with the 1763 Treaty of Paris lay down the ground work for the American Revolution?
It resulted immediately in American independence from Great Britain.
It led to the rise of Salutary Neglect.
It led to taxation by the British and controls on colonial settlement.
It prompted a religious revival that led to a greater focus on the individual.
The Proclamation of 1763 did not allow settlers to settle where?
south of Georgia
west of the Appalachian Mountains
north of New York
east of the Mississippi River
The Stamp Act was the taxation of what kind of goods?
clothing
paper goods
lumber
exotic food
Which document is most closely associated with the following list? -Simply-worded essay -An island can’t rule a continent -Thomas Paine -Convinced many colonists to push for independence
Common Sense
the Intolerable Acts
The Proclamation of 1763
The Articles of Confederation
Baron von Steuben and Marquis de LaFayette were similar in that they
assisted in leading and training the Continental Army
were both Federalists
were both Anti-Federalists
both signed the Declaration of Independence
Whose rebellion made American leaders decide to rewrite the Articles of Confederation in order to create a stronger national government?
Daniel Shays
George Washington
John Locke
Daniel Morgan
Which is a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
Weak central government
Provided for no common currency
All of these
Congress couldn't collect taxes
The provision of a bicameral legislature with two senators for each state and a number of representatives in the House based on population is part of which compromise?
The Great Compromise
The Three-Fifths Compromise
The Rhode Island Compromise
The Maryland Compromise
Which of the following does not apply to the Land Ordinances of 1785 and 1787?
Alaska was purchased from Russia
Slavery was banned in the territories
Money was provided for public schools
Guidelines for creating new states were outlined
In order to get it ratified, the Federalists agreed to the addition of a Bill of Rights to the Constitution.
True
False
The statement below is a historical quote by Alexander Hamilton. The statement clearly demonstrates Hamilton's position as what? "Yes, my countrymen...I am clearly of the opinion it is in your best interest to adopt it [the Constitution]. I am convinced that this is the safest course for your liberty, your dignity and your happiness."
A right's activist
A radical
An Anti-Federalist
A Federalist
The most important outcome of the winter at Valley Forge in 1777 was that
over half the Continental Army died of small pox
the Continental Army emerged from Valley Forge as a professional military
George Washington stepped down as commander of the Continental Army
the British surrendered to Washington
Which of the following is an outcome of the Treaty of Paris, 1783?
Britain recognized American independence.
The new US government was weakened by the states.
American colonists agreed not to move west of the Appalachian Mountains.
The British gained all of North America from the French.
Shotgun Houses, Okra, Yams, Gullah Language, Tabby Construction: All of these are associated with which colonial American ethnic group?
Dutch colonists
German colonists
American Indians
African slaves
During the American Revolution, who commonly served as scouts, providing geographic knowledge to the British army?
Native Americans
French soldiers
Patriot spies
German mercenaries
Which of the following battles was the turning point of the American Revolution, which resulted in the French sending troops to aid the Continental Army?
Battle of Trenton
Battle of Yorktown
Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Saratoga
The greatest accomplishment of the Northwest Ordinance was that it
kept people moving West of the Appalachians
set up a plan for the creation of new states
encouraged peace between American Indians and settlers
Identified the capital city for westward states
Many enslaved and free blacks fought in the Revolution in order to
avoid being punished by owners
side with the American Indians
advance their cause for freedom
George Washington's Cabinet was his group of (a)
How many terms did George Washington serve as President?
One
Two
Three
Four
What party worried about the federal government becoming too big and powerful.
Democratic-Republicans
Whigs
Federalists
Tories
What party wanted a STRICT interpretation of the Constitution?
Democratic-Republicans
Federalists
Whigs
Democratic
This party wanted a national bank
Federalist
Democratic-Republican
Which of the following correctly pairs the U.S. President with his political party?
John Adams Republican & Thomas Jefferson Federalist
John Adams Federalist & Thomas Jefferson Republican
John Adams Democrat Republican & Thomas Jefferson Republican
John Adams Federalist & Thomas Jefferson Democratic Republican
Which group would have made these arguments in 1787?
Free-Soilers
Anti-Federalist
Loyalist
Federalists
Why is the fact that George Washington only served 2 terms important?
It set the rule of only serving 2 terms for all other presidents.
He was gravely ill.
He was voted out of office.
George Washington did not want to leave the presidency.
The orginial purpose of the Philadelphia convention in 1787 was to
write the Constitution
author the DOI
revise the Articles of Confederation
draft the Treaty of Paris
Shays' Rebellion can best be described as
a all out war
a rebellion by farmers due to heavy debts and high taxes
a political protest by the elite of society
a protest by factory workers against workign conditions
Which choice below best describes a characteristic of the “Alien and Sedition Acts.”
The acts prohibited the formation of any new political parties
The acts were very popular with the American people
The acts restricted people’s ability to criticize the government
The acts allowed the president to remove members of the Supreme Court
Use the political cartoon related to the Monroe Doctrine to answer the question.
Based on the political cartoon, what were TWO goals of the Monroe Doctrine?
to establish US dominance over the Western Hemisphere
to prevent European interference in the Americas
to spread democracy to other countries in the Western Hemisphere
to remain neutral in conflicts between Europe and South America
to encourage trade between Europe and South America
