US History 1 Practice Test
During the colonial period, which geographic feature presented the greatest barrier to the westward migration of American settlers? (1) Appalachian Mountains (2) Ohio River (3) Great Plains (4) Rocky Mountains
(1) Appalachian Mountains
Between 1800 and 1830, the National Road and the Erie Canal were built to connect which regions? (1) Atlantic Coast and Midwest (2) South and New England (3) Pacific Coast and Gulf Coast (4) Great Plains and Rocky Mountains
(1) Atlantic Coast ad Midwest
Which statement best describes an attitude shared by John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J. P. Morgan? (1) Economic competition is inefficient and wasteful. (2) Strong labor unions are essential to the health of the economy. (3) Natural resources belong to all citizens and should not be used for private gain. (4) Concentrating economic power in the hands of a few individuals is a threat to the country.
(1) Economic competition is inefficient and wasteful.
The social contract theory as used in the Declaration of Independence was most directly influenced by the writings of (1) John Locke (2) Adam Smith (3) Voltaire (4) Benjamin Franklin
(1) John Locke
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" — Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus," 1883 Which attitude about immigration is reflected in this poem, which is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty? (1) People from all nations should be welcomed. (2) Educated professionals should be given preference. (3) Quotas should be adopted to limit certain ethnic groups. (4) The influx of unskilled people should be restricted.
(1) People from all nations should be welcomed.
Which constitutional principle was the main focus of the North-South conflicts that led to the Civil War? (1) States rights (2) due process of law (3) separation of powers (4) presidential veto power
(1) States rights
Antifederalists opposed ratification of the United States Constitution until they were assured that (1) a bill of rights would be added to the original document (2) their supporters would receive a fair share of federal government jobs (3) the president would be given increased powers (4) senators would be elected directly by the people
(1) a bill of rights would be added to the original document
Many Antifederalists opposed ratification of the Constitution until they were guaranteed (1) better protection of individual liberties (2) increased presidential authority to wage war (3) stricter control over state spending (4) expanded police powers
(1) better protection of individual liberties
Judicial review allows the Supreme Court to (1) determine the constitutionality of federal laws (2) approve nominations to the president's cabinet (3) oversee the financing of the lower federal courts (4) remove elected officials from office
(1) determine the constitutionality of federal laws
In his pamphlet Common Sense , Thomas Paine urged American colonists to (1) establish their own nation (2) pay their colonial taxes (3) obey the laws of Parliament (4) form an alliance with France
(1) establish their own nation
...The Jury withdrew, and in a small time returned, and being asked by the clerk, whether they were agreed of their verdict, and whether John Peter Zenger was guilty of printing and publishing the libels in the information mentioned? They answered by Thomas Hunt, their foreman, Not Guilty. Upon which there were three huzzas [cheers] in the hall which was crowded with people, and the next day I was discharged from my imprisonment. — John Peter Zenger, 1734 The court case discussed in this passage was important in the development of colonial America because it helped establish the principle of (1) freedom of the press (2) double jeopardy (3) freedom of assembly (4) judicial independence
(1) freedom of the press
Which protection guaranteed by the first amendment to the United States Constitution was influenced by the trial of John Peter Zenger (1735)? (1) freedom of the press (3) right to assemble (2) freedom of religion (4) right to petition
(1) freedom of the press
• Publication of The Liberator • Kansas-Nebraska Act • Dred Scott decision The events listed above all contributed to the (1) outbreak of the Civil War (2) formation of the policy of Manifest Destiny (3) passage of the Missouri Compromise (4) annexation of Texas
(1) outbreak of the Civil War
Which point of view is being conveyed by the artist? (1) praise for Manifest Destiny (2) opposition to the end of slavery (3) opposition to the purchase of Alaska (4) encouragement of industrial development
(1) praise for Manifest Destiny
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. — 14th amendment, Section 1, United States Constitution This amendment was adopted in 1868 primarily to (1) protect the rights of formerly enslaved persons (2) make it easier for immigrants to become citizens (3) extend suffrage to settlers on the Great Plains (4) require the federal government to pay the costs of Reconstruction
(1) protect the rights of formerly enslaved persons
President George Washington's leadership during the Whiskey Rebellion (1794) was important because it (1) showed the ability of the new government to enforce federal law (2) helped assure his reelection to a third term (3) forced frontier farmers to limit grain production (4) halted British fort construction in the Northwest
(1) showed the ability of the new government to enforce federal laws
In the 1830s, President Andrew Jackson supported the Indian removal policy because (1) white settlers desired the land on which Native American Indians lived (2) Native American Indians were attacking southern cities (3) he wanted to punish Native American Indians for their political opposition (4) he sought complete control of Texas by the United States
(1) white settlers desired the land on which Native American Indians lived
Speaker A: Our national government should be strong. State governments should have only limited powers. Speaker B: A bicameral legislature would protect the power of both the large states and the small states. Speaker C: The expansion of the national government will lead to tyranny. Speaker D: The executive branch should have significant power. Which speaker is expressing an idea that was included in the Great Compromise during the drafting of the Constitution in 1787? (1) A (2) B (3) C (4) D
(2) B
During the debate over ratification of the Constitution, people who agreed with the statements of Speakers A and D became known as (1) Loyalists (2) Federalists (3) Antifederalists (4) Democratic Republicans
(2) Federalists
Which of these events would be placed on the time line before 1763? (1) Boston Massacre (2) French and Indian War (3) Battle of Saratoga (4) passage of Northwest Ordinance
(2) French and Indian War
What is a major result of the Supreme Court decisions in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)? (1) Abuses of power by the president were prevented. (2) The powers of the federal government were expanded. (3) The powers of Congress over the territories were reduced. (4) Freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights were restricted.
(2) The powers of the federal government were expanded.
The results of the French and Indian War (1754-1763) led to the independence movement in the thirteen colonies because the British (1) lost control of Canada and Florida (2) began imposing new taxes on the colonists (3) removed the Spanish threat to the colonists (4) opened the area west of the Appalachian Mountains to colonial settlers
(2) began imposing new taxes on the colonists
... In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect, and defend it." ... — President Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861 President Lincoln made this statement in an effort to (1) urge Congress to spend money to buy the freedom of slaves (2) convince Southerners that he posed no threat to their way of life (3) offer to compromise his position regarding territorial expansion of slavery (4) persuade Americans that war between the North and South was unavoidable
(2) convince Southerners that he posed no threat to their way of life
One immediate result of Alexander Hamilton's financial plan was the (1) removal of the tax on exports (2) creation of a national bank (3) adoption of free trade (4) establishment of an income tax
(2) creation of a national bank
What is the subject of this 1872 painting? (1) invention of the railroad (2) evolution of westward migration (3) religious influence of the Puritans (4) protection of national parks
(2) evolution of westward migration
1803 — Louisiana Purchase Treaty established western boundary of United States. 1818 — Convention with Britain established northern boundary of Louisiana Territory. 1819 — Adams-Onís Treaty granted Florida to United States. 1842 — Webster-Ashburton Treaty established Maine- Canada border. 1846 — Treaty of Oregon established northern boundary of Oregon Territory. The time line shows that the major way the United States gained territory in the early 19th century was through (1) war (3) executive orders (2) diplomacy (4) arbitration
(2) executive orders
A major reason for Commodore Matthew Perry's 1854 visit to Japan was to (1) prevent Japanese domination of the Pacific region (2) open United States trade relations with Japan (3) encourage immigration from Japan (4) establish a naval base in Japan
(2) open United States trade relations with Japan
Speaker A: The right way to settle the question of slavery in the territories is to let the people who live there determine if their state is to be slave or free. Speaker B: The Supreme Court's decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford is exactly what this country needs. Perhaps now the abolitionists will stop their meddling. Speaker C: Secession is unlawful and treasonous. Everything possible must be done to preserve the Union. Speaker D: The rights of the states must be protected. The federal government is exceeding its authority. The solution proposed by Speaker A is known as (1) nullification (2) popular sovereignty (3) the spoils system (4) federal supremacy
(2) popular sovereignty
... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, ... — Thomas Jefferson 4 The purpose of this statement was to (1) urge support for the Albany Plan of Union (2) provide justification for declaring independence (3) criticize the Articles of Confederation (4) advocate obedience to Great Britain
(2) provide justification for declaring independence
Which action of President Thomas Jefferson was in conflict with his belief in a strict interpretation of the Constitution? (1) protesting the impressment of United States sailors (2) purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France (3) pardoning violators of the Alien and Sedition Acts (4) using the United States Navy to subdue the Barbary pirates
(2) purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France
At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, the Great Compromise and the Three-fifths Compromise both involved the issue of how (1) new states would be created (2) states would be represented in the national government (3) the armed forces would be controlled (4) presidential elections would be conducted
(2) states would be represented in the national government
During George Washington's presidency, the authority of the federal government was strengthened by the (1) elimination of political parties (2) suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion (3) formation of a military alliance with England (4) establishment of a national language
(2) suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion
Which factor most influenced the economic development of the colonial South? (1) plentiful forests (2) warm and wet growing seasons (3) rich deposits of iron ore and coal (4) abundant water power for manufacturing
(2) warm and wet growing seasons
Which conclusion is best supported by the information on the time line? (1) Britain eventually granted the colonies representation in Parliament. (2) Only elected British officials had the right to levy taxes. (3) Britain's efforts to increase control over the colonies were not successful. (4) Creation of the First Continental Congress was an immediate reaction to the passage of the Stamp Act.
(3) Britain's efforts to increase control over the colonies were not successful.
Which speaker most accurately represents the opinions of President Abraham Lincoln? (1) A (2) B (3) C (4) D
(3) C
Which principle of government is found in both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States? (1) The right to vote must be guaranteed to all Americans. (2) Supreme Court justices should be elected by the people. (3) Governing power should be divided between different levels of government. (4) States have the right to secede from the Union.
(3) Governing power should be divided between different levels of government.
Which title best completes this graphic organizer? (1) Equal Protection Under the Law (2) Freedom of Assembly (3) States Rights (4) Protection of Religious Practice
(3) States Rights
During the 1840s, supporters of Manifest Destiny favored (1) closing the frontier to settlement (2) ending the American System (3) acquiring Texas and California (4) ceding the Oregon territory to Russia
(3) acquiring Texas and California
According to the United States Constitution, the federal census is used to determine the (1) size of the United States Supreme Court (2) maximum number of cabinet members (3) apportionment of members in the House of Representatives (4) number of senators allotted to each state
(3) apportionment of members in the House of Representatives
What is the most democratic feature of the original Constitution of the United States? (1) role given to the electoral college in presidential elections (2) appointment of ambassadors by the president (3) direct election of the members of the House of Representatives (4) lifetime appointments for Supreme Court justices
(3) direct election of the members of the House of Representatives
Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton supported the creation of the Bank of the United States because it would (1) increase the power of state banks (2) raise revenue to reduce the need for tariffs (3) help ensure the economic stability of the new nation (4) provide low-cost loans to farmers
(3) help ensure the economic stability of the new nation
Information on the graph most clearly supports the conclusion that the Erie Canal (1) slowed migration to the Midwest (2) replaced railroads as the main method of transportation (3) improved transportation between the Hudson River and the Great Lakes (4) relied on the development of steamboats for canal use
(3) improved transportation between the Hudson River and the Great Lakes
The decisions of the Supreme Court in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) are important because they (1) clarified constitutional limits on the right to bear arms (2) denied slaves the right to sue in federal courts (3) increased the power of the federal government over the states (4) upheld funding for the Erie Canal
(3) increased the power of the federal government over the states
One feature common to the foreign policies of Presidents George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson was that each wanted to (1) favor France in its conflict with Great Britain (2) secure new territory west of the Mississippi River (3) maintain neutrality during European conflicts (4) seek military alliances with neighboring countries
(3) maintain neutrality during European conflicts
Which political feature of the United States developed during the colonial period? (1) two-party system (2) federalism (3) representative government (4) universal suffrage
(3) representative government
Colonial-era New England town meetings and the Virginia House of Burgesses were both (1) early social reform movements (2) attempts to build a strong national government (3) steps in the growth of representative democracy (4) efforts to regulate trade with Native American Indians
(3) step in growth of representative democracy
The map shows the exploration routes of Lewis and Clark and of Zebulon Pike. A valid conclusion based on this map is that these expeditions (1) faced few barriers from natural features (2) avoided land claimed by other countries (3) used river systems to help them on their journeys (4) took the most direct routes to reach the Pacific Ocean
(3) used river systems to help them on their journeys
"Since the Southern states never legally left the Union, they should be restored to the Union as soon as possible." The position expressed in this statement is most closely associated with the beliefs of (1) Robert E. Lee (3) Jefferson Davis (2) Thaddeus Stevens (4) Abraham Lincoln
(4) Abraham Lincoln
Which power regarding the federal judiciary was established in Marbury v. Madison ? (1) The president appoints all federal judges. (2) The Congress creates lower federal courts. (3) Members of the federal courts serve life terms. (4) Federal laws may be declared unconstitutional.
(4) Federal laws may be declared unconstitutional.
Which document was issued primarily to prevent European nations from future colonization in Latin America? (1) Jay Treaty (1795) (2) Alien and Sedition Acts (1798) (3) Embargo Act (1807) (4) Monroe Doctrine (1823)
(4) Monroe Doctrine (1823)
...I have no motive, my friends, to deceive you. I am sincerely desirous to promote your welfare. Listen to me, therefore, while I tell you that you cannot remain where you now are. Circumstances that cannot be controlled, and which are beyond the reach of human laws, render it impossible that you can flourish in the midst of a civilized community. You have but one remedy within your reach. And that is, to remove to the West and join your countrymen, who are already established there. And the sooner you do this the sooner you will commence your career of improvement and prosperity.... — President Andrew Jackson, 1835 Which group of people was President Jackson addressing? (1) African Americans (2) Asian Americans (3) Mexican Americans (4) Native American Indians
(4) Native American Indians
One major result of the completion of the Erie Canal was that (1) the population of Rochester fell (2) shipping on Lake Champlain decreased (3) manufacturing along the canal declined (4) New York City became the nation's commercial center
(4) New York City became the nation's commercial center
When President Lincoln made this speech, which step toward civil war had already taken place? (1) The Emancipation Proclamation had been issued. (2) Union troops had invaded several Southern states. (3) General Robert E. Lee had led an attack on Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. (4) Several Southern states had seceded from the Union.
(4) Several Southern states has seceded from the Union.
What was the main reason the Federalists wanted to replace the Articles of Confederation? (1) The president did not have the power to veto legislation. (2) The legislative branch enacted an unfair tax program. (3) The Supreme Court refused to pay Revolutionary War debts. (4) The national government was too weak to solve the nation's problems.
(4) The president did not have the power to veto legislation.
The development of a farming culture among pre- Columbian Native American Indians helped ensure (1) safety from neighboring tribes (2) the establishment of a nomadic lifestyle (3) the continuation of hunting and gathering (4) a more stable food supply
(4) a more stable food supply
From the 1600s through the 1800s, the major reason for the westward movement of settlers was to (1) escape urban unrest in coastal cities (2) avoid high taxes in the East (3) find manufacturing jobs in the Midwest (4) acquire new areas of fertile soil for agriculture
(4) acquire new areas of fertile soil for agriculture
Slavery throughout the United States was permanently abolished by the (1) ratification of the Constitution of the United States (2) approval of the Republican Party platform of 1860 (3) issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation (4) adoption of the 13th amendment to the Constitution
(4) adoption of the 13th amendment to the Constitution
Under the Articles of Confederation, the years between 1781 and 1787 are often referred to as the "critical period" because the (1) colonies were forced to pay high reparations to England (2) states were fighting the French and Indian War (3) southern states threatened to secede from the Union over the issue of slavery (4) central government lacked the power to deal with major problems
(4) central government lacked the power to deal with major problems
During the colonial period, the economic development of the South was most directly dependent on the labor of (1) factory workers (3) Irish immigrants (2) wheat farmers (4) enslaved Africans
(4) enslaved Africans
The Supreme Court case of Marbury v. Madison (1803) strengthened the power of the judicial branch by (1) denying states the right to secede from the Union (2) providing the president the power to declare war (3) ruling that Congress has the right to create new territories (4) granting federal courts the power to declare laws unconstitutional
(4) granting federal courts the power to declare laws unconstitutional
Black Codes were established in the South immediately after the Civil War in an effort to (1) integrate freedmen into American society (2) enforce the Emancipation Proclamation (3) expand educational opportunities (4) limit the rights of newly freed African Americans
(4) limit the rights of newly freed African Americans
What is the first step in adding an amendment to the United States Constitution? (1) approval by the president (2) review by the Supreme Court (3) vote by the people in a national referendum (4) passage by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress
(4) passage by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress
After 1877, racial segregation became widespread in the South primarily as a result of the (1) decline of the Ku Klux Klan (2) activities of the Freedmen's Bureau (3) stationing of federal troops in the South (4) passage of Jim Crow laws
(4) passage of Jim Crow laws
The term judicial review is best defined as the (1) right of a defendant to appeal the verdict of a jury (2) ability of Congress to create new federal courts (3) authority of the Senate to confirm Supreme Court justices (4) power of the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws
(4) power of the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws
Under the leadership of Chief Justice John Marshall (1801-1835), the Supreme Court expanded the influence of the national government by (1) forcing states to grant relief from personal debt (2) authorizing the president to use troops without congressional approval (3) ending the importation of enslaved Africans (4) strengthening federal powers over interstate commerce and banking
(4) strengthening federal powers over interstate commerce and banking
Which action by the British government was considered by American colonists to be a violation of their rights as Englishmen? (1) making treaties with Native American Indians (2) protecting the colonies from foreign invasion (3) failing to enforce the Navigation Acts (4) taxing the colonies without representation in Parliament
(4) taxing the colonies without representation in Parliament
The years between the end of the American Revolution and the ratification of the Constitution are sometimes called the "critical period" because (1) the western territories were left ungoverned (2) the United States fought a war with France (3) Spain refused to sell Florida to the United States (4) the central government failed to solve many economic problems
(4) the central government failed to solve many economic problems
