Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day One
GHSGT Content Weights
(revised 2008)
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American Government/Civics 17-19%
United States History to 1865 25-27%
United States History since 1865 24-26%
World Geography 12-14%
World History 17-19%
American Government/Civics • Declaration of Independence
– July 4, 1776
– Echoes theories of John Locke
• Natural rights everyone is entitled to
• Governments get the power to govern from the
people
• Governments that fail to serve citizens should be
replaced
– Outlines problems with England
– Formal declaration of independence
Declaration of Independence
• -revolutionary document
– Emphasized equality and natural rights
– Rights not applied to everyone, but the
document fueled the movements that led to
the end of slavery, equal rights for women,
and recognition of minority rights.
Review
• What document formally proclaimed the
American colonies’ independence from
Great Britain?
– A. The social contract
– B. the letters of Enlightenment
– C. the Declaration of Independence
– D. the writings of John Locke
Review
• What document formally proclaimed the
American colonies’ independence from
Great Britain?
– A. The social contract
– B. the letters of Enlightenment
– C. the Declaration of Independence
– D. the writings of John Locke
Review
• Rights which human beings are born with
and which no government has a right to
take away are called
– A.
– B.
– C.
– D.
Declaratory rights
Natural rights
Social rights
Alienable rights
Review
• Rights which human beings are born with
and which no government has a right to
take away are called
– A.
– B.
– C.
– D.
Declaratory rights
Natural rights
Social rights
Alienable rights
Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day Two
Government Review
• Articles of Confederation
– U.S. Constitution drawn up following the Declaration
of Independence.
– Weak alliance of states
– Failed because it didn’t give enough power to the
national government (although it made sense at the
time)
• No power to impose taxes
• 9 of 13 states had to agree for Congress to pass a law and
they rarely agreed!
• No national executive or court
• No power to regulate trade or enforce laws
– Each state government was more powerful than the
new national government.
Articles of Confederation
• Accomplishments:
– Held the nation together during the American Revolution.
– Passed Northwest Ordinance providing for orderly settlement of
the western territories.
• Problems:
– States taxed goods from other states, made trade difficult.
– States printed their own money – created problems with trade.
– After the war was over, the national government had no power to
create a standing army.
– Shay’s Rebellion in Massachusetts led people to fear the
weakness of the government.
– Decided to revise the Articles.
Review Questions
• Which document provided a plan for the
structure of the U.S. government in the
period before the U.S. Constitution was
adopted?
– A.
– B.
– C.
– D.
Mayflower Compact
Articles of Confederation
Bill of Rights
Stamp Act
Review Questions
• Which document provided a plan for the
structure of the U.S. government in the
period before the U.S. Constitution was
adopted?
– A.
– B.
– C.
– D.
Mayflower Compact
Articles of Confederation
Bill of Rights
Stamp Act
Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day Three
U.S. Constitution
• Disagreements between large and small states
and northern and southern states.
• Virginia Plan – proposed three branches of
government (legislative, executive, judicial),
bicameral legislature with representatives from
each state. Representation to be determined by
population.
• New Jersey Plan – called for three branches of
government, but wanted the legislative branch to
be unicameral with each state getting a single
vote.
U.S. Constitution
• Great Compromise
– a/k/a Connecticut Plan – proposed by Roger
Sherman of CT.
– Legislative branch with two houses
• House of Representatives – elected directly by the
people, with each state granted a certain number
of seats based on population.
• Senate – elected by state legislatures, each state
having two senators regardless of population.
• The two houses together would be CONGRESS.
Other Compromises
• 3/5 Compromise – each slave would count
as 3/5 of a person (this was to balance
out the slave population in the South).
• Slave trade compromise – Those who
opposed the slave trade agreed to allow it
to continue unregulated for 20 years.
South said they couldn’t survive without it.
Slave trade ended in 1808. Slavery
continued until 1865.
Review Question
• Use the quotation below to answer the following
question:
• “Gentlemen, I believe that this compromise
presents the best possible solution to this
dilemma. Since those in the North feel strongly
that slaves are not citizens and therefore should
not be counted in the population, while our
Southern representatives feel just as strongly
that they should be, I see no other solution.”
Review Question
• The quote above is referring to which of
the following?
– A.
– B.
– C.
– D.
The Three Fifths Compromise
The Connecticut Plan
The Slave Trade Compromise
The Virginia Plan
Review Question
• The quote above is referring to which of
the following?
– A.
– B.
– C.
– D.
The Three Fifths Compromise
The Connecticut Plan
The Slave Trade Compromise
The Virginia Plan
Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day Four
Fundamental Principles of the
Constitution
• Rule of Law – U.S. is a society governed by
laws, not a king or small body of rulers.
• Limited government – principle that even
governments have to obey laws and respect the
rights of citizens. They are limited in their
powers.
• Separation of powers – divides authority to
govern between the branches of government.
– Legislative – makes the laws
– Executive – enforces the laws
– Judicial – interprets laws, make sure they are applied
fairly and appropriately.
Fundamental Principles of the U.S.
Constitution
• Checks and balances – each branch checks the
powers of the other two. Power is divided, no
branch becomes too powerful.
• Federalism – power is divided between different
levels of government (national and state
governments share power)
• Popular sovereignty – the government gets its
power from the people and is subject to the will
of the people.
Review Questions
• The idea of a legislative branch making
the laws, an executive branch enforcing
the laws, and a judicial branch overseeing
application of the law is consistent with
– A. Separation of powers
– B. checks and balances
– C. federalism
– D. popular sovereignty
Review Questions
• The idea of a legislative branch making
the laws, an executive branch enforcing
the laws, and a judicial branch overseeing
application of the law is consistent with
– A. Separation of powers
– B. checks and balances
– C. federalism
– D. popular sovereignty
Review Questions
• Which of the following states that
governments are empowered by and exist
only for the people they govern?
– A. Federalism
– B. Popular sovereignty
– C. Anti-federalism
– D. Checks and balances
Review Questions
• Which of the following states that
governments are empowered by and exist
only for the people they govern?
– A. Federalism
– B. Popular sovereignty
– C. Anti-federalism
– D. Checks and balances
Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day Five
Bill of Rights
- Many states opposed the new Constitution
because they felt it didn’t do enough to
protect individual rights (state constitutions
had Bills of Rights)
- Many refused to ratify until a Bill of Rights
was added.
- Federalists and Anti-Federalists
Bill of Rights
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1 – Freedom of religion, press, assembly, right to petition
2 – right to bear arms
3 – quartering of soldiers
4 – search and seizure
5 – life, liberty and property (guaranteed due process, no selfincrimination)
6 – rights of the accused (speedy trial by jury, right to confront
witnesses)
7 – right to jury trial (civil cases – disputes involving more than $20)
8 – no cruel and unusual punishment
9 – all other rights – you have rights that aren’t listed
10 – rights of states and the people – states or people have all
powers not assigned to the federal government or denied the states.
Review
• Hand signals to remember amendments
Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day Six
World History
• Renaissance
– 1350 AD to mid 1500s
– Rebirth
– Era in which artists, architects, philosophers, political
thinkers, scientists, and even theologians believed in
reviving the classical ideas of ancient Greece and
Rome.
– Rebirth of culture, thought and civilization after a
period of disorder in Europe known as the Dark Ages
• More emphasis on individual worth, potential of individuals
World History
• Renaissance
– Changes in political thought
– Move away from importance of monarchs ruling according to
Christian ethics and toward rulers making decisions based on
human nature and what’ s best for the state. (Machiavelli)
• Renaissance Man
– Humans are limitless in what they can accomplish
– People can achieve great things in several areas
• Ex: Leonardo da Vinci (painter, sculptor, inventor, scientist,
architect, engineer, mathematician - Mona Lisa, The Last Supper.
• Ex: Michelangelo – painter, sculptor, builder (David, Sistine Chapel
in Rome)
Review Question
• He greatly impacted political thought by
asserting that leaders should rule
according to the needs of the state rather
than simply relying on what is considered
ethical or moral.
– A.
– B.
– C.
– D.
Martin Luther
John Calvin
Machiavelli
Leonardo da Vinci
Review Question
• He greatly impacted political thought by
asserting that leaders should rule
according to the needs of the state rather
than simply relying on what is considered
ethical or moral.
– A.
– B.
– C.
– D.
Martin Luther
John Calvin
Machiavelli
Leonardo da Vinci
Review Question
• Which statement best describes a change
that occurred during the Renaissance?
– A. Feudalism became the dominant political
system.
– B. The use of reason and logic was
discouraged.
– C. Technology and science were considered
unimportant.
– D. A new questioning spirit and attitude
emerged.
Review Question
• Which statement best describes a change
that occurred during the Renaissance?
– A. Feudalism became the dominant political
system.
– B. The use of reason and logic was
discouraged.
– C. Technology and science were considered
unimportant.
– D. A new questioning spirit and attitude
emerged.
Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day Seven
Reformation
• Martin Luther
– German monk – changed Christianity forever
– Believed that the Bible taught that people are saved
by grace of God not religious works, opposed
Catholic church selling indulgences.
– Nailed 95 Theses to door of church, voiced his
protest.
– Intended to get church to change its ways, led to the
Protestant Reformation. (protested Catholic emperor
imposing Catholicism in Germany)
– Founder of new church that rejected many Catholic
traditions and didn’t answer to the pope.
Reformation
• John Calvin
– Challenged the Catholic church in Switzerland
– Put forth many ideas that came to define Protestant
thought – such as predestination.
• Idea that God has already decided who is saved and who is
lost and humans can do nothing to change it.
– Became ruler of Geneva and made it a Protestant
city.
– Calvinism became the foundation of the Presbyterian
church.
Reformation
• English Reformation
– Henry VIII wanted divorce, pope refused
– Established Church of England, with himself
as its head
– One of the new church’s first acts was to grant
the king his divorce.
– Kept many of the same beliefs and
ceremonies of the Catholic church but did not
answer to the pope.
Reformation
• Catholic church responded with some
reform.
– Jesuits used education to counter arguments
against the church.
– Council of Trent tried to get people to come
back to the church.
– Council provided clearly stated doctrine and
unified the Catholic church as never before.
Printing Press
• Gutenberg’s printing press had large
impact on Renaissance and Reformation:
– Written works could be widely distributed and
read. (Bible, 95 Theses, etc.)
Review Question
• He challenged the selling of indulgences and
other Catholic practices which he felt
contradicted the Bible. Eventually, his teachings
led to a new church in Germany and a religious
movement known as the Protestant
Reformation. Who was he?
• John Calvin
• Martin Luther
• King Henry VIII
• Ignatius Loyola
Review Question
• He challenged the selling of indulgences and
other Catholic practices which he felt
contradicted the Bible. Eventually, his teachings
led to a new church in Germany and a religious
movement known as the Protestant
Reformation. Who was he?
• John Calvin
• Martin Luther
• King Henry VIII
• Ignatius Loyola
Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day Eight
Geography
• Study of the earth’s surface, land, bodies
of water, climate, peoples, industries,
natural resources, etc.
– Physical geography – study how physical
characteristics (land, climate, bodies of water,
animal life) define a region or place.
– Human geography – study of how human
characteristics (language, religion, political
systems, economic systems, population, way
of life) are important to geography.
Continents
• Continents are numbered below in order of
physical size, with 1 being the largest and 7 the
smallest.
• 1 – Asia
• 2 – Africa
• 3 – North America
• 4 – South America
• 5 – Antarctica
• 6 – Europe
• 7 – Australia
Review Questions
• Practice questions using a map.
Georgia High School
Graduation Test Review
Day Nine and Day Ten
U.S. History
• Flash card review of as much as possible
for the last day or two of review.