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8th Grade American History: Midterm Exam Study Guide
Chapter 1, section 3: “Tools of History”
1. What is a primary source? Give two examples of primary sources.
2. What is a secondary source? Give two examples of secondary sources.
3. Which kind of source is most reliable? Why?
4. What is bias? Are historians influenced by their own biases?
Chapter 3: Exploration and Colonization
5. How did early discoveries of the late 15th century inspire further explorations by Europeans?
6. What was the Colombian Exchange?
7. Name a few goods that were brought from the New World (America) to the Old World
(Europe/Asia/Africa).
8. How did disease brought to the New World (such as smallpox and typhus) impact Native people?
Chapter 4: The Thirteen Colonies
9. Briefly describe the geography/climate and economy (how people make a living) of the three
colonial regions:
a. New England
b. Middle
c. Southern
Chapter 5: Road to the Revolution
10. What was the major reason for conflict between the British and French in the Ohio River Valley?
11. What reason did the British Parliament give for raising taxes in the colonies after 1763?
12. What was the main reason the colonists opposed the taxes?
13. Name some of the new colonial leaders that emerged as tensions with Britain grew.
1 – SA
2- JA
3- PH
14. What was the goal of the Boston Tea Party? (What were they protesting?)
15. How did the Intolerable Acts punish Massachusetts following the BTP?
Chapter 6: The American Revolution
16. What are the three main ideas or parts of the Declaration of Independence?
17. Which document convinces Richard Henry Lee to make the motion in the Second Continental
Congress that called for the colonies to separate from Britain?
18. Why was Saratoga a turning point battle?
19. Briefly describe the conditions at Valley Forge.
20. In addition to warm weather, what else helped ease the harsh conditions?
21. Which strength of the Continental Army was significant to its ultimate victory?
22. What was the significance of the Battle of Yorktown?
Chapter 7: Creating a Republic
23. What were some weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? (List 3)
24. How did the New Jersey plan and Virginia plan differ?
24. What was the Great Compromise? How is this represented in today’s Congress?
25. Which group argued that the Constitution must spell out people’s basic rights? What document
came of this?
26. How did the Bill of Rights become a part of the Constitution?
Chapter 8: The Constitution
27. What are the six goals listed in the Preamble?
28. What are the main roles of the three branches of government?
a. Executive
b. Legislature
c. Judicial
29. What is federalism? What is one power the federal government has that the states do not?
Who controls public education?
30. What is the function of the Articles, or main body, of the Constitution?
31. Why was the amendment process included in the Constitution?
32. What are right guaranteed to citizens in the Bill of Rights?
33. Name three of your civic responsibilities.