US History Pre-Test
DIRECTIONS
Read each question and choose the best answer. Then fill in the correct answer on your answer
document.
1. Which of the following lists shows the correct order in which these presidents served?
A.
B.
C.
D.
George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe
George Washington, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, James Monroe
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson
1763
French & Indian
War Ends
1764
?
1770
1775
1776
?
Battles of Lexington
& Concord
Declaration of
Independence
2. Which events in U.S. History best complete the time line above?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sugar Act, Boston Massacre
Stamp Act, Shays’s Rebellion
Townshend Acts, Battle of Yorktown
Intolerable Acts, Articles of Confederation
3. in 1803 Thomas Jefferson made one of his most important contributions as president when he
A.
B.
C.
D.
wrote the Declaration of Independence
became the leader of the Democratic-Republican Party
founded the University of Virginia
Purchased the Louisiana Territory from France
4. Which colony was founded in 1607 and was successful because of its fertile land, plentiful game, and
abundant timber?
A. Virginia
B. Massachusetts
US History Pre-Test
C. Georgia
D. New York
5. Which of the following events completes the timeline?
A.
B.
C.
D.
British surrender at Yorktown
Americans hold Stamp Act Congress
British occupy Fort Ticonderoga
Americans issue the Declaration of Independence
1776—Washington and his troops flee New York
1777—Americans win the battle at Saratoga
1780—The British capture Charleston
1781--????
1783—Americans and the British sing the Treaty of
Paris
6. This political cartoon illustrates an issue discussed
during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The
issue was over--A.
B.
C.
D.
state boundaries
immigration
branches of government
representation in Congress
7, What was Manifest Destiny?
A. Americans would establish colonies just like European powers had done
B. Americans would one day conquer England.
US History Pre-Test
C. It was the American destiny to conquer the whole world.
D. Americans had a right to settle western lands and that western expansion was unstoppable.
8. The Mexican War was prompted by the annexation of ---A.
B.
C.
D.
California
Texas
New Mexico
Utah
9. Southern dependence on slavery and an agricultural economy resulted in ---A.
B.
C.
D.
an excellent railroad system
a lack of factories
a dependence on government tax breaks
several new political parties
10. These people served as public officials during the Civil War. Which of the following matches is
incorrect?
A
B
C
D
Jefferson Davis --- Secretary of State for the Confederacy
Ulysses S. Grant --- commander of the Union army
Robert E. Lee – commander of the Confederate army
Abraham Lincoln ---- president of the United States
11. Which Civil War leader is described in the box?
A
B
C
D
Robert E. Lee
Ulysses S. Grant
Abraham Lincoln
Jefferson Davis




Graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point
Fought in Mexican War
Served as leader of Confederate troops
Surrendered at Appomattox Court House
US History Pre-Test
12. Which item would best complete the list?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Inexperienced military leaders
Broke the Union blockade along the Gulf of Mexico
Enabled the Confederate army to seek French assistance
Gave the Union army control of the Mississippi River
Disadvantages of South during
the Civil War:
--Smaller navy
--Fewer railroads
--??
13. Which area on the map was acquired by
the United States
as a result of the Mexican War?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Area 1
Area 2
Area 3
Area 4
US History Pre-Test
14. The original 13 colonies were primarily located along the --A.
B.
C.
D.
Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Mississippi River
Great Lakes
15. Which statement is best supported by the above map of 16th century European exploration?
A.
B.
C.
D.
England was the first European power to navigate the Great Lakes
Spain financed numerous journeys to Canada
England sent the first European settlers to the Southwest
Spain sent more expeditions than England to the interior regions of the Americas
US History Pre-Test
16. During the 1700s and 1800s, European migration to North America resulted in Native Americans
experiencing---A.
B.
C.
D.
an extensive loss of land
an improved standard of living
an increase in population
a loss of interest in religious activities
17. The discovery of what natural resource in California in 1848 and 1849 caused rapid population
growth in the region?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Gold
Silver
Copper
Iron
18. Which conclusion can best be made by examining the map above?
US History Pre-Test
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Louisiana Purchase almost doubled the size of the United States
France gained control of much of the North American continent
The Louisiana Purchase was designated for Native American ownership
Both Spain and the United States would share control of the Louisiana Purchase
19. Which of these was a factor that led to the development of plantation agriculture in the South?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The climate allowed planters to raise profitable cash crops.
Tariffs permitted planters to make a greater profit
The federal government paid a bonus to cotton producers
Canals carried crops to western markets
20. What factor was most important in growing cotton in the 1800s?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Slave labor
Foreign investment
Dry summers
Improved transportation
21. The combination of resources, improved transportation, and technological breakthroughs all
contributed to the --A.
B.
C.
D.
Era of Good Feelings
Adoption of the gold standard
Industrial Revolution
Formation of agricultural cooperatives
22. One result of the British regulations such as the Sugar and Stamp Acts was America’s resentment of --A.
B.
C.
D.
Foreign alliances
locally appointed governing bodies
taxation without representation
government control of speech
US History Pre-Test
23. The missions founded in California during the 1700s are evidence of the cultural influence of
which group of people?
A.
B.
C.
D.
African Americans
French Canadians
The Chinese
The Spanish
24. Textiles became a leading industry in the North after the cotton gin was invented by--A.
B.
C.
D.
Daniel Webster
Benjamin Franklin
Eli Whitney
Samuel Slater
25. Which 1620 document was signed by male members of the community to establish a government for
settlers at Plymouth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Articles of Confederation
The Mayflower Compact
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The Albany Plan
26. King John of England signed the Magna Carta in 1215. What idea did the Founding Fathers borrow
from this document to include in the Bill of Rights?
A.
B.
C.
D.
People accused of a crime have a right to trial by a jury of their equals.
People accused of a crime will be imprisoned until proven innocent.
People have only those individual rights granted to them by the king.
People must be born in a country to have the rights of a citizen.
27. The Bill of Rights was added to the US Constitution mainly to --A. protect individual liberties
B. encourage increased political participation
US History Pre-Test
C. clarify the roles of the branches of government
D. establish American independence from British rule
28. An unalienable right --A.
B.
C.
D.
is a right that can’t be taken away without due process
Is established by majority vote
Favors some people’s rights over others’
Applies only in one’s home country
29. Among the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment is the right to--A.
B.
C.
D.
keep and bear arms
due process of law
the free exercise of religion
A speedy and public trial
30. Which of the following is an example of exercising the right to free speech?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Lying in a court case to protect a friend
Protesting a government policy
Falsely accusing someone of a crime
spreading Loyalist propaganda
31. Which of the following would provide the best primary source material about the works of
Abraham Lincoln?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a biography of Lincoln
An interview with a descendant of Lincoln
A collection of speeches written by Lincoln
A historical analysis of the Lincoln-Douglas debates
32. What would be the best title for the diagram on the right?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Policy of Mercantilism
The Importance of the Divine Right of Kings
Constitutional Monarchy in the United States
A Plan for Representative Government
The people
will elect
office holders
Officeholders
will make laws
Office holders
will conduct
government on
behalf of the
people
US History Pre-Test
33. From the point of view of
someone living in the American
colonies during the 1770s, a patriot
was a person who--A. attempted to stop all trade
with American merchants
B. supported the authority of
the king over the colonies
C. attempted to referee
disputes between Great Britain
and the colonies
D. supported the movement for
American independence
34. Which of these individual would have been most likely to agree with the point of view expressed in
the illustration on the right?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Temperance leader
Abolitionist leader
Suffrage leader
Business leader
US History Pre-Test
35. Which of the following best explains one of the changes in immigration shown on this graph?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Free housing was offered to immigrants arriving after 1855
A famine plagued Ireland between 1845 and 1850
The German National Assembly passed a constitution in 1850
Labor strikes occurred in Great Britain between 1850 and 1845