Multiple Choice – 60 minutes
Questions 1-5
“Having considered the bill this day presented to me entitled "An act to set apart and pledge certain funds for
internal improvements," and which sets apart and pledges funds "for constructing roads and canals, and
improving the navigation of water courses, in order to facilitate, promote, and give security to internal
commerce among the several States, and to render more easy and less expensive the means and provisions
for the common defense," I am constrained by the insuperable difficulty I feel in reconciling the bill with the
Constitution of the United States to return it with that objection to the House of Representatives, in which it
originated.”
--President James Madison in his decision to veto the 1817 Federal Public Works bill
1.
Madison’s concern expressed in the above quote most closely parallels the central point of contention in which
of the following political controversies in the early days of the new United States?
(A) Debate over the Federalists’ program to fund the national debt, following the war for independence
(B) Debates over implementing a tariff on imports
(C) Debates over the prudence of the establishment of political parties
(D) The debates over the establishment of the first national bank
2.
Which of the following provides the best argument for how Madison's veto might have contributed to the rise of
U.S. sectional tensions in the years leading up to and during the antebellum period?
(A) It resulted in a concentration of wealth in the hands of slaveholders.
(B) It created a lasting controversy that hampered Congress's ability to legislate.
(C) It discouraged the formation of a well-integrated national economy.
(D) It set a precedent for presidents to follow strict partisan lines.
3.
Which of the following was a major reason for the drafting of the legislation referred to in the above excerpt?
(A) Westward movement by whites and resulting economic development
(B) New tariffs on European imports
(C) The need to distribute British products flooding the port cities
(D) The British blockade of Atlantic shipping for trade within the U.S.
4.
The underlying ideological debate in the early 1800s over federal public works bills like that referenced in the
above excerpt is essentially the same as that concerning which of the following issues at the beginning of the
twentieth century in America?
(A) Reinstituting silver as part of the basis for the dollar
(B) Dependency of the economy on the railroads
(C) Regulation of monopoly and large trusts
(D) Formation of national labor unions
5.
In relation to the general subject matter of the legislation referenced in the above excerpt, how were the
subsequent actions of the northern states and the southern states different?
(A) The southern states invested more heavily in canals to link to rivers, which served as their main routes
for transportation of goods.
(B) The southern states and the northern states equally invested in building roads, canals, and railroads,
since the federal government was constrained from doing so.
(C) The northern states invested heavily in building a transportation infrastructure, while the South
continued to move their agricultural goods to market through natural waterways.
(D) The North and South both effectively tied their respective regions together with an extensive network of
railroads, but the South did not build as many roads and canals.
Questions 6-9 refer to the map below.
1830-1835
6. The tribes represented in the above map had well-established societies on their tribal lands by the 1830s.
Based on the reasons for their removal and the information from the map, which can best be inferred about the
nature of these societies at the time?
(A) mostly nomadic, big-game hunting societies
(B) having adopted American democratic ideals
(C) economically successful farming communities
(D) remaining unchanged from their traditional ways since the pre-colonial era
7. The government removal policies in the 1830s in relation to the tribal lands shown in the above map were
most directly due to which of the following causes?
(A) To protect the tribes from conflict with the white settlers
(B) Regional expansion intended to spur migration from the North to the South
(C) Regional development in the newly emerging deep South for growing cash crops, particularly, shortstaple cotton
(D) Traditional ways of negotiating land treaties with the tribes were too slow for eager white settlers
8. What was the rationale of the U.S. government for the particular geographic borders of the reservations for
the Southeastern tribes represented in the above map?
(A) It was thought the land was undesirable, bordering inhabitable land, such that white settlers would not
want to encroach into the area.
(B) The land was known to be fertile, so that the tribes could still farm, yet was far enough away from the
white settlements to avoid conflicts.
(C) The area was not so far away, as to isolate the tribes.
(D) The tribes, when ceding their southeastern tribal lands, had selected the new areas for themselves.
9. Which of the following was an argument proffered by some Americans against removal of the tribes shown
in the above map?
(A) Some of them had adopted white American ways.
(B) Some of them had managed to retain their traditional ways.
(C) By then, many of the American Indians of those tribal lands had attended American schools.
(D) Many of the American Indians had already mixed with the European settlers by then.
Questions 10-12 refer to the maps below.
AMERICAN POPULATION DENSITY, 1820
AMERICAN POPULATION DENSITY, 1860
CANALS IN THE NORTHEAST, 1823–1860
10. All three maps together best suggest what trend?
(A) Growth of canals resulted in increased migration of people westward.
(B) Railroads became integral to the population growth westward.
(C) The rivers became more navigable.
(D) Riverboat transportation became very important.
11. Which of the following best describes the relationship between the trends depicted by the three maps
together?
(A) The urban economies began to grow rapidly.
(B) More immigrants from overseas came to the United States.
(C) The opening of canals led to agricultural specialization.
(D) Canals helped open the market economy to the westward lands, promoting migration to those lands.
12. The maps best suggest which regarding the nature of the relationship between the East and the Old
Northwest (mid-western states) by the mid-1800s?
(A) The building of the canals and resulting migration patterns forged strong ties of interdependence
between the Northeast and the Old Northwest.
(B) Commercial farming became a profitable enterprise in the Old Northwest.
(C) The canals helped integrate the Chesapeake region with the East and Old Northwest.
(D) Expansion westward contributed to a decrease in urban growth in the East.
Questions 13-14 refer to the map below.
13. As reflected in the map, what was the most pressing concern for the United States, which led to the
Louisiana Purchase?
(A) Desire for continued exploration and trade with Native Americans
(B) Further expansion of white settlements into the frontier
(C) Access to vast new sources of mineral wealth
(D) Access down the Mississippi River to the port of New Orleans
14. What recurring issue would accompany white expansion westward beyond the Mississippi River, as could
be predicted based on evidence shown in the map?
(A) Arguments by Southerners for careful federal management of expansion
(B) Conflicts with Native Americans and ceding of land by Native Americans
(C) Assimilation of Native Americans into white society and conversion to farming
(D) A series of land treaties between states and Native American tribes, which became notable for being
unbroken, continuing through the 20th century.
15. The Embargo Act of 1807 had which of the following effects on the U.S. economy?
(A) It improved the balance of trade
(B) It enriched many plantation owners
(C) It ruined American shipping
(D) It was ruinous to subsistence farming
16. The Louisiana Purchase was significant because it:
(A) eliminated Spain from the North American continent
(B) gave the United States control of the Mississippi River
(C) eased tensions between Western settlers and Native Americans
(D) forced the British to evacuate their posts in the Northwest
17. John Adams was defeated by Thomas Jefferson in the election of 1800 primarily due to:
(A) the platform of stronger federal defense policies advocated by Jefferson
(B) the presence of the hated Aaron Burr as vice-presidential candidate on Adams’ ticket
(C) divisions within the Federalist Party over Adams’ refusal to declare war on France
(D) Adams’ promises to abolish slavery if reelected
18. One of the unexpected results of the Hartford Convention was the:
A. nomination of Andrew Jackson for president
B. swift decline of the Federalist Party
C. decline of Iroquois rule in the northwest
D. abolition of the three-fifths compromise
19. Which of the following is correct about tariffs passed during the period 1816-1828?
A. They reduced barriers to free trade.
B. They were supported by all sections of the nation.
C. Their constitutionality was tested in the courts.
D. They were the first tariffs whose major purpose was protection.
20. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 was important because it:
A. established the role of the federal government in internal improvements.
B. strengthened the ties between the eastern manufacturing and western agricultural regions.
C. made the invention of the steamboat economically viable.
D. spurred innovation in the railroad industry.
21. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions took the position that:
A. only the United States Supreme Court had the power to restrict freedom of speech and press.
B. the authority of state governments included the power to decide whether or not an act of Congress
was constitutional.
C. only fiscal measures initiated by state legislatures could be acted on by Congress.
D. Congress was responsible for maintaining the vitality of a “loyal opposition” political party
22. Henry Clay’s “American System” called for all of the following EXCEPT:
A. a tariff for the protection of industry.
B. internal improvements at national government expense.
C. sale of federal lands to finance higher education.
D. greater reliance on domestic financial resources.
23. Which of the following about the Monroe Doctrine is accurate?
A. It was announced by the President over the serious objections of Secretary of State John Quincy
Adams.
B. It was issued simultaneously with a British policy statement on Latin America.
C. It stressed that Europe and the Western Hemisphere had essentially different political systems.
D. It was immediately accepted as international law.
24. The greatest significance of the Supreme Court’s decision in Marbury v. Madison was that it:
A. claimed for the first time that the Supreme Court could issue directives to the president.
B. claimed that the Supreme Court alone was empowered to say what the Constitution meant.
C. claimed for the first time that the Supreme Court could declare an act of Congress to be
unconstitutional.
D. was openly defied by President Thomas Jefferson.
25. The Missouri Compromise provided that Missouri be admitted as a slave state, Maine be admitted as a free
state, and
A. all of the Louisiana Territory north of the northern boundary of Missouri be closed to slavery.
B. all of the Louisiana Territory north of 36 degree-30 minute latitude be closed to slavery.
C. the entire Louisiana Territory be open to slavery.
D. the lands south of 36 degree-30 minute latitude be guaranteed to slavery and lands north of it be
negotiable.
26. Henry Clay’s “American System” advocated all of the following EXCEPT:
A. federal funding for the building of roads.
B. a national bank.
C. high protective tariffs.
D. an independent treasury.
27. The Treaty of Ghent signaled the end of the:
A. Revolutionary War
B. Spanish-American War
C. War of 1812
D. Mexican-American War
28. The “Era of Good Feeling” referred to ____________ presidency.
A. James Monroe’s
B. James Madison’s
C. John Quincy Adam’s
D. Andrew Jackson’s
29. The Hartford Convention of 1814 focused on:
A. revising military strategy against the British in the stalemated War of 1812.
B. the creation of a national bank to stabilize US currency and establish US credit overseas.
C. Federalist desires for a massive rewriting of the Constitution to neutralize the power of Southern
Republicans.
D. Republican desires for lessened federal control and increased states’ rights in matters of
international trade critical to New England’s survival.
30. The Federalist Papers:
A. were written anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison
B. argued that under the constitution the states would relinquish too much sovereignty
C. opposed ratification of the Constitution without the addition of a bill of rights.
D. convinced Patrick Henry to support the Constitution.
31. The Supreme Court’s decision in McCulloch v. Maryland:
I. weakened the implied powers of the Congress
II. asserted the principle of strict and limited construction of the Constitution.
III. confirmed the Hamiltonian or “loose interpretation of the Constitution.
IV. established the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States.
A. I and II only
B. I, II, and III only
C. II, III, and IV only
D. I, II, III, and IV
32. The Battle of New Orleans in 1815
I. resulted in the emergence of Andrew Jackson as a military hero.
II. ended the possibility of a British empire on the lower Mississippi River.
III. strengthened the Federalist Party’s grip on the national government.
IV. assured the ratification of the treaty ending the war without notable changes by the British.
A. II and III only.
B. III and IV only.
C. I, II, and III only.
D. I, II, and IV only.
33. The greatest support for the War of 1812 came from:
A. New England merchants who blamed the decline of foreign trade on Great Britain.
B. Roman Catholics who wanted to bring the Catholic population of Quebec into the union.
C. the agricultural areas of the South and West.
D. military leaders who wanted to end the Spanish presence in the trans-Mississippi West.
34. In his message to Congress on December 2, 1823, Monroe asserted:
A. Any new European colonization required United States approval, including the transfer of colonies
from one European power to another.
B. A long range American policy goal was the removal of all European colonies from the New World.
C. As a New World power the United States was entitled to participate in conferences involving the
major European powers.
D. The political systems of the Old World were so different from those of the New World that any
attempt to extend European political systems to the New World was dangerous to the United States.
35. Chief Justice John Marshall asserted that only Congress, not the states, possessed the power to control
interstate commerce. This case was:
A. Marbury v. Madison
B. the Slaughterhouse Cases
C. McCulloch v. Maryland
D. Gibbons v. Ogden
36. The Indian tribe that resisted the removal the most, which had a functioning, semi-sovereign government
was the:
A. Creek
B. Chickasaw
C. Choctaw
D. Cherokee
37. Andrew Jackson’s election in 1828 is seen by many historians to represent
A. the end of the Federalist party in America
B. the rise of individualism and popular democracy in America
C. the first rue consolidation of federal power over the states since the drafting of the Constitution
D. the beginnings of a genuine American aristocracy in government
38. The veto of the Maysville Road Bill of 1830 was sparked by
A. Andrew Jackson’s belief that it was unconstitutional for the federal government to provide funds
for a road built within the borders of a single state.
B. Andrew Jackson’s belief that it was unconstitutional for the federal government to provide funds
for a road built across the borders of two or more states.
C. Andrew Jackson’s resentment that the road would be built in Kentucky, a state he failed to carry
in the 1828 election.
D. Andrew Jackson’s realization that the road would be built by unpaid black slaves rather than
paid workers.
39. Andrew Jackson defended his policy of "rotation in office" which became known as the "spoils system" by
asserting that
i. a man should serve a term in office, then return to the status of private citizen
ii. men who held office too long became corrupted by a sense of power.
iii. the duties of government were too complex for the average citizen
iv. political appointments by newly elected officials promoted democracy
A. I and II only
B. II and III only
C. III and IV only
D. I, II, and IV only
40. Which of the following resulted from the policies of the Andrew Jackson administration?
A. a central bank was established.
B. The value of paper currency issued by individual banks became uniform
C. The number of banks, each issuing its own paper currency, increased.
D. A nationwide banking system was begun.
41. An important consequence of the "tariff of abominations" (1828) is that it led to the
A. taxation of consumer items.
B. reelection of Andrew Jackson
C. enunciation of the doctrine of nullification.
D. alliance of Southern planters and Western farmers.
42. Daniel Webster's address to the Senate in 1830 in reply to Senator Hayne is best remembered for its
A. attack on the Tariff of Abominations
B. defense of the principle of national union
C. assertion of the idea of States' rights
D. apology for New England's disloyalty in the War of 1812
43. In the first half of the nineteenth century, Cherokee efforts to retain their tribal lands in Georgia received
direct support from
A. the White residents of Oklahoma
B. President Andrew Jackson
C. the United States Supreme Court
D. the Democratic press
44. The immediate effect of Andrew Jackson’s attack on the Second Bank of the United States in 1834 was
A. the creation of the “independent treasury”
B. an expansion of credit and speculation
C. the failure of state banks
D. the establishment of modern banking regulations
45. Jacksonian Democracy was distinguished by the belief that
A. an aristocracy posed no danger to the Republic
B. the National Republicans alone knew what was right for the people
C. political participation by the common man should be increased
D. political rights should be granted to women
46. The Whigs of the 1830s and 1840s differed from the Jacksonian Democrats in that the Whigs:
A. won the support of Irish immigrants
B. secured the removal of Native Americans (Indians) to lands west of the Mississippi.
C. supported the American System of Henry Clay
D. favored a laissez-faire economy
47. The "Panic of 1837" was in large part precipitated by
A. unrestricted land speculation in the new territories west of the Mississippi River
B. fears of a war with Britain over disputed territory along the border between Canada and Maine
C. fears of a war with Mexico over disputed territory in Texas
D. tight monetary policies by Jacksonian Democrats culminating in the issuance of the Specie
Circular.
48. When President Andrew Jackson’s enemies spoke of the “Kitchen Cabinet” they were referring to
A. A group of old friends and unofficial advisors of the president
B. A number of persons of low social standing, including a former cook, who were appointed by
Jackson to high cabinet positions
C. A suggestion as to where Jackson might keep the federal government’s money if he removed it
from the Bank of the United States
D. A coterie of Jackson supporters in the U.S. Senate
49. The most forceful Southern protest against high protective tariffs during the first half of the nineteenth
century was the
A. Hayne-Webster Debate
B. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
C. Nullification Controversy
D. Resignation of Vice President John C. Calhoun
50. The prominent issue in national politics in the 1840s was
A. the abolition of slavery
B. the temperance movement
C. the westward expansion of U.S. territory
D. the creation of a new national bank
51. The Whig Party turned against President Tyler because
A. He was felt to be ineffective in pushing the Whig agenda through Congress.
B. He spoke out in favor of the annexation of Texas
C. He opposed the entire Whig legislative program
D. He criticized Henry Clay’s handling of the Nullification Crisis.
52. The Wilmot Proviso stipulated that
A. Slavery should be prohibited in the lands acquired as a result of the Mexican War
B. No lands should be annexed to the United States as a result of the Mexican War
C. California should be a free state while the rest of the Mexican Cession should be reserved for
the formation of slave states
D. The status of slavery in the Mexican Cession should be decided on the basis of “Popular
Sovereignty.”
53. The Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842
A. forced the United States to give up the Mesabi iron range
B. resolved the border issues between the US and the British North American colonies
C. settled the dispute over the Oregon boundary
D. was not ratified by the Senate
54. The slogan "Fifty-four forty or fight" had to do with
A. The so-called “Aroostook War,” involving a boundary dispute between Maine and New
Brunswick
B. The demand for the annexation of all of the Oregon country
C. The demand for the readjustment of the boundary with Mexico
D. The demand by free-soil Northerners that some limit be placed on the spread of slavery in the
territories
55. President Jackson resisted the annexation of Texas into the Union in 1836 primarily because he
A. acknowledged the legitimacy of the Mexican government in Texas
B. feared that debate over the admission of Texas would ignite controversy over slavery
C. was ideologically opposed to territorial expansion
D. could find no support within his own party for admitting Texas
56. Which of the following best describes the policy of the government of Mexico toward Texas?
A. It tried to sell Texas to the United States at the time of the Louisiana Purchase
B. It encouraged American settlement in Texas in the 1820s and early 1830s
C. It governed Texas with stringent regulations in the 1820s
D. It encouraged the establishment of a strong local government in Texas in the mid-1830s
57. The idea of Manifest Destiny included all of the following EXCEPT the belief that
A. commerce and industry would decline as the nation expanded its agricultural base
B. the use of land for settled agriculture was preferable to nomadic hunting
C. westward expansion was both inevitable and beneficial
D. God selected America as a chosen land and people
58. Which of the following would most likely have expressed opposition to the idea of Manifest Destiny?
A. Advocates of the foreign policy of Secretary of State William H. Seward
B. Voters for James K. Polk in 1844
C. Supporters of the Treaty of Paris of 1898
D. Members of the Whig party in Congress during the Mexican War
59. All of the following were causes of the Mexican War EXCEPT
A. American desire for California
B. Mexican failure to pay debts and damages owed to the U.S.
C. U.S. annexation of the formerly Mexican-held Republic of Texas.
D. Mexican desire to annex Louisiana.
60. The Anti-Masonic Party
A. Strongly supported the protective tariff as essential in protecting the nation’s industries
B. Embraced those who sought to promote religious and moral reforms in government and society
C. Nominated Andrew Jackson because he was a strong opponent of the Masons
D. Was the only third party in US history to win a presidential election
Short Answer – 35 minutes
Short Answer Questions: Period 4 (1800-1848)
1. Use your knowledge of United States History to answer a, b, and c.
a) Describe ONE example of political policy between1824 and1848 that illustrates the nation’s
move toward a more participatory democracy.
b) Use at least ONE piece of evidence to support your explanation.
c) Briefly evaluate ONE limitation of this policy on the nation’s efforts to move to a more
participatory democracy.
The Missouri Compromise, 1820
2. Use the map above and your knowledge of U.S. history to answer questions a, b, and c.
a) Choose ONE of the factors below and explain why it played the greatest role in precipitating
the Missouri Compromise.



Debate over political values
Regional identity
Environmental factors
b) Cite ONE piece of historical evidence to support your explanation.
c) Briefly contrast your choice against ONE of the other options, demonstrating why that option
is not as good as your choice.
AP U.S. History Period 4 Multiple Choice Questions
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