US HISTORY A
SEMESTER EXAM STUDY GUIDE
11/30/10
Directions: Using your textbook, notes and handouts, answer the following in COMPLETE sentences on a separate
sheet of paper. This assignment must be written in your own handwriting. No typed study guides will be accepted.
This assignment is mandatory and is due the day of your final exam. Good luck!
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What economic activity did the most to shape the growth of New France?
Which colonies were founded in an attempt to escape religious persecution?
Why were the colonies valuable to England?
Which group supported Bacon’s Rebellion?
How did the VA Company attract new settlers to its colony after 1609?
Describe life in the Chesapeake region.
What was a proprietary colony?
What was the British policy of “salutary neglect”?
What was the significance of the Great Awakening?
The following people are connected to the founding of which colonies?
a) James Oglethorpe
b) William Penn
c) Roger Williams
d) Anne Hutchinson
Why did agriculture play such a small role in the New England colonies?
What were the causes of the Salem Witch trials?
What was the halfway covenant?
Why did the Dutch settle New Netherland?
What were the results of the French and Indian War?
Examples of ways the British tried to raise money in the colonies after the French and Indian War?
What were the causes of the French and Indian War?
Which battle started the Revolutionary War?
Parts of the Declaration of Independence?
How were the Americans able to win the Revolutionary War?
Why are the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 considered achievements under
the Articles of Confederation?
How did the Proclamation of 1763 contribute to the start of the American Revolution?
According to the Declaration of Independence, what is the fundamental purpose of government?
What did Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense persuade colonists to do?
a) What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
b) Which of these was considered the greatest weakness?
What issue did the Great Compromise solve?
What issue did the Three-fifths Compromise resolve?
Which principle of government was designed to ensure that no branch of government would become too
powerful?
a) Why were the Anti-Federalists so opposed to the new Constitution?
b) What was added to the original Constitution to help gain the support of Anti-Federalists?
Which document is referred to as the “Supreme law of the land”?
What were some similarities between the Constitution and the Articles of Confederation?
What does John Locke’s theory of natural rights, as reflected in the Declaration of Independence, say?
How did delegates at the Constitutional Convention deal with the weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation?
Why was the Battle of Saratoga a key turning point in the Revolutionary War?
Why was Shay’s Rebellion significant?
Who did Black slaves support during the Revolutionary War?
Why was George Washington considered an effective military commander?
US HISTORY A
SEMESTER EXAM STUDY GUIDE
11/30/10
Directions: Using your textbook, notes and handouts, answer the following in COMPLETE sentences on a separate
sheet of paper. This assignment must be written in your own handwriting. No typed study guides will be accepted.
This assignment is mandatory and is due the day of your final exam. Good luck!
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What economic activity did the most to shape the growth of New France?
Which colonies were founded in an attempt to escape religious persecution?
Why were the colonies valuable to England?
Which group supported Bacon’s Rebellion?
How did the VA Company attract new settlers to its colony after 1609?
Describe life in the Chesapeake region.
What was a proprietary colony?
What was the British policy of “salutary neglect”?
What was the significance of the Great Awakening?
The following people are connected to the founding of which colonies?
a) James Oglethorpe
b) William Penn
c) Roger Williams
d) Anne Hutchinson
Why did agriculture play such a small role in the New England colonies?
What were the causes of the Salem Witch trials?
What was the halfway covenant?
Why did the Dutch settle New Netherland?
What were the results of the French and Indian War?
Examples of ways the British tried to raise money in the colonies after the French and Indian War?
What were the causes of the French and Indian War?
Which battle started the Revolutionary War?
Parts of the Declaration of Independence?
How were the Americans able to win the Revolutionary War?
Why are the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 considered achievements under
the Articles of Confederation?
How did the Proclamation of 1763 contribute to the start of the American Revolution?
According to the Declaration of Independence, what is the fundamental purpose of government?
What did Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense persuade colonists to do?
a) What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
b) Which of these was considered the greatest weakness?
What issue did the Great Compromise solve?
What issue did the Three-fifths Compromise resolve?
Which principle of government was designed to ensure that no branch of government would become too
powerful?
a) Why were the Anti-Federalists so opposed to the new Constitution?
b) What was added to the original Constitution to help gain the support of Anti-Federalists?
Which document is referred to as the “Supreme law of the land”?
What were some similarities between the Constitution and the Articles of Confederation?
What does John Locke’s theory of natural rights, as reflected in the Declaration of Independence, say?
How did delegates at the Constitutional Convention deal with the weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation?
Why was the Battle of Saratoga a key turning point in the Revolutionary War?
Why was Shay’s Rebellion significant?
Who did Black slaves support during the Revolutionary War?
Why was George Washington considered an effective military commander?
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What did the US gain as a result of the Treaty of Paris 1783?
What was France’s main motive in helping the American cause during the Revolutionary War?
Why did the Founding Fathers fail to abolish slavery?
Why did Washington pursue a policy of neutrality during his administration?
What was the Whiskey Rebellion a response to?
How were the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans different?
Which Supreme Court case established judicial review?
How did the War of 1812 end?
What were the 3 parts of the American System (Plan)?
What did the US gain in the Adam-Onís Treaty?
Why were manufacturing mills built in New England?
What did the Monroe Doctrine say?
Missouri’s admission to the Union sparked a debate over what issue?
Why was the McCulloch v. Maryland decision significant?
According to President Andrew Jackson, how did the spoils system increase democracy in the federal
government?
How did the completion of the Erie Canal aid the economic development of the US?
What was one of the main effects of the Indian Removal Act?
What was Transcendentalism?
What is Frederick Douglass best known as?
What did the US gain in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
What kind of abolitionist was William Lloyd Garrison?
Who was Horace Mann?
Why did most southern Whites support the slave system even though they owned no slaves?
What was the major consequence of the Mexican-American War?
What was the immediate cause of the Mexican-American War?
What were the long-term consequences of Nat Turner’s revolt?
What was the purpose of the Fugitive Act?
Which Supreme Court decision created the need for a constitutional amendment that would grant
citizenship to formerly enslaved persons?
What were the results of John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry?
What advantages did Southerners have over Northerners in the Civil War?
What was the purpose of the Northern blockade during the Civil War?
What was an immediate effect of the Emancipation Proclamation?
Describe the Reconstruction plans of Presidents Lincoln and Johnson.
Why was President Andrew Johnson impeached?
Why did Southern states pass Black codes in 1865?
By the end of Reconstruction how did most African Americans in the South earn a living?
Which action marked the end of Reconstruction in the US?
What did the Freedmen’s Bureau provide for newly freed African Americans?
What was a common purpose of the three amendments added to the US Constitution between 1865 and
1870?
What was Lincoln’s message in the Gettysburg Address?
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76.
77.
What did the US gain as a result of the Treaty of Paris 1783?
What was France’s main motive in helping the American cause during the Revolutionary War?
Why did the Founding Fathers fail to abolish slavery?
Why did Washington pursue a policy of neutrality during his administration?
What was the Whiskey Rebellion a response to?
How were the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans different?
Which Supreme Court case established judicial review?
How did the War of 1812 end?
What were the 3 parts of the American System (Plan)?
What did the US gain in the Adam-Onís Treaty?
Why were manufacturing mills built in New England?
What did the Monroe Doctrine say?
Missouri’s admission to the Union sparked a debate over what issue?
Why was the McCulloch v. Maryland decision significant?
According to President Andrew Jackson, how did the spoils system increase democracy in the federal
government?
How did the completion of the Erie Canal aid the economic development of the US?
What was one of the main effects of the Indian Removal Act?
What was Transcendentalism?
What is Frederick Douglass best known as?
What did the US gain in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
What kind of abolitionist was William Lloyd Garrison?
Who was Horace Mann?
Why did most southern Whites support the slave system even though they owned no slaves?
What was the major consequence of the Mexican-American War?
What was the immediate cause of the Mexican-American War?
What were the long-term consequences of Nat Turner’s revolt?
What was the purpose of the Fugitive Act?
Which Supreme Court decision created the need for a constitutional amendment that would grant
citizenship to formerly enslaved persons?
What were the results of John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry?
What advantages did Southerners have over Northerners in the Civil War?
What was the purpose of the Northern blockade during the Civil War?
What was an immediate effect of the Emancipation Proclamation?
Describe the Reconstruction plans of Presidents Lincoln and Johnson.
Why was President Andrew Johnson impeached?
Why did Southern states pass Black codes in 1865?
By the end of Reconstruction how did most African Americans in the South earn a living?
Which action marked the end of Reconstruction in the US?
What did the Freedmen’s Bureau provide for newly freed African Americans?
What was a common purpose of the three amendments added to the US Constitution between 1865 and
1870?
What was Lincoln’s message in the Gettysburg Address?