U.S. History: Proficiency Two
Directions:
 On your answer sheet, fill in the circle that corresponds to your answer for the multiplechoice question.
 Mark only one answer for each question.
 If you do not know the answer, make your best guess.
 Remember to answer ALL parts of the Constructed-Response question.
Multiple Choice
1. How did vertical integration benefit companies such as Carnegie Steel?
a. Allowing labor unions to participate in decision-making led to fewer strikes.
b. Controlling production and distribution processes increased efficiencies and profits.
c. Investing in the health and education of employees increased workforce motivation.
d. Including local politicians on boards of directors ensured a continuation of laissezfaire policies.
2. Early twentieth-century Progressive reformers were LEAST concerned with which
problem?
a. Unsafe food-processing methods
b. Unhealthy urban living conditions
c. Exploitation of children in the workplace
d. Deprivation of African Americans’ civil rights
3. Alfred Thayer Mahan expressed what opinion in his book The Influence of Sea Power
Upon History?
a. A nation benefited from having a strong navy and the overseas bases needed to
maintain it.
b. Construction of the Panama Canal would increase naval traffic and benefit all Central
American countries.
c. The U.S. government could increase foreign trade by providing businesses more
incentives to build ships.
d. The U.S. government placed too much emphasis on modernizing the navy instead of
the army.
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
4. The Haymarket Square episode, Colorado Labor Wars, and the Railroad Strike of 1877
were results of which condition?
a. Significant increases in payroll tax rates
b. Conflict between labor and management interests
c. Hostility toward Chinese immigrants
d. Unprecedented failure of national financial institutions
5. What event does this illustration from the early twentieth century depict?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The Pullman Palace Car disaster
The Haymarket Square catastrophe
The Coeur d’Alene strike
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory tragedy
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
6. Which statement best summarizes the central premise of President Theodore
Roosevelt’s foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere?
a. It is consistent with American principles to recognize the sovereign rights and
autonomy of each nation.
b. Western European nations have a long-standing tradition of historical right to
political ties with Latin American countries.
c. Modern progress has rendered existing treaties incompatible with the modern
needs of the United States.
d. The United States has a compelling interest to intervene in nations whose political
stability is threatened.
7. Which quotation was associated with the forced assimilation of American Indians at the
Carlisle Indian Industrial School?
a. “ We all wore white man’s clothes and ate white man’s food.”
b. “Our labor symbolized nothing, and left us mentally sluggish in the dusk of the
evening.”
c. “Humility and charity are the only credentials for admission.”
d. “It never enters our heads that we can offend anyone by the expression of love.”
8. The Progressive movement was most responsible for which development?
a. Politicians taking a more laissez-faire approach to economic issues
b. Government becoming more responsive to social issues
c. A growing interest in expanding U.S. influence beyond the nation’s borders
d. The application of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to human society
9. Which development motivated President Theodore Roosevelt to send the Great White
Fleet on a fourteen-month worldwide tour?
a. Increased political tensions in territories acquired by the United States during the
Spanish-American War
b. Reluctance on the part of the European powers to accept the United States Open
Door policy
c. Pirates seizing United States ships off the coast of Africa and holding them for
ransom
d. Japan’s emergence as a world power after its defeat of Russia in a 1905 war
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
10. “Society advances where its fittest members are allowed to assert their fitness with the
least hindrance.”
This idea, advanced by Herbert Spencer, would be fully embraced by a supporter of
which ideology?
a. Anarchism
b. Marxism
c. Social Darwinism
d. Social Gospel
11. In this excerpt from an 1896 essay, architect Louis Sullivan describes certain conditions
typical of growing urban centers in the United States.
…continued growth of population in the great cities, consequent congestion of centres
and rise in value of ground, stimulate and increase in number of stories; these,
successfully piled one upon another, react on ground values…
Based on this description, which conclusion can a reader most reasonably draw about
urban growth in the United States at that time?
a. The greatest population increases occurred in industrial cities.
b. Rising property values in cities stimulated development.
c. The stories of immigrants revealed the hardship of living in cities.
d. Increasing congestion resulted in suburban growth.
12. Which situation prompted the U.S. government to actively encourage a 1903 revolt in
Central America?
a. Colombia refused to ratify an agreement allowing construction of the Panama Canal.
b. Socialist politicians were threatening to nationalize U.S.-owned businesses.
c. France was reluctant to give up its colonial possessions in the Western Hemisphere.
d. The U.S. military needed to secure territorial possessions gained after the SpanishAmerican War.
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
Constructed-Response
13. This cartoon was published in the Philadelphia Press in 1898, during what is commonly
referred to as the “Age of Imperialism” in U.S. history. Examine the cartoon carefully;
then complete the following tasks.
A. Explain the meaning of the caption, “Ten thousand miles from tip to tip.”
B. Explain the artist’s views on imperialism by discussing at least TWO different uses of
symbolism in the cartoon. Then, support your interpretation by describing the
history of U.S. imperialism involving two of the islands shown on the map.
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
Please use the space below to write your response(s) to the writing assignment provided by
your teacher. If there are multiple tasks to the question, please clearly label the number or
letter of each task in the column to the left of your answers. If you need additional pages for
your response, your teacher can provide them.
Please write the name of the writing assignment here:____________________________
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
Answer Key
1) B
2) D
3) A
4) B
5) D
6) D
7) A
8) B
9) D
10) C
11) B
12) A
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
Scoring Criteria
13) A. Explain the meaning of the caption, “Ten thousand miles from tip to tip”:
During the Age of Imperialism, the United States acquired lands spanning from the
Philippines to Eastport, Maine. The distance spanned was roughly 10,000 miles, which
represented the extent of the United States’ influence in its imperialistic contest with other
world powers.
B. Explain the artist’s views on imperialism by discussing two uses of symbolism in the
cartoon:
The artist appears to project a nationalistic pride and advocacy of U.S. imperial power. The
United States started from humble beginnings and grew to become a global power by 1898.
 Using the eagle to symbolize the United States, the artist portrays the United States as a
new imperialistic power building an empire. The outstretched eagle’s wings “embrace”
the possessions below and are poised to defend/protect them.
 The image of the sun in the background implies the dawning of a new era and perhaps
represents the new prominence of the United States as a world leader. The sun casts
light upon the vast reach of the United States. Previously, other European powers had
held this role. This applies especially to England; the saying “The sun never sets on the
British Empire” emphasizes the extent of Britain’s influence.
 A small map of the United States in 1798 is shown in contrast to the large map of the
United States shown in 1898. The relative size of the eagle and the country shows the
immense change brought on by this age of imperialism.
 The age of imperialism is often called jingoistic. Jingoism is extreme patriotism in the
form of an aggressive foreign policy. However, this term did not enter the U.S.
vernacular until the turn of the twentieth century. During the nineteenth century (when
this image was published), journalists referred to this attitude as “spread eagleism.” This
attitude is literally depicted in the cartoon by the large eagle with its giant wingspan
over the entire region.
Support your interpretation by describing the history of U.S. imperialism involving at
least two of the islands shown on the map:
Manila (the capital of the Philippines): The Philippines had fought on the side of the
United States during the Spanish-American War and were expecting freedom as their
reward. Following the conclusion of the war, however, the United States purchased the
Philippines from Spain and imposed U.S. rule. A revolution followed, in which the
Philippines were defeated by American forces.
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
Samoa: The United States signed a treaty with Samoa in 1878 that established a naval base
on the island, one of a series of naval bases established by the United States in the Pacific
Ocean during this time. The United States and Germany partitioned the islands in 1899.
Hawaii: The United States involvement in Hawaii began with U.S. sugar growers’ economic
efforts there. Queen Liliuokalani, a native Hawaiian, eventually challenged the influence of
this group. The sugar growers, with support from U.S. Marines requested by the
ambassador to Hawaii, deposed the queen and seized political power over the island.
Following several years of debate, the islands were annexed by the United States. The U.S.
government also established a naval base at Pearl Harbor.
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico was added as a U.S. territory following the Treaty of Paris in 1898,
which ended the Spanish-American War. Puerto Rico was formerly governed by Spain.
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U.S. History: Proficiency Two
U.S. History Rubric: Visual Stimulus
3 A response at this level provides evidence of thorough knowledge and
understanding of the subject matter.



The response demonstrates thoughtful analysis of the prompt topic that effectively
supports logical conclusions or interpretations.
The response provides insightful explanation of the prompt topic, effectively using
accurate content and details with no significant errors or misconceptions.
The response effectively conveys knowledge and ideas.
2 A response at this level provides evidence of basic knowledge and understanding
of the subject matter.



The response demonstrates incomplete or inconsistent analysis of the prompt topic
that may not support logical conclusions or interpretations.
The response provides some explanation of the prompt topic using partially correct
content and details that may contain a few errors or misconceptions.
The response adequately conveys knowledge and ideas, but portions of the
response may lack coherence.
1 A response at this level provides evidence of minimal knowledge and
understanding of the subject matter.



The response demonstrates little or no analysis of the prompt topic to support
logical conclusions or interpretations.
The response provides little or no explanation of the prompt topic using incorrect
and/or incomplete content/details that contain significant errors or misconceptions.
The response conveys knowledge and ideas in a manner that is unclear and/or
impedes understanding.
0 A response at this level is not scorable.

The response is off-topic, blank, hostile, or otherwise not scorable.
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