Name _________________________________________ Period _____
8th Grade Social Studies - Final Exam Study Guide
Date of Final: TUESDAY, June 9th
Location of Final: _______________________
Items to Bring to Final:
 This Final Review Packet 100% completed
 YOUR Social Studies textbook
 A number 2 pencil
 Other final exam study guides (if finished early)
o Science and Math (June 10th)
o World Language and Reading (June 11th)
Have a great
summer!
Chapter 1
1. What is the difference between a
primary and secondary source?
(p.20-21)
2. How do historians deal with
historical bias? (p.21)
Chapter 2
3. Explain the Columbian Exchange
(p.71)
4. What were the most important
causes and effects of the Age of
Exploration?
Chapter 4
5. What were the defining
characteristics of the New England,
Middle and Southern colonies?
(p.102-119)
6. Describe representative
government/democracy (p.90)
What examples can you point to of
this in the early colonies?
Chapter 5
7. What was the MAIN reason for
the French and Indian War? (p.141142)
8. Why did Britain pass a series of
tax laws in the English Colonies after
the French and Indian War? (p.148)
9. Why did the British establish the
Proclamation of 1763? (p.147)
10. Explain the phrase, “no taxation
without representation”. (p.149)
11. How did Britain punish
Massachusetts after the Boston Tea
Party? (p. 157-158)
12. What were the most effective
forms of colonial protest to the new
taxes? (p.150-151, 156)
Chapter 6
13. What was the purpose of
Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, Common
Sense? (p.173)
14. A major argument for American
Independence found in the
Declaration of Independence was
that the British… (p.175)
15. What prompted the French to
join the Patriots? (p.184)
16. What was the most important
advantage that Americans had that
led their victory in the
Revolutionary War (p.194)
Chapter 7
17. What belief about central
government did many writers of the
Articles of Confederation (our 1st
constitution) share? (201)
18. Why did many people call for
changes to the
Articles of Confederation? (p.202)
19. Why did Anti-federalists want a
bill of rights added to the U.S.
Constitution? (p.216)
20. What are the main freedoms
listed in the Bill of Rights (1st 10
amendments)? (p.237-239)
Chapter 8
21. What is the function of the
Preamble, or first paragraph, of the
Constitution?
22. What is federalism? Powers not
delegated to the federal
government belong to? (p.251)
23. The use of implied powers, the
amending process, and Supreme
Court interpretations have allowed
our Constitution the ability to?
(p.259)
24. Explain the roles of each branch
of government:
Legislative, Judicial, Executive.
(p.252-256)
Chapter 9
25. What does President George
Washington say about foreign
policy in his Farewell Address?
(p.286)
26. Give a few examples of how
President Washington strengthened
the federal government. (p.279281)
27. Identify what Alexander
Hamilton did to help the nation’s
economy. (p.281)
28. What is the MAIN reason for the
formation of the first two political
parties in America in the 1790’s?
(p.289)
29. Describe how Jefferson and the
Republicans responded to the Alien
and Sedition Acts. (p.293)
Chapter 10
30. What important Judicial power
was established in the Supreme
Court Case Marbury v. Madison?
(p. 304)
31. Give a few examples of Thomas
Jefferson’s democratic style
demonstrated during his time as
President. (p.303-305)
32. How did Jefferson the Louisiana
Purchase? (Many believed it to be
unconstitutional) (p.308)
33. What was the impact of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition? (p.308310)
34. What were the main EFFECTS of
the War of 1812? (p.325)
Chapter 12
35. How was the Presidential
election of 1824 determined?
(Jackson vs. John Quincy Adams)
(p.362)
36. Describe the main idea of
“Jacksonian Democracy”. (p.363)
37. Why did Jackson’s critics refer to
him as King Andrew? (p.368)
38. Describe how the spoils system
worked. (p.366)
39. Describe why Andrew Jackson
was against the National Bank of
the United States. (p.367)
40. What is the purpose of a
protective tariff? (p.370)
41. What caused South Carolina to
pass the Nullification Act? (p.371)
Chapter 13
42. Why did the Oregon territory
appeal to settlers? (p.380-381)
43. What caused Americans living in
Texas to go to war with Mexico?
(p.386)
44. How did the events at the
Alamo affect Texans? (p.388)
45. What were the main challenges
faced by the Lone Star Republic?
46. Identify a few results of the
Mexican War. (p.396-397)
47. Explain the idea of the Manifest
Destiny. (p.393)
48. Why did the Mormons move to
Utah? (p.399)
49. What effect did the discovery of
gold in California in 1849 have on
westward expansion? (p.400)
Chapter 14
50. As industry in the U.S. grew
during the early 1800s, what role
did immigrants play in the
economy? (p.415)
51. Why were sectional differences
developing the United States?
52. Explain the connection between
Cotton & Slavery; and why the
expanded in the South and not the
North. (p.419)
53. What was the purpose of the
“Slave Codes”? (p.424)
54. How did enslaved AfricanAmericans resist and
fight back against slavery?
(p.426)
Chapter 15
55. The Seneca Falls Convention
was mainly concerned with what?
(p.445)
56. Identify 3 of the major areas of
reform in the mid-1800s (not
including abolition). (p.436)
57. Who was Frederick Douglass?
(p.440)
58. Who was Sojourner Truth?
(p.445)
59. Why is Harriet Tubman famous?
(p.441)
Chapter 16
60. How were the Free Soil Party
and the Republican Party alike?
(p.463)
61. Some people wanted the slavery
issue to be decided in the new
territories by “Popular
Sovereignty”, which would mean
what? (p.461/462)
62. What was the 1850 Fugitive
Slave Act? (p.465)
63. What popular book was written
in response to the 1850 Fugitive
Slave Act? (p.466)
64. Why did Kansas get the
nickname “Bleeding Kansas”?
(p.470)
65. What decision did the Supreme
Court reach in the Dred Scott case
AND how did this decision impact
Congress’s ability to decide the
slavery issue out West? (p.471/472)
66. Why were the Lincoln-Douglas
debates important for Lincoln?
(p.475)
67. In his “House Divided” speech,
what does Abe Lincoln suggest?
(p.473)
68. Entering the Civil War, Abe
Lincoln makes his primary goal as
president clear – what is it? (p.480)
69. Which occurs first: Abe Lincoln’s
election OR Civil War? (p.478)
70. Why argument does Lincoln use
against the secession of the
Southern states? (p. 480)
Chapter 17
71. Identify the main
CONFEDERATE Strengths during
the Civil War. (p.487/488)
72. Identify the main UNION
Strengths during the Civil War.
(p.487/488)
73. The North’s rapid economic
growth during the Civil War was
stimulated by what? (p.503)
74. Why was the Union victory at
Vicksburg so important? (p.505)
75. What do many historians
consider the turning point battle for
the Union of the Civil War? (p.506)
76. What is Ulysses S. Grant’s plan
to end the Civil War? (p.508)