Midterm Review: 8th Grade US History
1. What are the 3 types of land that can be found in the state of North Carolina?
a. Piedmont, Mountains, Coastal Regions
2. How many states are there in the United States? How many original colonies did we have?
a. 50, 13
3. Who were the Aztec, the Mayans and the Incans? Where did each civilization live and how
they fall?
a. Aztec – Mexican Native Americans fell to Cortez
b. Mayans – Yucatan Peninsula, Fell to Cortez and others…
c. Incans- Andes Mountains near Peru, fell to Pizarro
4. What three things were most explorers in the 15th century searching for?
a. God, Gold and Glory
5. Which American colonies were largely responsible for manufacturing? Farming? Which had
some of both?
a. New England Colonies- Factories, Middle Colonies- Both factories and farming,
Southern Colonies – Mostly farming
6. Why did North Carolina and South Carolina split?
a. Differences in political opinion largely thanks to differences in Geography.
7. African slaves were being brought to the United States because of what economic system?
a. Triangle Trade System
8. Which act passed by parliament really angered colonists to the point where rebellion began
in Boston, Massachusetts?
a. Tea Act of 1773
9. What group of men plotted against the British Empire and met in local taverns (bars) around
Boston?
a. Sons of Liberty
10.
On Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride, he warned that people of Lexington and Concord
that the British were coming.
11. The United States official governing body prior to the Senate and the House of
Representatives was known as…?
a. Continental Congress
12. Common Sense was written to explain what and by whom? Why did Americans identify
with it?
a. Thomas Paine, to explain why the colonies and England should break up. Most
Americans felt the same way!
13. In Philadelphia in 1776, this man wrote the Declaration of Independence. Who was he?
What did the document do?
a. Thomas Jefferson, founding father, broke up the US and England
14. The Americans used what type of tactics to battle against the British? What style did the
British use?
a. Guerilla Warfare, British used Traditional
15. What did the following amendments do? #1,2,4,5,6 &10.
a. 1- Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly, Petition
b. 2- Right to own a gun
c. 4- Right to protect you from illegal search and seizure
d. 5- Do not have to testify against yourself in criminal court cases.
e. 6- Right to a fair lawyer and trial
f. 10- Division of power between state and federal govt. all powers not stated in the
constitution are given to the state.
16. What Battle ended the American Revolution?
a. Yorktown
17. What is Federalism?
a. Separation of power between federal and state govt.
18. Define the Articles of Confederation.
a. First try at a Constitution, very weak federal government. Led to Shays’ Rebellion.
19.
What was Shays’ Rebellion & how is it related to the Articles of Confederation?
a. A rebellion that was over taxes in Massachusetts, showed how weak the federal
government was without a strong central government
20. What were the New Jersey (NJ) and Virginia (VA) plans?
a. NJ – all state have the same representation, 1 state = 1 vote
b. VA – all states are given votes based on # of people in that state. Example: NJ= 5
votes, VA = 23 Votes
21. What was the Great (Connecticut) Compromise?
a. Compromise to have Senate with equal voting, House of Representatives based on
population. Compromise for VA/NJ plans
22. List 3 things George Washington did as President that set the precedent (or example for
other presidents) to follow.
a. 2 Terms as president
b. Being called Mr. President
c. “So help me god” oath
d. Cabinet
e. Farewell Address
23. What was the Whiskey Rebellion? What did it show about the Constitution?
a. Whiskey Rebellion was a war over having to pay taxes on whiskey and grain alcohol,
with the new Constitution George Washington was able to put it down. Shows the
strength of the Constitution.
24. In George Washington’s Farewell address he gives the United States some advice. What is
it?
a. Avoid European Conflicts
b. Avoid Political Parties
c. Avoid European Alliances
25. What are some of the differences between Federalists and Democratic Republicans?
a. Federalists – led by Alexander Hamilton, wealthy, prefers manufacturing to
agriculture.
b. Democratic-Republicans – led by Thomas Jefferson, prefers agricultural future to
manufacture
26. How many votes in the Electoral College does a presidential candidate need in order to be
elected?
a. 270
27. How did the United States acquire the Louisiana Territory? Who was President?
a. Purchased from France by Thomas Jefferson from Napoleon Bonaparte.
28. James Madison was famous as for being the Father of the Constitution and the 4 th
President. Why did he get this nickname and what are some accomplishments he had as
president?
a. He was the document’s primary author. The War of 1812.
29. Andrew Jackson was famous for the Battle of New Orleans, the Bank War, the Indian
Removal Act of 1830 and the Nullification Crisis. Why is each of these events important?
a. Battle of New Orleans – Major Victory in the war of 1812
b. Bank War – Jackson killed off the national bank and moved government to state
banks
c. Indian Removal Act of 1830 – Native Americans were forced to move West of the
Mississippi River – “Trail of Tears”
d. Nullification Crisis – Argument over state law and federal laws, nearly led to the
Civil War 30 years early.
30. Andrew Jackson founded what political party?
a. Democrats