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1

Which region’s primary economic activity in 1861 was the cultivation of cotton?

1

2

3

4

8.12A

1

Which of these occurred as a result of the Fifteenth Amendment?

African American families divided by slavery were reunited.

Newly free men and women moved west to claim land.

African American men voted in the 1872 presidential election.

Newly free men and women were allowed to apply for U.S. citizenship.

8.16B

1

Who made this statement?

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Harriet Tubman

Phillis Wheatley

8.23E

1

During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, George Mason argued —

against increased power for the national government

for the dissolution of state governments

against the passage of a bill of rights

for the creation of a strong executive branch

8.17A

1

Which of these characteristics also describes these two states?

Founded as work colonies for debtors

Former slave states

Were havens for religious dissenters

Former Spanish colonies

8.10B

1

What was one result of the Treaty of Paris of 1783?

Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent country.

Competing Seminole and Spanish claims in West Florida were resolved.

The British navy agreed to stop pressing American sailors into service.

British territory in eastern Canada was ceded to France.

8.4C

1

Which shaded state was the main destination of American Indians forced to relocate as part of the Trail of Tears?

null

8.10A

1

Which of the following was an argument made against slavery in the Thirteen Colonies?

Manufacturers argued that slavery discouraged the development of industry.

Farmers argued that using slave labor was expensive and inefficient.

Quakers argued that slavery violated Christian principles.

Puritans argued that the slave trade encouraged materialism.

8.24A

1

How did the War of 1812 most affect the U.S. economy?

Disruption in trade contributed to domestic industrial growth.

Small farmers benefited from higher export prices for grain crops.

The sale of treasury bonds to international companies was prohibited.

New trade alliances resulted in increased foreign investment.

8.13A

1

How did this invention contribute to the expansion of the plantation system?

By reducing the number of slaves needed for growing cotton

By increasing the time needed to cultivate cotton

By increasing the profitability of slavery

By reducing the demand for raw cotton

8.27A

1

Which of these occurred during early U.S. industrialization?

Manufacturers instituted a five-day workweek.

Labor laws required factories to provide a safe working environment.

Workers were required to attend schools to develop technical skills.

Production of goods transitioned from homes to factories.

8.28B

1

What was one reason James K. Polk won the presidential election of 1844?

He was against removing American Indians from their native lands.

He favored the policy of popular sovereignty in the Kansas and Nebraska territories.

He was committed to fulfilling the goals of Manifest Destiny.

He opposed the extension of slavery west of the Mississippi River.

8.6B

1

By providing economic opportunities for women in urban areas

By expanding the participation of women in social reform

By increasing the number of women teachers in rural areas

By securing the establishment of private universities for women

8.24B

1

Which of these correctly describes an effect of the Compromise of 1850 on escaped slaves and freedmen?

Members of both groups were captured under the Fugitive Slave Law.

Unlike freedmen, escaped slaves were welcome in the gold mines of California.

Members of both groups could be sold in Washington, D.C., slave markets.

Unlike escaped slaves, freedmen could vote in the territories of the Mexican Cession.

8.7B

1

The assembly served as a model for other colonial legislatures.

Colonists used the assembly to overrule decisions of the royal governor.

The assembly sent delegates to Parliament to represent Virginia.

The king revoked Virginia’s charter because the assembly became too powerful.

8.3A

1

The Northwest Ordinance established guidelines for the orderly expansion of the United States by instituting a —

method to purchase territory from foreign powers

procedure for military takeovers of existing countries

process through which states could be added to the Union

compromise line that prohibited slavery in the West

8.6A

1

Maryland

Virginia

South Carolina

Georgia

8.2B

1

2

3

4

1

This information was included in a slide-show presentation to a high school history class.
Which document was the focus of this presentation?

The Mayflower Compact

The Articles of Confederation

The Virginia Declaration of Rights

The Declaration of Independence

8.15B

1

After the Civil War, southern states adopted Black Codes to —

punish plantation owners for the use of slavery

support Radical Reconstruction objectives in the South

promote the activities of the Freedmen’s Bureau

limit the impact of the Thirteenth Amendment

8.9C

1

How did the loss of its control of the Mississippi River contribute to the defeat of the Confederacy?

The river had provided direct access to the Union’s base of military operations.

Losing control of the river removed the physical barrier between slave and free states.

The river had provided the Confederacy with a power source for factories and mills.

Losing control of the river divided the Confederacy in two and cut off its supplies.

1

First Amendment

Fourth Amendment

Fifth Amendment

Tenth Amendment

8.19B

1

The economic demands of the plantation system

The construction needs of the railroad

Increased textile manufacturing

Increased western migration

8.12B

1

Which excerpt from the U.S. Constitution best illustrates the principle of popular sovereignty?

“Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members. . . .”

“The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States. . . .”

“The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore. . . .”

“The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof.”

8.15D

1

Federalism

Due process

A bicameral legislature

The social contract

8.15A

1

Between 1846 and 1855 the population of Ireland decreased by a third, including the approximately 1.5 million Irish immigrants who left for the United States. What was the primary reason for this migration?

Massive unemployment resulting from British occupation

Political unrest during an economic recession

Famine caused by a major crop failure

Civil war between Catholics and Protestants

8.23A

1

Colonists sought military support from France.

Colonists organized boycotts of British goods.

Colonists signed the Declaration of Independence

Colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

8.4A

1

Many historians argue that the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln changed the course of Reconstruction. Which of the following is usually cited as an aspect of that change?

Radical Republicans took control of Congress.

Congress imposed taxes on cotton imports to pay war debts.

The Thirteenth Amendment was approved by Congress.

Congress repealed legislation regulating railroad construction.

8.8B

1

During the 1830s public servants and officials were widely perceived to be unqualified. What practice reinforced that perception?

The public voting for candidates based on religious affiliations

The president rewarding political supporters with appointments to desirable positions

The federal government recruiting volunteers to serve abroad as ambassadors

Legislators awarding government contracts to the lowest bidders

8.5F

1

granted to citizens by their government

natural and possessed at birth

protected under religious doctrine

defined by the courts

8.19A

1

To promote free enterprise

To extend democracy

To expand empires

To found utopian communities

8.2A

1

The Twelfth Amendment established a new process for choosing a president and a vice president. The purpose of this amendment was to —

prevent the concentration of power in the executive branch

ease the eligibility requirements for holding federal office

keep state officials from exerting undue influence on presidential elections

reduce the likelihood of disputed outcomes in presidential elections

8.16A

1

Tall mountains, a long shoreline, and fertile soil

A temperate climate, vast grasslands, and plentiful lakes

Dense forests, natural harbors, and swift rivers

Natural harbors, an arid climate, and rocky soil

8.11A

1

One effect of the Dawes Act was that it —

caused many American Indian tribes to create written constitutions

provided education to American Indians through locally run schools

limited the voting rights of American Indians

harmed the communal structure of American Indian society

1

Bank War

Nullification Crisis

Corrupt Bargain

XYZ Affair

8.17B

1

Italy

China

Germany

Japan

1

The first political parties in the United States formed mainly in response to disagreements over —

taxation without representation

the doctrine of judicial review

territorial expansion to the west

the extent of federal power

8.5C

1

A historian is writing an article for a history website. The article is divided into the following topics:
Which era in U.S. history is the focus of this article?

The Jacksonian era

The antebellum era

The Federalist era

The Reconstruction era

8.1A

1

Cities in the South emerged as centers for textile mills.

Immigrants settled in the Midwest to establish small farms.

Slavery increased in the Northeast as industrialization expanded.

Plantation systems in the South were replaced by large businesses.

1

The Hudson River School artists were influenced by the —

success of social reform movements in the United States

migration of settlers to the U.S. frontier

natural landscape of the United States

environmental effects of U.S. industrialization

8.26A

1

Speaker 1

Speaker 2

Speaker 3

Speaker 4

1

permanent housing for immigrants in urban areas

canals that linked the Midwest to the Northeast

a transcontinental railroad

a harbor on the Mississippi River

8.11B

1

What was a major result of the Missouri Compromise?

It increased the number of immigrants settling in northern states.

It provided financing for canal construction.

It rapidly expanded railroad construction in southern states.

It temporarily relieved sectional tensions.

1

colonial Settlements

protective Tariffs

permanent Alliance

territorial Disputes

8.5E

1

Which of these is a guarantee in the First Amendment?

States have the power to regulate public education.

People can choose whether and how to participate in religious services.

Persons accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Citizens have the right to be judged by a jury of their peers.

8.25C

1

The Second Great Awakening motivated people to join reform movements.

Manifest Destiny inspired many people to become homesteaders

Jacksonian Democracy allowed more people to vote in elections

The Industrial Revolution encouraged people to pursue jobs in cities.

8.13B

1

“For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever . . .”

“For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government . . .”

“He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records.”

“He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners.”

8.15C

1

In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court established a principle that would eventually be used by all courts to —

strike down any law that the court deems unconstitutional

decide the outcome of contested election results

overturn any impeachment that the court deems unsupported by evidence

mediate disputes related to commerce between states

8.18A

1

oversee state government agencies

regulate the creation of new businesses

establish a national bank

eliminate protective tariffs

8.5A

1

It helped establish the tradition of self-government.

It was the first attempt to combine political and religious laws.

It established the concept of unalienable rights.

It outlined a plan for independence from British rule.

8.3B

1

Which of these was a goal shared by many advocates of Manifest Destiny?

Abolishing slavery throughout the United States

Occupying all of North America

Withdrawing from foreign affairs

Returning to an agrarian economy

8.6C

1

higher consumer costs

decreased profits for investors

less consumer choice

more efficient production of goods

8.28A

2016 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies

2016 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies

Which region’s primary economic activity in 1861 was the cultivation of cotton?

Which of these occurred as a result of the Fifteenth Amendment?

Who made this statement?

During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, George Mason argued —

Which of these characteristics also describes these two states?

What was one result of the Treaty of Paris of 1783?

Which shaded state was the main destination of American Indians forced to relocate as part of the Trail of Tears?

Which of the following was an argument made against slavery in the Thirteen Colonies?

How did the War of 1812 most affect the U.S. economy?

How did this invention contribute to the expansion of the plantation system?

Which of these occurred during early U.S. industrialization?

What was one reason James K. Polk won the presidential election of 1844?

Which of these correctly describes an effect of the Compromise of 1850 on escaped slaves and freedmen?

The Northwest Ordinance established guidelines for the orderly expansion of the United States by instituting a —

This information was included in a slide-show presentation to a high school history class.Which document was the focus of this presentation?

After the Civil War, southern states adopted Black Codes to —

How did the loss of its control of the Mississippi River contribute to the defeat of the Confederacy?

Which excerpt from the U.S. Constitution best illustrates the principle of popular sovereignty?

Between 1846 and 1855 the population of Ireland decreased by a third, including the approximately 1.5 million Irish immigrants who left for the United States. What was the primary reason for this migration?

Many historians argue that the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln changed the course of Reconstruction. Which of the following is usually cited as an aspect of that change?

During the 1830s public servants and officials were widely perceived to be unqualified. What practice reinforced that perception?

The Twelfth Amendment established a new process for choosing a president and a vice president. The purpose of this amendment was to —

One effect of the Dawes Act was that it —

The first political parties in the United States formed mainly in response to disagreements over —

A historian is writing an article for a history website. The article is divided into the following topics:Which era in U.S. history is the focus of this article?

The Hudson River School artists were influenced by the —

What was a major result of the Missouri Compromise?

Which of these is a guarantee in the First Amendment?

In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court established a principle that would eventually be used by all courts to —

Which of these was a goal shared by many advocates of Manifest Destiny?

Which region’s primary economic activity in 1861 was the cultivation of cotton?

Which of these occurred as a result of the Fifteenth Amendment?

Who made this statement?

During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, George Mason argued —

Which of these characteristics also describes these two states?

What was one result of the Treaty of Paris of 1783?

Which shaded state was the main destination of American Indians forced to relocate as part of the Trail of Tears?

Which of the following was an argument made against slavery in the Thirteen Colonies?

How did the War of 1812 most affect the U.S. economy?

How did this invention contribute to the expansion of the plantation system?

Which of these occurred during early U.S. industrialization?

What was one reason James K. Polk won the presidential election of 1844?

Which of these correctly describes an effect of the Compromise of 1850 on escaped slaves and freedmen?

The Northwest Ordinance established guidelines for the orderly expansion of the United States by instituting a —

This information was included in a slide-show presentation to a high school history class.Which document was the focus of this presentation?

After the Civil War, southern states adopted Black Codes to —

How did the loss of its control of the Mississippi River contribute to the defeat of the Confederacy?

Which excerpt from the U.S. Constitution best illustrates the principle of popular sovereignty?

Between 1846 and 1855 the population of Ireland decreased by a third, including the approximately 1.5 million Irish immigrants who left for the United States. What was the primary reason for this migration?

Many historians argue that the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln changed the course of Reconstruction. Which of the following is usually cited as an aspect of that change?

During the 1830s public servants and officials were widely perceived to be unqualified. What practice reinforced that perception?

The Twelfth Amendment established a new process for choosing a president and a vice president. The purpose of this amendment was to —

One effect of the Dawes Act was that it —

The first political parties in the United States formed mainly in response to disagreements over —

A historian is writing an article for a history website. The article is divided into the following topics:Which era in U.S. history is the focus of this article?

The Hudson River School artists were influenced by the —

What was a major result of the Missouri Compromise?

Which of these is a guarantee in the First Amendment?

In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court established a principle that would eventually be used by all courts to —

Which of these was a goal shared by many advocates of Manifest Destiny?

This information was included in a slide-show presentation to a high school history class.
Which document was the focus of this presentation?

A historian is writing an article for a history website. The article is divided into the following topics:
Which era in U.S. history is the focus of this article?

This information was included in a slide-show presentation to a high school history class.
Which document was the focus of this presentation?

A historian is writing an article for a history website. The article is divided into the following topics:
Which era in U.S. history is the focus of this article?