Name: Date: 1. Life for colonial families was somewhat different than family life today. Most colonial families A. sent their children to college. B. did much more traveling. C. could not own their homes. D. made more of their own clothing and tools. 2. People living in the American colonies had to trade for things they needed. Sometimes they traded with other colonies and sometimes they traded with England. Which of the following groups ran business and did most of the trading? A. merchants B. slaves C. large landowners D. indentured servants 3. In 1621, the Pilgrims had a celebration to give thanks for the good harvest. This celebration was the first Thanksgiving. Why did the Pilgrims invite the Wampanoags to this harvest feast? A. They wanted to meet the Native Americans. B. They wanted the Wampanoags to cook all of the food. C. They wanted to thank the Wampanoags for all of their help. D. The Wampanoags were starving because they had a poor harvest. 4. During the years before the Civil War, the Underground Railroad was started to help runaway slaves escape to freedom in Canada. One former slave who became a "conductor" and was called "the Black Moses" was A. Booker T. Washington. B. Frederick Douglass. C. Harriet Tubman. D. Phyllis Wheatley. 5. Which group of Native Americans often moved, following the buffalo? A. Plains B. Southwestern C. Pacific Northwest D. Eastern Woodlands 6. During the mid- to late-1800s, towns grew where miners were able to find gold or silver. These towns grew quickly and were called boomtowns. Eventually, most of these towns became ghost towns when A. Native Americans attacked the towns and forced the people to leave. B. the mines ran out of gold and silver. C. farmers and cattlemen took over the towns and the miners left. D. the government closed the towns because there was too much crime. 1
7. Why do Americans have a holiday called Independence Day on the fourth of July? A. to honor past presidents B. to honor the birth of the country C. to honor the new year D. to honor American soldiers 8. Who in the U.S. government has the power to override vetoes? A. the president B. the Congress C. the cabinet D. the Supreme Court 9. Which document is an addition to the U.S. Constitution that gives people many personal freedoms? A. Bill of Rights B. Gettysburg Address C. Emancipation Proclamation D. Declaration of Independence 10. What was the purpose of the first ten amendments to the Constitution? A. to establish and protect people's rights B. to make peace with the Native Americans and other native peoples C. to make the United States of America the richest country in the world D. to check and balance the powers of the three branches of government 11. Which of the following protects the right of Americans to publish newspapers, magazines, and books? A. states' rights B. freedom of religion C. freedom of the press D. separation of powers 12. The Congress of the United States represents which branch of government? A. judicial B. international C. legislative D. executive 13. The Congress of the United States is divided into two chambers (houses). They are the House of Representatives and the A. Supreme Court. B. Senate. C. Cabinet. D. United Nations. 2
14. The Congress of the United States can override the veto of the President. This example of checks and balances shows the A. legislative branch checking the judicial branch. B. judicial branch checking the legislative branch. C. executive branch checking the judicial branch. D. legislative branch checking the executive branch. 15. The United States government is divided into three branches executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch can check the other branches to keep them balanced. Which of the following is an example of a judicial check over the legislative branch? A. The Supreme Court states that a law is unconstitutional. B. The president vetoes a bill from Congress. C. The Congress overrides the president's veto. D. The president states that a law is unconstitutional. 16. The Supreme Court decides that a law passed by Congress is unconstitutional. This example of checks and balances shows the A. legislative branch checking the judicial branch. B. judicial branch checking the legislative branch. C. executive branch checking the judicial branch. D. legislative branch checking the executive branch. 17. The Bill of Rights is what we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States. Why were they added? A. They were added to explain the powers of the state governments. B. They were added to limit the influence of Great Britain. C. They were added to extend the right to vote to all Americans. D. They were added to guarantee basic freedoms to Americans. 18. During the 1400s and 1500s, many Europeans wanted to find a new route to the riches of Asia. This wish to find a new route would lead to the A. exploration of North and South America. B. end of European trade with China and India. C. making of these traded products in Europe. D. closing of markets in Europe for Asian goods. 19. During the 1400s and 1500s, explorers from European nations laid claim to lands in North and South America. The first explorer to reach the "New World" at that time claimed lands for the King of Spain. He was A. Henry Hudson. B. Pedro Cabral. C. Giovanni Verrazano. D. Christopher Columbus. 3
20. Beginning in 1534, Jacques Cartier explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River. Cartier claimed the area now known as Quebec for what country? A. England B. France C. Spain D. Portugal 21. The Europeans who explored North and South America met Native Americans. Which BEST explains what happened as a result? A. Many Native Americans died due to war and disease. B. Europeans welcomed the Native Americans as equal trading partners. C. Native Americans attacked the Europeans and stopped colonization. D. Many Europeans felt that the land belonged to Native Americans. 22. Following the first voyage of Columbus, Spaniards sailed to North and South America to establish colonies. Which of the following was the most important reason why? A. The Spanish wanted to spread the Protestant religion to the Native Americans. B. The Spanish were searching for gold and silver. C. The Spanish wanted to start a colony that promised religious freedom. D. The Spanish were founding a colony for debtors. 23. The European settlers who arrived in the "New World" came from many different countries. Instead of living in countries, MOST Native Americans lived A. on the coastal areas. B. in tribes made up of many families. C. on the Great Plains. D. in a few large cities located in the Northeast. 24. Beginning in the late 1400s, European explorers began arriving in the "New World." They would come into contact with Native Americans. Which of the following BEST describes the Native Americans they met? A. The tribes were very similar in the ways in which they lived. B. All of the tribes were warlike. C. The tribes were very different in the ways in which they lived. D. All of the tribes were peaceful. 25. The Native American tribes had different ways of living. Which activity BEST describes the Native Americans of the Great Plains? A. They hunted small animals and gathered berries. B. They hunted buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter. C. They fished for salmon and hunted caribou. D. They grew crops such as beans, cotton, and corn. 4
26. The Native American tribes had different ways of living. The Native Americans of the Southwest lived in hogans, houses built of logs and mud. Why did they build this type of home? A. Other shelters were too difficult to build. B. They could be easily taken apart to move to different locations. C. They were made from things that were present in the area. D. Other shelters cost too much to build. 27. Southwestern Native Americans' way of living depended on the resources in their area. Which of the following activities BEST describe their way of life then? A. They grew beans and corn and made pottery from clay. B. They followed and hunted buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter. C. They hunted seal and fished for salmon. D. They gathered berries and hunted small game. 28. The way of life of Southeastern Native Americans depended on the resources in their area. Which activity BEST describes their way of life? A. They would grow crops and hunt wild game such as deer and birds. B. They would hunt seals and fish for salmon. C. They would raid other tribes and take their food. D. They would hunt buffalo and follow them across the plains. 29. The way of living of Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest depended on the resources in the area. Which activity BEST describes their way of living? A. They raided other tribes to supply their food needs. B. They hunted for buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter. C. They farmed corn, beans, squash, and cotton. D. They fished for salmon and hunted whale and caribou. 30. Many of the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest lived in wooden plank houses. They made this type of house because A. wood was available from the forests. B. other shelters were easier to defend. C. wood could not be destroyed or damaged. D. other shelters were too difficult to build. 31. The way of living of Eastern Woodlands Native Americans depended on the resources in their area. This can be seen in their shelters, which were called longhouses. They were built from wood and bark. This type of shelter was common because A. other types of shelters cost too much to build. B. the materials of wood and bark were available from the forest. C. other types of shelters could not protect them. D. the wood and bark could not be destroyed or damaged. 5
32. The way of living of Eastern Woodlands Native Americans depended on the resources in the area. Which activity BEST describes their way of living? A. They would hunt for seal and fish for salmon. B. The would follow the buffalo as they roamed the plains. C. They would hunt, fish, and grow corn and other vegetables. D. They would gather berries and grow corn, beans, and cotton. 33. The British colonies in North America were grouped into three areas New England colonies, Middle colonies, and Southern colonies. Which colonies were New England colonies? A. Massachusetts and New Hampshire B. Virginia and Massachusetts C. New Hampshire and Maryland D. Virginia and Maryland 34. The British colonies in North America were grouped into three areas New England colonies, Middle colonies, and Southern colonies. Which of the following were Middle Colonies? A. New York and South Carolina B. Pennsylvania and New York C. North Carolina and Pennsylvania D. South Carolina and North Carolina 35. The British colonies in North America were grouped into three areas New England colonies, Middle colonies, and Southern colonies. Which of the following colonies were Southern colonies? A. Georgia and Connecticut B. Connecticut and Rhode Island C. Georgia and Virginia D. Rhode Island and Virginia 36. The British colonies in North America were grouped into three areas New England colonies, Middle colonies, and Southern colonies. Which of the following were Southern colonies? A. Maryland and New Jersey B. Georgia and Maryland C. Georgia and South Carolina D. South Carolina and New Jersey 37. The settlement at Jamestown was started in 1607. The leaders of Jamestown thought that they could force the Native Americans to grow crops for them. When this failed they started A. using settlers from France. B. bringing slaves from Africa. C. using captured Spanish prisoners. D. bringing more settlers from England. 6
38. In the 1700s, one of the major economic products of the Southern Colonies would have been A. wheat. B. gold. C. furs. D. tobacco. 39. The English colonies in North America were divided into three areas New England, Middle, and Southern. Which of the following lists would BEST fit the New England colonies? A. tobacco, John Smith, mild winters B. Quakers, New Netherland, seaport C. Catholics, William Penn, Chesapeake Bay D. textiles, Puritans, shipbuilding 40. The French and Indian War began in 1754 between the French and English colonists in North America. The French colony of New France stretched from Canada to the A. Ohio River. B. St. Lawrence River. C. Great Lakes. D. Gulf of Mexico. 41. During the years before the American Revolution, some colonists formed a group that wanted independence. This group was called the A. Grange. B. Sons of Liberty. C. Green Mountain Boys. D. Regulators. 42. In April 1775, British General Thomas Gage sent troops out from Boston to capture arms and ammunition being stored by the colonists. When the British met the colonists, there was fighting. This was the first battle of the American Revolution. Where did the battle take place? A. Lexington B. Bunker Hill C. Saratoga D. Yorktown 43. In April, 1775, the Revolutionary War began when British soldiers and American minutemen met in battle. The first shot that was fired is referred to as "the shot heard 'round the world." What does this statement mean? A. The fighting that took place was very loud. B. The fight made news in the colonies, Europe, and other parts of the world. C. The fighting at Lexington lasted for months. D. The fight spread to English colonies that were all over the world. 7
44. Use the pictures below to answer this question. According to the pictures, which of the following is a correct statement? A. All of these Native American shelters were made from animal hides. B. The longhouse and the wigwam were built in areas with little rain. C. All of these Native American shelters were made from natural materials. D. The teepee and the pueblo were easy to take down and move. 45. Sometimes, alternative solutions are presented to solve a problem. For example, the people at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 represented states that had large populations and states that had small populations. They discussed how the states should be represented in the Congress. Which of the following was accepted as the BEST way to solve the problem? A. Congress will have two houses, one with representation based on population, and the other with the same number of representatives from each state. B. Congress will have one house, with the states with small populations having more representatives. C. Congress will have one house, with the states with large populations having more representatives. D. Congress will have two houses, one with representation based on population, and the other with representation based on the number of cities in the state. 8
Answer Key 1. D) made more of their own clothing and tools. 2. A) merchants 3. C) They wanted to thank the Wampanoags for all of their help. 4. C) Harriet Tubman. 5. A) Plains 6. B) the mines ran out of gold and silver. 7. B) to honor the birth of the country 8. B) the Congress 9. A) Bill of Rights 10. A) to establish and protect people's rights 11. C) freedom of the press 12. C) legislative 13. B) Senate. 14. D) legislative branch checking the executive branch. 15. A) The Supreme Court states that a law is unconstitutional. 16. B) judicial branch checking the legislative branch. 17. D) They were added to guarantee basic freedoms to Americans. 18. A) exploration of North and South America. 19. D) Christopher Columbus. 20. B) France 21. A) Many Native Americans died due to war and disease. 22. B) The Spanish were searching for gold and silver. 23. B) in tribes made up of many families. 24. C) The tribes were very different in the ways in which they lived. 25. B) They hunted buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter. 26. C) They were made from things that were present in the area. 9
27. A) They grew beans and corn and made pottery from clay. 28. A) They would grow crops and hunt wild game such as deer and birds. 29. D) They fished for salmon and hunted whale and caribou. 30. A) wood was available from the forests. 31. B) the materials of wood and bark were available from the forest. 32. C) They would hunt, fish, and grow corn and other vegetables. 33. A) Massachusetts and New Hampshire 34. B) Pennsylvania and New York 35. C) Georgia and Virginia 36. C) Georgia and South Carolina 37. B) bringing slaves from Africa. 38. D) tobacco. 39. D) textiles, Puritans, shipbuilding 40. D) Gulf of Mexico. 41. B) Sons of Liberty. 42. A) Lexington 43. B) The fight made news in the colonies, Europe, and other parts of the world. 44. C) All of these Native American shelters were made from natural materials. 45. A) Congress will have two houses, one with representation based on population, and the other with the same number of representatives from each state. 10