Grade 8

Social Studies

Practice Assessment

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 SOCIAL STUDIES

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DIRECTIONS
Read each question carefully. Choose the best answer to each
question. For open-response questions, determine the best answer
to the question.

1 Which Supreme Court case established the principle of judicial review?

A McCulloch v. Maryland
B Marbury v. Madison
C Gibbons v. Ogden
D Dred Scott v. Sandford
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 2 This list provides information about religious changes in the United
States in the early 1800s.

1800 Major religious revivals in Kentucky are popular and

spread east.

1816 The African Methodist Episcopal Church is established.

1830 Joseph Smith founds the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-Day Saints (Mormons).

1832 The Disciples of Christ is established.

—based on “Faith of Our Forefathers,” Library of

Congress

Which conclusion can be made about why these groups were created?

A Local governments gave people the right to freely practice

their beliefs.

B The Northwest Ordinance provided an outline to expand the

number of churches.

C The federal government provided money to encourage the growth

of churches.

D Passage of the First Amendment gave people the freedom to

practice their beliefs.
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3 Which examples list unalienable rights?

A Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures

B Public trial by a fair and impartial jury
C Freedom of religion, speech, and the press
D Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
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 4 This map shows the U.S. states and territories in 1830.

Which region experienced the MOST immediate economic impacts as

a result of construction of the Erie Canal?

Shade the ONE correct circle that represents the location.

U.S. States and Territories, 1830

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 5 This excerpt is from a political address made by a politician in the
1800s.

The [wise], penniless beginner in the world, labors for wages

awhile, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land,
for himself; then . . . hires another new beginner to help
him. This, say its advocates, is . . . the just and generous,
and prosperous system, which opens the way for all—gives
hope to all, and energy, and progress, and improvement of
condition to all.

—Abraham Lincoln, September 30, 1859

Which economic principle does Lincoln describe in this address?

A The value of free enterprise to earn a profit

B The significance of scarcity in business
C The importance of equal pay for equal work
D The need for competition in the market
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 6 This excerpt is from a newspaper article published during the 1800s.

It has long been our anxious wish to see . . . a printing-press

and paper, permanently established, under the complete
control and direction of the immediate victims of slavery and
oppression. . . .

. . . The man who has suffered the wrong is the man to

demand [amends] . . . and that he who has endured the
cruel pangs of Slavery is the man to advocate Liberty.

—The North Star, December 3, 1847

Which statement describes the role of this newspaper and its publisher?

A John Brown used the newspaper to recruit people to his

antislavery cause.

B William Lloyd Garrison used the newspaper to push for the

emancipation of all enslaved people.

C Frederick Douglass used the newspaper to help end the practice

of slavery.

D Harriet Tubman used the newspaper to recruit people to assist

escaped enslaved people.
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7 Which action led the United States into the War of 1812?

A American warships were captured at sea and forced to fight

for Britain.

B American merchant sailors smuggling goods to Europe were

imprisoned in Britain.

C American merchant sailors were impressed into naval service to

fight for Britain.

D American warships sailing from European ports were boarded and

impounded in Britain.
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 8 This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

This time line describes advancements in communication.

Communication Advancements, 1800s

1838 Samuel Morse publicly demonstrates his telegraph in

Washington, D.C.

1843 Congress appropriates $30,000 to test the practicality

of creating a telegraph system.
1844 The first official telegraph signal is sent.

1873 Alexander Graham Bell begins work on the harmonic

telegraph to allow multiple messages to be sent at the
same time.

1875 Bell and his partner, Thomas Watson, come up with a

receiver that can turn electricity into sound.

1876 Bell is granted his telephone patent.

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 Part A

Based on the time line, which claim is supported by these

advancements?

A Developing new technologies requires replacement of

existing innovations.

B New innovations build on previous technologies to improve

daily life.

C New technologies are widely accepted by the public.

D Development of new technologies is rarely aided by
government action.

Part B

Which year on the time line provides evidence that supports the
answer to Part A?

A 1838
B 1843
C 1844
D 1873
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 9 Why is Dorothea Dix a significant figure in U.S. history?

A She was a leader in the fight for the abolition of slavery.

B She led a reform effort to improve working conditions in factories.
C She was a leader in the fight for women’s suffrage.
D She led a reform effort to improve care for the mentally ill.
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10 Which statement describes a reason for the development of the

transatlantic slave trade?

A Colonial governments wanted to use enslaved labor to build

needed canals.

B Plantation owners in southern colonial states were increasing

profits by using enslaved labor.

C Many colonists relied on enslaved labor to do the difficult work on

their ranches.

D Textile production in northern colonial factories was increasingly

dependent on enslaved labor.
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 11 Which characteristics MAINLY describe either the era of European
colonization or the era of westward expansion? Select the correct
answers for each box.

A Construction of the railroad connected different regions.

B Settlers migrated to seek religious freedom.

C Principles of self-governance were established.

D Settlers sought individual wealth through minerals or ranching.

Eras
European Colonization Westward Expansion
A B C D A B C D
A B C D A B C D
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 12 This excerpt is from a song written in 1875.

Oh! times are tough, amazing rough,

Expenses are alarming,
I will go West, it’s far the best,
Try my luck at farming.

For the idea, of staying here

To just earn your gruel,
Makes me feel sad and sometimes mad
’Tis so awful cruel.

—sheet music by J. P. Barrett, “I Will Go West!”

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, which

aspect of American life during this time is indicated by this song?

A Unfair working conditions due to industrialization inspired artists to

begin a protest movement.

B The nation’s economy shifted away from industrialization in order

to focus on agriculture.

C Difficult conditions in industrial cities encouraged people to seek

opportunities elsewhere.

D A dramatic increase in the inflation rate at this time raised the cost
of living in industrial cities.
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 13 This map shows the United States following the Compromise of 1850.

U.S. States and Territories, 1850

Based on the map and your knowledge of U.S. history, which

outcomes resulted from this compromise?

Select TWO correct answers.

` California was admitted into the union as a free state.

` A parallel was designated as the boundary between free and
slave states.

` Southern state legislators failed to get a new fugitive-slave

law passed.

` New territories were given the power to decide the issue

of slavery.

` The Florida territory was purchased from Spain and admitted as a

free state.
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 14 This grievance is listed in a historical document presented to the
British king.

Imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

—Declaration of Independence

How was this grievance addressed in the U.S. Constitution?

A Only states have the power to tax citizens.

B Only the courts can decide the legality of taxation.
C Only Congress can pass laws on taxation.
D Only the president can determine to tax citizens.
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15 In 1828, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to approve

the Tariff of Abominations by a vote of 105 to 94. Why did this tariff
create division within the United States?

A The tariff helped international trade but hurt domestic trade.

B The tariff hurt Southern plantation owners but helped
Western farmers.

C The tariff lowered interest rates but raised personal taxes.

D The tariff raised Northern business profits but lowered
Southern consumer prices.
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 16 Which reason explains a purpose of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

A To create a process to admit new states to the country

B To settle territorial disputes with Great Britain
C To establish the western boundary of the country
D To fund the exploration of the Louisiana Territory
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 17 This diagram describes select actions of the U.S. government.

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 Which principle outlined in the U.S. Constitution is represented by this
diagram AND what is its purpose?

Think about the question carefully. Then record your answer in the
box provided.

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 18 This excerpt describes a challenging moment in U.S. history during
the 1790s.

After a spirited debate, the House passed, by a 35 to 21

majority, the Excise Whiskey Tax. . . . The measure levied
a federal tax on domestic and imported alcohol, earmarked
to offset a portion of the federal government’s recent
assumption of state debts. Southern and western farmers,
whose grain crop was a chief ingredient in whiskey, loudly
protested the tax. In 1794, farmers in western Pennsylvania
attacked federal officials seeking to collect tax on the grain
they had distilled into whiskey.

—“The 1791 Excise Whiskey Tax,” U.S. House of

Representatives

How did these events challenge the U.S. government?

A It was the first time southern states opposed northern states in

the United States.

B It was the first test of federal authority in the United States.

C It was the first time federal taxes were introduced in the
United States.

D It was the first test of state cooperation in the United States.

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 19 This table compares the economies of two regions in the United States
during the mid-1800s.

Economic Differences During Mid-1800s

Northeast Region Western Region

Textile mills and new factories Small farms and livestock
Factory production is the primary Agriculture is the primary source of
source of economic success. economic success.

How did these differences affect the economic development in these

two regions?

A Settlers saw that the Great Plains’ climate made agriculture easier,
and western migration increased.

B Western settlers signed fair land treaties with American Indians

and increased agricultural production.

C Improvements in agricultural technology increased western

settlers’ efficiency and productivity.

D Many industrial towns in the Northeast banned women from

working in factories, and unemployment increased.
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 20 This excerpt is from a song about the temperance movement.

The Demon of Rum is abroad in the land,

His victims are falling on ev’ry hand,

The wise and the simple, the brave, and the fair,

No station too high for his vengeance to spare,

O women, the sorrow and pain is with you,

And so be the joy and the victory too;

With this for your motto, and [help] divine,

The lips that touch liquor shall never touch mine.

—Sam Booth, “The Lips That Touch Liquor, Shall

Never Touch Mine,” 1874

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, which

generalization can be made about the temperance movement?

A Women became involved in the temperance movement in order to

gain equal rights with men.

B Women gained social influence through their involvement in the

temperance movement.

C Women were prohibited from participating in the temperance

movement.

D Women were uninterested in solving the social problems that led

to the temperance movement.
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 21 Which effect did the technological innovation of interchangeable parts
have on the U.S. economy?

A It increased the efficiency of mass-producing goods.

B It increased the labor costs for manufacturing goods.
C It increased the time required to manufacture goods.
D It increased the prices of finished goods.
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22 This table shows details about two English colonies in North America.

Colony Region Founder Established Purpose

Massachusetts Bay New England John Winthrop 1630 ?
Maryland Southern Leonard Calvert 1634 ?

Which purpose completes the table for why these colonies were
established?

A To block Spanish settlements

B To avoid debtors’ prison
C To extend triangular trade routes
D To escape religious persecution
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 23 This time line shows events associated with the colonial government
in Virginia.

Virginia Colonial Government

1618 TheHouse of Burgesses is created in Virginia.

1619 The king's appointed governor asks Virginia settlements
to select two people to sit in the House of Burgesses.

1652 The House of Burgesses gains the power to select

a governor.

1765
1765 The American Revolution begins.

1776 The House of Burgesses has its final meeting.

Based on this time line and your knowledge of U.S. history, why was the
House of Burgesses important in the development of the United States?

A It was the first time elected representative government flourished

in an English colony.

B It was the first time governmental powers were separated in an

English colony.

C It was the first time women were granted government voting

rights in an English colony.

D It was the first time governmental powers were balanced in an

English colony.
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 24 This excerpt is from the U.S. Constitution.

No person shall . . . be deprived of life, liberty, or property,

without due process of law; nor shall private property be
taken for public use, without just compensation.

—Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Which action describes a violation of the Fifth Amendment?

A A state judge requiring a person accused of a crime to remain

in jail until the trial

B A governor using the pardoning power to release a person

from jail

C A state government annexing a farmer’s land without

providing payment

D A mayor proposing a plan to replace old buildings with

new construction
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 25 Which physical characteristic BEST describes each of the three regions
in the table?

Select the correct answer for each box. Not all answers will be used.

A Broad coastal plains

B Deep harbors

C Arctic climate

D Grassy plains

Select Physical Characteristics of Three U.S. Regions

New England South West
A B C D A B C D A B C D
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26 Which statement describes the significance of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s

novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin?

A Many Northerners changed how they felt about slavery and

supported abolition.

B Many plantation owners in the South decided to set enslaved

people free.

C Many members of Congress supported an amendment making the

practice of slavery illegal.

D Many enslaved people read the book and used it as a guide to

escape to the North.
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 27 This list describes some contributions to American culture by German
immigrants.

• introduction of the tuba, a musical instrument

• development of a physical education program
• inclusion of a kindergarten class for young
students
• spread of ideas about universal public education
• expansion of Christian holidays and gift giving

Which statement describes the impact these contributions had on

American culture?

A Public demand for live orchestral performances decreased.

B People started celebrating the new year with their families.
C People began to distribute candy every fall in their neighborhoods.
D Families were encouraged to send young children to school.
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 28 This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

This is an excerpt from a newspaper article from the mid-1800s.

In the New York riots the rioters were maddened by fear of

the draft. . . . But at Memphis the rioters had nothing to fear
or to gain. . . .

. . . The leading rebel citizens . . . claim to have murdered

twenty-four [black people]. . . .

We insist that . . . Congress institute a rigid investigation into

the whole Memphis massacre. . . . It is one of the . . . effects
of restoring the power . . . to the hands of rebels. . . .

. . . The Federal Government is responsible for such outrages.

—“The Memphis Massacre,” Chicago Tribune,

May 9, 1866

Part A

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, why did the
Memphis Massacre occur?

A The lack of protections for African Americans following the

Civil War

B Corruption by political parties in the North

C Economic struggles of African American former Union soldiers
D The loss of voting rights for white men in the South

Part B

Which evidence from the excerpt supports the answer to Part A?

A rioters had nothing to fear or to gain

B insist that . . . Congress institute a rigid investigation
C one of the . . . effects of restoring the power
D Federal Government is responsible for such outrages
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 29 Why did the Federalist Party develop in the United States in the late
1700s?

A To oppose forming diplomatic alliances with Britain

B To oppose the replacement of the Articles of Confederation
C To support a national government with more power
D To support a national government limited by state power
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30 This excerpt is from a speech by a candidate to the Illinois House of

Representatives in the 1850s.

I hate it because it deprives our republican example of its just

influence in the world—enables the enemies of free institutions,
with plausibility, to taunt us as hypocrites—causes the real
friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity, and especially
because it forces so many really good men amongst ourselves
into an open war with the very fundamental principles of
civil liberty—criticising the Declaration of Independence,
and insisting that there is no right principle of action but
self-interest.

—Abraham Lincoln, Peoria speech,

October 16, 1854

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, which cause
of sectionalism did Lincoln “hate”?

A The spread of slavery

B Northern manufacturing
C Western expansion
D The enforcement of tariffs
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 31 This map shows colonial America in the 1760s.
British North America, 1763

Why was the proclamation line shown on the map significant?

A It gave the French control of the land west of the Appalachian

Mountains and angered colonists.

B It prevented colonists from settling westward and contributed to

the American Revolution.

C It provided job opportunities to colonists who could protect the

new borders and trade with the French.

D It marked areas that belonged to American Indians and made it

easier for colonists to claim those lands.
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 32 This excerpt describes the Quaker leader William Penn in 1681.

Seeing limited prospects for religious toleration or political

reform at home in England, Penn directed his energies
toward America. Having recently helped to fund the
Quaker colonization effort of West New Jersey, in 1681
Penn obtained a large grant of land from King Charles II in
payment of a debt owed his father. This land grant would
become Pennsylvania.

—“William Penn and His Holy Experiment,”

Library of Congress

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, which

statements describe the colony of Pennsylvania?

Select TWO correct answers.

` It was founded on the idea of spiritual awakening.

` It was closed to other religions as well as to women and
American Indians.

` It was founded on the idea of freedom of worship.

` It was accepting of other religions as well as of women and
American Indians.

` It was founded on the idea of government control.

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 33 Why did Congress pass the Missouri Compromise of 1820?

A To maintain an equal balance between free states and slave states

in Congress

B To include a portion of the enslaved population when determining

a state’s total population

C To make sure that states of large and small populations had a

voice in Congress

D To satisfy slave states by creating a system for the capture of

escaped enslaved people
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34 The Mississippi River has played an important role in the development

of the United States.

What are TWO ways that access to this waterway has supported
economic activities in the United States?

Think about the question carefully. Then record your answer in the
box provided.

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 35 This list summarizes a proposal submitted to the delegates at the
Constitutional Convention in 1787.

Virginia Plan

• proposed by James Madison

• three branches of government
• bicameral legislature (two houses)
• number of representatives based on state
population
• president chosen by the legislature

Why was this plan amended as part of the Great Compromise?

A Because it was decided that the president would be appointed by

the judiciary

B Because it was decided that two branches of government was best

C Because using equal state representation in the Senate would be
more fair

D Because using state population for representation in the House

was less fair
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 36 This excerpt is from a newspaper article published in Tennessee during
the late 1800s.

“The President desired that the Legislature be broken up rather

than the [Fourteenth] amendment be ratified.” It became
understood at Nashville that members who would “bolt” and
aid in the revolutionary scheme conceived . . . by President
Johnson to defeat the amendment would be rewarded by
Federal appointments.

—former Tennessee governor W. G. Brownlow as

quoted in “A Political Feud,” Public Ledger, 1875

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, which

outcome was President Johnson trying to prevent?

A The abolition of slavery within the country and in all territories

under government control

B Granting citizenship and equal protection under the law to all

persons born in the country

C The use of government resources to protect the rights of citizens

to practice any religion of their choice

D Protecting the rights of individuals to bear arms and assemble in

peaceful protest
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 37 This excerpt is from an account of the founding of Jamestown in 1607.

This plain History humbly shows the truth; that our most
royal King James has place and opportunity to enlarge his
ancient Dominions without wronging any; . . . and the Prince
his Highness may see where to plant new Colonies. The
gaining Provinces adds to the King’s Crown.

—John Smith, The General History of Virginia, 1624

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of U.S. history, why was the
founding of this colony significant?

A Because it offered the English access to vast gold deposits

B Because it was an English settlement built on religious freedom
C Because it provided the English with immediate profits
D Because it represented the first permanent English settlement
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 38 Which arguments were made by Anti-Federalists during the debates
over ratification of the U.S. Constitution?

Circle THREE correct answers.

A Bill of Rights is
A strong central
unnecessary. We could government is needed
not possibly list all the
to maintain order.
rights people have.

Power should remain States may have some

with the states as in the powers, but the
Articles of Confederation. central government
must be supreme.

Giving too much power A Bill of Rights is needed

to a central government to protect people from the
will lead to tyranny. abuses of government.

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 39 Which change supported the expansion of the Industrial Revolution
and the need for capital during the 1800s?

A A reduction in tariff rates

B The growth in the number of banks
C An increase in government regulation
D The growth in land speculation
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40 Which question arose directly after the Mexican Cession?

A Should the United States annex Texas into the union?

B Should the Oregon Territory be required to pay taxes to
the government?

C Should the United States regulate mining in Utah?

D Should slavery be allowed when California is added as a state?
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BE SURE YOU HAVE RECORDED ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS

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IN THE TEST BOOKLET. STOP
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5

STAAR
GRADE 8
Social Studies
PRACTICE