history final

U.S. History I Honors Final Exam

Read each question carefully and each answer choice carefully.

1. Which of the following was not part of the Columbian Exchange? 

A. Currency

B. Animals

C. Plants

D. Diseases

2. Which of the following was not a problem that Jamestown settlers faced when they first landed?

A. They settled in a mosquito-infested swamp.

B. They did not plant crops.

C. Many settlers weren’t used to hard labor.

D. They had too much trouble loading gold onto their ships for the return trip.

3. What contribution is John Rolfe best known for?

A. He introduced Pocahontas to John Smith.

B. He introduced a better tasting West Indian strain of tobacco to Jamestown. 

C. He organized the settlers into work parties.

D. He organized the first church in the colonies.

4. What was the purpose of the Mayflower Compact?

A. The Pilgrims agreed to follow whatever laws they created.

B. The Pilgrims agreed to build a church as the first structure in the colony.

C. The Pilgrims agreed to return to Europe if the Massachusetts Bay colony failed. 

D. The Pilgrims agreed to make Miles Standish their governor.

5. Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams could best be described as: 

A. Puritan leaders

B. dissenters from accepted religious ideas

C. parents of the first child born to European parents in the New World 

D. founders of the Georgia Colony

6. Which of the following best describes the headright system?

A. A system of land distribution

B. A form of colonial government

C. A system of indentured servitude

D. A way that colonies could be paid for

7. The policy of “salutary neglect” meant that:

A. British trade laws would not be strictly enforced

B. The colonists would not be required to bow before the king when they met him in person 

C. The French would not have to give up territory after the French and Indian War 

D. England would start enforcing trade laws more strictly

8. The Stamp Act Congress:

A. Was proposed by James Otis

B. Confirmed the British government’s right to make laws regarding the colonies

C. Protested taxation by the British without allowing colonial representation in Parliament 

D. All of the above

9. The Intolerable Acts

A. Were known as the Coercive Acts in England

B. Punished Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party 

C. Closed Boston harbor

D. All of the above

10. The following is not true about Common Sense:

A. It was written by Thomas Paine

B. It gave easy-to-understand arguments regarding independence

C. It inspired Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence 

D. It convinced many people to favor of independence

11. Which of the following was not a social reform that came about as a result of the Revolutionary War?

A. Separation of Church and State

B. Beginning of the abolition of slavery

C. Breakup of large estates

D. More rights for Native Americans

12. Which of the following things involving women did not happen either during or after the Revolutionary War?

A. Some women disguised themselves as men and fought in battles

B. Women gained the vote

C. Women received better educational opportunities

D. Women took on traditionally male tasks

13. Which of the following would be considered an accomplishment of the central government under the Articles of Confederation?

A. The Declaration of Independence

B. The Judiciary Act of 1789

C. The Albany Plan of Union

D. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

14. Which was true about the Great Compromise?

A. The legislature included a lower house elected by the voters

B. It provided for a unicameral legislature

C. Members of the House of Representatives are elected to four-year terms 

D. A and B

15. How did the Framers deal with the question of counting slaves for the new government? 

A. Slaves were counted for representation, but not taxation

B. Slaves were counted for taxation, but not representation

C. Three-fifths of the number of “other persons” were counted for both representation and population 

D. The exact number of “other persons” was counted for both representation and population

16. The “necessary and proper” clause is connected most closely with which kind of constitutional powers?

A. Delegated powers

B. Inherent powers

C. Concurrent powers

D. Implied powers

17. The Federalist was published in order to:

A. Gain support for ratification of the Constitution

B. Oppose the ratification of the Constitution 

C. Debate the Bill of Rights

D. None of the above

18. Which Framer authored the Bill of Rights?

A. James Madison

B. Alexander Hamilton 

C. Benjamin Franklin 

D. George Washington

19. What is the main reason for the rapid expansion of slavery in the South in the early 19th century?

A. Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin resulted in the growth of sugar plantations 

B. More Southerners could afford to buy slaves

C. As the North turned away from slavery, Northern slaves migrated to the South

D. Cotton production increased exponentially after Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin

20. Which of the following statements best summarizes the XYZ Affair? 

A. A successful attempt to embarrass Federalists

B. A failed attempt to negotiate a treaty with France

C. The end of the Quasi-War with France

D. Proof that the country could never remain neutral in foreign affairs

21. Which rule was not included in the Alien and Sedition Acts? 

 A. New immigrants had to wait 14 years to become citizens

B. Immigrants could more easily be deported

C. All news stories must be approved by government officials before being published

D. Publishing “scandalous” writing was outlawed if it seemed to threaten the government

22. Which of the following is an example of judicial review?

A. The president signs a bill into law

B. The Supreme Court overturns a law that Congress has passed

C. Congress passes a law that overrules a previous law

D. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court writes an opinion for the court

23. Which statement about the Louisiana Purchase is true?

A. It allowed France to keep a portion of the upper Mississippi River

B. It extended to present-day Arizona and southern California

C. It involved a transfer of land from France to Spain and then to the United States 

D. It gained control of the Mississippi River for the United States

24. Which of the following statements about the War of 1812 is not true?

A. Most battles were fought in the Great Lakes region, near the U.S.–Canada border 

B. The United States won the Battle of Lake Champlain, forcing the British to retreat into Canada

C. The British burned the White House

D. The United States captured Montreal

25. What did the Monroe Doctrine supposedly guarantee?

A. That the United States would defend any European democracy from invasion

B. That President Monroe would personally defend any country in the Western Hemisphere 

C. That the United States would defend itself against foreign invaders

 D. That the United States would defend any country in the Western Hemisphere from European interference

26. What made the outcome of the 1824 election so controversial?

A. Adams won the most electoral votes, but the House still had to vote on whether he should become president

B. Clay and Adams had clearly made a “corrupt bargain,” and historians have proved this

C. Jackson won the most electoral votes and the popular vote but still did not become president

D. The House did not have a quorum to conduct the vote

27. Which of the following was not a philosophy of Jacksonian Democracy? 

A. The government should not have much power over the national economy 

B. There should be no national bank

C. The Constitution should be strictly interpreted

D. Elected officials should remain in office as long as they continue to be reelected

 28. Which statement or question would you probably not have heard a critic of the spoils system say to a Jackson appointee?

A. “You appear to be highly qualified for this position”

B. “What favors did you do for the president?”

C. “I question your true qualifications for this job” 

D. “What is your training and education?”

29. What was the Nullification Crisis about?

A. South Carolina’s fear that Jackson would not block the tariffs

B. Jackson’s opposition to the Tariff of 1828

C. South Carolina’s nullification of the 1828 and 1832 tariffs

D. The constitutionality of the federal government’s imposing tariffs

30. Which of the following is not a true statement about the Trail of Tears?

A. Around 15,000 Cherokee were relocated from their homes

B. Many Cherokee became ill with smallpox

C. It began as a result of the Cherokee Nation’s approval of the Treaty of New Echota 

D. The Cherokee were ill-prepared for the bitter winter

31. What was the Second Great Awakening?

A. A religious revival movement that emphasized hard work without complaint 

B. A political movement that emphasized working to end poverty

C. A religious revival movement that emphasized working toward perfection 

D. A political movement that emphasized women’s suffrage

32. What was one characteristic of many utopian communities?

A. Members didn’t care about earning money for the community

B. They encouraged community members to have diverse religious points of view 

C. Members worked for the good of the community

D. They didn’t tolerate any form of dancing or musical entertainment

33. The idea of “interposition” of state law over federal law was first established by: 

a. The Kansas-Nebraska Act

b. The Fugitive Slave Law

c. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

d. The Missouri Compromise

34. Under the terms of the Missouri Compromise, this state was admitted at approximately the same time as Missouri, but as a free state:

a. Maine

b. Massachusetts

c. Indiana 

d. Illinois

 35. What was the purpose of the Wilmot Proviso?

a. To ban slavery in any territory in the Mexican Cession

b. To allow slavery only on the basis of popular sovereignty 

c. To allow slavery in any territory in the Mexican Cession

d. To allow for gradual emancipation in the Mexican Cession

36. Which of the following did Henry Clay not propose as part of the Compromise of 1850? 

a. Admitting California as a free state

b. Admitting Missouri as a slave state

c. Organizing Utah and New Mexico Territories under popular sovereignty

d. A more effective fugitive slave law

37. Who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin? 

a. Walt Whitman

b. Edgar Allen Poe

c. Frederick Douglass

d. Harriet Beecher Stowe

38. Which statement about the Dred Scott decision is correct?

a. The Supreme Court ruled that Dred Scott’s master should be compensated for the loss of his slave

b. The Supreme Court ruled the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 unconstitutional

c. The Supreme Court ruled that Dred Scott was not a citizen

d. The Supreme Court threw the case out because enforcement of slavery laws was a state issue, not federal

39. The journey of Africans to the New World as slaves was also known as

A. The Middle Passage

B. Triangular Trade

C. Speculum Orum

D. Journey across the Great Divide

40. Which of the following statements is NOT true about life under slavery? 

A. Infant mortality rates were high

B. Children generally were malnourished

C. Children were generally forced to work at an early age

D. Most slave labor involved skilled trades and crafts

41. Which of the following is a reason why slavery flourished in the South?

A. Tobacco production was leveling off, and cotton farming allowed the soil to rejuvenate itself quicker

B. The South was rapidly industrializing, and white owners needed slaves to work in

the factories

C. Cotton production increased, and more blacks were needed to provide labor on cotton plantations

D. Corn production increased, and more slaves were needed to de-tassle corn stalks

42. Which of the following abolitionists published an anti-slavery newspaper called The Liberator?

A. David Walker

B. Elijah P. Lovejoy

C. William Lloyd Garrison

D. Frederick Douglass

43. What best describes the “Underground Railroad”?

A. Southern slaves who kept communication lines open between those wishing to start slave revolts

B. Vast organizations of people helping runaway slaves

C. A system of underground tunnels that runaways took to escape north

D. A system for slave owners to track runaways

44. Why did the Supreme Court rule to free the blacks in the Amistad case?

A. Owners of the slaves didn’t file the necessary legal papers

B. John Quincy Adams represented the blacks, and his reputation awed the justices

C. The Court ruled that the blacks had been unlawfully kidnapped with the intent of being forcibly required to become slaves

D. The Supreme Court wanted to abolish the slave trade, and this case would help it to accomplish that goal

45. The first state to secede from the Union was: 

A. North Carolina

B. Virginia

C. West Virginia

D. South Carolina

46. Between the time of Lincoln’s election and his inauguration, how did President Buchanan deal with the seceding states?

A. He did nothing

B. He called for a special session of Congress to deal with the issue

C. He called out the military to force states back into the Union

D. He personally toured Southern states, pleading with their governors to return to the Union

47. Which of the following was not considered a Union advantage during the Civil War?

A. Outstanding military commanders

B. Strong political leaders

C. A more developed industrial base 

D. More railroad lines

 48. Which of the following is not an example of a new warfare technology of the Civil War? 

A. The minie ball

B. Ironclads

C. Heavy artillery

D. The bayonet

49. Which of the following was an advantage of issuing the Emancipation Proclamation? 

A. It would give the Union a cause to fight for and unite the states

B. It caused disorder in the South because freed slaves were not returned to their masters and could not assist the Confederate war effort

C. It kept Britain out of the war

D. All of the above

50. What was the aim of the Radical Republicans? 

A. To overthrow the government

B. To preserve slavery

C. To suspend habeas corpus

D. To punish the South for having started the war

51. Lincoln first previewed the structure of his Reconstruction program in his:

A. Second Inaugural Address

B. Speech of April 11, 1865

C. Gettysburg Address

D. Speech vetoing the Wade-Davis Bill

52. The Wade-Davis Bill called for what percentage to sign a loyalty oath before the federal government would recognize a new state government of a former Confederate state?

A. 10% of the number in that state who voted in 1860

B. 25% of the number in that state who voted in 1860

C. A majority of the number in that state who voted in 1860 

D. 75% of the number in that state who voted in 1860

53. Which organization helped ex-slaves solve “everyday problems” and acquire skills and education?

A. The NAACP

B. The Freedmen’s Bureau

C. Knights of the White Camellia 

D. Black Codes

54. The 14th Amendment did all the following except:

A. Give black males the right to vote

B. Make the Civil Rights Act of 1866 the law of the land

C. Forbid former Confederate officers from holding federal office 

D. Repudiate the Confederate war debt

 55. According to the Constitution’s impeachment procedure, which body acts as a trial jury and determines whether to remove an official from office?

A. House of Representatives

B. Senate

C. U.S. Supreme Court 

D. Cabinet

56. What did Southerners call Northerners who went South to take part in Reconstruction governments?

A. “Scalawags”

B. “Radicals”

C. “Carpetbaggers”

D. “Klansmen”

57. How was the 1876 presidential election decided?

A. A recount gave the popular vote to Hayes

B. The election was decided by the House of Representatives 

C. The election was decided by a special Electoral Commission 

D. The election was decided by a runoff election

58. What made the Erie Canal so important?

a. It connected the Atlantic Ocean with the Mississippi River

b. It provided an efficient connection between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes

c. It made it easier to build the western railroads

d. It had a special type of lock called a “lift lock”

59. Which of the following was not a key aspect of Manifest Destiny?

a. The United States was destined to expand its territory to the Pacific

b. Native Americans should be “civilized” to conform to European American standards

c. All inhabitants of the United States should have a right to democratically decide how to live and be governed

d. God had granted the United States the right to span the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts

60. Which of the following is not a true statement about the California Gold Rush?

a. San Francisco remained a small, sleepy town until the 1880s

b. Many Native Americans were forced off their land as a result of an increasing population and exploration for gold

c. Some African Americans came to California as slaves to help slave owners look for gold

d. Foreigners had to pay a tax to mine in the state of California

 61. Which of the following was not a provision of the Homestead Act? 

a. Homesteaders could settle 160 acres

b. Homesteaders had to live on their new land for five years

c. Homesteaders had to pay annual rent on the land to the government 

d. Homesteaders had to build a house on their property

62. Which statement about the Transcontinental Railroad is false?

 a. The Transcontinental Railroad was a government-supported humanitarian project and had little relationship to business

b. The Transcontinental Railroad helped fulfill some of the goals of Manifest Destiny

c. The Transcontinental Railroad joined the Central Pacific Railroad with the Union Pacific Railroad

d. The railroad companies paid immigrants less than they paid European Americans

63. Which of the following would a Native American living on the Great Plains in the 1870s most likely have said?

a. “At least my family has not been forced onto a reservation yet”

b. “The bison are disappearing so rapidly; will there be any left to hunt?”

c. “The U.S. Army fights brutally, but at least they spare the women and Children”

d. “Everyone in my community agrees that it is time to surrender to the United States government”

64. Who were the “buffalo soldiers”?

a. Army regiments consisting of African American and Chinese-American soldiers

b. African Americans who built roads and worked on the Transcontinental Railroad

c. African Americans who earned medals of honor in the Civil War

d. African Americans who fought in the Indian Wars

65. Which of the following statements would a cowboy most likely have said?

a. “Darn, we have a lot of calves to brand today!”

b. “I’m so glad I get to go on a cattle drive every other week”

c. “I’m rather clumsy, so it’s a good thing I don’t have to learn how to use a rope”

d. “I’m lucky to have such a well developed social life”

66. The business structure of Standard Oil was a good example of 

A. vertical integration.

B. horizontal integration.

C. both A and B

D. neither A nor B

67. The social theory of Social Darwinism

A. argued the new industrial economy was limiting the potential for individual wealth.

B. contended that ruthless corruption may be necessary in the attainment of wealth. 

C. was created by Charles Darwin to explain industrial economies.

D. promoted the idea that capitalism offered all people a chance for great wealth.

68. According to the ideas expressed by Andrew Carnegie in his Gospel of Wealth, 

A. successful businessmen had every right to live as they pleased.

B. only pious Americans would prosper.

C. it was the “Christian duty” of every American become wealthy.

D. the rich had great responsibilities to society.

69. Samuel Gompers was the leader of the

A. American Federation of Labor.

B. Molly Maguires.

C. Knights of Labor.

D. Congress of Industrial Organization.

70. In the late nineteenth century, the assimilation of immigrants was encouraged by 

A. the sale of American products.

B. public education.

C. church leaders.

D. all of the above

71. In the 1890s, Jacob Riis

A. favored stopping immigration as a way to improve urban American cities.

B. crusaded to expose political corruption in major American cities.

C. documented the stories of wealthy Americans who came from humble origins. 

D. reported on the living conditions of the urban poor to encourage improvements.

72. In the late nineteenth century, political “machines” in cities owed their existence to 

A. the rapid growth of urban America.

B. the influx of millions of immigrants.

C. both A and B

D. neither A nor B

73. During the late nineteenth century, all of the following innovations occurred in consumer goods EXCEPT

A. the emergence of ready-made clothing.

B. the creation of credit card companies.

C. the ability to artificially refrigerate foods. 

D. the opening of large department stores.

74. According to the philosophy of pragmatism, society should be guided by

A. scientific inquiry.

B. inherited ideals.

C. democratic tradition. 

D. moral principles.

75. Which statement about education in the late nineteenth century is FALSE? 

A. It was a period of rapid expansion for public schools.

B. By 1900, most states required compulsory school attendance.

C. Funding for public education was highest in rural areas.

D. Southern blacks had far less access to education than southern whites

76. Alfred Thayer Mahan was significant to the development of American imperialism through his writings on

A) sea power.

B) Social Darwinism.

C) Christian Missions.

D) dialectical materialism. 

E) the closing of the frontier.

77. The expression, “yellow journalism” refers to the newspapers that emphasized 

A. unwavering loyalty to the Democratic Party in the South

B. pacifism in foreign affairs

C. lucrid and sensational views

D. the dangers of Oriental immigration 

E. Manifest Destiny

78. The de Lome Letter had the effect of

A. discrediting the McKinley Administration

B. worsening United States-Spanish relations

C. exposing United States imperialistic ambitions

D. temporarily improving United States-Spanish relations 

E. beginning the Spanish-American War

79. Later evidence suggested that the sinking of the Maine was actually caused by 

A. the Spanish navy.

B. William Randolph Hearst.

C. an accident in one of the engine rooms.

D. Cuban freedom fighters. 

E. Joseph Pulitzer.

 80. Which of the following acts was passed to a considerable extent as a result of the assassination of Garfield?

A. The Mills Tariff Act

B. The Pendleton Civil Service Act

C. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act 

D. The Dependent Pension Act 

E. The Interstate Commerce Act

81. Who did the term “robber barons” refer to, and who used this term?

A. This was what trust owners called themselves

B. This is the term Progressive Era reformers used to describe Gilded Age reformers 

C. The is the term critics of the trusts used to describe trust owners

D. This is the term muckrakers used to describe corrupt urban politicians

82. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Women held only marginal roles in the Progressive movement

B. Women became much more politically involved during the Progressive Era than in previous time periods

C. Women Progressives were less concerned with morality than with their own economic interests

D. Women Progressives tended to steer clear of the temperance movement

83. Which of the following was not one of Jane Addams’s core beliefs?

A. That primarily economic desperation caused urban problems

B. That Hull House employees should live in the community they served

C. That it was essential to provide poor people with access to education, jobs, and democratic participation

D. That primarily individual character flaws caused urban problems

84. What was Taylorism?

A. A system to maximize factory efficiency

B. A political philosophy adopted by many factory owners

C. A system of urban reform involving tenement improvement 

D. A method of improving workers’ collaboration in the factories

85. Which of the following was not a central goal of child-labor activism?

A. To increase adults’ wages so that children no longer had to help support their families 

B. To make it illegal for children to work on farms

C. To end factory work for children under 16

D. To increase children’s access to education

86. How did direct primaries change the electoral system?

A. They allowed voters to directly elect the president

B. They ended the practice of electing candidates by direct vote

C. They allowed voters to directly select candidates for office rather than selection by party

 caucus or convention

D. They allowed non-citizen immigrants to vote for the first time

87. Whose election was affected by the 17th Amendment? 

A. The president

B. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives

C. Members of the U.S. Senate

D. City mayors and state governors

88. What was one main difference between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois? 

A. Washington was considered more radical

B. Du Bois was more critical of the political system

C. Washington shied away from allying himself with whites

D. Du Bois was more involved with the educational system

89. What was Upton Sinclair’s main intention in publishing The Jungle?

A. To improve food standards

B. To increase the number of social programs available to immigrant workers 

C. To see swift passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act

D. To improve working conditions in meatpacking factories

90. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Roosevelt linked environmental conservation to democracy

B. Roosevelt supported environmental conservation as a way to reduce the practice

of hunting

C. Roosevelt was opposed to the Antiquities Act of 1906

D. Roosevelt was mainly interested in environmental conservation for economic reasons

91. What impact did the loans U.S. banks and financial houses made to the Allies have?

A. The loans helped pull America into war

B. It convinced England and France to let the U.S. take the lead in negotiating a treaty to end the war

C. England and France agreed to pay U.S. banks much higher rates of interest than usual on these loans, thus stimulating the U.S. economy

D. The Central Powers sought to borrow money from Russian banks

92. What was the Zimmermann Telegram?

A. A communication sent to the U.S. Secretary of State by Germany that they hoped would lead to peace negotiations

B. A secret telegram sent by the German foreign minister proposing that Mexico

 enter a military alliance with Germany

C. A proposal to France from Germany outlining a plan for a postwar alliance between the two nations

D. A secret document in which the Germans admitted blame for sinking Lusitania

93. Which of the following roles did women fill in the war? 

A. Replacing men in jobs on the home front

B. Serving in the military

C. “Hello Girls”

D. All of the above

94. What was the purpose of the Committee on Public Information?

A. Handling propaganda in the war effort

B. Creating a central news agency for the radio networks

C. Providing a way for soldiers’ parents to find out how their sons were doing in the service

D. None of the above

95. What were the “Fourteen Points”?

A. Wilson’s proposal for a peace settlement

B. Pershing’s war strategy for American troops in France

C. Lodge’s set of reservations against the Versailles Treaty

D. Clemenceau’s indictments against the Germans for starting the war

96. Which was a major cause of the “Red Scare”?

A. Various labor strikes in the U.S.

B. The Sedition Act of 1918

C. Concern that a revolution similar to Russia’s would occur in the U.S. 

D. The Palmer Raids

97. What caused the Ku Klux Klan to lose a great deal of influence?

A. The 1928 election of Al Smith as president

B. The conviction of Sacco and Vanzetti

C. The conviction of the Indiana Grand Dragon on charges of rape and murder 

D. The conviction of Al Capone on tax-evasion charges

98. The Teapot Dome scandal centered around which activity? 

A. Bribery of prohibition enforcement agents

B. Sale of government oil reserves

C. Mismanagement of the Bureau of Veterans Affairs

D. Breaking into the offices of the Democratic National Committee

99. What was the Harlem Renaissance?

A. A flourishing of African American musical, literary, and artistic talent

B. A period of African American migration to northern cities

C. A surge in the number of African American professional athletes 

D. One of the first nightclubs to feature jazz musicians

 100. Which of the following was typical of a flapper? 

A. She was the symbolic “new woman” of the 1920s

B. She wore short skirts and bobbed hair

C. She smoked and drank in public

D. All of the above