AMERICAN HISTORY American History Section
58. What is one reason colonists came to America ?
Q: Give one reason why colonists came to America.
A: freedom
A: political liberty
A: religious freedom
A: economic opportunity
A: practice their religion
A: escape persecution
59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived ?
Q: Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
A: Native Americans
A: American Indians
60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves ?
Q: What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
A: Africans
A: people from Africa
61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
Q: Why did the colonists fight the British?
A: because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
A: because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering).
A: because they didn’t have self-government
62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Q: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
A: (Thomas) Jefferson
63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
Q: When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
A: July 4, 1776
64. There were 13 original states. Name three.
Q: There were 13 original states. Name three.
A: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
Q: What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
A: The Constitution was written.
A: The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
66. When was the Constitution written?
Q: When was the Constitution written?
A: 1787
67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
Q: The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
A: (James) Madison
A: (Alexander) Hamilton
A: (John) Jay
A: Publius
68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
Q: What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
A: U.S. diplomat
A: oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
A: first Postmaster General of the United States
A: writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”
A: started the first free libraries
69. Who is the “Father of Our Country” ?
Q: Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
A: (George) Washington
*70. Who was the first President ?
Q: Who was the first President?
A: (George) Washington
B: 1800s 19th Century History Section
71. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803 ?
Q: What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
A: the Louisiana Territory
A: Louisiana
72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
Q: Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
A: War of 1812
A: Mexican-American War
A: Civil War
A: Spanish-American War
73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
Q: Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
A: the Civil War
A: the War between the States
74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
Q: Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
A: slavery
A: economic reasons
A: states’ rights
*75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
Q: What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
A: freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
A: saved (or preserved) the Union
A: led the United States during the Civil War
76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
Q: What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
A: freed the slaves
A: freed slaves in the Confederacy
A: freed slaves in the Confederate states
A: freed slaves in most Southern states
77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Q: What did Susan B. Anthony do?
A: fought for women’s rights
A: fought for civil rights
C: Recent American History and Other important Historical Information
*78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
Q: Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
A: World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, (Persian) Gulf War
79. Who was President during World War I?
Q: Who was President during World War I?
A: (Woodrow) Wilson
80. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
Q: Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
A: (Franklin) Roosevelt
81. Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Q: Who did the United States fight in World War II?
A: Japan, Germany, and Italy
82. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
Q: Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
A: World War II
83. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
Q: During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
A: Communism
84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
Q: What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
A: civil rights (movement)
*85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
Q: What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
A: fought for civil rights
A: worked for equality for all Americans
86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?
Q: What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?
A: Terrorists attacked the United States.
87. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
Q: Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
A: Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Chippewa, Choctaw, Pueblo, Apache, Iroquois, Creek, Blackfeet, Seminole, Cheyenne, Arawak, Shawnee, Mohegan, Huron, Oneida, Lakota, Crow, Teton, Hopi, Inuit
(The examiner will have a complete list. Integrated Civics)
Geography Geography Section
88. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
Q: Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
A: Missouri (River)
A: Mississippi (River)
89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
Q: What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
A: Pacific (Ocean)
90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
Q: What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
A: Atlantic (Ocean)
91. Name one U. S. territory.
Q: Name one U. S. territory.
A: Puerto Rico
A: U. S. Virgin Islands
A: American Samoa
A: Northern Mariana Islands
A: Guam
92. Name one state that borders Canada.
Q: Name one state that borders Canada.
A: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Alaska
93. Name one state that borders Mexico.
Q: Name one state that borders Mexico.
A: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas
*94. What is the capital of the United States?
Q: What is the capital of the United States?
A: Washington, D. C.
*95. where is the Statue of Liberty?
Q: Where is the Statue of Liberty?
A: New York (Harbor)
A: Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
Symbols Symbols Section
96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
Q: Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
A: because there were 13 original colonies
A: because the stripes represent the original colonies
*97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?
Q: Why does the flag have 50 stars?
A: because there is one star for each state
A: because each star represents a state
A: because there are 50 states
98. What is the name of the national anthem?
Q: What is the name of the national anthem?
A: The Star-Spangled Banner
Holidays Holidays Section
*99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?
Q: When do we celebrate Independence Day?
A: July 4
100. Name two national U. S. holidays.
Q: Name two national U. S. holidays.
A: New Year’s Day
A: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
A: Presidents’ Day
A: Memorial Day
A: Independence Day
A: Labor Day
A: Columbus Day
A: Veterans Day
A: Thanksgiving
A: Christmas
