Social Studies CRCT Review

1. Social Studies CRCT Review

2. Many people did not think the Constitution was complete and wanted to add a Bill of Rights. Why? A. to give women the right to vote B. to give states the right to tax their citizens C. to protect the rights of slaves in the South D. to protect the basic rights of American citizens

3. The national government of the United States divides the powers between three branches. Which branch is responsible for making the laws? A. the international branch B. the executive branch C. the judicial branch D. the legislative branch

4. The United States government is divided into three branches__executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch can check the other branches, keeping a balance of power among them. Which of the following is an example of the executive branch checking the legislative branch? A. The President vetoes a bill from Congress. B. The President states that a law is unconstitutional. C. The Congress overrides the President's veto. D. The Supreme Court states that a law is unconstitutional.

5. After the French and Indian War, the Parliament of Great Britain passed new laws for the colonies. Some of the laws were passed because Great Britain A. was afraid the French would back the colonies. B. was afraid many of the colonists would return to Britain. C. needed the colonists to help pay for the war. D. wanted the Native Americans to return to their lands

6. During the 1700s, people in the American colonies had to grow or make most of the products that they used. There were also people who were skilled as blacksmiths, gunsmiths, or silversmiths. These people were called A. farmers. B. artisans. C. large landowners. D. indentured servants.

7. The Bill of Rights contains certain basic freedoms guaranteed to Americans. One is freedom of speech. Which of the following is an example of freedom of speech? A. John can voice his opinions about which presidential candidate he supports. B. May can decide if she would like to attend a church this weekend. C. Carlos can join a march against placing a road through the park. D. Mistican read an article in the newspaper that discusses waste in government.

8. The United States government is divided into three branches__executive, legislative, and judicial. The main job of the judicial branch is to A. decide the meaning of laws. B. write and file laws. C. carry out the laws. D. make the laws.

9. What contributed to New England’s industry? A. Dense forest B. Large plantations C. slaves D. wheat

10. In which region of the United States would you find the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and the Mojave Desert? A. Northeast B. Southeast C. Southwest D. Northwest

11. One of the most important rights and privileges for United States citizens is voting. How could voting lead to political change? A. Voting raises money for the government. B. Voting ensures that people belong to a political party. C. Voting keeps the same people in office for life. D. Voting leads to putting new and different people in office.

12. The early 1800s were a time of great change in the United States. Which of the following was the first to increase trade and travel? A. the automobile B. the airplane C. the railroad D. the steamboat

13. Because farming was difficult in the New England colonies, what industry became popular? A. teaching B. medicine C. slavery D. shipbuilding

14. The United States government is divided into three branches__executive, legislative, and judicial. The main job of the legislative branch is to A. carry out the laws. B. veto laws that have been passed. C. make the laws. D. decide the meaning of laws.

15. Who carries out the laws for the state? A. a judge B. a presidentC. the governor D. the congress

16. The English who settled in North America started colonies that stretched all along the Atlantic Coast. Which of the following lists would BEST fit the Southern Colonies? A. shipbuilding, cold winters, fish B. tobacco, hot summers, rice C. furs, Puritans, shipbuilding D. Philadelphia, corn, Quakers

17. The Articles of Confederation were the nation's first constitution, but they had to be replaced by the Constitution of the United States. What was the major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?? A. The federal government was too weak. B. The state governments were too weak. C. Great Britain still could make laws for the colonies. D. France did not accept the independence of the United States.

18. During the years before the American Revolution, some colonists formed a group that wanted independence. This group was called the A. pioneers.B. Sons of Liberty. C. Green Mountain Boys. D. Regulators.

19. What was the purpose of the Preamble to our Constitution? A. The Preamble was a famous speech given by President Lincoln about our Constitution. B. The Preamble was a newspaper written about the need to free slaves. C. The Preamble was written to explain the purpose of the Declaration of Independence. D. The Preamble was written to explain the purpose of the Constitution.

20. How did the Native Americans help the early colonists? A. The colonists did not need the Native Americans to help them in any way. B. The Native Americans taught the colonists how to hunt and fish for food. C. The colonists taught the Native Americans how to plant wheat and tobacco. D. The Native Americans sent the colonists back to England because they could not survive here.

21. Citizen participation is an important part of self-government. Which of the following is an example of citizen participation in government? A. attending a school B. driving a car C. owning a business D. running for elected office

22. The Declaration of Independence said, "All men are created equal." What did this mean to the colonists? A. Only certain people should have freedom. B. The people were as important as the king. C. The 13 colonists wanted to remain dependent. D. George Washington was a great leader during the Revolution.

23. Which colony's economy would be most affected by the demand for large supplies of wood to build ships? A. New York B. South Carolina C. Pennsylvania D. New Hampshire

24. 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

25. The physical environment affected the lives of Native Americans. Which one of the following statements best describes the life of the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest? A. They hunted buffalo and deer on the plains. B. They herded cattle and goats. C. They fished along the coast, rivers, and lakes. D. They grew corn and squash in the fields.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Great Britain. The MAIN reason why this war was fought was A. to win freedom from Great Britain. B. to stop British attacks on American cities on the coast. C. to protect the right to trade with anyone. D. to keep Native Americans on reservations.

29. In 1776, the Continental Congress approved a statement that said governments do not have the right to take away a citizen's "Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness." What was this called? A. Constitution B. Common Sense C. Articles of Confederation D. Declaration of Independence

30. 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

31. The Bill of Rights became a necessary part of our Constitution. What impact did this document have on the citizens? A. The Bill of Rights allows cruel punishment for certain crimes. B. The Bill of Rights allows property to be searched for any reason. C. The Bill of Rights protects the basic rights of United States citizens. D. The Bill of Rights insists a person must have an attorney in order to defend himself/ herself.

32. 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

33. Which group of Native Americans often moved, following the buffalo? A. Plains B. Southwestern C. Pacific Northwest D. Eastern Woodlands

34. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was started by the Pilgrims and the Puritans. They started settlements because they wanted to worship as they pleased. Which of the following BEST describes their ideas of worship? A. Only people who believed as they do would be welcome. B. Any person of any religious belief would be welcome. C. Only white people who believed would be welcome. D. Any person who had Christian beliefs would be welcome.

35. Portuguese explorers rounded the southern tip of Africa, and Spanish explorers sailed west across the Atlantic. Both countries were trying to find an all-water route to which land? A. Asia B. Atlantis C. Africa D. Antarctica

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. How did Sacajawea help the Lewis and Clark expedition? A. Sacajawea fought on the side of the Native Americans. B. Sacajawea encouraged Lewis and Clark to go back to Missouri. C. Sacajawea guided Lewis and Clark across the Appalachian Mountains. D. Sacajawea translated for Lewis and Clark and helped them cross the Rocky Mountains.

39. 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

40. There were many reasons why the Revolutionary War took place between Great Britain and the colonies in North America. Some of the colonists were unhappy with "no taxation without representation." What did they mean by this? A. The colonists should not be taxed unless they were represented in Parliament. B. The colonists should not be taxed because they could not vote for the King. C. The colonists should not be taxed unless the taxes were used in the colonies. D. The colonists should not be taxed because no one should be taxed.

41. Why did thousands of settlers head west during the 1800s? A. Life in the East was too boring. B. The weather was nicer in the West. C. The government was giving away free land. D. They wanted to be the first to reach the Pacific Ocean.

42. 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.

43. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, D.C. This was an example of A. freedom of religion. B. freedom of speech. C. freedom of petition. D. freedom of the press.

44. Which answer explains a provision of a federal type of government? A. powers are only given to the President B. powers are for the state government only C. powers are for the national government only D. powers are to be shared between states and the national government

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.

46. During the Revolutionary War, there were things that helped the Americans and things that helped the British. Which of the following helped the Americans? A. They knew the land where they were fighting. B. They had a large army and navy. C. They knew they had the support of all of the colonists. D. They had better weapons and supplies.

47. Parliament passed the Tea Act in 1773. This led to some colonists taking action, such as the Boston Tea Party. What was the Boston Tea Party? A. Colonists gave dinners to support the sale of tea. B. Colonists dressed as Indians destroyed the tea. C. Colonists bought tea from other countries. D. Colonists started growing their own tea

48. The Southwest Indians lived in deserts where only a few plants and animals could survive. Which of the following types of houses were built from materials in this environment? A. tepees made from bison skins B. brick houses made of cement C. adobe houses made of clay and stone D. longhouses made of wood from trees

49. In 1765, the Parliament of Great Britain passed the Stamp Act. The purpose of this act was to A. get rid of colonists who were willing to support the king. B. raise money by passing a tax on tea, sugar, molasses, and rum. C. get rid of French colonists in the Northern colonies. D. raise money by passing a tax on newspapers and other paper documents.

50. At the beginning of the American Revolution Benedict Arnold was a general in the American Army. But during the war he switched sides, joining the British army. Which group of people would have thought Benedict Arnold was right to switch sides? A. Patriots B. Quakers C. Loyalists D. Mercenaries