U.S. History to 1877 (Grade 8) Midterm — Semester 2, Form B

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Grade 8 15 multiple choice + 1 written

Free printable U.S. History to 1877 midterm (Grade 8): 15 multiple-choice questions plus 1 written response covering Constitution & Early Republic, Expansion & Reform, Civil War & Reconstruction. Answer key included — customize it in the Midterm Maker.

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Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Answer the written response in complete sentences.

Covers: Constitution & Early Republic · Expansion & Reform · Civil War & Reconstruction

Part 1: Multiple Choice

Which was a cause of the War of 1812?
1. A. British impressment of American sailors
2. B. The Louisiana Purchase
3. C. French seizure of New Orleans
4. D. Spanish attacks on Florida
Why were the Federalist Papers written?
1. A. To convince people to ratify the Constitution
2. B. To declare independence from Britain
3. C. To oppose a strong national government
4. D. To create the first political parties
Alexander Hamilton supported creating which institution?
1. A. A national university
2. B. A national bank
3. C. A state-run church
4. D. A federal postal system
What was the effect of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803?
1. A. It ended the War of 1812
2. B. It roughly doubled the size of the United States
3. C. It gave Florida to the United States
4. D. It made Texas part of the United States
In his Farewell Address, Washington warned against what?
1. A. Trading with European nations
2. B. Building a national navy
3. C. Settling lands in the west
4. D. Permanent alliances with foreign nations
What did the U.S. gain from the Mexican-American War?
1. A. California and much of the Southwest
2. B. Florida and the Gulf Coast
3. C. Oregon and Washington
4. D. Alaska and Hawaii
What caused thousands of people to rush to California in 1849?
1. A. Free land for farming
2. B. A new railroad line
3. C. The end of slavery
4. D. The discovery of gold
What was the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 about?
1. A. Temperance in schools
2. B. Women's rights
3. C. Building canals
4. D. Ending the slave trade
What was the Trail of Tears?
1. A. The forced removal of the Cherokee to Indian Territory
2. B. A trade route from Missouri to Santa Fe
3. C. A road built across the Appalachians
4. D. A path used by the Underground Railroad
What did the Monroe Doctrine (1823) warn European nations against?
1. A. Trading with the United States
2. B. Building navies in the Atlantic
3. C. Settling in Asia and Africa
4. D. Creating new colonies in the Americas
Which part of the Compromise of 1850 angered many Northerners?
1. A. Admitting California as a free state
2. B. Ending the slave trade in Washington, D.C.
3. C. A stricter Fugitive Slave Act
4. D. Settling the Texas border
What helped bring Reconstruction to an end in 1877?
1. A. Federal troops were withdrawn from the South
2. B. The Confederacy was restored
3. C. Congress banned all voting in the South
4. D. The Fourteenth Amendment was repealed
What did the Supreme Court rule in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)?
1. A. Slavery was illegal in all territories
2. B. Enslaved people were not citizens and could not sue
3. C. Enslaved people who reached the North were free
4. D. Kansas must become a free state
Where did Robert E. Lee surrender to Ulysses S. Grant in April 1865?
1. A. Richmond
2. B. Atlanta
3. C. Vicksburg
4. D. Appomattox Court House
Where were the first shots of the Civil War fired in April 1861?
1. A. Bull Run
2. B. Antietam
3. C. Gettysburg
4. D. Fort Sumter

Part 2: Written Response

Explain how westward expansion affected Native Americans and the debate over slavery.

Answer Key — U.S. History to 1877 (Grade 8) Midterm — Semester 2, Form B

A — British impressment of American sailors Britain forced American sailors into its navy and armed Native Americans against U.S. settlers.
A — To convince people to ratify the Constitution Hamilton, Madison, and Jay wrote essays supporting the Constitution.
B — A national bank Hamilton wanted a national bank to manage debt and strengthen the economy; Jefferson opposed it.
B — It roughly doubled the size of the United States The United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million.
D — Permanent alliances with foreign nations Washington advised avoiding permanent foreign alliances and warned about political parties.
A — California and much of the Southwest The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) gave the U.S. the Mexican Cession.
D — The discovery of gold Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in 1848, leading to the 1849 Gold Rush.
B — Women's rights Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized the first women's rights convention.
A — The forced removal of the Cherokee to Indian Territory After the Indian Removal Act, thousands of Cherokee died on the forced march west.
D — Creating new colonies in the Americas Monroe said the Americas were closed to new European colonization.
C — A stricter Fugitive Slave Act The law required Northerners to help return people who escaped slavery.
A — Federal troops were withdrawn from the South The Compromise of 1877 removed federal troops, ending Reconstruction.
B — Enslaved people were not citizens and could not sue The ruling also said Congress could not ban slavery in the territories.
D — Appomattox Court House Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ended the war.
D — Fort Sumter Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.

Written Response — Look-Fors

Indian Removal, Trail of Tears, loss of land; new territories raised slavery question (Missouri, Mexican Cession); specific evidence.

U.S. History to 1877 (Grade 8) Midterm — Semester 2, Form B

Part 1: Multiple Choice

Part 2: Written Response

Written Response — Look-Fors

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