U.S. History to 1877 (Grade 8) Midterm — Units 3–4

Part 1: Multiple Choice

1. What did the Treaty of Paris of 1783 do?
   1. A. Sold Louisiana to the United States
   2. B. Started the French and Indian War
   3. C. Recognized American independence
   4. D. Created the U.S. Constitution
2. A major section of the Declaration of Independence is a list of what?
   1. A. Names of Loyalist leaders
   2. B. Terms for peace with Britain
   3. C. Laws for the new nation
   4. D. Complaints against King George III
3. Who commanded the Continental Army?
   1. A. Benedict Arnold
   2. B. Nathanael Greene
   3. C. Marquis de Lafayette
   4. D. George Washington
4. After crossing the Delaware River on December 25-26, 1776, Washington won a surprise victory where?
   1. A. Trenton
   2. B. Yorktown
   3. C. Saratoga
   4. D. Bunker Hill
5. Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?
   1. A. Benjamin Franklin
   2. B. John Adams
   3. C. Thomas Jefferson
   4. D. George Washington
6. Why is the Battle of Saratoga called a turning point?
   1. A. It was the last battle of the war
   2. B. It forced the British to leave Boston
   3. C. It gave the Americans control of Canada
   4. D. It convinced France to ally with the Americans
7. Where did British General Cornwallis surrender in 1781?
   1. A. Bunker Hill
   2. B. Trenton
   3. C. Yorktown
   4. D. Saratoga
8. What was one advantage the Patriots had during the war?
   1. A. They were fighting on their own land
   2. B. They had the world's strongest navy
   3. C. They had more money for supplies
   4. D. They had more trained soldiers
9. Who were the Loyalists?
   1. A. Colonists who stayed loyal to Britain
   2. B. German soldiers hired by Britain
   3. C. French soldiers who helped the Americans
   4. D. Colonists who fought for independence
10. What happened at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778?
    1. A. The Americans won their final major battle
    2. B. The army suffered hardships but improved through training
    3. C. The British surrendered to the Americans
    4. D. Congress signed the Declaration of Independence
11. What did the Three-Fifths Compromise decide?
    1. A. How the President would be elected
    2. B. How many senators each state would have
    3. C. How enslaved people would be counted for representation
    4. D. How many justices would sit on the Supreme Court
12. Who led the expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase?
    1. A. Zebulon Pike and John Frémont
    2. B. Lewis and Clark
    3. C. Marquette and Joliet
    4. D. Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett
13. What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 do?
    1. A. Allowed slavery throughout the Northwest Territory
    2. B. Set up a process for territories to become states
    3. C. Created the first national bank
    4. D. Gave the Northwest Territory back to Britain
14. Which two groups formed the first U.S. political parties?
    1. A. Republicans and Democrats
    2. B. Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
    3. C. Patriots and Loyalists
    4. D. Whigs and Democrats
15. What did Shays' Rebellion show about the Articles of Confederation?
    1. A. The national government was too powerful
    2. B. The national government was too weak to keep order
    3. C. The president had too much control over the army
    4. D. The states had no power to raise militias
16. 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
17. 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
18. 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
19. 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
20. 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

Part 2: Written Response

21. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail, and how did the Constitution fix its weaknesses?