The following test was written entirely by myself during my years as a high school teacher. It is provided as an education resource for teachers and students and may be used in any method that is not for profit. If you are using it for a test for your class, no I do not expect my name to be on it.
Midterm US History
Circle the letter of the best answer
Chapter 6 and 7 Test U.S. History
Name _______________
Multiple Choice: (3 points each)
1.When he found out he was to become president, George Washington was
a.Excited
b.Didn’t want to do it
c.Very surprised
d.Didn’t care one way or the other
2.The South did not want the federal government to take over state debt because
a.They were very independent and wanted to pay it themselves
b.They felt like it would destroy the federal government
c.They thought it was unconstitutional
d.The south had paid most of its debts and didn’t want to pay the North’s debt through taxes
3.The part of the Constitution that Alexander Hamilton used to justify the Bank of the United States was the
a.Elastic clause
b.Preamble
c.Article 17 Section 3
d.The Bill of Rights
4.Farmers in Pennsylvania that were hurt by Hamilton’s excise tax started the
a.Corn rebellion
b.War of 1812
c.Battle of Fallen Timbers
d.The Whiskey Rebellion
5.The official stance of the United States towards the French Revolution was
a.They were against it
b.They were for it
c.They were against both sides
d.They were neutral
6.French officials demanding a $250,000 bribe to recognize America which caused Americans to boycott French goods was known as the
a.XYZ affair
b.ABC affair
c.NBC affair
d.CBS affair
7.Midnight judges were
a.Judges that ran courts at night
b.Judges that were appointed at midnight on the last day of John Adam’s administration
c.Judges that were nearing the end of their careers
d.Nickname of the Supreme Court
8.Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr are best known for their
a.Their duel
b.Their contributions to the Federalist papers
c.Their decisions using Judicial review
d.Their treaties
9.The Louisiana Territory was sold to the United States by
a.Napoleon Bonaparte
b.Jean Val Jean
c.Louis XIII
d.Marie Antoinette
10.Lewis and Clark were commissioned to
a.Write a popular TV series involving Superman
b.Explore the Louisiana Territory
c.Try and make peace with the Native Americans
d.Create a new Constitution
11.Impressment meant is defined as
a.A new technique for printing books
b.Forcing American sailors to join the British navy
c.Forcing Native Americans off their lands
d.The method by which slaves became property
12.A embargo is
a.Refusing to allow immigrants from certain nations to enter the U.S.
b.Refusing to allow products from a country into the U.S.
c.Refusing to export products to a certain country
d.Refusing travel and communication with a country
13.The Native American that guided the Lewis and Clark expedition was
a.Tecumsah
b.Little Turtle
c.The Prophet
d.Sacagawea
14.All of the following were parts of the Missouri Compromise EXCEPT
a.Maine would enter as a free state
b.Missouri would enter as a slave state
c.The 36 30 line was set up
d.John C. Calhoun would resign as Vice President
15.The Native American Tribe removed during the Trail of Tears was the
a.Creek
b.Seminole
c.Croatan
d.Cherokee
25. Sealing up ports to prevent people or goods from entering it is known as a(n)
a.Tariff
b.Embargo
c.Blockade
d.Impressment
16.The spoils system was
a.Getting rid of the previous administration’s employees and replacing them with those loyal to the new administration
b.A system created to inspect meat in early America to prevent sickness
c.Tax legislation passed to destroy the National Bank
d.Destroying native American crops and resources so they would be more willing to leave their lands
17.The invention that revolutionized the production of cotton
a.Interchangeable parts
b.The Cotton Gin
c.The Steam Engine
d.River powered machinery
18.The first textile mill was set up in which state?
a.Rhode Island
b.Maine
c.Massachusetts
d.Virginia
19.The inventor of the telegraph was
a.Samuel Morse
b.Alexander Graham Bell
c.Jim Bowie
d.Bill Gates
20.Specialization is defined as
a.Only producing specific items or crops in order to make a profit
b.The earlier name of Universities during the 1800’s
c.Small units in the Army such resembling modern Green Berets
d.Making parts so that they can be used to assemble multiple items
21.A free market economy in which individuals own the means of production is
a.Communism
b.Capitalism
c.Aristocracy
d.Fascism
22.All of the following were advantages of railroads over canals except that
a.They were faster
b.They could go places canals couldn’t
c.Railroad tracks were always clear
d.Canals freeze in the winter
23.John Deere was the inventor of the
a.Vulcanized rubber
b.Sewing Machine
c.Mechanical Reaper
d.Steel Plow
24.The view that America should spread West to the Pacific Ocean was known as
a.Laizze Faire
b.Abolitionism
c.Manifest Territory
d.Manifest Destiny
25.Ports on the West coast allowed new trade with which of the following countries?
a.Spain
b.Vietnam
c.Taiwan
d.China
26.After the death of Joseph Smith, the Mormons were lead by Brigham Young to
a.San Francisco
b.Chicago
c.Utah (Salt Lake City)
d.Nevada (Las Vegas)
27.The slogan “fifty-four forty or fight” refers to
a.The U.S. border with Mexico in Texas
b.The U.S. border with Canada in Oregon
c.The U.S. border with Canada in Maine
d.The U.S. border with Mexico in California
28.The mission system was put in place to
a.Convert Indians to Catholicism
b.Convert Immigrants to Catholicism
c.Convert Americans during the Second Great Awakening
d.Convert people to become Mormons
29.Empresarios were
a.Land agents
b.Rulers in Mexico
c.Indian chiefs
d.Generals in the Mexican military
30.Northern states were not in favor with taking over Mexican territory because they
a.Feared a war with Mexico’s ally France
b.Thought that the Mexican army would defeat them
c.They didn’t feel America had the right to invade other countries
d.They didn’t want the territory to come in as slave states
31.New Mexico was conquered
a.Without firing a shot because they wanted to join the United States
b.After the extremely bloody battle of Sante Fe
c.They surrendered after the fall of Mexico City
d.New Mexico remained a territory of Mexico until 1927
32.The forty-niners were
a.People heading to Oregon
b.People heading to California looking for gold
c.People heading into cheap land in New Mexico
d.People in Austin’s colonies
33.A famous general in the Mexican war that became President of the U.S. was
a.Abraham Lincoln
b.Santa Anna
c.Zachary Taylor
d.James K. Polk
34.The colony founded by Stephen Austin eventually became
a.Texas
b.California
c.New Mexico
d.Arizona
35. Charles Finley was known for being
a.A famous minister during the 2nd Great Awakening
b.A famous abolitionist
c.A slave that led a rebellion
d.Someone that supported education reform
36.Dorothea Dix was known for being
a.A famous abolitionist
b.A supporter of prison reform
c.An conductor of the Underground Railroad
d.The director of the first college for women
37.An example of civil disobedience would be
a.Rosa Parks sitting in the white section of the bus even though it was illegal.
b.Nat Turner leading a slave revolt
c.Suggesting that the slaves be forcibly freed from the South
d.Getting a parking ticket and then paying it
38.The only way that Shakers could gain new members was to
a.Have children
b.Recruit new members
c.Buy slaves
d.Invest in clone research and hope for the best
39.The Name of Henry David Thoreau’s book written after living 2 years in a log cabin was
a.The Liberator
b.Walden
c.The Crucible
d.The North Star
40.In the early 1800’s the mentally ill were housed in
a.Asylums
b.Were left out on the streets
c.Prisons
d.Forced to stay with their families
41.Horace Mann was a big proponent of
a.Slavery
b.Abolition
c.Women’s rights
d.Education reform
42.Frederick Douglas was the editor of the
a.Liberator
b.Walden
c.The Underground Railroad
d.The North Star
43.The benefit of a slave owner allowing his slave to become an urban slave was
a.He was payed the value of the slave
b.He received tax breaks
c.He would receive the wages of the slave and not have to feed, clothe or supervise them
d.There was no benefit
44.The cult of domesticity was
a.A religion popular in the early 1800’s
b.A group of abolitionists
c.The belief that women should take care of the house and raise children once married
d.A women rights group that formed after Seneca Falls
45.During the Virginia Debate…
a.Slavery was almost allowed in Virginia
b.Slavery was almost outlawed in Virginia
c.Virginia almost left the Union
d.Virginia tried to declare a tariff on tobacco unconstitutional
46.The temperance movement was related to limiting
a.Alcohol consumption
b.Slavery
c.The education of women
d.Public dueling
47.Bloomers were
a.Women who were exceptionally bright at school
b.A style of pants and skirt worn by women
c.Flowers that could bloom in any climate
d.A group of abolitionists who used flowers as their secret sign
48.Seneca Falls Convention dealt with
a.Slavery
b.Prison Reform
c.Women’s rights
d.Health care reform
49.Sojurner Truth was not liked by the women’s movement because
a.She was an African American
b.She was from the south and the women’s movement occurred in the North
c.She was from another country and could not speak English
d.She was an abolitionist and grouped it with women’s rights
50.A cottage industry is
a.One that focuses on building houses
b.One that focuses on furnishing houses
c.A small business one operates out of the home
d.The precursor to the cheese industry
51.A journeyman is defined as
a.An escaped slave
b.A skilled craftsman of rank between apprentice and master
c.Free African Americans in the South
d.A homeless person in American cities in the 1800’s.
52.Windows were sealed shut in textile factories to
a.Keep humidity in so that threads would not get dry and brittle
b.Keep workers from sneaking out
c.Keep thieves from stealing things at night
d.Prevent the noise from the factory to bother the surrounding homes
53.Textile factory workers were mainly comprised of
a.Young women
b.Slaves
c.Immigrants from Ireland
d.White males
54.Strikes were usually easily won by factory owners because
a.The workers would run out of money and take their jobs back
b.They could easily hire poor immigrants for less money then they were originally paying
c.It was illegal to strike
d.Factories did not require many people to operate so strikes had little effect
55.The mass immigration from Ireland to the United States was in large part to the
a.The Invasion of Ireland by Scotland during the 1800’s
b.People fleeing a devastating plague in Europe
c.The potato famine
d.A failed attempt at enslaving the Irish population
56.Emancipation is defined as
a.The freeing of African American Slaves
b.Starving slaves to punish them for disobedience
c.Allowing all people in the country to vote
d.Moving from one country to another
57.What was the outcome of Turner’s Rebellion?
a.Slavery was outlawed in Virginia
b.60 people were killed, Turner was caught and hung
c.Turner and others escaped to freedom in Canada
d.Legislatures were pressured to end slave laws
58.A gag rule was put in place in the early 1800’s to prevent legislatures from discussing the issue of
a.Women’s rights
b.Religion
c.The abolition of slavery
d.The Southern States succeeding from the Union
59. The inventor of the typewriter was
a.Alexander Bell
b.Thomas Edison
c.Christopher Sholes
d.William Lloyd Wright
60.Promitory Point was the location
a.Where the first transcontinental railroad was completed
b.Where William McKinley was shot
c.Where Alexander Graham Bell had the first phone call
d.Where oil was first discovered in the US.
61.Time zones were originally known as
a.Local time
b.Central Time
c.Railroad time
d.International Time
62.Laws created by states to regulate railroad freight prices
a.Granger Laws
b.ICC Laws
c.Anti-Trust Laws
d.Regulatory Laws
63.Economic system where the government controls the means of production
a.Social Darwinism
b.Capitalism
c.Socialism
d.Totalitarianism
64.All of the following happened in the crisis of 1893 except
a.Railroads failed
b.4 million people were unemployed
c.Many banks had to close
d.Standard Oil went out of business
65.John D. Rockefeller created what company?
a.Union Pacific
b.Central Pacific
c.Standard Oil
d.Carnegie Steel
66.Which philanthropist gave away 90 percent of his fortune to charity?
a.John D. Rockefeller
b.Andrew Carnegie
c.William H. Taft
d.William Biltmore
67.The process that first allowed iron to be refined into steel
a.Bessemer Process
b.Open Hearth
c.Smelting
d.Granging
68.All of the following were large buyers of steel except
a.Railroads
b.Farmers
c.Builders
d.The government
69.The creator of the incandescent light bulb was
a.Andrew Carnegie
b.Christopher Sholes
c.Thomas Edison
d.Alexander Graham Bell
70.What company was accused of overcharging railroads to give its stockholders huge profits?
a.Standard Oil
b.Credit-Mobiler
c.Carnegie Steel
d.Union Pacific
71.The New York Factory that burned killing many of its workers who were unable to escape
a.Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
b.Pullman Factory
c.Lowell Factory
d.Square Pantsthigh Factory
72.The tool that made drilling for oil profitable was the
a.Steel bits
b.Railroad tanker cars
c.Steam powered drills
d.TNT
73.What is the main impurity removed from iron to make steel?
a.Carbon
b.Nitrogen
c.Lead
d.Silicon
74.All of the following groups contributed heavily to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad except
a.Chinese
b.Irish
c.Civil War Veterans
d.Polish
75.What industrialist set up a model community for his factory workers to live in?
a.Andrew Carnegie
b.George Pullman
c.Thomas Edison
d.William Rockefeller
76.The belief that business is a natural process and should not be regulated by government
a.Socialism
b.Natural Selection
c.Social Darwinism
d.Communism
77.Owning all of the steps of production for a product
a.Monopoly
b.Trust
c.Vertical Integration
d.Horizontal Integration
78.Almost all immigrants from Europe came through
a.Angel Island
b.Long Island
c.Ellis Island
d.Knotts Island
79.The Gentlemen’s agreement was between the United States and
a.China
b.Japan
c.Ireland
d.Mexico
80.The head of Tammany Hall was
a.William McKinley
b.Boss Tweed
c.Thomas Nast
d.Grover Cleveland
81.The Kodak camera was created by
a.Thomas Edison
b.George Eastman
c.Charles Sholes
d.James Kodak
82.The first African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard was
a.Booker T. Washington
b.WEB Dubois
c.Frederick Douglas
d.Dr. Martin Luther King
83.The Pen Name of Samuel Clemons was
a.Mark Twain
b.WEB Dubois
c.Booker T. Washington
d.Boss Tweed
84.The most famous catalogue was put out by
a.JC Penny
b.Sears Roebuck
c.JP Morgan
d.Bloomingdales
85.Theodore Roosevelt became president after the assassination of
a.William Taft
b.William McKinley
c.Eugene Debs
d.Herbert Hoover
86.The book by Upton Sinclaire that led to public uproar was
a.The Grapes of Wrath
b.The History of Standard Oil
c.The Communist Manifesto
d.The Jungle
87.The type of local government that began in Dayton Ohio was the
a.Council System
b.Council Mayor System
c.Committee System
d.Command System
88.The writer of the History of Standard Oil was
a.Ida Tarbell
b.Upton Sinclaire
c.John Rockefeller
d.William McKinley
89.The Party created by Theodore Roosevelt was the
a.Republican Party
b.Independent Party
c.Bull Moose Party
d.American Party
90.The decentralized public banking system under government control in which the nation is divided into 12 districts each with a central bank is the
a.Federal Bank System
b.Federal Monetary System
c.Federal Reserve System
d.Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
91.What ship was blown up in Cuban waters bringing the United States into the Spanish American War?
a.The Lucitania
b.The USS Maine
c.The USS Rhode Island
d.The USS Philadelphia
92.The Open Door policy deals with which of the following countries?
a.Japan
b.Cuba
c.Russia
d.China
93.Where was a Canal built connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific?
a.Costa Rica
b.Mexico
c.Panama
d.Egypt
94.A bill created by the people and voted on by the people
a.Initiative
b.Recall
c.Referendum
d.Elective
95.Woodrow Wilson had been all of the following except
a.Governor of New Jersey
b.Governor of New York
c.President of Princeton
d.A Lawyer
96.The Boxer Rebellion occurred in
a.Japan
b.The Philippines
c.China
d.Thailand
97.Roosevelt ended the Coal Mine Strike of 1902 by threatening to
a.Jail the Union Leaders
b.Fine the owners
c.Raise coal tariffs
d.Take over the mines
98.The Amendment that gave women the right to vote was the
a.14th Amendment
b.16th Amendment
c.17th Amendment
d.19th Amendment
99.The term Muckraker came from which of the following books?
a.Pilgrim’s Progress
b.The Jungle
c.The History of Standard Oil
d.Tom Sawyer
100.The Platt Amendment dealt with which country?
a.Cuba
b.Puerto Rico
c.The Philippines
d.Guam
John Daniels is a former High School teacher who also has over 7 years of experience as a computer technician. He runs a site providing computer hardware and tech advice at www.broketech.com. It is part of the John W. Daniels Network at www.johnwdaniels.com.
