Primary Sources
What is a primary source?
A. A textbook chapter on World War II
B. A firsthand account from the time of an event
C. An article summarizing historical events
D. A website with general information about history
A. A firsthand account from the time of an event
What is one way to check if a source is reliable?
A. By checking if it has lots of colorful pictures
B. By seeing if it is written by an expert or organization with authority on the topic
C. By finding out if it’s available on social media
D. By seeing if it has a popular rating
B. By seeing if it is written by an expert or organization with authority on the topic
What was one strength of the Articles of Confederation?
A. It created a strong national government.
B. It allowed the 13 states to work together as an alliance.
C. It set up a national court system.
D. It required states to follow the same laws.
B. It allowed the 13 states to work together as an alliance.
Which goal is NOT stated in the Preamble?
A. To establish justice
B. To form a more perfect union
C. To promote the pursuit of happiness
D. To provide for the common defense
C. To promote the pursuit of happiness
Who is the leader of the executive branch of government at the federal level?
A. The Chief Justice
B. Speaker of the House
C. President Pro Tempore
D. The President of the U.S.
D. The President of the U.S.
Which source would be considered a primary source?
A. A passage about the Presidential inauguration in an encyclopedia
B. A textbook chapter about Abraham Lincoln
C. A biography written about Rosa Parks
D. An audio recording of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech
D. An audio recording of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech
A student is writing a research paper about the preservation of the South American rainforest. Choose two questions she should consider when assessing the credibility of sources.
A. How recently was the source published?
B. Does the article come from a person or organization that has the authority to write about the rainforest?
C. Is the source a Weebly website?
D. Are there colorful images about wildlife included in the source?
E. Does the webpage have links?
A & B
A. How recently was the source published?
B. Does the article come from a person or organization that has the authority to write about the rainforest?
Which is a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
A. A national armed forces was not created.
B. Trade with other countries was encouraged.
C. An alliance developed among the 13 colonies.
D. Colonists were able to create their own businesses.
A. A national armed forces was not created.
True or False: The Preamble to the Constitution lists specific laws that citizens must follow.
A. True
B. False
B. False
Who is in charge of the executive branch of government at the state level?
A. Governor
B. Representative
C. President
D. Attorney General
A. Governor
How can a primary source help a historian answer questions about the past?
A. A primary source shares many points of view about the past.
B. A primary source gives all the details of events from the past.
C. A primary source gives an account of the past from someone who experienced it.
D. A primary source shares what people think happened in the past.
C. A primary source gives an account of the past from someone who experienced it.
How can evidence be evaluated for factual accuracy?
A. Ask the author if the information is true.
B. Find any information that may have been left out.
C. Check the evidence for emotional appeal.
D. Check the evidence against multiple sources to compare.
D. Check the evidence against multiple sources to compare.
Which document replaced the Articles of Confederation?
A. The Constitution of the United States of America
B. The Declaration of Independence
C. The Bill of Rights
D. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
A. The Constitution of the United States of America
What is the purpose of the Preamble to the Constitution?
A. It states that citizens have freedom of religious beliefs and opinions.
B. It lists the complaints citizens had against the British government.
C. It explains the reasons why the U.S. Constitution was written.
D. It explains why the colonies declared their independence from Britain.
C. It explains the reasons why the U.S. Constitution was written.
Which statement is an example of the judicial branch exercising its authority over the legislative branch?
A. Creating new laws
B. Declaring a law unconstitutional
C. Electing Supreme Court Justices
D. Creating drafts for new laws
B. Declaring a law unconstitutional
True or False: A photograph taken during the Civil Rights Movement is considered a primary source.
A. True
B. False
A. True
Why is it important to know when a source was published?
A. To make sure the information is still relevant
B. To know if it has more than one author
C. To find out if it is written in another language
D. To see if it has good grammar
A. To make sure the information is still relevant
Under the Articles of Confederation, who held most of the power?
A. The national government
B. The individual states
C. The federal courts
D. The military
B. The individual states
What does the phrase "establish justice" in the Preamble mean?
A. To protect the nation’s borders
B. To ensure everyone has the same job
C. To create fair laws and courts
D. To make sure people pay taxes
C. To create fair laws and courts
Which of the following powers does the Legislative Branch have?
A. The power to interpret the Constitution
B. The power to pass laws
C. The power to elect Supreme Court Justices
D. The power to enforce laws
B. The power to pass laws
Which of these would NOT be a primary source?
A. A diary from a soldier in World War I
B. A newspaper article written today about the American Revolution
C. A letter written by George Washington
D. A journal entry by a Pilgrim in 1620
B. A newspaper article written today about the American Revolution
Which would be the best source for a report on current environmental science?
A. A recent scientific study
B. A blog post about nature
C. A book written 50 years ago
D. A magazine article about gardening
A. A recent scientific study
Why did the Articles of Confederation make it hard to enforce laws?
A. There were too many laws.
B. The central government was too weak.
C. The states didn’t want laws.
D. The laws were too complicated.
B. The central government was too weak.
Which of these principles of government is demonstrated when the Governor of Maryland vetoes a bill?
A. Federalism
B. Popular Sovereignty
C. Checks and balances
D. Representative democracy
C. Checks and balances
Which of the following is NOT a guaranteed right in the Bill of Rights?
A. Right to a fair trial
B. Right to free speech
C. Right to freedom of religion
D. Right to print money
D. Right to print money