Big Ideas & Vocab
What does cultural identity mean?
A) A group’s favorite foods and entertainment choices
B) The way people define themselves through traditions, beliefs, language, and history
C) The laws and rules that people must follow in a country
The way people define themselves through traditions, beliefs, language, and history
What was the Proclamation of 1763 meant to control?
A) The trade agreements between colonists and Native Americans
B) The regions where British colonists were allowed to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains
C) The collection of taxes and tariffs on imported goods
The regions where British colonists were allowed to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains
What was the goal of the Monroe Doctrine?
A) To encourage European countries to trade with the Americas
B) To warn European nations not to interfere in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere
C) To expand U.S. territory into European-controlled lands
To keep European countries out of the Americas.
Who fought in the War of 1812?
A) The United States and Great Britain
B) The United States and Spain over Florida
C) Native American tribes and settlers in the Northwest
The United States and Great Britain.
What two ideas are written in the Declaration of Independence?
A) Freedom and equality
B) Taxes and trade agreements
C) Land and borders
Freedom and equality.
What does territorial expansion mean in U.S. history?
A) When the United States gained land and increased its borders
B) The building of cities, roads, and railways across the country
C) The process of creating new states through elections and legislation
When the United States gained land and expanded its borders.
Which country did the U.S. gain independence from in the Treaty of Paris (1783)?
A) France, which had previously helped the colonies
B) Great Britain, which had controlled the colonies for many years
C) Spain, which owned nearby territories in North America
Great Britain, which had controlled the colonies for many years
What idea helped justify westward expansion called Manifest Destiny?
A) That the U.S. had a duty to spread democracy and civilization across the continent
B) That the U.S. should focus on industrial growth in cities first
C) That citizens should vote for new leaders to approve western settlement
That the U.S. had a duty to spread democracy and civilization across the continent
Why did Texas fight for independence?
A) To join the United States immediately
B) To break away from Mexico and govern themselves
C) To avoid paying taxes to Britain
To break away from Mexico and govern themselves
What does citizenship mean?
A) Being recognized as a legal member of a country with rights and responsibilities
B) Owning property or land in a country
C) Traveling to different countries for work or school
Being a legal member of a country.
What is a treaty?
A) A formal agreement between two or more nations or groups
B) A set of rules written by one country to control its citizens
C) A ceremony or celebration marking an important event
A formal agreement between two or more nations or groups
Why was the Louisiana Purchase important?
A) It doubled the size of the United States and gave control of the Mississippi River
B) It provided land for the Gold Rush and westward settlers
C) It ended conflicts with Native Americans and European nations in the area
It doubled the size of the United States and gave control of the Mississippi River
What did the Indian Removal Act cause?
A) It forced Native American tribes to leave their lands and move west of the Mississippi River
B) It allowed tribes to keep their land but follow U.S. laws
C) It created agreements for Native Americans to trade with settlers
Forced relocation of Native American tribes.
What conflict followed the annexation of Texas?
A) The Mexican-American War
B) The War of 1812
C) The Civil War
The Mexican-American War.
Why is the U.S. considered a diverse nation?
A) Because it has large cities and many mountains
B) Because people from many cultures, languages, and traditions live there
C) Because it has different climates across the country
Many cultures, languages, and traditions exist here.
What does sovereignty mean?
A) A large area of land owned by the government
B) The authority to govern oneself or make independent decisions
C) A type of government office or official position
The authority to govern oneself or make independent decisions
What was the purpose of the Corps of Discovery (Lewis and Clark expedition)?
A) To explore and map the newly acquired western lands and learn about Native tribes and resources
B) To establish military forts to protect the western borders
C) To find gold and other valuable minerals for the United States
To explore and map the newly acquired western lands and learn about Native tribes and resources
What did the Dawes Act try to do to Native Americans?
A) Provide free education and jobs for Native Americans in cities
B) Give tribes control over the entire western territories
C) Break up tribal lands into individual plots and encourage them to adopt U.S. cultural practices
Break up tribal lands and force assimilation.
What land did the U.S. gain after the Mexican-American War?
A) Florida and the Louisiana Territory
B) Alaska and parts of Canada
C) Large parts of the Southwest, including California and New Mexico
Large parts of the Southwest.
Who are immigrants?
A) People born in the country who stay in their hometown
B) People who travel for business or vacation
C) People who move to a new country to live there
People who move to a new country to live there.
What does assimilation mean?
A) Learning about the traditions of other groups without changing one’s own
B) Moving from one region to another for economic reasons
C) When a group is encouraged or forced to adopt the customs, culture, or language of another group
When a group is pressured to adopt the culture of another group.
How did westward expansion affect Native American tribes?
A) Tribes were given large portions of land and full U.S. citizenship
B) Native Americans gained new allies and trading opportunities with settlers
C) Many were forced to leave their homelands and move to unfamiliar regions
Many were forced to leave their homelands and move to unfamiliar regions
Which group usually gained power from these government policies?
A) Native American leaders who adapted quickly
B) Settlers and the U.S. government who gained land and resources
C) European countries that had colonies in the Americas
The U.S. government and settlers.
How did these wars shape U.S. borders?
A) They expanded U.S. territory west and southwest
B) They caused the U.S. to lose land to neighboring countries
C) They only affected trade routes without changing borders
They expanded U.S. territory west and southwest
How has U.S. identity changed over time?
A) New groups, ideas, and cultures have shaped it
B) It has stayed exactly the same since its founding
C) Only the government and laws have changed
New groups, ideas, and cultures have shaped it.