8th grade Social Studies practice sheet
Alaska content standards · from Gradelings · Name: ______________________
Question 1
Vasco da Gama reached India by sailing around Africa in…
- 1776
- 1498
- 1066
1498
Hint: He sailed around the Cape of Good Hope.
Question 2
Ancient Athens gave the world the idea of…
- feudalism
- absolute monarchy
- democracy, rule by citizens
democracy, rule by citizens
Hint: Citizens voted in the assembly.
Question 3
Shays' Rebellion (1786–1787) convinced many leaders that…
- the Articles of Confederation were too weak
- the states needed kings
- Britain should return
- taxes should end
the Articles of Confederation were too weak
Hint: Farmers rose up in Massachusetts.
Question 4
Which amendment says powers not given to the national government belong to the states or the people?
- The Sixth Amendment
- The Thirteenth Amendment
- The First Amendment
- The Tenth Amendment
The Tenth Amendment
Hint: Reserved powers.
Question 5
Many Irish and German immigrants came in the 1840s and 1850s. Where did many Irish work?
- As plantation owners
- In gold mines in Alaska
- In cities, factories and building canals and railroads
- In Congress
In cities, factories and building canals and railroads
Hint: Hard jobs for low pay.
Question 6
Many Black families searched for relatives after the war because…
- They wanted to move to Europe
- Slavery had separated families through sale
- They had lost maps
- They were bored
Slavery had separated families through sale
Hint: Newspaper ads helped reunite families.
Question 7
What was the Anaconda Plan?
- A plan to free Canada
- A tax law
- The Union plan to blockade Southern ports and control the Mississippi
- A Confederate railroad
The Union plan to blockade Southern ports and control the Mississippi
Hint: Squeeze the South like a snake.
Question 8
Which research plan is the clearest?
- choose a topic, write questions, find sources, take notes, then draw conclusions
- write the report before researching
- guess the answers first
- copy a website
choose a topic, write questions, find sources, take notes, then draw conclusions
Hint: Plan topics, goals and methods.
Question 9
The table shows made-up data. What does it suggest about literacy rate and life expectancy?
Made-up data for five countries Country Literacy rate (%) Life expectancy (years) A 99 82 B 92 76 C 75 68 D 55 60 E 38 54 - As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to rise.
- As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to fall.
- There is no pattern.
- Both stay the same.
As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to rise.
Hint: Compare the columns: higher literacy goes with longer life expectancy.
Question 10
In the 1770s, Captain James Cook mapped…
- the Andes
- much of the Pacific, including Australia's east coast
- the Sahara
much of the Pacific, including Australia's east coast
Hint: He made three Pacific voyages.
Answer key
- 1. 1498 (Exploration & Exchange)
- 2. democracy, rule by citizens (Founding Ideas)
- 3. the Articles of Confederation were too weak (A New Nation)
- 4. The Tenth Amendment (Rights & Amendments)
- 5. In cities, factories and building canals and railroads (Factories & Reformers)
- 6. Slavery had separated families through sale (Reconstruction)
- 7. The Union plan to blockade Southern ports and control the Mississippi (The Civil War)
- 8. choose a topic, write questions, find sources, take notes, then draw conclusions (Sources & Evidence)
- 9. As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to rise. (Maps, Graphs & Data)
- 10. much of the Pacific, including Australia's east coast (Exploration & Exchange)
Want more than 10 questions?
In Gradelings the questions change every time and adjust to your child, with hints and kind feedback. See all social studies units.