5th grade Social Studies practice sheet
Washington State Learning Standards · from Gradelings · Name: ______________________
Question 1
Pocahontas was the daughter of the leader of which group of nations in Virginia?
- The Powhatan
- The Inca
- The Sioux
- The Aztec
The Powhatan
Hint: The Jamestown colony was built on their land.
Question 2
What was a town meeting in New England?
- A church service only
- A meeting of the king's army
- A gathering where townspeople discussed and voted on local issues
- A trial in England
A gathering where townspeople discussed and voted on local issues
Hint: It was an early form of local democracy.
Question 3
What does it mean to specialize?
- To make everything yourself
- To focus on making one kind of good or service
- To give things away
- To stop working
To focus on making one kind of good or service
Hint: A cooper made only barrels.
Question 4
What was a boycott in colonial times?
- A tax on paper
- A kind of ship
- Refusing to buy British goods as a protest
- A British soldier
Refusing to buy British goods as a protest
Hint: Colonists stopped buying to make a point.
Question 5
What does "unalienable" mean?
- Belongs to the king
- Cannot be taken away
- Only for soldiers
- Can be sold
Cannot be taken away
Hint: These rights belong to people by nature.
Question 6
What is an amendment?
- A type of court
- A change or addition to the Constitution
- A tax
- A colony
A change or addition to the Constitution
Hint: To amend is to change.
Question 7
Which ocean is on the west coast of the United States?
- The Indian Ocean
- The Pacific Ocean
- The Arctic Ocean
- The Atlantic Ocean
The Pacific Ocean
Hint: Washington State touches it.
Question 8
Which is a secondary source?
- A textbook chapter about the colonies
- George Washington's diary
- The Declaration of Independence
- A colonial newspaper from 1770
A textbook chapter about the colonies
Hint: Written later, by someone who wasn't there.
Question 9
Why did Native nations in different regions live in different kinds of homes?
- Homes were bought from traders overseas
- European colonists built the homes for them
- They all copied the same plan
- They used the materials and climate of their own region
They used the materials and climate of their own region
Hint: Think about what grows and what the weather is like in each place.
Question 10
Which three regions were the 13 colonies divided into?
- Mountain, River and Lake colonies
- Northern, Western and Island colonies
- Pacific, Plains and Desert colonies
- New England, Middle and Southern colonies
New England, Middle and Southern colonies
Hint: One region has the word "New" in its name.
Answer key
- 1. The Powhatan (Native Nations & Encounters)
- 2. A gathering where townspeople discussed and voted on local issues (The Thirteen Colonies)
- 3. To focus on making one kind of good or service (Colonial Trade & Work)
- 4. Refusing to buy British goods as a protest (Road to Revolution)
- 5. Cannot be taken away (The American Revolution)
- 6. A change or addition to the Constitution (Building a Government)
- 7. The Pacific Ocean (Mapping the United States)
- 8. A textbook chapter about the colonies (History Detective)
- 9. They used the materials and climate of their own region (Native Nations & Encounters)
- 10. New England, Middle and Southern colonies (The Thirteen Colonies)
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.