Social studies released_items_oct_2011[1]

STAARTM

State of Texas Assessments of

Academic Readiness

SOCIAL STUDIES

Grade 8 2011 Released Test Questions

These released questions represent selected TEKS student expectations for each reporting category. These questions are samples only and do not represent all the student expectations eligible for assessment.

Copyright © 2011, Texas Education Agency. All rights reserved. Reproduction of all or portions of this work is prohibited

without express written permission from the Texas Education Agency.

STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies 2011 ReleaseReleased Test Questions

1

Your Highnesses . . . resolved to send me . . . to the said parts of India to see the said princes, and the cities and lands, and their disposition, with a view that they might __________; and ordered that I should not go by land to the eastw? ard, as had been customary, but that I should go by way of the west, whither up to this day, we do not know for certain that any one has gone.

—Christopher Columbus

Which of the following completes the excerpt?

A teach us how to craft their goods

B be converted to our holy faith

C be brought to our country as slaves

D teach us about the stars and planets

2

Of the complicated European systems of national polity we have heretofore been independent. From their wars, their tumults, and anxieties we have been, happily, almost entirely exempt. Whilst these are confined to the nations which gave them existence, . . . they can not affect us except as they appeal to our sympathies in the cause of human freedom and universal advancement.

—President Franklin Pierce, inaugural address, 1853

These remarks best reflect a confirmation of which U.S. president’s foreign-policy goals?

A George Washington

B James Madison

C James Monroe

D John Quincy Adams

Page 2

3

Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory, and shed American blood upon the American soil.

And whereas this House desires to obtain a full knowledge of all the facts which go to establish whether the particular spot of soil on which the blood of our citizens was so shed was, or was not, our own soil, at that time . . .

This is no war of defence, but one unnecessary and of offensive aggression.

Such a “conquest,” stigmatize it as you please, must necessarily be a great blessing to the conquered.

These excerpts offer different points of view about —

A the Texas War of Independence

B the admission of California to the Union

C the U.S.-Mexican War

D the acquisition of the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico


Page 3

4 In 1854, Anthony Burns, a fugitive slave from Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested in Boston and returned to Virginia. Which federal legislation provided the basis for Burns’s arrest?

A The Kansas-Nebraska Act

B The Homestead Act

C The Compromise of 1850

D The Gadsden Purchase

5


1850 1870

KEY City Population

10,000–250,000 250,001–1 million

Over 1 million State as of census day

Which of these best explains the change in population and distribution of U.S. cities from 1850 to 1870?

A The passage of homesteading legislation

B The admission of new states to the Union

C The expansion of the railroad system and increased industrialization

D The emancipation of slaves after the Civil War

Page 4

6


Erie Canal Aqueduct, Rochester, New York

Which of these resulted from the modification to the environment shown in this illustration?

A The surrounding area became more industrialized.

B Community parks were established to preserve wildlife.

C Property was damaged by increased flooding.

D Crop irrigation declined because of water pollution.

7 Although many farmers fought in the Civil War, farms in both the Union and Confederacy were able to continue operating because —

A military officers assigned troops to work on farms

B new farm machinery was imported from overseas

C women often managed farm operations

D relief organizations provided emergency farm labor

Page 5

8 Which excerpt from the Constitution expresses the principle of federalism?

A “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States. . . .”

B “The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate. . . .”

C “The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour. . . .”

D “The powers not delegated to the United States . . . are reserved to the States respectively. . . .”

9

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof. . . .

—Article V of the U.S. Constitution

Article V, excerpted above, is included in the U.S. Constitution to allow for the —

A adaptation of laws to reflect changes in society

B revision of laws by the executive branch

C resolution of conflicts through the judicial system

D validation of elections by a national authority


Page 6


10 A writ of habeas corpus requires an official to bring a prisoner before a civil court to justify the prisoner’s arrest. President Abraham Lincoln authorized the suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War.

Ex parte Merryman

In 1861, John Merryman, a citizen of Maryland, was imprisoned by military order and held without trial. He challenged the power of the

president to suspend habeas corpus.

Chief Justice Roger B. Taney reviewed the case and decided that only Congress had the power to suspend habeas corpus.

President Lincoln and his administration continued to suspend habeas corpus throughout the Civil War.

By ignoring Chief Justice Taney’s ruling, President Lincoln —

A exercised a constitutional check on judicial power

B disregarded the principle of judicial review

C upheld the concept of federalism

D invoked the principle of separation of powers

Page 7

11


N

EW

S

The two shaded states on this map were admitted to the Union under the terms of a compromise involving the —

A resolution of a boundary dispute with Great Britain

B expansion of slavery into western territories

C relocation of American Indians to western territories

D counting of the slave population for purposes of representation

Page 8

12

• Canal networks • Swiftly flowing rivers • Extensive railroad systems • Banking and investment centers

In the nineteenth century, the availability of the resources in this list resulted in —

A an increase in the number of factories in the Northeast

B the development of industrial labor unions in the South

C an increase in the number of immigrants moving to the South

D the expansion of commercial agriculture in the Northeast


13 How did the disruption in Atlantic shipping prior to and during the War of 1812 significantly affect the U.S. economy?

A Imports of raw materials increased in the Northeast.

B Americans emigrated to Europe to find manufacturing jobs.

C Cotton sales from southern states to Europe increased.

D American industries expanded to provide replacements for foreign goods.

Page 9

14


Factors Contributing to the Industrial Revolution in the

United States

• The flow of imported goods is cut off during the War of 1812.

• Manufacturers invest in industrial technology.

• River water provides power to run factory machines.

• ?

Which of the following best completes the table above?

A Immigration expands the labor force.

B The government seizes control of factories.

C Overland trade routes become obsolete.

D A scarcity of raw materials causes prices to rise.

Page 10

STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies 2011 ReleaseAnswer Key

Item Number

Reporting Category

Readiness or Supporting

Content Student Expectation

Process Student Expectation

Correct Answer

1 1 Readiness 8.2(A) 8.29(B) B 2 1 Readiness 8.5(E) 8.29(B) A 3 1 Readiness 8.6(D) 8.29(E) C 4 1 Readiness 8.7(C) C 5 2 Readiness 8.10(B) 8.29(J) C 6 2 Supporting 8.11(B) 8.29(C) A 7 2 Supporting 8.23(E) C 8 3 Readiness 8.15(D) D 9 3 Readiness 8.16(A) 8.29(B) A 10 3 Readiness 8.18(A) 8.29(C) B 11 3 Supporting 8.21(C) 8.29(C) B 12 4 Supporting 8.12(C) 8.29(B) A 13 4 Supporting 8.13(A) D 14 4 Readiness 8.13(B) 8.29(B) A

For more information about the new STAAR assessments, go to www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/.

Page 11

STAARTM


Academic Readiness

U.S. History 2011 Released Test Questions


Copyright © 2011, Texas Education Agency. All rights reserved. Reproduction of all or portions of this work is prohibited without express written permission from the Texas Education Agency.

2

STAAR U.S. History 2011 ReleaseReleased Test Questions

1 After the attacks on September 11, 2001, how did U.S. foreign policy change?

A The administration authorized preemptive strikes against nations sponsoring terrorism.

B A program to reduce military bases and personnel in Europe was announced.

C Military aid to Pakistan and Afghanistan was immediately cut off.

D Diplomatic efforts to negotiate peace between Israel and Palestine were abandoned.

Questions Asked of Japanese Americans in 1943

No. 27. Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on combat duty, wherever ordered?

No. 28. Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States of America and faithfully defend the United States from any or all attack by foreign or domestic forces, and foreswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, or any other foreign government, power, or organization?

Japanese Americans were required to answer these questions before they were —

A given a dishonorable discharge from the military

B allowed to contest deportation orders to return to Japan

C released from relocation centers

D allowed to apply for repatriation to Japan

Page 2

3


Cam

bod

ia

Laos

Vietnam

KoreaChina

This drawing illustrates the U.S. rationale behind —

A entering agreements designed to prevent the use of nuclear weapons

B establishing diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China

C implementing a free-trade agreement with the government of North Korea

D providing military aid to Ngo Dinh Diem’s government

Page 3

4 Which set of events is listed in chronological order?


1. The United States declares war against Japan. 2. President Richard Nixon resigns. A 3. The Supreme Court upholds segregation in Plessy v. Ferguson. 4. Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected to a second presidential term.

1. The Supreme Court upholds segregation in Plessy v. Ferguson. 2. The United States declares war against Japan. B 3. Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected to a second presidential term. 4. President Richard Nixon resigns.

1. Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected to a second presidential term. 2. The Supreme Court upholds segregation in Plessy v. Ferguson. C 3. President Richard Nixon resigns. 4. The United States declares war against Japan.

1. President Richard Nixon resigns. 2. The United States declares war against Japan. D 3. Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected to a second presidential term. 4. The Supreme Court upholds segregation in Plessy v. Ferguson.

5 During the early 1900s, Booker T. Washington supported a moderate strategy for attaining civil rights for African Americans, while W. E. B. Du Bois called for a more aggressive approach. During the 1960s, a similar difference emerged between —

A Medgar Evers and Thurgood Marshall

B Barbara Jordan and Alice Walker

C Rosa Parks and Marcus Garvey

D Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X

Page 4

6


House in Milton, North Dakota, 1898

Fred

Hul

tstr

and

Hist

ory

in P

ictu

res

Colle

ctio

n, N

DIR

S-ND

SU, F

argo

Homesteaders on the Great Plains found it necessary to build the type of house shown in thephotograph because —

A the ground was not stable enough to support heavier structures

B unpredictable weather conditions required settlers to build shelter rapidly

C access to timber was limited by distance and lack of transportation

D settlers lacked the skill required to build more-permanent structures

Page 5

7


Rural Urban

Suburban

1

2

43

Which arrow represents the heaviest volume of migration within the United States since 1960?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

Page 6

8


Imag

e co

urte

sy o

f Cle

vela

nd S

tate

Uni

vers

ity

This informational poster illustrates —

A the resentment shown toward immigrants for taking U.S. jobs

B a government effort to implement quotas on immigration

C the movement to assimilate immigrants into U.S. culture

D the requirement that immigrants become U.S. citizens

Page 7

9


©Eu

gene

Eld

erm

an, W

ashi

ngto

n Po

st

Which of the following does this 1937 political cartoon satirize?

A Congressional attempts to bypass the principle of separation of powers

B President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s attempt to reorganize the Supreme Court

C President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s refusal to cooperate with state governments

D Congressional attempts to undermine the principle of state sovereignty

Page 8


10 How did incidents like the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and the secret bombing of Cambodia eventually affect the relationship between the legislative and executive branches of government?

A Presidents began to seek congressional approval of any military action.

B Congress attempted to limit the president’s ability to act unilaterally.

C The president relinquished to Congress the position of commander in chief.

D Congress called for the impeachment of a president following military failures in Vietnam.

11 The Supreme Court’s 1964 decision in Reynolds v. Sims significantly affected U.S. politics by —

A limiting the use of the legislative filibuster

B regulating the amount of individual campaign contributions

C requiring that state legislative districts be roughly equal in population

D establishing term limits for elected government officials

Page 9

A Improved communications

Increased protection of

sites sacred to American Indians

B Greater ease of travel

Higher demand for unclaimed

territory

C Advances in

factory technology

Improved agricultural processes

D Faster shipping

of raw materials

More profits for timber companies

13


12 Which diagram shows how the completion of the transcontinental railroad contributed to the closing of the western frontier?

Parents faced a great fear—the dreaded poliomyelitis, or polio as it is commonly known. The disease had killed more than thirteen hundred Americans . . . and crippled more than eighteen thousand more in the year 1954 alone. On April 12, 1955, America received the much-welcomed news that Dr. Jonas Salk had ? .

—“Frontiers in History,” National Archives and Records Administration, 2001

Which of the following completes this excerpt?

A discovered a cure for infantile paralysis

B founded a private hospital for children with polio

C developed a vaccine against the frightening disease

D identified the mode by which the disease was transmitted

Page 10

14


I hold that a corporation does ill if it seeks profit in restricting production . . . or seeking to achieve monopoly by illegal . . . treatment of its competitors. . . . If, on the other hand, a corporation seeks profit solely by . . . treating the public . . . and its rivals fairly: then such a corporation is behaving well. It is an instrumentality of civilization operating to promote abundance by cheapening the cost of living so as to improve conditions everywhere throughout the whole community.

—Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography, 1913

The main strategy that President Roosevelt’s administration used to stop the type of business practices criticized in this excerpt was to —

A establish the Federal Reserve System to regulate the money supply

B urge the Interstate Commerce Commission to decrease corporate regulations

C use the Sherman Antitrust Act to ensure competition in industry

D lobby Congress to loosen restrictions on foreign exports

Page 11

STAAR U.S. History 2011 ReleaseAnswer Key

Item Reporting Readiness or Content Student Process Student Correct Number Category Supporting Expectation Expectation Answer

1 1 Readiness H.11(A) A

2 1 Readiness H.7(D) H.29(B) C

3 1 Readiness H.8(D) H.29(H) D

4 1 Supporting H.2(C) H.29(B) B

5 1 Supporting H.9(D) D

6 2 Readiness H.12(A) H.29(H) C

7 2 Readiness H.13(A) H.29(H) D

8 2 Supporting H.26(B) H.29(H) C

9 3 Readiness H.20(B) H.29(H) B

10 3 Supporting H.20(A) B

11 3 Readiness H.21(A) C

12 4 Supporting H.15(A) H.29(B) B

13 4 Supporting H.27(B) H.29(B) C

14 4 Readiness H.15(B) H.29(B) C


Page 12

STAARTM


Academic Readiness

World Geography 2011 Released Test Questions



1

2 1

4 3

STAAR World Geography 2011 ReleaseReleased Test Questions

In which location did merchants historically use monsoon winds to travel along trade routes?

A 1 C 3

B 2 D 4

2 The frequent changes in the political organization of Africa from the early sixteenth century to thelate nineteenth century reflected —

A attempts by European countries to establish colonies and gain control of certain regions

B an economic shift away from primarily agrarian activities toward primarily industrial ones

C the replacement of European trading partners with Asian ones

D efforts by territories to unite against potential colonizers

Page 2

3

Country 1

• Government controls all domestic broadcast media

• Two state-controlled television stations with one of the stations controlled by the armed forces

• A third TV channel, a pay-TV station, is a joint state-private venture

• Access to satellite TV is limited

• One state-controlled domestic radio station and six FM stations that are joint state-private ventures

Country 2

• Two commercial television stations

• Cable TV subscription service provides access to foreign channels

• About 20 commercial radio stations broadcast

Which forms of go vernment are best matched to the descriptions above?

A Country 1—Republic C Country 1—Constitutional monarchy Country 2—Theocracy Country 2—Republic

B Country 1—Democracy D Country 1—Dictatorship Country 2—Absolute monarchy Country 2—Democracy


4 In 1999, Turkey was recognized as a candidate for full membership in the European Union. Turkey’s primary goal in making this membership bid is to benefit from —

A increased humanitarian assistance from member countries

B technological advances made by trading partners

C military assistance from member countries in times of conflict

D greater access to markets within the organization

Page 3

5

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. . . . The Kyoto Protocol is generally seen as an important first step toward a truly global emission reduction regime that will stabilize GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions, and provides the essential architecture for any future international agreement on climate change. —United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change website, http://unfcc.int

(accessed December 20, 2010)

Representing the United States, President Bill Clinton signed the Kyoto Treaty in 1998. However, because of opposition in the U.S. Senate, the treaty has never been presented for ratification.

Which argument was most likely used by senators who opposed signing the treaty?

A The United Nations lacks the ability to enforce international agreements.

B The president has no authority to negotiate treaties on behalf of the United States.

C Congress had previously enacted much stricter environmental regulations.

D The United States should not submit to externally imposed environmental regulations.


Page 4

6

Annual Climatology of a National Capital: Monthly Temperature and Precipitation

12 100

90 10

80

Prec

ipitat

ion

(in.)

8

6

4

70

60

50

40

30

Temperatu

re (°F)

Sour

ce: N

atio

nal D

roug

ht M

itiga

tion

Cent

er

202

10

0 0

KEY

Precipitation

Temperature

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month


Which conclusion is best supported by the climograph?

A This city is part of a tropical rain forest.

B This city is subject to seasonal monsoons.

C This city is located in a high-latitude climate zone.

D This city is experiencing severe drought.

7 Which of the following typically occurs in the biosphere?

A Continuous circulation of hot and cold oceanic currents

B Regulation of the rate at which thermal energy leaves the planet

C The interaction of plants and animals within specific climate regions

D The recycling of the continental crust in subduction zones

Page 5

8 The deserts of the Middle East and North Africa are characterized by populations that —

A move to find resources that are thinly dispersed across a vast area

B work primarily in small cottage industries

C are nonviolent and practice ancient polytheistic religions

D organize their society around a matriarch

9

Poland in 2010 MALE FEMALE

100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 S

ourc

e: U

.S.

Cen

sus

Bure

au,

Inte

rnat

ional

Dat

a Bas

e

2 1.6 1.2 0.8 0.4 0 0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2

Population (millions)


Which conclusion about Poland is supported by the population pyramid?

A Citizens will spend less money on prenatal care in 20 years.

B The demand for gender equality in the workplace will increase.

C The need for care services for the elderly will increase.

D Government funding of public education will remain constant for the next 10 years.

Page 6


Page 7

10

Selected Pull Factorsfor Immigration

• Job opportunities• Political freedom• Access to education

In the twentieth century these factors encouraged migration primarily —

A by people with significant economic resources

B from one developed country to another

C from developing to developed countries

D among people with similar religious beliefs

11

Country

Bolivia

Mexico

Panama

• Spanish (official)• Quechua (official)• Aymara (official)

• Spanish (official)• Indigenous

• Spanish (official)• English

RomanCatholicism

RomanCatholicism

RomanCatholicism

Languages Primary Religion

Sour

ce:

The

Wor

ld F

actb

ook ,

CIA

Selected Characteristics ofBolivia, Mexico, and Panama

The common characteristics of these countries can be attributed to their —

A economic relationship with industrialized countries to their north

B past military alliances with one another

C preservation of Mayan and Aztec traditions

D history of colonization by a European country

12 A geogr apher could place North Africa and Indonesia in the same category because most of the people living in these regions —

A practice nomadic hunting

B rely on the monsoon season

C elect their own rulers

D adhere to the same religion

13

The number and diversity of fast-food restaurants across east China have mushroomed in the past several years with no end in sight. From wonton to pizza to east China’s favorite—fried chicken—, fast-food and chain restaurants are popular, partly because they are more affordable than other types of restaurants to a great number of Chinese. As recently as 1993, Chinese consumers had few fast-food choices. Restaurant food was limited to five-star hotels, traditional Chinese restaurants, and street-side wonton, pulled noodle, and tea-egg vendors. Fast-food restaurants in east China can be defined as Western-style or those specializing in Chinese food.

—Ag Exporter, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, July 1997

Which title would be most appropriate for the article excerpted above?

A The Diffusion of Cultural Food Practices

B The Convergence of Natural Resources

C The Globalization of Service Industries

D The Growth of Food-Service Monopolies


Page 8

14 Which of these has been a major development in global trade since the 1990s?

A The increased use of protective tariffs by industrialized countries

B An increased reliance on surface transportation

C The outsourcing of service-sector jobs to developing countries

D The growth of cottage industries and traditional methods of production

15

• Railroads • Highways • Airplanes

These modes of transportation have affected where economic activities are conducted throughout the world by —

A requiring more population centers to develop near natural resources

B enabling productive regions to be less dependent on long-distance trade

C making access to water routes near settlements less necessary

D encouraging private businesses to invest more in the development of public infrastructure


16 One argument in favor of using genetically modified crops is that doing so —

A protects biological diversity on cultivated land

B reduces the use of pesticides on crops

C allows for the cultivation of native food sources

D guarantees high yields of cash crops

Page 9

17

Costa Rica ranks among the greenest countries on earth. It promotes eco-tourism, operates vast national parks, and is working to become the first carbon-neutral country. Perhaps most impressive, the nation produces more than 80 percent of its electricity in hydroelectric plants. . . .

—Jon Hamilton, National Public Radio , February 11 , 2008

Which of the following would have the greatest impact on Costa Rica’s ability to produce electricity?

A A lack of business incentives for developing green technology

B The inability to collect fines for excessive use of utilities

C A change in climate resulting in less rainfall

D The inadequate enforcement of laws protecting conservation areas


Page 10

STAAR World Geography Answer Key

2011 Release


1 1 Readiness G.1(A) G.21(C) D

2 1 Readiness G.2(A) A

3 1 Supporting G.14(B) G.21(A) D

4 1 Readiness G.14(C) D

5 1 Supporting G.15(A) G.21(A) D

6 2 Readiness G.3(B) G.21(A) B

7 2 Supporting G.3(C) C

8 2 Readiness G.5(A) A

9 2 Supporting G.7(A) G.21(A) C

10 2 Readiness G.7(B) G.21(A) C

11 3 Readiness G.17(A) G.21(A) D

12 3 Supporting G.17(B) D

13 3 Supporting G.18(D) G.21(A) A

14 4 Supporting G.10(D) C

15 4 Readiness G.11(C) G.21(A) C

16 4 Readiness G.19(C) B

17 4 Supporting G.20(B) G.21(A) C


Page 11

STAARTM


Academic Readiness

World History 2011 Released Test Questions



STAAR World History 2011 ReleaseReleased Test Questions

1

Roman society . . . involved a system of patronage. Members of the upper classes—the patroni—offered protection to freedmen or plebeians, who becametheir “cliens.” Patronage might consist of money, food, or legal help. Traditionally, any freed slaves became the cliens of their former owner.

In return, patroni received respect and political favors. During the empire, cliens were required to offer daily greetings to their patroni, and the number ofthese greeters helped determine social status.

—“Social Order,” The Roman Empire , PBS, www.pbs.org (accessed February 25, 2010)

The system of patronage described in the excerpt is most similar to the —

A relationship between a guild master and his apprentice

B relationship between a noble and a wealthy merchant during the Enlightenment

C obligations of a monk to his abbot and to the pope

D alliance between a lord and his vassal in the Middle Ages

2 In the 1500s, European merchants arriving in China were restricted to the ports of Macao andCanton and were required to pay in either gold or silver. What was one likely reason these policies were enacted?

A Ming emperors needed precious metals to pay for the expansion of their navy.

B European monarchs feared for the safety of merchants traveling into the interior of China.

C Chinese farmers would suffer if cash crops from the Americas were allowed to enter thecountry.

D European manufacturers were unable to produce goods that were valued in China.

Page 2

3

The trade in ____________ across the Sahar? a was probably next in importance to the

gold trade for the western Sudan, but not for the central Sudan. There, because there was

no gold, ____________ were the mainsta? y of the export commerce.

—William D. Phillips, 1985

This excerpt is from a description of Islamic trade from the seventh century to the fifteenth century. Which word correctly completes this excerpt?

A camels

B dates

C weapons

D slaves

4


Event Outcomes

1 Ended the war with colonists and caused vast amounts of territory to be lost

2 Ended an autocracy and led to a civil war

3 Did away with the old social structure and implemented a caste system

4 Established a cons itutional republic and privatized industry t

Which event represents the Russian Revolution?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

Page 3


5 American and French revolutionaries both rejected the rule of a monarch and attempted to establish governments founded on the Enlightenment principles of liberty and equality. In the United States, this resulted in a representative democracy based on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

In 1799, how did the outcome in France differ from the outcome in the United States?

A French supporters of absolutism installed a new king who ruled by divine right.

B Unstable leadership in France allowed a military dictator to seize power.

C A weak central authority in France allowed provinces to form independent republics.

D French Jacobins formed a republican government in which the heads of state had only limited powers.

6

Independent Arab and Jewish States and the Special International Regime for the City of Jerusalem . . . shall come into existence . . . not later than 1 October 1948.

—United Nations Resolution 181, 1947

Which of the following occurred in reaction to the resolution excerpted above?

A Egypt declared war on Israel.

B Lebanon became an independent nation.

C Syria suffered a series of military coups.

D Israel formed an alliance with Jordan.

Page 4

7


Which diagram best explains the historical significance of Joan of Arc?

A Gained representation in

the Estates-General for the working class

Led a bloodless peasant uprising

B Became the first French

queen to rule in her own name

Led a rebellion against her husband

C Led the French to victories over English forces

Gained control of the French army

D Negotiated a treaty ending the Hundred Years’ War

Was appointed ambassador to England

8 Which of the following best explains why the Chinese built the Great Wall and the Grand Canal?

A The Great Wall and the Grand Canal were built to discourage Chinese peasants from emigrating.

B The Great Wall was built to protect against invasions, while the Grand Canal was meant to provide an alternative transportation route between the north and the south.

C The Great Wall and the Grand Canal were constructed to restrict the exchange of goods with foreign merchants.

D The Great Wall was constructed to protect farming villages from seasonal floods, while the Grand Canal was meant to improve access to coastal cities.

Page 5

9


Leonardo da Vinci

Prominent Artists of the Italian

Raphael

Renaissance

Michelangelo

The artists shown above led a movement characterized by —

A the abstract depiction of human bodies

B the rejection of religious themes

C the use of single-point perspective

D the illumination of printed manuscripts

Page 6

10

Type of Government Characteristics of Leader Leader

? • Inherited authority • Centralized the

government

• Believed a ruler should be a servant of the state

?


Which combination best completes this table?

A Totalitarianism; Josip Tito

B Parliamentary monarchy; Louis XIV

C Theocracy; Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini

D Enlightened absolutism; Maria Theresa

11

Here is a law which is above the King and which even he must not break.

This reaffirmation of a supreme law and its expression in a general charter is

the great work of ? ; and this alone justifies the respect in

which men have held it.

—Winston Churchill, A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, 1956

In this excerpt, Winston Churchill describes the continued importance of —

A the Domesday Book

B the Act of Supremacy

C the Magna Carta

D The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Page 7


12 Which headline best demonstrates an expansion of democracy?

A

Daily Times

South Africa Holds Post-Apartheid Elections

Dai ly Times

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez

Reelected for Third Term B

C

Daily Times

Prime Minister Brown Takes Office

in Great Britain

Dai ly Times

U.S. Presidential Candidates Participate

in Public DebateD

Page 8

13

In the Andes, potatoes served as a staple as people came up with a unique way of food preservation: potatoes were processed into chuñu, a dehydrated foodstuff produced by trampling potatoes and alternately freezing and drying them. This product was storable for years.

—Manfred Weissenbacher, Sources of Power: How Energy Forges Human History , 2009

The process described above contributed most directly to —

A the development of new tracking and hunting techniques

B an increase in the size and number of permanent settlements

C improved fertility of the soil in mountainous regions

D the creation of a more varied diet through the introduction of new plant species


14 In a letter to a colleague, Isaac Newton wrote, “If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Which earlier work made Newton’s scientific contributions possible?

A The research on population growth by Thomas Malthus

B The theory of planetary motion developed by Nicolaus Copernicus

C The use of the microscope to study cells by Robert Hooke

D The process for making stronger steel invented by Henry Bessemer

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15

A system of government therefore which shall prevent ignorance, and consequently crime, will be infinitely superior to one, which, by encouraging the first, creates a necessity for the last, and afterwards inflicts punishment on both. . . .

That government, then, is the best, which in practice produces the greatest happiness to the greatest number; including those who govern, and those who obey. . . .

By adopting the proper means, man may by degrees be trained to live in any part of the world without poverty, without crime, and without punishment; for all these are the effects of error in the various systems of training and governing error proceeding from very gross ignorance of human nature.

—Robert Owen, A New View of Society

These arguments most directly contributed to the development of —

A socialism during the Industrial Revolution

B communist economic programs during the Cold War

C totalitarianism during World War II

D liberal social programs during the French Revolution


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STAAR World History 2011 ReleaseAnswer Key


1 1 Readiness W.4(C) W.29(F) D

2 1 Readiness W.7(E) D

3 1 Supporting W.4(I) W.29(F) D

4 2 Readiness W.10(D) W.30(C) B

5 2 Readiness W.9(A) B

6 2 Supporting W.13(F) W.29(F) A

7 3 Supporting W.24(B) W.29(F) C

8 3 Readiness W.16(B) B

9 3 Supporting W.26(A) W.30(C) C

10 4 Readiness W.19(B) W.29(F) D

11 4 Supporting W.20(B) W.29(C) C

12 4 Supporting W.21(A) W.30(C) A

13 5 Readiness W.17(A) W.29(F) B

14 5 Supporting W.27(E) B

15 5 Readiness W.18(C) W.29(C) A


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