This page shows a list of units in the 8th Grade Social Studies public release collection at MSDE. 8th Grade Social Studies
Released Questions in Unit "2 - Founding of the New Government (1776-1791)"
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This is a test question that allows you to enter extended text in your response.
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Writing prompt. Additional information needed to answer the question is provided.
Use your knowledge of U.S. history to answer the constructed response question.
- Identify the views expressed by large and small states at the Constitutional Convention about how to determine legislative representation.
- Explain the impact that the Great Compromise had on the structure of the legislative branch.
- Use details and examples to support your response.
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Read the excerpt.
The powers not delegated [given] to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively [each state], or to the people.
—10th Amendment, U.S. Constitution
Which principle is supported by this constitutional amendment?
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Which example best demonstrates the idea of promoting the general welfare as described in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution?
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Why was the Preamble included in the U.S. Constitution?
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Which event exposed one limitation of the Articles of Confederation?
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Which statement was most likely made by a Federalist during the debates over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution?
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Read the excerpt.
Article VIII. All charges [costs] of war, and all other expenses that shall be incurred [raised] for the common defense or general welfare . . . shall be defrayed [paid] out of a common treasury. . . .
—Articles of Confederation, 1781
Which limitation of the Articles of Confederation made this provision difficult to enforce?
This is a drag and drop question that allows you to select text and place it in an appropriate answer space.
Select two parts of the Constitution that complete the chart and drag them to the correct boxes.
| Parts of the Constitution that Limit Freedoms | Parts of the Constitution that Limit Government |
|---|---|
| Fugitive Slave Clause | checks and balances |
This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.
Which principle of government allows states and the national government to share powers?
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What was one weakness of the Articles of Confederation that contributed to events such as Shays’ Rebellion?
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Read the excerpt.
[Congress] may enter into treaties of commerce, but [are] without power to enforce them at home or abroad.
—John Jay, 1787
One weakness of the national government under the Articles of Confederation demonstrated by this excerpt is the lack of
This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.
Which feature of the Northwest Ordinance contributed to sectionalism after the Revolutionary War?
This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.
Which example best demonstrates the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution’s goal of promoting the general welfare?