®
STAAR
State of Texas
Assessments of
Academic Readiness
GRADE 8
Social Studies
Administered May 2022
RELEASED
Copyright © 2022, 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
State of Texas
Assessments of
Academic Readiness
GRADE 8
Social Studies
Administered May 2022
RELEASED
Copyright © 2022, 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.
Social Studies
Page 1
SOCIAL STUDIES
GO ON
Social Studies
Page 2
DIRECTIONS
Read each question carefully. Determine the best answer to the
question from the four answer choices provided. Then fill in the answer
on your answer document.
23654_3
1
U.S. Territory, 1803U.S. Territory, 1800
The differences between these two maps resulted from the —
A Missouri Compromise
B Treaty of Ghent
C Louisiana Purchase
D Adams-Onís Treaty
Social Studies
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23821_4
2
Which government principle is illustrated in this diagram?
F Federalism
G Popular sovereignty
H Republicanism
J Separation of powers
23821_4
U.S.
Constitution
Article 2
Executive Branch
President enforces
the laws.
Article 1
Legislative Branch
Congress makes
the laws.
Article 3
Judicial Branch
Supreme Court
interprets the laws.
Social Studies
Page 4
24714_2
3 This table shows the population of enslaved people in two regions
of the United States in 1840.
U.S. Enslaved Population by
Select Region, 1840
Region Enslaved Population
Northeast 765
South 2,427,986
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Which statement describes a factor that MOST contributed to the
population difference shown in the table?
A The South had a society that relied on wage labor.
B The South had an economy that relied on cotton.
C The South had a variety of natural resources.
D The South had an abundance of large cities.
24452_4
4 How did the American colonies react to enforcement of the
Intolerable Acts?
F By collecting funds to pay for the tea destroyed in Boston Harbor
G By sending ambassadors to France to request military aid
H By placing a tax on all goods imported from Great Britain
J By holding the First Continental Congress to discuss unified
resistance
Social Studies
Page 5
24551_3
5 This sketch titled “Jury of Whites and Blacks” appeared in
Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper in 1867.
Science History Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Which event is MOST associated with the change in American life
shown in this sketch?
A The adoption of the Great Compromise
B The establishment of a two-party political system
C The ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment
D The election of more qualified judges
23690_2
6 An immigrant sails to North America in the early 1700s hoping to
start a tobacco farm. He has done some research on the best
environment for tobacco farming. Where is the immigrant most
likely to settle?
F Massachusetts
G Virginia
H Rhode Island
J Pennsylvania
Social Studies
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24183_1
7
Which idea correctly replaces the question mark in this diagram?
A Due Process
B Eminent Domain
C Free Speech
D Federalism
Legal
counsel
Speedy and
public trial
Impartial
jury
Guarantees of
?
Social Studies
Page 7
24543_3
8 This excerpt refers to an event that occurred in Virginia in 1859.
A contemporary newspaper account foretold a grim
future. “The Harpers Ferry invasion has advanced
the cause of disunion more than any other event
that has happened since the formation of the
Government.”
—“John Brown’s Raid,” National Park Service,
www.nps.gov (accessed May 17, 2019)
Which action prompted the newspaper’s claim that John Brown’s
raid “advanced the cause of disunion”?
F Some Northerners were willing to defend the South’s right to
continue slavery.
G Some Southerners were willing to take up arms to protest high
tariffs.
H Some abolitionists thought violence was necessary to end
slavery.
J Some people in territories needed to defend their right to
popular sovereignty.
24003_2
9 Which era involved legislation enacted by the Radical Republicans?
A Civil War
B Reconstruction
C Early republic
D Antebellum
Social Studies
Page 8
24067_2
10
Whitney’s world provided a time for innovation in
manufacturing systems. His factory would change
the precision craft of gun making into routine. The
machines would change the role of the worker and
the meaning of skill. With a limited American labor
supply, his system favored the use of small numbers
of unskilled workers.
—“The Factory,” Eli Whitney Museum and
Workshop, www.eliwhitney.org
(accessed January 13, 2017)
What is being described in this excerpt?
F Spinning jenny and the textile industry
G Interchangeable parts and mass production
H Cotton gin and the plantation system
J Steam engine and railroad commerce
23582_1
11 Which historic document had the greatest influence on the first ten
amendments to the U.S. Constitution?
A The English Bill of Rights
B The Mayflower Compact
C The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
D The Articles of Confederation
Social Studies
Page 9
24723_1
12 Why did the Constitutional Convention agree to the
Three-Fifths Compromise?
F To settle debates over the issue of counting the enslaved
population for representation
G To settle debates over the issue of abolishing the importation of
enslaved people
H To create a government based on the principle of federalism
J To create a government with a bicameral legislature
Social Studies
Page 10
23823_2
13
Which issue do the events in these headlines have in common?
A Expansion of slavery
B States’ rights
C Taxation without representation
D Popular sovereignty
23823_2
South Carolina Declares Tariffs
Null and Void
Threatens to Secede from Union
Daily News
1832
Kentucky Passes Resolution
Declares Alien and Sedition Acts
Violate Constitution
Daily News
1799
Federalists Held Secret Convention
in Hartford
Wanted to Amend Constitution
Daily News
1815
Social Studies
Page 11
24143_4
14 Which historical action was protected by the First Amendment
guarantee regarding religion?
F The nativist Know-Nothing Party attracted more members.
G Eastern communities forced Mormons to migrate to the West.
H City officials worked to reduce the political power of Catholic
immigrants.
J Evangelists led revivals in New England.
24696_2
15 Which statement describes the roles of George McClellan and
Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War?
A They were Confederate generals who captured Fort Sumter.
B They were Union generals who commanded the Army of the
Potomac.
C They were Confederate generals who surrendered at the
Battle of Vicksburg.
D They were Union generals who committed war crimes at the
Battle of Gettysburg.
Social Studies
Page 12
24282_1
16
Erie Canal
Canada
New York
City
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake ErieLake Erie
Lake Ontario
Lake Erie
Lake
Huron
Hudson River
KEY
Cities
Erie Canal
EW
N
S
What were two effects of this canal on the United States during the
early-to-mid 1800s?
F The Northeast gained access to new trade networks, and the
Midwest opened for more settlement.
G The South became less dependent on slave labor, while the
North became more dependent on indentured servants.
H The West became the commercial center of the nation, while the
Northeast increased dependence on agricultural production.
J The South experienced lower shipping costs, and the West
expanded international trade.
Social Studies
Page 13
24465_1
17 Which statement describes how the passage of the
Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 increased sectionalism?
A It allowed slavery to expand into the territories.
B It gave tax cuts to manufacturers who relocated to the
territories.
C It allowed slaves who escaped to the territories to purchase
their freedom.
D It granted homesteads to immigrants who settled in the
territories.
24192_2
18 Read the excerpt and answer the question that follows.
The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign
nations is in extending our commercial relations, to
have with them as little political connection as
possible.
—President George Washington, Farewell Address,
1796
Why did President Washington give this advice about the future of
U.S. foreign policy?
F To end European colonization in the Western Hemisphere
G To avoid being drawn into European wars
H To use trade embargoes to stay neutral
J To encourage economic growth through the transatlantic slave
trade
Social Studies
Page 14
24375_4
19 Why did European explorers search for the Northwest Passage?
A To find the legendary Seven Cities of Gold
B To discover new technology for crossing the Atlantic Ocean
C To find the legendary waters of the Fountain of Youth
D To discover a new sea route to Asia
24048_2
20
I found, near Boston, in the jails and asylums for
the poor, a numerous class brought into unsuitable
connection with criminals and the general mass of
paupers. I refer to . . . insane persons, dwelling in
circumstances not only adverse to their own
physical and moral improvement, but productive of
extreme disadvantages to all other persons brought
into association with them.
—Memorial to the Legislature of Massachusetts,
1843
Which woman fought to create legislation to help the people
described in this excerpt?
F Sojourner Truth
G Dorothea Dix
H Harriet Beecher Stowe
J Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Social Studies
Page 15
24363_4
21 This diagram shows a sequence of events in colonial history.
The Mayflower landed at
Plymouth Rock instead
of Virginia.
The colonists realized
they were outside the
area covered by the
original charter.
The colonists signed the
Mayflower Compact.
Why is this sequence of events important?
A Colonists created a legislature with two houses.
B Colonists declared independence from English rule.
C Colonists defended the concept of unalienable rights.
D Colonists established a tradition of self-government.
24558_1
22 Why was the Third Amendment prohibiting the quartering of troops
added to the U.S. Constitution?
F To address colonial treatment by the British military
G To maintain control over members of the British military
H To ensure the national government could pay for the U.S.
military
J To reinforce the need for state militias in the United States
Social Studies
Page 16
24241_2
23 Why is Thomas Jefferson’s writing of the Declaration of
Independence considered to be one of his greatest contributions to
American history?
A He showed responsibility by outlining the structure for a new
government.
B He helped define rights that would defeat tyranny.
C He developed a military plan to defeat the British.
D He outlined a strategy for acquiring the Louisiana Territory.
24166_3
24 Which event was one cause of the U.S.-Mexican War?
F The United States banned slavery in territories acquired from
Mexico.
G The U.S. Congress debated statehood for New Mexico.
H U.S. and Mexican soldiers fought over disputed territory north of
the Rio Grande.
J The United States acquired the Mexican Cession.
Social Studies
Page 17
24598_3
25 This map shows a trade system that emerged in the 1500s and
reached its height in the 1700s.
Transatlantic Slave Trade
EW
N
S
Which factor was a reason for the trade system illustrated on this
map?
A Labor demands of the factory system
B Invention of the steamboat
C Labor demands of the plantation system
D Invention of the mechanical loom
Social Studies
Page 18
23600_2
26
Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these:
First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to
property; together with the right to support and
defend them in the best manner they can.
—Samuel Adams, 1772
In the early days of the colonies, a belief in these rights helped
lead to —
F the establishment of royal courts
G the growth of representative government
H the implementation of the mercantile system
J the abolishment of indentured servitude
24190_4
27 Which statement describes one result of the War of 1812?
A Great Britain lost control of Canada.
B The United States gained control of the Oregon Territory.
C The United States stopped trading with Britain and France.
D Great Britain stopped the practice of impressment.
Social Studies
Page 19
24526_1
28 Which statement explains an effect of the Missouri Compromise?
F The compromise maintained the balance between the number of
free states and slave states in the Senate.
G The compromise allowed slaves to be counted toward a state’s
population for representation in Congress.
H The compromise enabled Southerners to pursue fugitive slaves
into the North.
J The compromise ended the slave trade in Washington, D.C.
24080_2
29 Why did President Andrew Jackson oppose the Second Bank of the
United States?
A He believed it was inefficient and poorly managed.
B He thought it was unconstitutional and favored the wealthy.
C He considered it an obstacle to industrial progress and
expansion.
D He believed it favored the rights of states over the federal
government.
Social Studies
Page 20
24012_4
30
Which title best completes this diagram?
F Innovations in the Cottage Industry
G Causes of Rural Development
H Expansion of Employees’ Rights
J Reasons for Urbanization
24277_2
31 What was one effect of the Fifteenth Amendment?
A Immigrants faced less discrimination.
B Black voters helped bring the Republican Party to power in the
South.
C Electors selected the president and vice president on separate
ballots.
D American Indian tribal land was divided into individual plots.
Some factories offer
housing for workers
with families.
Factories offer
jobs for people.
?
Social Studies
Page 21
24219_4
32 Which geographic feature allowed the Mid-Atlantic colonies to have
a longer growing season than the New England colonies?
F Thick forests
G Navigable rivers
H Flat land with rocky soil
J Mild climate
24698_2
33 This political slogan is from the mid-1800s.
A
m
e
r
i
c
a
n
s
m
u
s
t
r
u
l
e
A
m
e
r
i
c
a
!
American Platform of Principles, 1857
What motivated some people to support this nativist slogan?
A An affirmation of states’ rights by Jefferson Davis and the belief
that tariffs are un-American
B Large-scale immigration to cities and the belief that immigrants
stole jobs from native-born citizens
C The desire for an independent country free from foreign rule and
unfair mercantile economic policies
D A rejection of anti-American influence following the Battle of
San Jacinto and the addition of new territories
Social Studies
Page 22
24680_3
34 Which breakthrough did Hiram Rhodes Revels accomplish during
Reconstruction?
F He became the first African American to publish literature.
G He became the first African American to build wealth as a
carpetbagger.
H He became the first African American to win a seat in the
U.S. Congress.
J He became the first African American soldier to serve in an
integrated Union Army unit.
24298_2
35 Which issue was debated in Gibbons v. Ogden?
A The status of slaves living in free territories
B The regulation of interstate commerce by federal or state laws
C The constitutionality of tariffs
D The separation of powers among the branches of government
Social Studies
Page 23
24021_2
36
Fredericksburg
Manassas
Antietam
Gettysburg
Baltimore
Washington,
D.C.
Chancellorsville
Selected Battles of the Civil War
KEY
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Battles
Cities
Richmond
Seven Days
Source: National Park Service
N
What made the battles at Antietam and Gettysburg different from
the other battles illustrated on this map?
F They were victories for the Confederacy.
G They were battles fought in Union territory.
H They were attempts to keep Virginia in the Union.
J They were battles defending the Confederate capital.
Social Studies
Page 24
24625_3
37 This excerpt is from a president’s annual message to Congress.
Agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and
navigation, the four pillars of our prosperity, are the
most thriving when left most free to individual
enterprise.
—President Thomas Jefferson, first annual message,
December 8, 1801
Which economic principle is President Jefferson showing support for
in this excerpt?
A Protective tariffs
B Limited competition
C Minimal government regulation
D Taxes to fund internal improvements
24178_1
38 Which human geographic factor helped the Union win the Civil War?
F A network of railroads in the North allowed Union soldiers to be
moved quickly over long distances.
G The Oregon Trail allowed Union military supplies to be moved
quickly to the West.
H Northern farms started producing cotton used to make Union
military uniforms.
J Canals in the Midwest allowed food for Union soldiers to be
moved quickly to the front lines.
Social Studies
Page 25
24211_3
39 Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
In the early 1800s, Great Britain was in a conflict
with France. Both countries tried to prevent the
United States from trading with the other country.
As a result of British impressment of U.S. sailors,
Congress passed the Embargo Act in 1807. This act
closed U.S. ports to exports and placed restrictions
on British imports. In 1809 Congress repealed this
act and replaced it with a law that specifically
prohibited trade with Great Britain and France.
What was one effect of these actions on the United States?
A The signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
B International criticism of the Monroe Doctrine
C The expansion of manufacturing
D Increased profits from international commerce
Social Studies
Page 26
40
Which president established these traditions for the executive
branch?
F John Adams
G Thomas Jefferson
H James Madison
J George Washington
First to serve
two terms
First to appoint
cabinet members
?
Recommended the
title “Mr. President”
Social Studies
Page 27
24082_1
41 Which headline describes an event that established guidelines for
the admission of new states to the United States?
24457_4
42 Which condition did both slaves and free blacks in the United States
experience in the antebellum period?
F Both groups were allowed to testify in court.
G Both groups were able to vote in elections.
H Both groups were forced to pay taxes.
J Both groups were denied citizenship rights.
A
Northwest Ordinance Passed
The Daily Star
July 13, 1787
C
Bill of Rights Ratified
The Daily Star
December 15, 1791
B
Treaty of Paris Ratified
The Daily Star
February 10, 1763
D
Alien and Sedition Acts Passed
The Daily Star
November 13, 1797
STOP
24291_1
43 Which group helped establish the colony of Maryland in the 1630s?
A English Catholics seeking religious freedom
B Spanish workers seeking job opportunities
C Irish families escaping a natural disaster
D Russian merchants escaping political conflict
24264_4
44 Read the list and answer the question that follows.
• Harriet Tubman
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• William Lloyd Garrison
The people on this list are similar because their actions —
F promoted interest in agricultural innovation
G promoted support for westward expansion
H showed dedication to sectionalism and states’ rights
J showed commitment to rights and freedoms
Social Studies
Page 28
BE SURE YOU HAVE RECORDED ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS
ON THE ANSWER DOCUMENT.
STAAR
GRADE 8
Social Studies
May 2022
5
STAAR
GRADE 8
Social Studies
May 2022
