ohio’s state test high school american history …

OHIO’S STATE TEST

HIGH SCHOOL AMERICAN HISTORY

TEACHER’S GUIDE

REVISED WITH UPDATED TEST ITEM SPECS - AUGUST 2018

COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS

SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT www.ccsoh.us/socialstudies

Ohio’s State Test: High School American History Teacher’s Guide

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Test Specifications: American History 1 Introduction The American History Test Specifications provide an overview of the structure and content of the test. This overview includes a description of the test design as well as information on the types of items that will appear on the test. A test blueprint is included that identifies the range and distribution of items and points, grouped into various categories. The specifications also provide specific guidelines for the development of all items used for the American History test. This document is intended to be a resource not only for item writers and test designers, but for Ohio educators and other stakeholders who are interested in a deeper understanding of the test. General Description of the American History Test In 2010 Ohio adopted new rigorous academic content standards for American History. A model curriculum based on these new standards was adopted in 2011. An achievement assessment that aligns to the new standards and model curriculum is mandated by Ohio Revised Code 3301.079. The assessment will be administered as a two-part test, in a computer-delivered format, to measure progress toward the standards and to provide information to teachers and administrators. Test Design The structure of the American History Test will consist of two parts that will be given near the end of the year. There are two parts in order to provide flexibility in test administration for school districts. Both parts of the test are fixed forms that are administered in an online format. In addition to technology-enhanced items, the test will also contain constructed-response items that require the student to type a response into the computer interface. After the student has completed both parts of the test, his or her scores will be combined to yield a comprehensive view of the student’s progress. Test results are reported back to schools by June 30th. Content Limits The content to be assessed is defined by the information contained in the Content Statement from the Ohio Learning Standards: K-12 Social Studies and by the Expectations for Learning contained in the Model Curriculum for American History. In addition, the information contained in the Content Elaborations of the Model Curricula is to be used by item writers to comprehend the scope of the information and the instructional weight of the Content Statement and the Expectations for Learning.

1 This document is adapted from “Test Specifications: American History” by the Ohio Department of Education. Revised December 2015. http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/wpcontent/uploads/Test_Specifications_AmHist.pdf


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Test Blueprint The following test blueprint displays the distribution of the content standards across the two parts of the test and categories for reporting test results.

American History

Reporting Categories Content Statements

Reporting Category Point

Range

Total Test Point

Range

Skills and Documents

17-19

63-66

Historical Thinking and Skills 2, 3, 4

Historic Documents 5,6,7,8,9

1877-1945

24-26

Industrialization and Progressivism (1877-1920)

10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Foreign Affairs from Imperialism to Post-World War I (1898-1930)

15, 16

Prosperity, Depression and the New Deal (1919-1941)

17, 18, 19, 20

From Isolation to World War (1930-1945) 21, 22

1945-Present

20-22

The Cold War (1945-1991) 23, 24, 25, 26,

27

Social Transformations in the United States (1945- 1994)

28, 29, 30, 31

United States and the Post-Cold War World (1991 to Present)

32, 33


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Description of Stimulus and Item Types Stimulus types associated with discrete items or tasks may include:

• Document excerpts and other texts • Photographs and illustrations • Graphs • Charts • Data tables • Maps • Timelines

• An Evidence-Based Set is a group of several questions associated to one or more

common stimuli. Evidence-based sets allow students to work with primary source materials to show deep understanding of social studies topics. The questions in these sets will assess a range of skills and content in the content statements.

Item Types Item types are divided into four categories: multiple-choice, enhanced selected response, machine-scored constructed response and human-scored. Students are expected to utilize prior content knowledge when asked to identify, describe, explain, discuss, exemplify, compare, and analyze information. A multiple-choice item consists of the following:

• a brief statement that orients the students to the context of the question (optional). • a stimulus on which the question is based (optional). • a question. • a set of answer choices (most often four) that allows the student to select one option in

response to the question. • a multiple-choice item may be used in an evidence-based set. • Multiple-choice items may include such distractors as erroneous conclusions, inaccurate

associations, inaccurate examples, inappropriate relationships, misinformation, and unrelated information.

An enhanced selected-response item consists of the following:

• a brief statement that orients the students to the context of the question (optional). • a stimulus on which the question is based (optional). • a question or prompt. • a set of answer choices that allow the students to select multiple options in response to

one question, matching options together to classify information, selecting evidence supporting an initial answer choice, or a very structured graphic-response interface.

• Enhanced selected-response items allow students to demonstrate deeper understanding than multiple-choice items by having multiple parts or multiple correct answers.

• an enhanced selected-response item may be used in an evidence based set. A machine-scored constructed-response item consists of the following:

• a brief statement that orients the students to the context of the question (optional). • a stimulus on which the question is based (optional).


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• a prompt. • a graphic-response or text/numeric entry.

§ A graphic-response interface allows the students to manipulate objects to create a response to the question. The graphic-response interface may be a map, a chart or graph, a picture, or a diagram on which the students must draw or position objects correctly.

• Machine-scored constructed-response items offer the students a great degree of freedom to create their own response. These items allow students to demonstrate deeper understanding than multiple choice or enhanced selected-response items by requiring students to construct their own response instead of selecting their answer from a given set of choices. These items are scored based on an item-specific rubric.

• a machine-scored constructed-response item may be used in an evidence-based set. A human-scored constructed-response item consists of the following:

• a brief statement that orients the students to the context of the questions (optional). • one or more stimuli to which the questions refer (optional). • a question or set of questions that require a detailed written response or responses. The

responses are scored by trained scorers according to a rubric or set of rubrics that address multiple dimensions in the students’ work.

• a human-scored constructed-response item may be used in an evidence-based set. Note: Beginning with the spring 2018 test administration, there will no longer be human-scored constructed responses on the state test. All test items will be machine-scored.


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Performance Level Descriptors 2 The Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) are the link between Ohio’s Learning Standards and performance standards. They were developed by Ohio educators and other content experts to recommend the most appropriate implementation of content and skills for Ohio’s State Tests for Science and Social Studies as part of the Standard Setting process. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the Ohio Department of Education assembled panels of Ohio stakeholders to review actual test questions to define what students should know or be able to do at each performance level. The feedback from the Ohio stakeholders during the standard setting process was compiled and analyzed to determine the cut scores to rank student performance. The Ohio stakeholder recommendations for cut scores were shared with the State Board of Education and approved at the September 2015 board meeting. Limited A student performing at the Limited Level demonstrates a minimal command of Ohio’s Learning Standards for American History. A student at this level has an emerging ability to use and evaluate primary and secondary sources, use evidence to support or refute a thesis, analyze cause, effect, sequence and correlation in historical events, interpret historic Ohio and U.S. documents, understand the history of U.S. foreign affairs, describe social change in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, analyze important events related to the Cold War and describe challenges facing U.S. society in the post-Cold War era. A student at the Limited Level can:

• Identify one historic era in the United States from 1877–present (e.g., Industrial Revolution, WWI, Great Depression, Cold War);

• Identify sources as primary or secondary; • Identify at least one important state or federal historic document (e.g., Declaration of

Independence, Northwest Ordinance, Articles of Confederation Federalist/Anti-Federalist Papers, U.S. Constitution and U.S. Bill of Rights);

• Identify different groups of people who have immigrated to the United States from 1877–present (e.g., Irish, Russian, African, Latin American, Eastern European);

• Identify segregation as a system that limited the civil rights of African Americans during the first half of the 20th century;

• Identify one new method of production during the late 19th/early 20th century that showed the transition to an industrial based economy (e.g., factory system, assembly line);

• Identify a social, political, or economic event during WWI or WWII in the United States (e.g., WWI-Red Scare, WWI-Selective Service Act, WWII-Japanese Internment Camps, WWII-Rosie the Riveter Campaign);

• Identify a factor that led to the beginning of the Cold War (e.g., disagreement over postwar European recovery plans, nuclear arms race, world power status).

2 Performance Level Descriptors are available online at: https://oh.portal.airast.org/core/fileparse.php/3094/urlt/OCBA_AmericanHistory_PLDs.pdf


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Basic A student performing at the Basic Level demonstrates a partial command of Ohio’s Learning Standards for American History. A student at this level has a general ability to use and evaluate primary and secondary sources, use evidence to support or refute a thesis, analyze cause, effect, sequence and correlation in historical events, interpret historic Ohio and U.S. documents, understand the history of U.S. foreign affairs, describe social change in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, analyze important events related to the Cold War and describe challenges facing U.S. society in the post-Cold War era. A student at the Basic Level can:

• Identify historical eras and when they occurred along a chronological timeline (e.g., Industrial Revolution, WWI, Great Depression, Cold War);

• Identify one difference between a primary and secondary source; • Identify one provision from an important state or federal historic document (e.g.,

Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance, Articles of Confederation Federalist/Anti-Federalist Papers, U.S. Constitution and U.S. Bill of Rights);

• Identify one pattern of immigration to the United States from 1877 to the present (e.g., European immigration during the Industrial Revolution, African and Latin American immigration throughout the Cold War);

• Identify one historic example of institutionalized racism in the United States (e.g., poll taxes, literacy tests, Jim Crow Laws);

• Identify one factor of the rise of industrialization in the late 19th century (e.g., technological advances, rise of corporations, mechanized farming);

• Identify one effect of WWI or WWII on American society (e.g., racial discrimination, industrialization, suburbanization, migration patterns, economic opportunities for minority groups);

• Identify factors that led to the beginning and end of the Cold War (e.g., Marshall Plan, Truman Doctrine, NATO, Warsaw Pact, nuclear arms race, Vietnam War, Eastern European independence movements).

Proficient A student performing at the Proficient Level demonstrates an appropriate command of Ohio’s Learning Standards for American History. A student at this level has a consistent ability to use and evaluate primary and secondary sources, use evidence to support or refute a thesis, analyze cause, effect, sequence and correlation in historical events, interpret historic Ohio and U.S. documents, understand the history of U.S. foreign affairs, describe social change in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, analyze important events related to the Cold War and describe challenges facing U.S. society in the post-Cold War era. A student at the Proficient Level can:

• Describe short and long term effects of major historical events in American society (e.g., European Immigration and its relation to the Industrial Revolution, WWI, Great Depression, Cold War, etc.);

• Use primary, secondary and other credible sources of information to support or refute a thesis or position;

• Describe the governing precedents set by important state and federal historic documents (e.g., Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance, Articles of Confederation Federalist/Anti-Federalist Papers, U.S. Constitution and U.S. Bill of Rights);


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• Summarize social struggles of the numerous groups who immigrated to the United States from 1877 to the present (e.g., European Immigrants’ fight against nativism and the KKK, Japanese-Americans’ captivity in WWII relocation camps, Mexican-Americans’ subjection to unsanitary working conditions on California fruit plantations);

• Describe legislation/court rulings that sought to reverse long-standing discriminatory policies and laws in the United States (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas, Civil Rights Acts, 1965 Immigration Act, 19th Amendment and 26th Amendment);

• Describe how the Industrial Revolution transformed the United States from an agrarian to an urban society;

• Describe how events following the end of WWI influenced the events that would ultimately lead to the beginning of WWII (e.g., Treaty of Versailles, United States’ decision not to join the League of Nations, American isolationism, postwar economic struggles in Europe, etc.);

• Explain how U.S.-Soviet tensions led to major geopolitical crisis in Europe, Asia, and Latin America during the second half of the 20th century.

Accelerated A student performing at the Accelerated Level demonstrates a strong command of Ohio’s Learning Standards for American History. A student at this level has a superior ability to use and evaluate primary and secondary sources, use evidence to support or refute a thesis, analyze cause, effect, sequence and correlation in historical events, interpret historic Ohio and U.S. documents, understand the history of U.S. foreign affairs, describe social change in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, analyze important events related to the Cold War and describe challenges facing U.S. society in the post-Cold War era. A student at the Accelerated Level can:

• Analyze the correlation between important events in American society that occurred over a prolonged time (e.g., provisions of the Treaty of Versailles leading to the outbreak of WWII, late 19th century improvements in agricultural technology contributing to the Dust Bowl);

• Analyze and evaluate the credibility of primary and secondary sources; • Analyze the fundamental ideas behind state and federal historic documents that have

shaped the political landscape of Ohio and the nation (e.g., Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance, Articles of Confederation Federalist/Anti-Federalist Papers, U.S. Constitution and U.S. Bill of Rights);

• Analyze how a Civil Rights organization fought to extend equal rights to minority groups in the United States (e.g., NOW’s contribution to the passage of the Equal Pay Act and Title IX, NAACP’s efforts leading to the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas);

• Analyze significant events that impacted legislation/court rulings that sought to reverse long-standing discriminatory policies and laws in the United States;

• Analyze the policies, laws, people and events that sought to reform negative social, political, environmental and economic effects of industrial capitalism (e.g., labor organizations, anti-trust legislation, consumer protection legislation, progressivism and muckrakers);

• Analyze and explain the motivations behind the construction of the atomic bomb and its long-term effect on establishing the United States as a world super-power;


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• Analyze how the American policy of containment was carried out in a specific foreign nation or region during the second half of the 20th century (e.g., Western Europe, Korea, Vietnam and Cuba).

Advanced A student performing at the Advanced Level demonstrates a distinguished command of Ohio’s Learning Standards for American History. A student at this level has a sophisticated ability to use and evaluate primary and secondary sources, use evidence to support or refute a thesis, analyze cause, effect, sequence and correlation in historical events, interpret historic Ohio and U.S. documents, understand the history of U.S. foreign affairs, describe social change in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, analyze important events related to the Cold War and describe challenges facing U.S. society in the post-Cold War era. A student at the Advanced Level can:

• Analyze the long-term sequence of events that has led to a modern era political, social, economic, or environmental issue impacting the United States (e.g., political upheaval and terrorist threats in the Middle East);

• Support/refute stances on historic and government issues through the use of primary, secondary and other credible sources;

• Identify and differentiate conflicting ideologies involved in the creation of a state or federal historic document (e.g., Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance, Articles of Confederation Federalist/Anti-Federalist Papers, U.S. Constitution and U.S. Bill of Rights) that shaped the political landscape of Ohio and the nation (e.g., the differing viewpoints and concerns of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the creation of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, the influence of Enlightenment philosophies on the creation of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution);

• Analyze the current and future impact on American culture generated by new demographic groups immigrating to the United States as a result of the 1965 Immigration Act (e.g., Hispanic cultural impact on American society);

• Examine and analyze the opposing views on the government’s role in the economy, environmental protection, social welfare and national security between 1945 and 1994 (e.g., environmentalism vs. energy independence);

• Analyze how the American economy has been impacted by improved global communications, international trade, transnational business organizations, overseas competition and the shift from manufacturing to service industries;

• Analyze and explain how the American government’s investigations and enforcement of the policy of containment reflected Cold War fears in American society (e.g., Second Red Scare, McCarthyism);

• Analyze the political, national security and economic challenges the United States has faced in the post-Cold War period (e.g., changing role of the United States in global politics, controlling of nuclear weapons, political tension and terrorism in the Middle East).


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Item Specifications

Topic: Historical Thinking and Skills Content Statement HI.1 Historical events provide opportunities to examine alternative courses of action. Expectation for Learning Analyze a historical decision and predict the possible consequences of alternative courses of action.

The content encompassed by this Content Statement will not be assessed.

Topic: Historical Thinking and Skills Content Statement HI.2 The use of primary and secondary sources of information includes an examination of the credibility of each source. Expectation for Learning Analyze and evaluate the credibility of primary and secondary sources.

Content Elaborations and Limits The use of primary and secondary sources in the study of history includes an analysis of their credibility—that is, whether or not they are believable. This is accomplished by checking sources for:

• the qualifications and reputation of the author;

• agreement with other credible sources;

• perspective or bias of the author (including use of stereotypes);

• accuracy and internal consistency; • the circumstances in which the

author prepared the source.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing criteria for determining credibility

of a source • Identifying an applicable criterion for a

provided source that would attest to the source being credible.

Graphic-Response • Filling in portions of a chart of criteria to

determine credibility and identifying examples to illustrate each provided criterion.

• Matching a bias or consistency with a source.

Constructed-Response • Explaining how a provided source is

credible. • Comparing the credibility of a set of

provided sources.


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Sample Test Items Historians evaluate the credibility of sources using a number of criteria. What is one of the criteria that historians consider?

A. the ease of availability of the source B. the race and gender of the source’s author C. the accuracy and internal consistency of the source D. the payment made by the publisher to the source’s author

American History EOY Practice Test, Question 9

http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/ Which source would provide the most credible information about the daily life of factory workers during the 1880s?

A. a collection of letters written by a farmer B. a journal written by an employee at a factory C. a novel written to encourage factory regulation D. a pamphlet written by a group opposing unions


http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/


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Topic: Historical Thinking and Skills Content Statement HI.3 Historians develop theses and use evidence to support or refute positions. Expectation for Learning Develop a thesis and use evidence to support or refute a position.

Content Elaborations and Limits Historians are similar to detectives. They develop theses and use evidence to create explanations of past events. Rather than a simple list of events, a thesis provides a meaningful interpretation of the past by telling the reader the manner in which historical evidence is significant in some larger context. The evidence used by historians may be generated from artifacts, documents, eyewitness accounts, historical sites, photographs and other sources. Comparing and analyzing evidence from various sources enables historians to refine their explanations of past events. Historians cite their sources and use the results of their research to support or refute contentions made by others.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Graphic-Response • Completing a chart by matching

evidence to a thesis. • Matching a list of events to a thesis that

connects them. • Identifying evidence that supports a

given thesis. Constructed-Response • Constructing a thesis and providing two

pieces of evidence that support it, based upon provided documentation.

• Refuting a thesis based on provided evidence.

• Creating a thesis based on provided data and textual evidence.

Sample Test Items In 1816, Thomas Jefferson wrote:

I am certainly not an advocate for frequent and untried changes in laws and constitutions… But I know also that laws and institutions…must advance…and keep pace with the times. - Letter to Samuel Kercheval, July 12, 1816

Which thesis about Jefferson’s beliefs does the statement above support?

A. Laws must change as society changes. B. Laws and constitutions have little permanent value. C. People have limited ability to govern themselves wisely. D. The right of individuals must be balanced against the common good.

American History Spring 2015 EOY Released Test Items, Question 1 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/


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Sample Test Items (continued) During President William McKinley’s first term (1897-1901), many people debated whether the United States should participate in imperialism. The United States annexed both Hawaii and the Philippines in 1898. Debate over this issue continued into the early 1900s.

The sources below illustrate the issues in this debate.

Click on the text in the source menu to select documents to examine. Then click Display Source. Use the information contained in the sources to answer the questions.

Source 1: Speech from Senator Albert Beveridge (R-Indiana) in Congress on January 9, 1900 …These children [Filipinos]…are not capable of self-government…How could they be? They are…instructed by Spaniards in the latter’s worst estate. They know nothing of practical government except as they have witnessed the weak, corrupt, cruel, and capricious [unpredictable] rule of Spain… How shall they, in the twinkling of an eye, be exalted [elevated] to the heights of self-governing peoples which required a thousand years for us to reach, Anglo-Saxon [white] though we are?

Source 2: 1896 Washington Post editorial A new consciousness [awareness] seems to have come upon us – the consciousness [awareness] of strength – and with it a new appetite, the yearning [desire] to show our strength… Ambition, interest, land hunger, pride, the more joy of fighting, whatever it may be, we are animated by a new sensation. We are face to face with a strange destiny. The taste of Empire is in the mouth of the people as the taste of blood is in the jungle. It means an Imperial policy, the Republic…taking her place with the armed nations.

Source 3: Statement from President William McKinley, 1900 When next I realized that the Philippines had dropped into our laps, I confess I did not know what to do with them… I went down on my knees and prayed to Almighty God for light and guidance…And one night late it came to me this way…That there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them and by God’s grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow men, for whom Christ died. And then I went to bed and went to sleep, and slept soundly.

Source 4: Democratic Party Platform, 1900 We declare…to impose upon any people a government of force is to substitute the methods of imperialism for those of a republic…We assert that no nation can long endure half republic and half empire, and we warn the American people that imperialism abroad will lead quickly and inevitably to despotism [absolute rule] at home.

Source 5: Speech from William Jennings Bryan, Democratic Presidential candidate, 1900 If it is right for the United States to hold the Philippine Islands permanently and imitate European empires in the government of the colonies, the Republican Party ought to state its position and defend it, but it must expect the subject races to protest against such a policy and to resist to the extent of their ability. The Filipinos do not need any encouragement from Americans now living. Our whole history has been an encouragement, not only to the Filipinos but to all who are denied a voice in their own government. If Republicans are prepared to censure (punish) all who have used language calculated to make the Filipinos hate foreign domination, let them condemn the speech of Patrick Henry. When he uttered that passionate appeal, “Give me liberty or give me death,” he expressed a sentiment which still echoes in the hearts of men.


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Source 6: Letter from Mark Twain to the New York Tribune Jan. 1873 commenting sarcastically on Hawaii We must annex those people. We can afflict them with our wise and beneficent [good] government. We can introduce the novelty of thieves, all the way up from street-care pickpockets to municipal robbers and Government defaulters, and show them how amusing it is to arrest them and try them and then turn them loose—some for cash and some for “political influence.” American novelist Mark Twain was known for the use of political satire in his writing. Twain made political statements by pointing out mistakes or criticizing officials through comedic writing. Which statement accurately compares Mark Twain’s beliefs on the annexation of Hawaii to William McKinley’s beliefs on the annexation of the Philippines?

A. Both Twain and McKinley believed annexation was in the best interest of the inhabitants of foreign nations.

B. Neither Twain nor McKinley believed annexation was in the best interest of the inhabitants of foreign nations.

C. Twain believed annexation was in the best interest of Hawaii, while McKinley believed annexation was not in the best interest of the Philippines.

D. Twain believed annexation was not in the best interest of Hawaii, while McKinley believed annexation was in the best interest of the Philippines.


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Historians compose thesis statements from the information they find in multiple sources. Chose the thesis statements historians could compose after reading these sources.

Sources

Source 1: Speech from Senator Albert Beveridge (R-Indiana) in Congress on January 9, 1900

Source 2: 1896 Washington Post editorial

Source 3: Statement from President William McKinley, 1900

Click on three thesis statements you want to select.

American History EOY Practice Test, Questions 5-7


Many people in the United States supported imperialism.

The United States held a position of strength and power during the

late 1800s and early 1900s.

Much debate existed over whether the United States’ imperialist tendencies were

morally sound.

Many United States citizens believed the government would

overstep the bounds of its authority if it annexed foreign

nations.

Many Americans believed the United States had the right to

annex foreign nations.

McKinley and others initially opposed imperialism, but later

supported the concept.


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Sample Test Items (continued) Use the following tables to answer the question.

Percent of the U.S. Population That is Foreign-Born

1970 2000 Percent 4.7 10.4

Origins of the U.S. Foreign-Born Population (in percents)

1970 2000 Latin America 19.4 51.0

Asia 8.9 25.5 Europe 61.7 15.3

Other Areas 10.0 8.2

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Profile of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2000

Using the data in the tables above, support or refute the following thesis:

• Between 1970 and 2000, there was an increase in cultural diversity in the United States.

Type your answer in the space provided.

American History PBA Practice Test, Question 3 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/

The response provides an accurate and complete (references both sets of data) explanation as to why the data support the thesis. (2 points)


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Topic: Historical Thinking and Skills Content Statement HI.4 Historians analyze cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in historical events, including multiple causation and long- and short-term causal relations. Expectations for Learning Identify examples of multiple causation and long- and short-term causal relationships with respect to historical events. Analyze the relationship between historical events, taking into consideration cause, effect, sequence, and correlation.

Content Elaborations and Limits When studying a historical event or person in history, historians analyze cause-and-effect relationships. For example, to understand the impact of the Great Depression, an analysis would include its causes and effects. An analysis would also include an examination of the sequence and correlation of events. How did one event lead to another, and how do they relate to one another? An examination of Great Depression would include the Federal Reserve Board’s monetary policies in the late 1920s as a short-term cause and the decline in demand for American farm goods after World War I as a long-term factor contributing to the economic downturn.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Explaining one development leading to

the Great Depression in the United States.

• Identifying a long-term causal relationship between World War I and World War II, given background information.

Graphic-Response • Completing a chart by matching causes

with effects of the Great Depression in the United States.

• Creating a time line to demonstrate relationships between events of World Wars I and II.

• Grouping events that relate to one another with their common factors in a graphic organizer.

Constructed-Response • Explaining two developments leading to

the Great Depression in the United States.

• Explaining one development leading to the Great Depression in the United States.


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Sample Test Item Effective historians must employ a thorough understanding of cause and effect. A. Identify two factors that led to the Great Depression. B. Then, describe how each factor you identified led to the Great Depression. Type your answer in the space provided.

American History PBA Spring 2015 Released Items, Question 2 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/

The federal government’s contractionary monetary policies and stock market speculation led to the Great Depression. The federal government’s contractionary monetary policy involved the Federal Reserve’s constriction of money supply, which worsened economic conditions. The constriction made it harder for people to repay debts and for businesses to continue operations. Stock market speculation led many to lose their investments and fortunes when the market collapsed. (4 points)


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Topic: Historic Documents Content Statement HI.5 The Declaration of Independence reflects an application of Enlightenment ideas to the grievances of British subjects in the American colonies Expectation for Learning Explain a grievance listed in the Declaration of Independence in terms of its relationship to Enlightenment ideas of natural rights and the social contract.

Content Elaborations and Limits The Declaration of Independence opens with a statement that the action the American colonies were undertaking required an explanation. That explanation begins with a brief exposition of Enlightenment thinking, particularly natural rights and the social contract, as the context for examining the recent history of the colonies. The document includes a list of grievances the colonists have with the King of Great Britain and Parliament as a justification for independence. The grievances refer to a series of events since the French and Indian War which the colonists deemed were tyrannical acts and destructive of their rights. The Declaration of Independence ends with a clear statement that the political bonds between the colonies and Great Britain are ended. Independence is declared as an exercise of social contract thought. Additional Content Limits Students will not be asked to cite specific events referred to by specific grievances in the Declaration. Students will not be asked to identify or explain specific Enlightenment ideas or their originators. References to Enlightenment ideas will be limited to social contract and natural rights.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing two grievances found in the

Declaration of Independence that are related to the Enlightenment idea of natural rights.

Graphic-Response • Completing a chart matching general

Enlightenment ideas of natural rights and social contract with grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence.

Constructed-Response • Explaining how the Enlightenment idea of

natural rights (e.g., life, liberty, property) influenced the writing of the Declaration of Independence.

• Connecting a grievance listed in the Declaration of Independence to the Enlightenment idea of social contract.


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Topic: Historic Documents

Content Statement HI.6 The Northwest Ordinance addressed a need for government in the Northwest Territory and established precedents for the future governing of the United States.

Expectation for Learning Show how the Northwest Ordinance, in providing for government for the Northwest Territory, established a precedent for governing the United States.

Content Elaborations and Limits As Ohio country settlement progressed in the Connecticut Western Reserve and the Virginia Military District, and with the enactment of the Land Ordinance of 1785, the Congress of the United States recognized a need for governing land acquired in the Treaty of Paris. The Northwest Ordinance provided the basis for temporary governance as a territory and eventual entry into the United States as states.

The Northwest Ordinance also set some precedents that influenced how the United States would be governed in later years. New states were to be admitted “into the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original States.” This provision was continued in later years and it meant that there would be no colonization of the lands as there had been under Great Britain. “Schools and the means of education” were to be encouraged. This wording reinforced the provision in the Land Ordinance of 1785 allocating one section of each township for the support of schools and established a basis for national aid for education. Basic rights of citizenship (e.g., religious liberty, right to trial by jury, writ of habeas corpus) were assured. These assurances were precursors to the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution. Slavery was prohibited in the Northwest Territory. This provision was later included in the Constitution as Amendment 13. State governments were to be republican in structure. This provision was repeated in the U.S. Constitution. Additional Content Limits References to the Northwest Ordinance may only be drawn from specific provisions listed in the Content Elaborations.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying one aspect of how the

Northwest Ordinance provided government for the Norwest Territory.

Graphic-Response • Identifying, in a chart, the ways in which

the Northwest Ordinance set precedents for governing the United States.

Constructed-Response • Explaining how a provision of the

Northwest Ordinance set precedents for governing the United States.


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Content Statement HI.7 Problems facing the national government under the Articles of Confederation led to the drafting of the Constitution of the United States. The framers of the Constitution applied ideas of Enlightenment in conceiving the new government.

Expectation for Learning Develop an argument that a particular provision of the Constitution of the United States would help in addressing a problem facing the United States in the 1780s.

Explain a provision of the Constitution in terms of how it reflects Enlightenment thinking.

Content Elaborations and Limits The national government, under the Articles, faced several critical problems. Some dealt with the structure of the government itself. These problems included weak provisions for management of national affairs (a lack of a separate executive branch), a limited ability to resolve disputes arising under the Articles (a lack of a separate judicial branch) and stiff requirements for passing legislation and amending the Articles. National issues facing the government included paying the debt from the Revolutionary War, the British refusal to evacuate forts on U.S. soil, the Spanish closure of the Mississippi River to American navigation and state disputes over land and trade. Economic problems in the states led to Shays’ Rebellion.

The Constitution of the United States strengthened the structure of the national government. Separate executive and judicial branches were established. More practical means of passing legislation and amending the Constitution were instituted. The new government would have the ability to address the issues facing the nation. Powers to levy taxes, raise armies and regulate commerce were given to Congress. The principle of federalism delineated the distribution of powers between the national government and the states.

The Constitution of the United States was drafted using Enlightenment ideas to create a workable form of government. The Preamble and the creation of a representative government reflect the idea of the social contract. Articles I – III provide for a separation of powers in government. Article I also provides some limited protection of rights.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying how a particular problem

faced by the United States in the 1780s was addressed in the Constitution.

Graphic-Response • Completing a chart matching provisions

of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution to Enlightenment ideas.

• Matching a provision from the Constitution that addresses a problem that the United States faced in the 1780s.

Constructed-Response • Constructing an argument that a

provision of the Constitution addressed, relating to a problem facing the United States in the 1780s.

• Explaining how the Preamble to the Constitution reflects Enlightenment thinking.


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Topic: Historic Documents Content Statement HI.8 The Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers structured the national debate over the ratification of the Constitution of the United States. Expectation for Learning Compare the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists on a common topic related to the ratification of the Constitution of the United States, and hypothesize about why the winning argument was more persuasive.

Content Elaborations and Limits The Constitution of the United States represented a significant departure from the Articles of Confederation. The document required ratification by nine states for the national government to be established among the ratifying states. Proponents and opponents of the Constitution attempted to sway the deliberations of the ratifying conventions in the states. The proponents became known as Federalists and the opponents as Anti-Federalists. New York was a pivotal state in the ratification process and Federalists prepared a series of essays published in that state’s newspapers to convince New York to support the Constitution. These essays have become known as the Federalist Papers and they addressed issues such as the need for national taxation, the benefits of a strong national defense, the safeguards in the distribution of powers and the protection of citizen rights. What has become known as the Anti-Federalist Papers is a collection of essays from a variety of contributors. While not an organized effort as the Federalist Papers were, the Anti-Federalist Papers raised issues relating to the threats posed by national taxation, the use of a standing army, the amount of national power versus state power and the inadequate protection of the people’s rights.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Given an argument made by the

Federalists, identifying the Anti-Federalist counter argument.

• Given an argument made by the Anti-Federalists, identifying the Federalist counter argument.

Graphic-Response • Creating a chart by placing the

arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists on selected topics in the correct spaces.

Constructed-Response • Comparing Federalist and Anti-Federalist

opinions on the same topic. Selecting which opinion is most persuasive and explaining why this opinion was more persuasive.

• Explaining one argument between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

• Given a topic, identifying the Federalist and Anti-Federalist argument about each issue.


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Sample Test Item Federalists and Anti-Federalists debated issues and concerns related to the proposed Constitution. Select the boxes to identify each argument as a Federalist position or Anti-Federalist position. Select the boxes to identify each argument as a Federalist position or Anti-Federalist position.

Federalist Anti-Federalist

The rights of citizens should be listed in the Constitution.

£ R

The use of a standing army threatens the liberty of citizens.

£ R

The protection of national interests requires a standing army.

R

£

The rights of citizens are inherent and do not need to be defined.

R

£

The national government holds too much power compared to individual states.

£

R



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Content Statement HI.9 The Bill of Rights is derived from English law, ideas of the Enlightenment, the experiences of the American colonists, early experiences of self-government, and the national debate over the ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

Expectation for Learning Cite evidence for historical precedents to the rights incorporated in the Bill of Rights.

Content Elaborations and Limits The Bill of Rights is derived from several sources. These range from the English heritage of the United States to the debates over the ratification of the Constitution.

English sources for the Bill of Rights include the Magna Carta (1215) and the Bill of Rights of 1689. The Magna Carta marked a step toward constitutional protection of rights and recognized trial by jury. The English Bill of Rights affirmed many rights including the right to habeas corpus and it protected against cruel punishments.

Enlightenment ideas about natural rights of life, liberty and property were becoming widespread as American colonists were experiencing what they saw as infringements upon their rights. The Quartering Act of 1765 was seen as an infringement on property rights. The Massachusetts Government Act placed severe limitations on the colonists’ ability to assemble in their town meetings. The Enlightenment ideas and British policies became focal points of the Declaration of Independence.

As the American people began to govern themselves, they incorporated individual rights in governing documents. The Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) included protections for the press, religious exercise and the accused. Other colonies also included individual rights as part of their constitutions. The national government, under the Articles of Confederation, enacted the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which provided for religious liberty, due process, protections for the accused and property rights.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing examples of precedents to

selected rights listed in the Bill of Rights. • Connecting a right listed in the Bill of

Rights to the applicable historical precedent.

Graphic-Response • Completing a chart that matches the

historical precedents to selected rights listed in the Bill of Rights.

Constructed-Response • Explaining the presence of Enlightenment

ideas, such as religious tolerance or the social contract, through successive American foundational documents up to the Bill of Rights.


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Content Elaborations and Limits (continued) One of the key issues in the debate over the ratification of the Constitution concerned individual rights. The strength of Anti-Federalist arguments that the original Constitution did not contain adequate protections for individual rights led to the introduction in the First Congress of 9 amendments devoted to individual rights.

Additional Content Limits Students will not be expected to identify specific precedent documents (e.g., Magna Carta). Instead, they will be asked to provide information concerning the precedents set by the documents (e.g., right to life, trial by jury, property, etc.).

Sample Test Item The U.S. Bill of Rights was influenced by several historic precedents. Two of these precedents directly contributed to the rights of the accused. Move these two precedents into the chart.

• You do not need to use all the precedents shown.

American History EOY Spring 2015 Released Items, Question 5 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/

Rights of the Accused

Protection from excessive bail (from the English Bill of

Rights of 1689)

Due process of law (from the Northwest Ordinance)

Due process of law (from the Northwest Ordinance)

Freedom of the press (from the Virginia

Declaration of Rights)

Protection from excessive bail (from the English Bill of

Rights of 1689)

Social contract (from Enlightenment

writings)


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Topic: Industrialization and Progressivism (1877-1920)

Content Statement HI.10 The rise of corporations, heavy industry, mechanized farming, and technological innovations transformed the American economy from an agrarian to an increasingly urban industrial society.

Expectation for Learning Analyze how the rise of corporations, heavy industry, mechanized farming, and technological innovations transformed the American economy from an agrarian to an increasingly urban industrial society.

Content Elaborations and Limits Industrialization in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was characterized by the rise of corporations and heavy industry, which transformed the American economy. It marked a shift from a predominance of agricultural workers to a predominance of factory workers. It marked a shift from rural living to urban living, with more people living in crowded and unsanitary conditions.

Mechanized farming also transformed the American economy. Production was made more efficient as machines replaced human labor.

New technologies such as the mechanized assembly line and electric motors made factory production more efficient and allowed for larger industrial plants. Some of the technological innovations that transformed the American economy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries include: the telephone, phonograph, incandescent light bulb, washing machine, skyscraper, automobile, and airplane.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying how one technological

innovation affected agricultural production in the late 1800s in the United States.

• Listing two effects (positive and/or negative) of industrialization on the American economy and on living conditions.

Constructed-Response • Explaining how industrialization changed

the American economy in the late 1800s.

Sample Test Item

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many changes occurred in U.S. agriculture as a result of industrialization.

Which is one way industrialization affected agriculture? A. It delayed the transportation of crops to market. B. It decreased opportunities to grow a variety of crops. C. It reduced the amount of labor needed to grow crops. D. It decreased the amount of land available for cultivation.

American History Spring 2015 Released Items, Question 15 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/


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Topic: Industrialization and Progressivism (1877-1920) Content Statement HI.11The rise of industrialization led to a rapidly expanding workforce. Labor organizations grew amidst unregulated working conditions and violence toward supporters of organized labor.

Expectation for Learning Explain the major social and economic effects of industrialization and the influence of the growth of organized labor following Reconstruction in the United States.

Content Elaborations and Limits The rise of industrialization in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries increased the demand for workers. With this demand, immigrants came from other countries and Americans migrated from other parts of the United States to take jobs in industrial centers.

As a result of the changing nature of work, some members of the working class formed labor organizations (e.g., American Railway Union, American Federation of Labor, Industrial Workers of the World, United Mine Workers of America) to protect their rights. They sought to address issues such as working conditions, wages and terms of employment.

Labor organizations also grew due to the violence toward supporters of organized labor (e.g., the Great Railroad Strike, Haymarket Riot, Homestead Strike, the Pullman Strike).

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to:

Multiple-choice (See page 4 above)

Short-Answer • Identify one way that industrialization

influenced the composition/location of the workforce in the United States during the late 1800s.

Graphic-Response • Filling in a chart by identifying issues

related to industrialization that labor unions sought to address in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

• Selecting a chart illustrating the accurate portrayal of changes in the American workforce during the late 1800s.

Constructed-Response • Explain the major social and economic

effects of industrialization on the lives of Americans during the late 1800s.

Sample Test Items Between 1870 and 1900, industrialization in the United States led to working conditions that labor unions opposed.

• Identify two working conditions that labor unions opposed. • Then, for each working condition, identify a demand made by labor unions to

change the working condition.


The response identifies two working conditions that labor unions (long hours, low pay, child labor) opposed AND, for each working condition, identifies a related demand made by labor unions to change the working conditions (shorter hours, higher pay, child labor laws). (4 points)


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Topic: Industrialization and Progressivism (1877-1920) Content Statement HI.12 Immigration, internal migration and urbanization transformed American life. Expectation for Learning Analyze and evaluate how immigration, internal migration and urbanization transformed American life.

Content Elaborations and Limits Mass immigration at the turn the turn of the 20th century made the country more diverse and transformed American life by filling a demand for workers, diffusing new traits into the American culture and impacting the growth of cities. Many people left their farms for the cities seeking greater job opportunities. The Great Migration marked the mass movement of African Americans who fled the rural South for the urban North. They sought to escape prejudice and discrimination and secure better paying jobs. They helped transform northern cities economically (e.g. as workers and consumers) and culturally (e.g., art, music, literature). Urbanization transformed the physical nature of cities. Central cities focused on industry and commerce. Buildings became taller and tenement buildings provided housing for working families. Cities acquired additional land as they expanded outward. The crowding of cities led to increased crime with the development of gangs. Improvements in transportation (e.g., trolleys, automobiles) facilitated the development of suburbs. A growing middle class could easily commute between residential areas and the central cities for business and recreation. The demand for resources and land in the West changed the life of the American Indians, who through a series of treaties and government actions continued to be displaced from their ancestral lands.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing one way that urbanization in the

late 1800s changed American life. • Identifying one way that immigration in

the early 1900s changed American life. Graphic-Response • Filling in a chart, by associating

immigration, migration or urbanization between 1877 and 1920 with their effects.

Constructed Response • Explaining the effects of internal

migration on American life between 1877 and 1920.


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Sample Test Item During the 1800s, the U.S. government forced American Indians to live on reservations. Identify two specific ways that this discrimination affected American Indians.

American History PBA Spring 2015 Released Items, Question 1 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/

Correct Responses: (2 points) • American Indian religious practices declined, as many American Indians whose families

were relocated to reservations were pressured to convert to Christianity. • American Indian children were forced to attend reservation schools, which did not allow

them to speak their traditional languages or practice their tribal customs. • Poor health care on impoverished reservations resulted in the proliferation of diseases

including tuberculosis, pneumonia and smallpox. • Poverty/deterioration of traditional American Indian agricultural, hunting and foraging

practices resulted in increased rates of malnutrition and starvation on reservations. • Government corruption led to Dawes Severalty Act provisions (promises of suitable land

for agriculture/ranching) going unfulfilled. • Allotments of land under the Dawes Severalty Act forced American Indians to give up

traditional views of landholding. • Reservation life made American Indians dependent upon governmental support and

weakened traditional tribal structures. • Usually included loss of access to lands lost in the resettlement. • Denial of citizenship and associated rights. • Reservation life set American Indians at a disadvantage and less able to adapt to life

outside the reservations and assimilate into the larger culture.


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Topic: Industrialization and Progressivism (1877-1920) Content Statement HI.13 Following Reconstruction, old political and social structures reemerged and racial discrimination was institutionalized. Expectation for Learning Describe institutionalized racist practices in post-Reconstruction America.

Content Elaborations and Limits The removal of federal troops from the South accompanied the end of Reconstruction and helped lead to the restoration of the Democratic Party’s control of state governments. With the “redemption” of the South, many reforms enacted by Reconstruction governments were repealed. Racial discrimination was institutionalized with the passage of Jim Crow laws. These state laws and local ordinances included provisions to require racial segregation, prohibit miscegenation, limit ballot access and generally deprive African Americans of civil rights. Advocates against racial discrimination challenged institutionalized racism through the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed segregation in the Plessy v. Ferguson decision. The rise of the Ku Klux Klan and other nativist organizations brought increased violence against African Americans.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Giving examples of how racism was

institutionalized in America in the late 1800s.

• Identifying examples of Jim Crow laws. Graphic-Response • Filling in a chart by matching post-

Reconstruction political and social developments with their effects on race relations.

• Selecting examples of policies that led to increased racial segregation from a list of distractors and correct policies.

Constructed Response • Explaining the effects of Jim Crow laws.

Sample Test Items Select all of the factors that enabled racism to become institutionalized in the United States following the end of the Reconstruction period. R Federal troops were removed from southern states. £ The Republican Party regained control of state governments in the South. £ The Federal government banned the application of grandfather clauses to new laws. R The Supreme Court affirmed the principle of “separate but equal” in Plessy v. Ferguson. £ Southern state governments repealed laws that limited African-Americans’ ability to vote.

American History EOY Practice Test, Question 10 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/


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How did the removal of federal troops after Reconstruction change the South? A. It permitted Radical Republicans to gain increased influence in state governments. B. It allowed racial discrimination to be institutionalized with the passage of Jim Crow

Laws. C. It had little effect on southern states because Reconstruction had been generally

successful. D. It ensured that African Americans would continue to vote and have a say in local

and state governments.


Mississippi Constitution of 1890 This set of questions is designed to test your ability to work with historical sources. The language used in any source reflects the historical context of the time in which it was produced.

The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified 1870 to guarantee the right to vote to all men, including freed slaves, in every state.

In the years following the end of Reconstruction, most of the former Southern Confederate states wrote new constitutions to disenfranchise, or take the voting rights from, African Americans. Because of the Fifteenth Amendment, state constitutions could not directly prohibit African Americans from voting, so they made it more difficult to register to vote.

An excerpt from the 1890 Constitution of the State of Mississippi is shown. Mississippi Constitution of 1890 Sec. 241. Every male inhabitant of this State … who is a citizen of the United States, twenty-one years old and upwards, who has resided in this State two years, and one year in the election district … in which he offers to vote, and who is duly registered as provided in this article, and who has never been convicted of [felony crimes], and who has paid, on or before the first day of February of the year in which he shall offer to vote, all taxes which may have been legally required of him … for the two preceding years … is declared to be a qualified elector [voter]. …

Sec. 243. A uniform poll tax of two dollars … is hereby imposed on every male inhabitant of this State between the ages of twenty-one and sixty years … The board of supervisors of any county may … increase the poll tax in said county, but in no case shall the entire poll tax exceed in any one year three dollars on each poll. No criminal proceedings shall be allowed to enforce the collection of the poll tax.

Sec. 244 … [E]very elector shall, in addition to the foregoing qualifications, be able to read any section of the constitution of this State; or he shall be able to understand the same when read to him, or give a reasonable interpretation thereof. …

Sec. 249. No one shall be allowed to vote for members of the legislature or other officers who has not been duly registered under the constitution and laws of this State, by an officer of this State, legally authorized to register the voters thereof. And registration under the constitution and laws of this State by the proper officers of this State is hereby declared to be an essential and necessary qualification to vote at any and all elections.


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How did Section 243 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 contribute to institutionalized racism in the post-Reconstruction South?

A. Many African Americans had not been granted U.S. citizenship. B. Many African Americans were unable to read laws passed by the state legislature. C. The frequent movement of African Americans disqualified them from becoming

eligible voters. D. The two dollar poll tax that voters were required to pay was not affordable for most

African Americans. Some of the restrictions on voting like those in the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 had the effect of disenfranchising poor white people in the South. Beginning in the 1890s, some southern states instituted “grandfather clauses” that allowed more poor white people to vote. Under these grandfather clauses, people were able to register to vote if their grandfather or father had voted before 1867. Why were grandfather clauses able exclude African Americans from voting while protecting the voting rights of poor white people?

A. Many African Americans had moved to the South after the Civil War in search of political jobs.

B. Before Reconstruction, most African Americans were enslaved and unable to vote in the South.

C. The Fifteenth Amendment allowed states to set voter registration requirements that varied by race.

D. Following the withdrawal of federal troops, Republicans were elected across the South and created protections for white voters.

Select the boxes to identify whether each statement was a cause or an effect of the implementation of southern constitutions like the Mississippi Constitution of 1890. Cause Effect

Jim Crow laws were easily adopted. £ R

African Americans’ civil rights were restricted. £ R

Many African Americans migrated to northern cities. £ R

Southern Democrats regained control of state governments. R £

Federal troops were removed from former Confederate states. R £

American History EOY Practice Test, Questions 19-21 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/


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Topic: Industrialization and Progressivism (1877-1920)

Content Statement HI.14 The Progressive Era was an effort to address the ills of American society stemming from industrial capitalism, urbanization and political corruption.

Expectation for Learning Analyze and evaluate the success of progressive reforms during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in addressing problems associated with industrial capitalism, urbanization and political corruption.

Content Elaborations and Limits Industrial capitalism, urbanization and political corruption contributed to many of the problems in American society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Organized movements, such as the Farmers’ Alliances and the Populist Party were reactions to the effects of industrialization and created a reform agenda which contributed to the rise of Progressivism. Journalists, called muckrakers, exposed political corruption, corporate and industrial practices, social injustice and life in urban America.

Progressives introduced reforms to address the ills associated with industrial capitalism. Their efforts led to anti-trust suits (e.g., Northern Securities Company), antitrust legislation (Clayton Antitrust Act), railroad regulation (Hepburn Act), and consumer protection legislation (e.g., Pure Food and Drug Act, Meat Inspection Act). The Federal Reserve Act was passed to control the nation’s money supply and regulate the banking system. Conservation reforms included the creation of the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and the passage of the Newlands Act. Large cities were also sites for progressive reform. Some city administrations introduced public ownership of utilities such as gas and electrical utilities. Public transit systems were established. Tax codes and zoning codes were updated and standards for housing and sanitation were instituted in several cities.

Progressives fought political corruption and introduced reforms to make the political process more democratic (e.g., initiative, referendum, recall, secret ballot, new types of municipal government, civil service reform, and primary elections).

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying one progressive reform

addressing industrial capitalism. Graphic-Response • Completing a chart that matches

progressive reforms with the problem each addressed.

Constructed-Response • Explaining one way that Progressives

addressed political corruption. • Identifying a problem of urbanization

addressed by Progressives in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and evaluating the success of efforts to solve this problem.

• Explaining how progressive reforms made the political process in the United States more democratic.


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Content Elaborations and Limits (continued) Other progressive reforms included: 16th Amendment (power of Congress to levy an income tax); 17th Amendment (direct election of U.S. Senators); 18th Amendment (prohibition of alcoholic beverages); and 19th Amendment (women’s suffrage). Additional Content Limits: Items may reference examples from the content elaborations; however, students should not be required to identify the name and/or provisions of specific reforms and legislation. Use examples of reform trends from the content elaborations as item stimuli.

Sample Test Items Rapid industrialization in the United States in the late 1800s led to significant changes in business organizations. Justice Barrett of the Supreme Court of New York described the impact of one of these powerful new companies in the sugar industry.

It can close every refinery at will,…artificially limit the production of refined sugar, (and) enhance the price….at the public expense…

How did reformers propose that Congress respond to this type of powerful new business?

A. by regulating child labor B. by organizing labor unions C. by passing antitrust laws D. by adopting free market policies


http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/ Identify one reform that Progressives introduced to combat the problems associated with industrialized capitalism.


Correct Responses: (1 point) • Progressives introduced anti-trust legislation (Clayton Antitrust Act). • Progressives introduced railroad regulations (Hepburn Act). • Anti-trust suits were introduced (e.g., Northern Securities Company). • Consumer protection legislation was introduced (e.g., Pure Food and Drug Act, Meat

Inspection Act). • The Federal Reserve Act controlled the nation’s money supply and banking system.

Conservation reforms were enacted (Newlands Act) and the United States Forest Service was created.

• Progressives highlighted labor concerns, such as working conditions and child labor.


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Topic: Foreign Affairs from Imperialism to Post-World War I (1898-1930) Content Statement HI.15 As a result of overseas expansion, the Spanish–American War and World War I, the United States emerged as a world power. Expectation for Learning Analyze the circumstances that enabled the United States to emerge as a world power in the early 1900s.

Content Elaborations and Limits With the closing of the western frontier, Americans developed favorable attitudes toward foreign expansion. Pushed along by global competition for markets and prestige, an expanded navy, and a sense of cultural superiority, the United States engaged in a series of overseas actions which fostered its move to global power status. The annexation of Hawaii followed by a successful conclusion to the Spanish-American War allowed the United States to join other nations in imperialist ventures. With its entry into World War I, the United States mobilized a large army and navy to help the Allies achieve victory. After the war, European countries were forced to concentrate their resources on rebuilding their countries. However, the United States enjoyed a brief period of economic prosperity and was able to exert authority as a world power.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying an event that contributed to

the United States emerging as a world power in the early 1900s.

Graphic-Response • Completing a time line that matches

different events with their effects on the world power status of the United States.

Constructed-Response • Explaining how military events

contributed to the United States becoming a world power during the early 1900s.

Sample Test Item In the late 1800s, the United States began to assert itself politically and militarily beyond North America. For example, the United States took over the independent kingdom of Hawaii and fought a war against Spain in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. Identify two reasons the United States participated in the expansionist policies such as these.

American History Spring 2015 PBA Released Items, Question 3

http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/ Correct Responses (2 points): Global competition for markets; an expanded navy/military; to gain new opportunities for trade; global competition for prestige, a sense of cultural superiority; the closing of the Western frontier; to acquire new territories; to spread American values; to increase American prestige.


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Topic: Foreign Affairs from Imperialism to Post-World War I (1898-1930) Content Statement HI.16 After World War I, the United States pursued efforts to maintain peace in the world. However, as a result of the national debate over the Versailles Treaty ratification and the League of Nations, the United States moved away from the role of world peacekeeper and limited its involvement in international affairs. Expectation for Learning Explain why and how the United States moved to a policy of isolationism following World War I.

Content Elaborations and Limits After WWI, the United States emerged as a world leader and pursued efforts to maintain peace in the world. President Wilson’s efforts partially helped shape the Treaty of Versailles, but debate over its terms and efforts to avoid foreign entanglements led to its defeat in the Senate and the United States’ decision not to join the League of Nations. Desires to avoid another major war led to treaties addressing arms limitation and territorial expansion (Four-, Five- and Nine-Power Treaties). In 1928, the United States signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact to prohibit war as “an instrument of national policy.” In taking a leading role in these later treaties, the United States sought to limit its involvement in international affairs. Additional Content Limits The time period discussed for this Content Statement will be limited to the years 1919-1930. Students will not be asked to provide specific treaty names and/or details. Students are expected to understand the concept of a treaty if presented with a name and specific details.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying the cause behind the United

States’ move to a policy of isolationism after World War I.

Graphic-Response • Completing a chart identifying evidence

of U.S. isolationism after World War I. Constructed-Response • Explain how post-World War I conditions

influenced the United States to maintain a policy of isolationism.


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Sample Test Items After World War I, the United States signed treaties with other nations in an attempt to prevent future wars.

A. Move the phrases that describe how these actions attempted to prevent future wars into the blank boxes in part A.

B. Move the policy of the United States that was reflected by these actions into the

blank box in part B.

• You do not need to use all the phrase or policies.


What foreign policy did the United States pursue after its involvement in World War I?

A. The United States limited its involvement in international affairs. B. The United States led the League of Nations to promote peace. C. The United States paid for the rebuilding of Great Britain and France. D. The United States seized territories from its European rivals to build its empire.

American History EOY Spring 2015 Released Items, Question 12


Post-World War I Treaties

A. Ways these actions attempted to prevent war: B. U.S. policy that these actions reflect:

Limit of naval arms

L Limit territorial expansion

Isolationist Policy

Limit of naval arms Limit territorial expansion

Stop the spread of Nazism Bick Stick Diplomacy

Containment Policy Isolationist Policy


38

Topic: Prosperity, Depression and the New Deal (1919-1941) Content Statement HI.17 Racial intolerance, anti-immigrant attitudes and the Red Scare contributed to social unrest after World War I. Expectation for Learning Describe how racial intolerance, anti-immigrant attitudes and the Red Scare contributed to social unrest after World War I.

Content Elaborations and Limits The Great Migration of African Americans to northern cities heightened racial tensions there and led to a series of urban race riots in 1919. Lynchings and the enforcement of Jim Crow legislation continued in the South during the post-war era. Racial intolerance was also seen in the revival of the Ku Klux Klan across the United States. An increase in immigration to the United States from southern and eastern Europe preceded World War I. Nativism after the war was reflected in the passage of immigration quotas. Intolerance toward immigrants, Catholics, and Jews was exhibited by groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. The success of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia followed by post-war labor strikes and a series of bombs sent to public and business officials in the United States stirred fears of revolution among Americans. The Red Scare of 1919-1920 was a reaction to these perceived threats and led to the incarceration and deportation of many aliens. Additional Content Limits References to the Bolshevik Revolution will be limited to its role in the Red Scare in the United States.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Citing examples of social unrest caused

by anti-immigration attitudes. • Citing examples of anti-immigration

attitudes that led to social unrest. • Citing examples of social unrest caused

by racial intolerance. • Citing examples of social unrest caused

by fear of communism. Graphic-Response • Use a graphing tool to chart the rise of

anti-immigrant action in the United States during the years following the Red Scare.

Constructed-Response • Describing how the Red Scare

contributed to social unrest after World War I.


39

Sample Test Items Following World War I, large U.S. cities experienced increased competition for jobs and housing. Which development was a significant result of this pattern of urban changes?

A. New Deal legislation to create jobs and stimulate the economy B. a population shift to rural areas for increased job opportunities C. race riots fueled by intolerance and continuing African-American migrations D. the banning of women in the workplace so that they could focus on the home



Between 1919 and 1941, anti-immigrant sentiments had a significant impact on social trends in the United States. Identify the general trends during this period that were related to these anti-immigrant sentiments. Click on the trends you want to select.



General Trends

Foreign-born workforce increased

Nativism became widespread

Immigration quotas were enacted

Religious tolerance increased

Many immigrants were accepted as citizens

Immigrants were targeted by the Ku Klux Klan


40

Topic: Prosperity, Depression and the New Deal (1919-1941) Content Statement HI.18 An improved standard of living for many, combined with technological innovations in communication, transportation and industry resulted in social and cultural changes and tensions. Expectation for Learning Describe how an improved standard of living for many, combined with technological innovations in communication, transportation and industry resulted in social and cultural changes and tensions.

Content Elaborations and Limits Following World War I, the United States experienced a period of successful advances in industry and an economic boom that improved the standards of living for many Americans. Technological innovations in communication included commercial radio broadcasts, talking motion pictures, and wider circulation of newspapers and magazines. These innovations influenced the development of a popular culture and mass advertising. Advances in transportation during this era include the Model A Ford and the airplane. In industry, mass production techniques continued to make factory production more efficient. These developments also contributed to an improved standard of living. These innovations brought change. But some changes challenged conventional social mores and created tensions. For example, increased automobile ownership contributed to the growth of suburbs, the creation of new businesses (e.g., motels, gas stations) and the expansion of others (e.g., rubber, plate glass, petroleum, steel). New surfaced roads were constructed to accommodate increased traffic. But use of the automobile also challenged traditional family values and tried the patience of travelers. Young people used the car to exercise freedom from parental rules. Increased numbers of commuters had to face the problems of traffic congestion.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying ways that technological

advancements in the United States changed society during the 1920s and 1930s.

Graphic-Response • Completing a cause-and-effect diagram,

demonstrating how technological innovations resulted in social and cultural changes in the United States from 1919 through 1941.

Constructed-Response • Comparing positive and negative effects

of increased automobile ownership.


41

Topic: Prosperity, Depression and the New Deal (1919-1941) Content Statement HI.19 Movements such as the Harlem Renaissance, African-American migration, women’s suffrage, and Prohibition all contributed to social change. Expectation for Learning Describe social changes that came from the Harlem Renaissance, African-American migration, women’s suffrage and Prohibition.

Content Elaborations and Limits The Harlem Renaissance was a celebration of African American culture and contributed to social change. The themes of African American art and literature gave pride to people of African heritage and increased awareness of the struggles related to intolerance and life in large urban centers. Jazz flourished during the Harlem Renaissance and became an established American music genre. The large numbers of African Americans moving to northern cities during the Great Migration increased competition for jobs, housing, and public services. The movement to give women suffrage saw the fruition of its goal with the passage of the 19th Amendment. The change brought more women into the political process, eventually including women running for public office. Prohibition had mixed results. Establishments that openly sold liquor closed their doors. But Prohibition lacked popular support. It further divided the nation along secularist/ fundamentalist, rural/urban, and modern/traditional lines. It led to speakeasies and increased organized crime. The law was difficult to enforce and was repealed with the 21st Amendment.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying one social change resulting

from Prohibition. • Identifying one social change resulting

from the Great Migration. Graphic-Response • Categorizing social changes in the

United States during the 1920s and 1930s, according to the movement that produced them.

Constructed-Response • Explaining two social impacts of

Prohibition.


42

Sample Test Item During the 1920s, several movements contributed to social change. Identify the movement that primarily contributed to each social change shown. Move each movement into the correct blank box.


Movements Social Change

Enhanced participation in the political process

Divided the nation along secularist/ fundamentalist lines

Increased competition for housing and jobs

Movements

Women’s Suffrage

The Great Migration Prohibition

Women’s Suffrage

Prohibition

The Great Migration


43

Topic: Prosperity, Depression and the New Deal (1919-1941) Content Statement HI.20 The Great Depression was caused, in part, by the federal government’s monetary policies, stock market speculation and increasing consumer debt. The role of the federal government expanded as a result of the Great Depression. Expectations for Learning Describe how the federal government’s monetary policies, stock market speculation and increasing consumer debt led to the Great Depression. Explain how the efforts to combat the Great Depression led to an expanded role for the federal government.

Content Elaborations and Limits One of several factors leading to the Great Depression in the United States was the excessive amount of lending by banks. This fueled speculation and use of credit. The Federal Reserve attempted to curb these practices by constricting the money supply. The effect was to worsen economic conditions by making it harder for people to repay debts and for businesses, including banks, to continue operations. Another factor leading to the Depression was from stock market speculation. Many investors were buying on margin with the hope of making huge profits. But the collapse of the stock market led many to lose their investments and fortunes. The closing of many factories led to the rise of consumer debt as workers lost needed income. During the 1930s, the role of the federal government was greatly expanded with the New Deal. This occurred through its efforts to help the economy recover with programs such as the NRA, to provide relief to the unemployed by creating jobs, and to institute reforms for the protection of the elderly, farmers, investors, and laborers.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying two ways that New Deal

programs attempted to address the effects of the Great Depression.

• Listing two factors that contributed to the Great Depression.

Graphic-Response • Organizing combinations of graphic

displays of data to describe a cause of the Great Depression.

Constructed-Response • Explaining two New Deal programs that

expanded the role of the federal government in the economy.

• Explaining how stock market speculation contributed to the Great Depression.


44

Sample Test Item The Great Depression was caused by several key factors, resulting in a dramatic change in American society. Identify the factors that led to the Great Depression. Then identify the resulting action that was taken to address the negative conditions of the Great Depression. Move the labels into the correct blank boxes on the chart.

• You do not need to use all of the labels.



Led to

The Great Depression

Resulted in

Excessive lending and consumer debt

Excessive lending and consumer debt

The elimination of social programs

Speculation and stock market crash

Increased government spending to create jobs

Federal Reserve constricts money supply

Speculation and stock market crash

Federal Reserve constricts money supply

Increased government spending to create jobs


45

Topic: From Isolation to World War (1930-1945) Content Statement HI.21 During the 1930s, the U.S. government attempted to distance the country from earlier interventionist policies in the Western Hemisphere as well as retain an isolationist approach to events in Europe and Asia until the beginning of World War II. Expectation for Learning Analyze the reasons for American isolationist sentiment in the interwar period.

Content Elaborations and Limits Following World War I, the United States was reluctant to become entangled in overseas conflicts that would lead to another war. Although it had used the Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary to justify intervention into Latin American affairs, the U.S. retreated from these policies during the1930s with the Good Neighbor Policy. The Neutrality Acts of the 1930s were attempts to isolate the country from the problems erupting in Asia and Europe. The United States tried to maintain its isolationist approach when war broke out in Europe. But to aid countries fighting against fascist aggression, the United States introduced the “cash and carry” policy, negotiated the destroyer-for-bases deal and enacted Lend-Lease. It also helped write the Atlantic Charter. The expansionist policies of Japan and the bombing of Pearl Harbor ended U.S. isolationist policies. Additional Content Limits The time period discussed for this Content Statement should be limited to the years 1930-1941.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identify two actions taken by the United

States prior to World War II that attempted to maintain U.S. isolationist policies.

Graphic-Response • Create a graphic organizer to describe

aspects of isolationist sentiments in 1930s America.

Constructed-Response • Explaining the policy of isolationism

followed by the United States in the 1930s.

• Explaining how the U.S. attempted to remain isolationist while being pulled further into war and amidst growing tensions in Europe.


46

Topic: From Isolation to World War (1930-1945) Content Statement HI.22 The United States’ mobilization of its economic and military resources during World War II brought significant changes to American society. Expectation for Learning Identify and explain changes American society experienced with the mobilization of its economic and military resources during World War II.

Content Elaborations and Limits The mobilization of the United States to a wartime economy during World War II was massive. The federal government reorganized existing plants to produce goods and services for the war effort and instituted policies to ration and redirect resources. Mobilization caused major impacts on the lives of Americans. A peacetime draft was instituted in 1940 to supplement military enlistments. Scrap drives were conducted to reallocate materials for war goods. Regulations were imposed on some wages and prices. Some products were subjected to rationing. Citizens raised victory gardens to supplement food supplies and purchased war bonds to help fund the war. Some labor unions signed no strike pledges. Job opportunities in the civilian workforce and in the military opened for women and minorities. African Americans organized to end discrimination and segregation so that they could contribute to the war effort. Although Japanese Americans were interned in relocation camps by the U.S. government, many enlisted in the armed services. Additional Content Limits Items will not ask specifically about no-strike pledges.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying two ways the U.S. government

mobilized to assist the war effort during WW II.

• Identifying two ways the American people were mobilized to assist the war effort during WWII.

Graphic-Response • Using a graphing tool, describe

mobilization of particular sectors of the U.S. economy during World War II.

Constructed-Response • Explaining how the U.S. workforce

changed as a result of WW II. • Explaining two ways wartime mobilization

impacted the domestic lives of citizens in the United States during the early 1940s.

• Explaining how wartime mobilization impacted women.

• Identifying examples of discrimination that impacted African-Americans during wartime mobilization and explaining their attempts to overcome these obstacles in order to contribute to the war effort.


47

Sample Test Item During World War II, the U.S. government created a system to ration the distribution of certain resources such as petroleum. How did this new system of regulation affect the distribution of resources in the United States?

A. It granted more privileges to wealthy business owners. B. It provided more goods and services to the working class. C. It limited the number of goods and services individuals could purchase. D. It supplied members of the upper class better quality goods.



48

Topic: The Cold War (1945-1991) Content Statement HI.23 Use of atomic weapons changed the nature of war, altered the balance of power and began the nuclear age. Expectation for Learning Summarize how atomic weapons have changed the nature of war, altered the balance of power and started the nuclear age.

Content Elaborations and Limits The dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan hastened the end of World War II and is considered the beginning of the nuclear age. The use of these bombs introduced a new type of weapon capable of mass destruction. In the four-year period following World War II, the United States was the only country in possession of atomic bombs and this contributed to its status as a “superpower.” The threat of using this weapon was seen as a deterrent to the ambitions of the Soviet Union. The testing and explosion of the atomic bomb by the Soviets in 1949 established the Soviet Union as a second superpower. It also began a nuclear arms race that continued for decades and threatened world peace. Additional Content Limits Items/tasks will focus on balance of power issues.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying how the introduction of

nuclear weapons impacted the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union.


49

Sample Test Items The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B. Part A

On August 6 and 9, 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

How did the Soviet Union respond to this military action?

A. It accelerated the pace of its military invasion of Germany. B. It formed an alliance with the United States to share nuclear technology. C. It intensified development on and successfully tested its own nuclear weapons. D. It withdrew from international organizations in which the United States was also a

member.

Part B

Why did the Soviet Union respond in the way that you identified in Part A?

A. It wanted to quickly end the war to avoid further military casualties. B. It wanted to retain political and military influence in the post-war world. C. It wanted nuclear technology to be available as a cheap source of energy after the

war. D. It wanted to pursue a policy of isolationism following the devastation caused by World

War II.



50

Topic: The Cold War (1945-1991) Content Statement HI.24 The United States followed a policy of containment during the Cold War in response to the spread of communism. Expectation for Learning Analyze the policy of containment the United States followed during the Cold War in response to the spread of communism.

Content Elaborations and Limits The policy of containment began in the late 1940s to halt the spread of communism in Europe and Asia. It became the policy of the United States for decades. Following World War II, most of the eastern Europe countries had communist governments and were under Soviet control. The Chinese Revolution ushered in a communist government. In Europe, the Marshall Plan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) were efforts to contain communism. In Asia, the policy of containment was the basis for U.S. involvement in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Additional Content Limits Discussion of the Korean and Vietnam wars in items will be limited to use only within the context of containment policies. Items will not address specifics related to the conduct of the wars. The Chinese Revolution will only be referenced in order to denote China as a country that became communist during this time period. Its use will be limited to inclusion in an item rubric as a correct response.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing two conflicts the U.S. military

engaged in while following the Cold War policy of containment.

• Stating the goal of the Marshall Plan. • Stating the purpose of NATO. Graphic-Response • Using dynamic map tools, students will

describe the location and/or nature of American containment efforts worldwide during the Cold War.


51

Sample Test Items During the Cold War, the United States engaged in military actions in both Korea and Vietnam. Its actions were successful South Korea, but not in Vietnam. In both instances, however, the aim of the United States was the same. Describe the policy the United States was pursuing by engaging in these wars. One of the following: The United States pursued a policy of containment by engaging in these wars; the United States wanted to prevent these countries from falling to communism; the domino theory led the United States to want to prevent countries from falling to communism; the United States wanted to support/promote democracy; the United States wanted to support countries resisting communism.


The United States engaged in two wars in Asia during the Cold War Era in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism. Identify two contested areas in which the U.S. fought wars during this time. Click on the areas you want to select.



52

Topic: The Cold War (1945-1991)

Content Statement HI.25 The second Red Scare and McCarthyism reflected Cold War fears in American society.

Expectation for Learning Explain how the second Red Scare and McCarthyism reflected Cold War fears in American society.

Content Elaborations and Limits The actions of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe and the spread of communism in Asia sparked fears among many Americans. A second Red Scare focused attention on the media, labor unions, universities and other organizations as targets of communist subversion.

Like the first Red Scare following World War I, civil liberties were again challenged. The investigations of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) prompted employers to blacklist suspected communists, including actors and writers.

Senator Joseph McCarthy played on fears of subversion with his charges of communists infiltrating the U.S. government. The McCarthy hearings and HUAC investigations held the attention of the American people through the middle 1950s.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing two groups in American society

who were suspected of communist activities and were targeted during the second Red Scare.

Graphic Response • Creating a graphic organizer that

contrasts the features of the political climate of McCarthy’s era and the post 9-11 years.

Sample Test Items Who was in charge of investigation claims of communist activity in the government, armed forces, universities, and other areas of American life during the Second Red Scare in the late 1940s and early 1950s?

A. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg B. Whittaker Chambers and Alger hiss C. House Un-American Activities Committee D. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs


Beginning with the Red Scare of the 1920s, which historical development contributed to a recurring pattern of anti-communism in the United States?

A. growing prosperity following World War II B. migration from the Great Plains during the Dust Bowl C. increased unemployment during the Great Depression D. accusations made by Senator Joseph McCarthy in Congress



53

Topic: The Cold War (1945-1991) Content Statement HI.26 The Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics.

Expectation for Learning Analyze how the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics between the end of World War II and 1992.

Content Elaborations and Limits The Cold War dominated international politics and impacted domestic politics in the United States for almost forty-five years. The intense rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union led to the creation of alliances, an arms race, conflicts in Korea and Vietnam and brought the world close to nuclear war with the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cold War affected international politics in the Middle East and Latin America. The Cold War affected domestic politics. It led to the Second Red Scare and the rise of McCarthyism. A “space race” impelled the U.S. to increase spending on science education. The Korean War also fed into the communist hysteria of the late 1940s and 1950s. The United States was able to secure support from the United Nations for the defense of South Korea while the Soviet Union was boycotting the Security Council. The Vietnam War divided the country and sparked massive protests. Spending for the war came at the expense of the domestic programs launched by President Johnson. This led to urban unrest in the 1960s. The Vietnam War was a dominant issue in the presidential campaigns of 1968 and 1972. The difficulties and eventual withdrawal from Vietnam led to concerted efforts on part of the U.S. to find allies in future conflicts.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying one way that the Cold War

impacted domestic politics.

Graphic Response • Creating a flow chart of interlinked

international and U.S. domestic policies during the Cold War period.


54

Topic: The Cold War (1945-1991) Content Statement HI.27 The collapse of communist governments in Eastern Europe and the USSR brought an end to the Cold War.

Expectation for Learning Explain how the collapse of communist governments in Eastern Europe and the USSR brought an end to the Cold War Era.

Content Elaborations and Limits There were multiple causes for the collapse of communist governments in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. But the effect of these was the reduction of the tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. that characterized the Cold War period. Several communist governments in Eastern Europe gave up power following mass demonstrations for democracy. The collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in independent republics that moved to institute democratic reforms and introduce free market economies. This brought an end to the Cold War era. The political and economic turmoil occurring in some of the new governments posed new challenges for the United States. The U.S. supported economic and education reforms by providing assistance to some of the former communist countries. Additional Content Limits There will be limited item development for this Content Statement. Items will focus on the U.S. perspective related to the collapse of communist governments.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Explaining how the United States

supported the transition of communist governments toward democratic reforms.

• Identifying the U.S. reaction to reforms that former communist republics of the Soviet Union attempted and that helped end the Cold War.

Graphic Response • Creating multi-tier timeline describing

relationship of internal events in USSR and U.S. policy reactions/initiatives.


55

Sample Test Item

Developments in international affairs in the late 1980s had enormous consequences for the United States. A. Identify the two developments that relate to this time period. B. Identify the two consequences that relate to this time period.

Click on two boxes in each column.

American History Spring 2015 Released Items, Question 9 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/

Developments Consequences

The power and control of the Soviet Union increases during

this period

The Cold War escalates during this time period

Communist governments in Eastern Europe collapse

Mass demonstrations supporting democratic reforms take place

in Soviet Republics

New challenges shifted the focus of U.S. foreign policy

The U.S. supported economic and educational reforms in former communist countries

Tensions increased between the U.S. and Soviet Union


56

Topic: Social Transformations in the United States (1945-1994) Content Statement HI.28 Following World War II, the United States experienced a struggle for racial and gender equality and the extension of civil rights.

Expectation for Learning Summarize the struggle for racial and gender equality and the extension of civil rights that occurred in the US in the postwar period.

Content Elaborations and Limits African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, as well as women, distinguished themselves in the effort to win World War II. Following the war, movements began to secure the same freedoms and opportunities for these Americans that other Americans enjoyed. African-American organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the National Urban League (NUL) struggled for equal opportunities and to end segregation. They demonstrated and sought redress in the courts to change long-standing policies and laws. Mexican Americans organized through the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) to improve the conditions of migrant workers. American Indians organized to improve conditions on reservations, protect land rights, and improve opportunities in education and employment. They formed groups such as the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the American Indian Movement (AIM). Women made progress toward equal opportunities through demonstrations, law suits, and through the National Organization for Women (NOW).

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Identifying two groups that impacted the

expansion of civil rights in the United States during this time period.

• Identifying steps taken by marginalized groups to address discrimination.


57

Sample Test Items What perspective held by Hispanic-American agricultural workers led to the creation of the United Farm Workers?

A. Farm workers wanted to become owners of the farms on which they worked. B. Small family farms need economic assistance from the Federal government. C. Farm workers needed to organize in order to collectively bargain with farm owners. D. Large farms could be made more efficient by using modern agricultural technology.


http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/ Which organization was founded on the following ideals?

• a shared perspective of ethnic minorities • a desire to improve working conditions • a belief in the effectiveness of collective bargaining

A. United Farm Workers B. American Indian Movement C. National Organization for Women D. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee




58

Topic: Social Transformations in the United States (1945-1994)

Content Statement HI.29 The postwar economic boom, greatly affected by advances in science, produced epic changes in American life.

Expectation for Learning Describe how American life in the postwar period was impacted by the postwar economic boom and by advances in science.

Content Elaborations and Limits The United States experienced an era of unprecedented prosperity and economic growth following World War II. Contributing to this prosperity was public demand for goods and services. The demand for housing and automobile ownership spurred the growth of suburbs. Economic opportunities in defense plants and high-tech industries led to the growth of the Sunbelt. The postwar prosperity produced some other “epic changes”(e.g., baby boom, increased consumerism, increased mobility via automobiles, pop culture, franchising, and longer life spans). Advances in science following the war also impacted American life. For example: • medicine (e.g., polio vaccine, birth

control pill, artificial heart valve, open-heart bypass, organ transplant, genetic engineering)

• communication (e.g., transistor, television, computers, Internet, mobile phones)

• nuclear energy (e.g., atomic weapons, nuclear power plants)

• transportation (e.g., passenger jet airplanes, catalytic converters in cars)

Additional Content Limits Students will not be required to identify the specific examples listed in the “e.g.” section of the Content Elaborations. Examples listed in the e.g. section will be used as multiple-choice options only.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing two examples of how American

life changed dramatically as a result of the postwar economic boom.

• Providing two examples of advances in science/technology that vastly impacted the lives of Americans during the postwar economic boom.


59

Sample Test Items During the 1950s, increased incomes and easy credit led many Americans to embrace which phenomenon?

A. consumerism B. feminism C. progressivism D. socialism




60

After World War II, the United States experienced unprecedented prosperity and economic growth.

A. Identify two reasons for this economic prosperity. Move the two reasons into the blank boxes under “Reasons for Prosperity after WW II” heading.

B. Then identify two changes that were created by this prosperity. Move the two changes into the blank boxes under the “Changes in American Life Created by Prosperity” heading.

• You do not need to use all the “Reasons” or “Changes.”


A. Reasons for Prosperity after WWII

Reasons

B. Changes in American Life Created by Prosperity

Demand for automobiles increased

Demand for automobiles increased

Demand for housing increased

Decrease in birthrate

Creation of New Deal programs

Demand for higher government spending

Demand for housing increased

Sun Belt migrations Suburbanization

Great Migration

Sun Belt migrations

Hawaii Statehood

Suburbanization


61

Topic: Social Transformations in the United States (1945-1994) Content Statement HI.30 The continuing population flow from cities to suburbs, the internal migrations from the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt and the increase in immigration resulting from passage of the 1965 Immigration Act have had social and political effects.

Expectation for Learning Analyze the social and political effects of the continuing population flow from cities to suburbs, the internal migrations from the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt, and the increase in immigration resulting from passage of the 1965 Immigration Act.

Content Elaborations and Limits The postwar period movement from cities to suburbs had social and political effects. The cities became predominately black and poor, and strongly Democratic. The suburbs were mainly white and leaned Republican. The decaying environment and the low employment opportunities in large cities contributed to urban riots in the 1960s. The employment opportunities in defense plants and high-tech industries located in the South and California led to the growth of the Sunbelt. This development contributed to a political power shift in the country as reflected in the reapportionment of congressional districts. The 1965 Immigration Act allowed more individuals from Asia, Africa, and Latin America to enter the United States and the resulting immigration impacted the country’s demographic makeup. Hispanics became the fastest growing minority in the U.S. which led to an increase in Spanish language media and funding for bilingual education programs. As these new immigrants became citizens, their voting practices impacted the balance of power between the major political parties. Additional Content Limits Items will be framed in terms of the issues (migrations and voting patterns) presented in the Content Elaborations.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above)

Short-Answer • Listing two social and/or political effects

on the United States population of the increase in immigration resulting from passage of the 1965 Immigration Act.

Graphic Response • Completing a cause-and-effect web

demonstrating the political and social consequences of continued suburbanization in the United States.


62

Sample Test Items Before the 1950s, most immigrants to the United States came from Europe. What change in immigration policy was reflected in the 1965 Immigration Act?

A. It set large quotas to encourage European immigration. B. It forced a complete ban on immigration from China. C. It imposed stricter quotas on immigration from every country. D. It allowed more immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.


http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/ In the first half of the twentieth century, most immigrants came to the United States from European countries. How did the pattern of migration change between 1950 and 2000?

A. Most immigrants came to the United States from Oceania. B. Most immigrants came to the United States from Australia. C. Most immigrants came to the United States from Latin America. D. Most immigrants came to the United States from the Middle East.




63

Topic: Social Transformations in the United States (1945-1994) Content Statement HI.31 Political debates focused on the extent of the role of government in the economy, environmental protection, social welfare, and national security.

Expectation for Learning Explain why the government’s role in the economy, environmental protection, social welfare, and national security became the topic of political debates between 1945 and 1994.

Content Elaborations and Limits The 1930s and early 1940s witnessed a great expansion in the role of the federal government in various policy areas. This expanded role continued to be the focus of political debates in the postwar period. For the economy, the debates were between those who favored a more activist role of the government to correct inequities and those who felt that the government should lessen its involvement and let the market place work. Public opinion on this issue was often influenced by the current state of the economy. The debate on the government’s role to protect the environment in the postwar period increased during this period due to research on the effects of pesticides, pollution and waste disposal and due to concerns about conservation and global warming. Demands from environmentalists led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. The government’s role on social welfare issues attracted intense debates, particularly relating to poverty, unemployment and on the idea of a national health insurance. The controversies surrounding the federal government’s role in protecting the country recurred during times of perceived threats. Fears concerning communist infiltration of the government during the 1940s and 1950s, and anti-war protests during the Vietnam Era, led to debates over national security.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing two topics that became the focus

of intense domestic political debate following the end of World War II.

• Identifying one area of debate relating to the growth in the role of government in the field of the economy or the environment.

Graphic Response • Completing a chart organizing events

relating to the debate over U.S. national security following WWII.


64

Topic: United States and the Post-Cold War World (1991-Present) Content Statement HI.32 Improved global communications, international trade, transnational business organizations, overseas competition, and the shift from manufacturing to service industries have impacted the American economy.

Expectation for Learning Analyze how the American economy has been impacted by improved global communications, international trade, transnational business organizations, overseas competition, and the shift from manufacturing to service industries.

Content Elaborations and Limits The American economy has been impacted by many influences since the early 1990s. Global communication has rapidly increased utilization of technologies such as the personal computer, Internet, and mobile phone. Business organizations that operate internationally with production facilities in more than one country have grown exponentially. For example, an American automobile might have parts imported from several countries and assembled in yet another country. Overseas competition has challenged American producers and local communities. The U.S. trade deficit has increased with the value of goods and services imported exceeding those that are exported. This has led to a decrease in manufacturing jobs and closing of plants. It has also contributed to a shift toward service industries and a growth in lower paying jobs in fast food and sales.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing two communication technologies

that have contributed to changes in the U.S. economy since the end of the Cold War.

• Listing two technologies that have both improved global communications and affected the U.S. economy since the end of the Cold War.


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Sample Test Item Since 1990, the United States has experienced changes to its economy. Identify the consequence for each change.

Use the Connect line button to draw a line from each change to its correct consequence.


Changes Consequences

Technologies such as the Global communication personal computer, internet improves. and mobile phones become more common. Competition from overseas Transnational business producers leads to increasing organizations become trade deficits. common. Producers increasingly The United States import parts from their factories experiences a shift from a in other countries. manufacturing to a service

economy.


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Topic: United States and the Post-Cold War World (1991-Present)

Content Statement HI.33 The United States faced new political, national security, and economic challenges in the post-Cold War world and following the attacks on September 11, 2001.

Expectation for Learning Describe political, national security and economic challenges the U.S. faced in the post-Cold War period and following the attacks on September 11, 2001.

Content Elaborations and Limits The post-Cold War period and the attacks on September 11, 2001, presented new challenges for the United States, including: • instability produced by the demise of

balance of power politics; • changing role of the United States in

global politics (e.g., preemptive wars); • issues surrounding the control of nuclear

weapons; • broadening of terrorism; and • dynamic of balancing national security

with civil liberties.

Economic challenges for the country included operating within a globalized economy. The country witnessed the change from the prosperity of the 1990s to the recession that began in 2007. Reductions in defense spending due to the end of the Cold War led to the loss of millions of U.S. jobs in defense plants.

The attacks on September 11, 2001 presented national security challenges for the country. Debates over two wars (i.e., Iraq and Afghanistan) that were launched in response to the September 11 attacks, the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act and the detainment and torture of enemy combatants divided the country.

Response Attributes Responses may include but are not limited to: Multiple-choice (See page 4 above) Short-Answer • Listing two examples of national security

challenges for the United States that arose following the end of the Cold War.

• Identifying two national security challenges faced by the United States following the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Graphic-Response • Completing a chart organizing events

relating to the debate over U.S. national security following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Sample Test Item Describe the effect the end of the Cold War had on the amount of military spending by the U.S. government in the 1990s.

American History Practice Test, Question 15 http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/

One of the following (this is not an exhaustive list): the government cut funding spent on arms production; government spending on the military decreased; military spending shrank as a portion of the total federal budget; the government closed military bases; there was a loss of military jobs; the U.S. did not have to spend the same amount of money on national defense.