Tips for Using the QualityCore U.S. History Benchmark Assessments

Tips for Using the QualityCore U.S. History Benchmark Assessments Each QualityCore course has its own set of Benchmark Assessments based on the QualityCore Formative Item Pool. U.S. History has five Benchmark Assessments. Each assessment consists of 15 to 20 multiple-choice items and one constructed-response item. The assessments are presented as a PDF file to maintain the visual consistency of graphics, special characters, and symbols. Each assessment is bookmarked for easy navigation through the PDF file. Each Benchmark Assessment is introduced by a cover sheet displaying the item Identification Number (ID), the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard covered by that item. (See the ACT Course Standards document for U.S. History.) The scoring criteria and a scoring guide follow the constructed-response item. 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment U.S. History Benchmark 1 Building a Nation The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00518 D L1 B.1.a 00413 C L1 B.1.c 00390 A L2 B.1.c 00418 B L2 B.1.d 00533 B L2 B.1.b 00409 C L2 B.1.a 00393 D L2 B.1.d 00385 A L2 B.1.f 00496 C L3 B.1.g 00392 C L1 B.1.g 00399 B L2 B.1.h 00414 C L2 B.1.c 00422 B L3 B.1.g 00395 D L2 B.1.g 00503 B L2 B.1.i 00425 A L2 B.1.m 00584 - L3 A.1.g A.1.h B.1.h 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

Directions: Choose the best answer provided for each question and circle the corresponding letter. 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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Scoring Criteria 17) Students should write an essay in which they assess whether or not it is valid to assert that those who attended the convention were personally interested in, and derived economic advantages from the new system. In the essay, students should discuss TWO of the following: Thirty of the delegates (or 55 percent) were businessmen or lawyers who lived on a farm. Many delegates were owed public debt and stood to benefit from a more stable economy and a government able to pay its debt. Failures of the Articles of Confederation: The failures of the Articles of Confederation included the inability to create a sound national currency; a bankrupt national government due to the inability to tax; a nation without an effective national army, the army was challenged by events such as Shays Rebellion and the Newburgh Conspiracy; and a nation damaged by economic competition from Britain. The replacement of the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution was controversial, but ultimately, with the addition of the Bill of Rights, it was seen by states and citizens as necessary for continuation of the new nation. Compromises made at the Constitutional Convention: Compromises included allowing the national government to regulate interstate commerce, establishing a sound national currency through the printing of money and the collection of taxes, and protecting the system of slavery. Most historians argue that these particular provisions were not controversial. Uniform trade policies were favored; people wanted a stable currency; and the public supported payment of the national debt. Many of the delegates from the South were slave owners and had an interest in having their slaves counted for representation in Congress. Federalist and Anti-Federalist views on the government s economic role: Many discussions between Federalists and Anti-Federalists focused on the ability of the new system to protect American citizens from intrusions by the central government into their economic matters and their personal lives. Anti-Federalists were wary of central government intrusion into the economic lives of individuals and sought protections against possible abuse of power by the federal government. The Anti-Federalists supported free trade domestically and with foreign countries. They wanted unencumbered economic transactions, such as entry into contracts and establishment of business and trading relationships. Federalists advocated a central role for the federal government in matters of taxation and regulation of interstate commerce. The Federalists wanted more regulation of economic transactions and establishment of business. The compromise between these two groups at the Constitutional Convention led to the guarantee of individual rights and the inclusion of property rights in the Fourth Amendment.

U.S. History Rubric: Analysis 4 A response at this level provides evidence of thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The essay demonstrates thoughtful interpretation and/or analysis of the historical issue and its implications. The essay provides insightful explanation of the prompt topic, effectively using relevant and accurate facts, examples, and details from at least two of the required kinds of evidence. The essay effectively conveys knowledge and ideas. 3 A response at this level provides evidence of competent knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The essay demonstrates reasonable interpretation and/or analysis of the historical issue and its implications. The essay provides sufficient explanation of the prompt topic, appropriately using generally accurate facts, examples, and details from at least two of the required kinds of evidence. The essay adequately conveys knowledge and ideas. 2 A response at this level provides evidence of basic knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The essay demonstrates incomplete or inconsistent interpretation and/or analysis of the historical issue and its implications. The essay provides some explanation of the prompt topic. Facts, examples, and details included are partially correct, though a few may be incorrect or lack depth. The essay addresses fewer than two of the required kinds of evidence or may address them with little development. The essay conveys knowledge and ideas somewhat unclearly. 1 A response at this level provides evidence of minimal knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The essay demonstrates little or no interpretation and/or analysis of the historical issue and its implications. The essay provides little or no explanation of the prompt topic. Facts, examples, and details included are mostly incorrect or lack depth. The essay may address fewer than two of the required kinds of evidence. The essay conveys knowledge and ideas in a manner that is unclear and/or impedes understanding. 0 A response at this level is not scorable. The essay is off-topic, blank, hostile, or otherwise not scorable.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment U.S. History Benchmark 2 Civil War and Reconstruction The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00423 A L1 B.1.k 00478 D L3 B.2.c 00402 C L2 B.1.k 00321 A L1 B.2.f 00315 C L2 B.2.b 00356 A L3 B.2.a 00403 D L2 B.2.e 00476 B L3 B.2.b 00334 D L1 B.2.f 00355 C L2 B.3.a 00477 C L3 B.2.d 00495 B L2 B.3.a 00538 A L2 B.3.a 00328 B L2 B.3.c 00329 A L1 B.3.d 00608 L3 B.3.c B.3.d B.3.e 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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Scoring Criteria: 16) Students should write an essay in which they explain the circumstances in which freedmen found themselves after the Civil War and assess whether or not freedmen were provided with the protection to which they [were] entitled both by right and by law. Students must incorporate discussion of the specific legal protections or assistance given in two of the three bulleted points below. The Civil Rights Amendments Congress ratified the Thirteenth (1865), Fourteenth (1868), and Fifteenth (1870) Amendments to the Constitution during Reconstruction. The Thirteenth Amendment forbids slavery in the United States or any area under its control. Although slavery was abolished, this amendment offered no provisions to assist former slaves in their new lives. Freedom was very difficult for them; freedmen were not citizens, could not vote, did not own land, and many lived in areas of the country where discrimination was common. The Fourteenth Amendment defines citizenship, extends the guarantee of rights to all citizens, and explicates the rights of due process and equal protection relative to the treatment of individuals under state and local governments. This amendment provided that if a state denied the right to vote to any group of men, that state s representation in Congress would be reduced. Former slaves were counted as a full person after this amendment (not three-fifths of a person, as before) in regards to determining the number of state representatives. However, freedmen were still not given the right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment guarantees voting rights for (male) citizens regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment opened the door to literacy tests, property qualifications, and poll taxes as ways to still exclude blacks from voting. (The Fifteenth Amendment still did not extend voting rights to women.) The Civil Rights Act of 1866 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 to invalidate the Black Codes, which were passed by former slave states in response to the Thirteenth Amendment. The Black Codes included all of the laws and regulations imposed by state or local officials to restrict the movement and constrain the social, political, and economic opportunities of freedmen. In short, the Black Codes were designed to reinforce segregation in a postslavery context. The Civil Rights Act of 1866, passed by Congress over President Andrew Johnson s veto, declared all persons born in the United States not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians not taxed, were citizens, and extended to them the legal rights to make and enter into contracts, bring lawsuits, and bear witness in courts of law. In addition, as citizens they could inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold, and convey real estate and personal property. Housing discrimination, a serious difficulty for a freedman, was not addressed by this act. It was illegal to deny anyone housing based on race, but the act gave no federal solutions, and settlements were left to the parties involved. Since most freedmen had little or no access to legal help, this left many victims of discrimination without recourse.

The Freedmen s Bureau Congress established the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (Freedmen s Bureau) and passed the Supplemental Act of 1866 that extended the life of the Bureau and expanded its powers. The Bureau provided emergency aid to Civil War refugees, most notably freed slaves. The chief work of the Bureau included food aid, resettlement and housing, medical aid, school construction and education, and employment assistance. The intent was to facilitate the transition and integration of freedmen and others displaced by the war into the national life. The Freedmen s Bureau lacked sufficient agents in the South; at its peak, the agency had only 1,000 employees to fulfill its responsibilities. Nonetheless, the Bureau was effective in providing medical care to all Southerners. While the Bureau did not establish schools per se, it did raise funds used for education of former slaves. One provision of the Bureau was to divide abandoned and confiscated land into forty-acre lots that would eventually be sold to freedmen. However, in 1865, President Andrew Johnson ordered that nearly all confiscated land be given back to its former owners, so the former slaves ultimately were not able to purchase land and a vast majority remained poor and without property.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment U.S. History Benchmark 3 Rebuilding a Nation The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00357 B L2 C.1.h 00383 C L3 C.2.c 00335 A L2 C.1.e 00332 B L1 C.1.c 00336 D L3 C.1.d 00377 B L1 C.2.a 00436 B L1 C.2.a 00338 A L1 C.2.f 00371 C L1 C.2.f 00369 A L2 C.2.d 00435 A L2 C.2.d 00432 B L2 C.2.d 00438 D L1 C.2.b 00374 B L2 C.2.d 00439 A L2 C.2.b 00341 D L1 C.2.d 00481 D L2 C.1.c 00586 - L3 A.1.g A.1.h C.2.b C.2.c 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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Scoring Criteria 18) Students should write an essay in which they assess whether or not attempts by the progressive movement to achieve equality for women were successful. In the essay, students should discuss TWO of the following: Birth Control: The Comstock Laws made distribution of birth control information and devices through the mail illegal, which made it difficult for women to obtain birth control. National women's leaders, such as Margaret Sanger, established organizations to spread information about birth control throughout the United States even though many supporters were arrested for doing so. Nevertheless, Sanger and her supporters established birth control clinics and advocated in state legislatures for women s right to birth control. In 1936, a federal appeals court ruled the government could not interfere with doctors prescribing birth control to their patients. Despite initial setbacks, the birth control movement was eventually a success, granting women rights to their reproductive health. The rest of the Comstock Laws were overturned by the Supreme Court in 1965. The Seventeenth Amendment (Direct election of senators): Before the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment, state legislatures were in charge of selecting each state s U.S. senators. Because women could not vote and were rarely a part of state legislatures, they had no power to choose their representation in Congress. With the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, and after women were granted suffrage with the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, women could directly vote for senators and could themselves more easily run for and win election to the U.S. Senate. The first female senator, Hattie Caraway from Arkansas, was elected to office in 1931. The Nineteenth Amendment (Women s suffrage): Women had been fighting for the right to vote for many years, but during the Progressive Era, the women s movement became increasingly successful. Wyoming gave women the right to vote in 1869, but it was not until the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 that women nationwide achieved the right to vote. Despite this success, it was not until many years after that women began to vote in substantial numbers.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment U.S. History Benchmark 4 Challenges at Home and Abroad The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00342 A L2 D.1.a 00489 B L3 D.1.a 00501 B L1 D.1.a 00363 C L1 D.1.a 00541 B L2 D.1.d 00542 A L2 D.1.b 00549 A L2 D.1.e 00546 B L2 D.1.d 00446 D L3 D.1.b 00362 A L1 D.1.e 00519 B L1 D.1.a 00556 B L2 E.1.d 00351 C L2 E.1.d 00554 B L1 E.1.b 00499 C L2 E.1.d 00555 C L2 E.1.b 00349 A L1 E.1.d 00589 - L3 A.1.b A.1.h A.1.e A.1.i D.1.f 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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18) Scoring Criteria A. Identify the specific historical event captured in this photograph: The photograph was taken during the event known as the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, which affected parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Kansas. B. Explain the environmental and agricultural causes and effects of this event: Causes: The Dust Bowl was the result of a severe drought combined with lack of crop rotation, overgrazing, overly deep plowing of topsoil, and a lack of modern erosion techniques. The profits from the record crops in the southern plains in the late 1920s had led to some of these bad practices. Then, the resulting loss of natural grasses coupled with the dry soil created dust storms that reached as far east as New York City and Washington, D.C. Effects: Millions of acres of farmland became barren, and thousands of farmers from Oklahoma and other states left their homes and moved west to California. In spite of that migration, many farmers stayed in Oklahoma, as well as other states, and struggled to survive. For those who moved west, employment was often found as migrant workers on farms. Many worked for starvation wages, which are wages below the level needed for subsistence. Students may also discuss the various relief programs of the New Deal such as the Second Agricultural Adjustment Act (1938) and the Resettlement Administration (1935) that focused on aiding farmers in need of assistance.

U.S. History Rubric: Visual Stimulus 3 A response at this level provides evidence of thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The response demonstrates thoughtful analysis of the prompt topic that effectively supports logical conclusions or interpretations. The response provides insightful explanation of the prompt topic, effectively using accurate content and details with no significant errors or misconceptions. The response effectively conveys knowledge and ideas. 2 A response at this level provides evidence of basic knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The response demonstrates incomplete or inconsistent analysis of the prompt topic that may not support logical conclusions or interpretations. The response provides some explanation of the prompt topic using partially correct content and details that may contain a few errors or misconceptions. The response adequately conveys knowledge and ideas, but portions of the response may lack coherence. 1 A response at this level provides evidence of minimal knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The response demonstrates little or no analysis of the prompt topic to support logical conclusions or interpretations. The response provides little or no explanation of the prompt topic using incorrect and/or incomplete content/details which contain significant errors or misconceptions. The response conveys knowledge and ideas in a manner that is unclear and/or impedes understanding. 0 A response at this level is not scorable. The response is off-topic, blank, hostile, or otherwise not scorable.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment U.S. History Benchmark 5 America Since WWII The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00348 C L2 E.1.g 00449 C L3 E.1.f 00346 A L2 E.1.g 00509 A L1 E.2.c 00515 C L1 E.2.c 00493 C L3 E.1.g 00497 D L3 E.1.h 00456 B L3 E.2.d 00465 A L3 E.2.e 00464 D L2 E.2.d 00510 C L2 E.1.g 00466 C L2 E.2.b 00469 C L2 E.2.d 00366 B L2 E.2.b 00450 D L3 E.1.g 00527 B L3 E.2.e E.1.f 00498 D L2 E.2.a 00468 C L1 E.2.d 00596 - L3 A.1.g A.1.h E.2.c 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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Scoring Criteria 19) Students should write an essay in which they assess whether or not the civil rights movement was successful in its attempts to secure legislation recognizing that all men are created equal. In the essay, students should discuss TWO of the following: Brown v. Board of Education (1954): The Brown v. Board of Education ruling stated that separate but equal was inherently unequal and that public schools must desegregate. While this was a landmark case for African Americans, states often chose to ignore this ruling and delay desegregation. Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed racial segregation in public accommodations and in jobs. It also prevented tax dollars from going to groups or organizations that discriminate based on race. This act was largely successful at abolishing the Jim Crow laws that discriminated against African Americans. The Voting Rights Act of 1965: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 barred states from establishing voting laws and registration rules that discriminated against African Americans. This law was very successful at ending the discrimination policies that prevented many African Americans from participating in voting.