Grade 8 Social Studies Practice Test: The Civil War: Battles, Leaders and Turning Points
- The Civil War
- 10 questions
- 13 minutes
These questions cover the strengths of each side, the major battles and the turning points of the Civil War (1861-1865). Tip: 1863 is the key year, when Gettysburg and Vicksburg changed the course of the war.
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Question 1
Which advantage did the North have at the start of the Civil War?
Correct answer: C
The Union had most of the nation's industry, rail lines and population. Fighting on home ground was an advantage of the South.
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Question 2
The Civil War began in April 1861 when Confederate forces fired on
Correct answer: B
Confederates attacked the Union fort in Charleston Harbor, and it surrendered. Fort McHenry is linked to the War of 1812.
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Question 3
The Union's Anaconda Plan aimed to
Correct answer: D
Like an anaconda squeezing its prey, the plan would cut the South off from trade and split it in two.
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Question 4
Which battle in September 1862 was the bloodiest single day in American history?
Correct answer: A
About 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing at Antietam in one day. Gettysburg had more total casualties but lasted three days.
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Question 5
Why is the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1863) called a turning point?
Correct answer: C
After losing at Gettysburg, Lee's army never again invaded the North. The war continued for almost two more years.
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Question 6
When Vicksburg surrendered in July 1863, the Union gained control of
Correct answer: B
Vicksburg was the last major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi. Its fall split the Confederacy in two, as the Anaconda Plan intended.
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Question 7
In the Gettysburg Address of November 1863, Lincoln said the war would decide whether
Correct answer: D
Lincoln presented the war as a test of whether a nation based on liberty and equality could last. The speech honored soldiers who died at Gettysburg.
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Question 8
The 54th Massachusetts Infantry is remembered as
Correct answer: A
The 54th, made up of African American soldiers, became famous for its brave attack on Fort Wagner in 1863. Its success helped convince the Union to recruit more Black soldiers.
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Question 9
During his March to the Sea in 1864, Union General William T. Sherman
Correct answer: C
Sherman used total war, attacking the resources the South needed to keep fighting. His march ran from Atlanta to Savannah.
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Question 10
Who was president of the Confederate States of America?
Correct answer: A
Jefferson Davis led the Confederate government. Robert E. Lee was its leading general, and Andrew Johnson became U.S. president after Lincoln's death.
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