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Sample Questions in U.S. history
GRADE 4
GRADE 8
GRADE 12

Test Yourself...then see how students responded to the same questions on NAEP. The following multiple-choice question from the grade 12 U.S. history assessment measured student knowledge of the theme of Culture. The percentages below indicate how students performed on the question. In addition to the overall percentage of students who answered the question correctly, the percentage of students at each achievement level who answered the question correctly is presented. 

As an example of how to interpret these percentages, 63 percent of the students overall answered this question correctly. When only the students at the Proficient level are considered, 81 percent answered correctly.

Grade 12 multiple-choice question. National percentage correct in 2006. 63% of all students answered this multiple-choice question correctly. By achievement level, 54% of students Below Basic answered this question correctly. 70% of students at Basic answered this question correctly. 81% of students at Proficient answered this question correctly. Reporting standards at Advanced were not met. Sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. The following sample multiple-choice question is based on a map that is divided into the following areas: Oregon Country, Spanish Territory, United States, and British Territory. There is a dotted line showing a route from St. Louis along the Missouri River to Oregon along the Columbia River. The question: The expedition whose route is shown was undertaken to explore the a) lands taken in the Mexican War, b) lands taken from England in the War of 1812, c) Louisiana Purchase, d) Gadsden Purchase. The correct answer is c.

See more about this question in the NAEP Questions Tool.

View this question, at score 308, on a map of NAEP U.S. history items.

Find out what the U.S. history assessment measures.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2006 U.S. History Assessment.

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National Assessment of Educational Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
National Assessment Governing Board
Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education