Test Name: GR9_ELA_U1_FSQ1_FY21

Test Id: 1958625

Student: _________________________________
Nicholas Rosati
Class: ___________________________________
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Date: ___________________________________

Read each passage carefully, and then answer the questions that follow.

Passage 1: Excerpt from "Address at the Opening of

Work on Mount Rushmore in Black Hills, SD (August 10, 1927)"

by Calvin Coolidge

Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth president of the United States, was

known to be a hard-working man of character. He held the office from
1923 to 1929.

1 We have come here to

dedicate a cornerstone that was laid
by the hand of the Almighty. On this
towering wall of Rushmore, in the
heart of the Black Hills, is to be
inscribed a memorial which will
represent some of the outstanding
features of four of our presidents,
laid on by the hand of a great artist
in sculpture. This memorial will crown the height of land between the Rocky
Mountains and the Atlantic Seaboard, where coming generations may view it for
all time.

2 It is but natural that such a design should begin with George Washington,
for with him begins that which is truly characteristic of America. He represents
our independence, our Constitution, our liberty. He formed the highest
aspirations that were entertained by any people into the permanent institutions
of our government. He stands as the foremost disciple of ordered liberty, a
statesman with an inspired vision who is not outranked by any mortal greatness.

3 Next to him will come Thomas Jefferson, whose wisdom insured that the
government which Washington had formed should be entrusted to the
administration of the people. He emphasized the element of self-government
which had been enshrined in American institutions in such a way as to
demonstrate that it was practical and would be permanent. In him was likewise

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embodied the spirit of expansion. Recognizing the destiny of this country, he
added to its territory. By removing the possibility of any powerful opposition from
a neighboring state, he gave new guaranties to the rule of the people.

4 After our country had been established, enlarged from sea to sea, and
was dedicated to popular government, the next great task was to demonstrate
the permanency of our Union and to extend the principle of freedom to all
inhabitants of our land. The master of this supreme accomplishment was
Abraham Lincoln. Above all other national figures, he holds the love of his fellow
countrymen. The work which Washington and Jefferson began, he extended to
its logical conclusions.

5 That the principles for which these three men stood might be still more
firmly established destiny raised up Theodore Roosevelt. To political freedom he
strove to add economic freedom. By building the Panama Canal he brought into
closer relationship the East and the West and realized the vision that inspired
Columbus in his search for a new passage to the Orient.

6 The union of these four Presidents carved on the face of the everlasting
hills of South Dakota will constitute a distinctly national monument. It will be
decidedly American in conception, in its magnitude, in its meaning and altogether
worthy of our country. No one can look upon it understandingly without realizing
that it is a picture of hope fulfilled. Its location will be significant. Here in the
heart of the continent, on the side of a mountain which probably no white man
had ever beheld in the days of Washington, in territory which was acquired by
the action of Jefferson, which remained an unbroken wilderness beyond the days
of Lincoln, which was especially beloved by Roosevelt, the people of the future
will see history and art combined to portray the spirit of patriotism. They will
know that the figure of these presidents has been placed here because by
following the truth they built for eternity. The fundamental principles which they
represented have been wrought into the very being of our country. They are
steadfast as these ancient hills.

7 Other people have marveled at the growth and strength of America. They
have wondered how a few weak and discordant colonies were able to win their
independence from one of the greatest powers of the world. They have been
amazed at our genius for self-government. They have been unable to
comprehend how the shock of a great Civil War did not destroy our Union. They
do not understand the economic progress of our people. It is true that we have
had the advantage of great natural resources, but those have not been
exclusively ours. Others have been equally fortunate in that direction. The
progress of America has been due to the spirit of the people. It is in no small
degree due to that spirit that we have been able to produce such great leaders.
If coming generations are to maintain a like spirit, it will be because they
continue to support the principles which these men represented. It is for that

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Test Id: 1958625
purpose that we erect memorials. We cannot hold our admiration for the historic
figures which we shall see here without growing stronger in our determination to
perpetuate the institutions which their lives revealed and established.

8 The fact that this enterprise is being begun in one of our new states not
yet great in population, not largely developed in its resources, discloses that the
old American spirit still goes where our people go, still dominates their lives, still
inspires them to deeds of devotion and sacrifice. It is but another illustration of
the determination of our people to use their material resources to minister to
their spiritual life. This memorial will be another national shrine to which future
generations will repair to declare their continuing allegiance to independence, to
self-government, to freedom, and to economic justice. It is an inspiring phase of
American life that men are willing to devote their energies to the erection of a
memorial of this nature. Money spent for such a purpose is certain of adequate
returns in the nature of increased public welfare.

9 The people of South Dakota are taking the lead in the preparation of this
memorial out of their meager resources, because the American spirit is strong
among them. Their effort and courage entitles them to the sympathy and
support of private beneficence and the national government. They realize fully
that they have no means of succeeding in the development of their state except
a strong reliance upon American institutions. They do not fail to appreciate their
value. There is no power that can stay the progress of such a people. They are
predestined to success. Our country is fortunate in having the advantage of their
citizenship. They have been pioneers in the development of their state. They will
continue to be pioneers in the defense and development of American institutions.

Excerpt from speech, “Address at the Opening of Work on Mount Rushmore in Black Hills, SD,”
by Calvin Coolidge. Delivered August 10, 1927. In the Public Domain.

Passage 2: Trappers, Traders, and the Struggle for the Oregon Territory

10 When the British explorer Captain James Cook sailed up the coast of
Oregon in the spring of 1778, he was not impressed by what he saw. The land
contrasted markedly with the lush tropical shores of Hawaii, which he had left
only a few months earlier. The Pacific Northwest, he wrote in his journal, was
“entirely covered with snow which afforded a very dreary prospect; there being
not the least verdure1 to be seen.” He went so far as to name a rocky crag the
Cape of Bad Weather, a final tribute to his opinion of the place. Cook might,
therefore, have been surprised to hear that scarcely 50 years later a contentious
dispute—nearly leading to war—would break out over this “dreary” land.

11 The native people of the Pacific Northwest did not consider the region
barren. Chinook, Haida, Tlingit, and other Native American tribes thrived on the

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region’s abundant fish and game. Many animals in the region, particularly
beaver, otter, and bear, were valued for their thick, luxurious pelts. These furs,
more than anything else, attracted the attention of Anglo-European explorers.
Soon, factions from several nations set up outposts in the area.

12 The Spanish, who already controlled most of California, established a

presence on the coast of what is now Vancouver, Canada, in 1789. Ten years
later, the Russians established a similar post, New Archangel, located in what is
now Alaska’s southern coast. The Americans were not far behind. The Lewis and
Clark Expedition reached the Pacific Ocean in 1805. In his journals, William Clark
noted the “great number of sea otters” frolicking off the coast. He purchased a
pelt from the local people to bring back as a specimen.

13 Explorers’ and traders’ reports of the plentiful game sparked a race to

control the land. Since Cook’s expedition had preceded all nearby European and
American outposts, British politicians claimed that they had an exclusive right to
the region. In 1811, British geographer David Thompson of the Northwest
Trading Company and American business leader John Jacob Astor of the Pacific
Trading Company both claimed the Oregon Territory, which contained parts of
present-day Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, for their respective countries. Both
set up a series of trading posts throughout the Oregon Territory. During the War
of 1812, the British seized all of Astor’s trading posts, but retreated after the
American victory two years later.

14 In the aftermath of the war, the question of who owned Oregon remained
open. A treaty known as the Convention of 1818 created an uneasy truce by
stating that Britain and the United States would rule the territory jointly for 10
years, after which they could renegotiate and sign the same agreement or
another mutually beneficial treaty.

15 The United States responded to the treaty by doing everything possible to

consolidate its hold on the Pacific Northwest. In 1819, a treaty with Spain gave
the United States rights to many lands in North America, including all lands
claimed by the Spanish north of the forty-second parallel. Since the Oregon
Territory was north of this circle of latitude, some claimed that the treaty made
the Oregon Territory into American soil; however, Spain’s claim to the Oregon
Territory had never been widely accepted. The United States furthered its grasp
on the region when Chief Justice John Marshall of the Supreme Court declared in
1823 that the native people of the Pacific Northwest had no claim to the land.
Marshall argued that the tribes were nomadic and did not typically remain in the
same place. The Native Americans did indeed relocate with the seasons, but only
to summer and winter campgrounds that had been used by their tribes for
hundreds of years.

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16 Meanwhile, Britain tried to strengthen its hold on the Oregon Territory
through the Hudson Bay Company, which had taken over the fur trade.
Traditionally, fur companies had opposed the large-scale migration of white
settlers to the Pacific Northwest. These settlers, they feared, would disrupt the
profitable hunting and trapping activities of Native Americans. The British traded
with Native American tribes and if farmers occupied the land, the tribes would no
longer be able to hunt freely, resulting in fewer furs and lower profits for the
companies. The aggressive policies of the United States, however, prompted
Hudson Bay to openly encourage the establishment of permanent British
Canadian settlements in the area. Unfortunately for Britain, these settlers were
no match for the flood of migrants from the United States. Between 1842 and
1845, over 3,000 Americans followed the Oregon Trail west. They came to farm,
not to trap, hunt, or fish. Forests started falling to the ax and plow, displacing
many animal species from their habitats.

17 As the conflict intensified, it looked as if Britain and the United States

might go to war over Oregon. In the long run, though, neither nation desired
armed conflict. Britain may have had legitimate claims to the territory, but the
depletion of fur-bearing animal species, along with internal political problems at
home, made Parliament reluctant to send troops to fight for land that suddenly
seemed of dubious value. In 1846, President James Polk signed a treaty with
Britain granting the Oregon Territory to the United States. Britain would retain its
territory to the north, in what is now western Canada.

18 Ultimately, those who lost the most in the struggle for the Oregon
Territory were Native Americans, who had lived there for many years. In the
1850s, the U.S. government pressured the tribes of the American-occupied
Pacific Northwest into signing a series of treaties that would move them to small
reservations in return for their ancestral lands and a small yearly payment. They
never received their money, but the Oregon region remained a part of the United
States.
1verdure: green plants

“Trappers, Traders, and the Struggle for the Oregon Territory.” Accessed via Unify.

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Test Name: GR9_ELA_U1_FSQ1_FY21
Test Id: 1958625

1. Match each President to the outstanding feature he represents as a

characteristic of America.
Ⓐ George Washington – independence
Abraham Lincoln – freedom
Theodore Roosevelt – economic freedom
Thomas Jefferson – self-government

Ⓑ George Washington – freedom

Abraham Lincoln – independence
Theodore Roosevelt – economic freedom
Thomas Jefferson – self-government

Ⓒ George Washington – self-government

Abraham Lincoln – independence
Theodore Roosevelt – freedom
Thomas Jefferson – economic freedom

Ⓓ George Washington – independence

Abraham Lincoln – freedom
Theodore Roosevelt – self-government
Thomas Jefferson – economic freedom

2. How does Coolidge use the Presidents to illustrate characteristics of

America in Passage 1?
Ⓐ by summarizing the Presidents’ personality

Ⓑ by outlining the principle in which each President embodied

Ⓒ by informing the reader of Mount Rushmore’s development

Ⓓ by using examples of how the people were influenced by the

Presidents

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Test Id: 1958625

3. In Passage 1, how does Coolidge support the viewpoint that Mount

Rushmore will be inspirational for generations to come?
Ⓐ "This memorial will crown the height of land between the Rocky
Mountains and the Atlantic Seaboard, where coming generations may
view it for all time." (Paragraph 1)
Ⓑ "By removing the possibility of any powerful opposition from a
neighboring state, he gave new guaranties to the rule of the people."
(Paragraph 3)
Ⓒ "The union of these four Presidents carved on the face of the
everlasting hills of South Dakota will constitute a distinctly national
monument." (Paragraph 6)
Ⓓ "This memorial will be another national shrine to which future
generations will repair to declare their continuing allegiance to
independence, to self-government, to freedom, and to economic
justice." (Paragraph 8)

4. Select the central idea of paragraph 3 in Passage 1.

Ⓐ Thomas Jefferson was wise.

Ⓑ Thomas Jefferson emphasized self-government.

Ⓒ Thomas Jefferson embodied the spirit of expansion.

Ⓓ Thomas Jefferson recognized the destiny of the country.

5. Select three details from Passage 1 that support the idea that Mount
Rushmore is a symbol of the American spirit.
Ⓐ "He emphasized the element of self-government…" (Paragraph 3)

Ⓑ "The work which Washington and Jefferson began, he extended,…"

(Paragraph 4)
Ⓒ "It will be decidedly American in conception, in its magnitude, in its
meaning and altogether worthy of our country." (Paragraph 6)
Ⓓ "The fundamental principles which they represented have been
wrought into the very being of our country." (Paragraph 6)
Ⓔ "The progress of America has been due to the spirit of the people."
(Paragraph 7)

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6. Select the detail from Passage 2 that supports the idea that the American
Indians would eventually lose the land.
Ⓐ "Chinook, Haidi, Tlingit, and other Native American tribes thrived on the
region’s abundant fish and game." (Paragraph 11)
Ⓑ "The United States furthered its grasp on the region when Chief Justice
John Marshall of the Supreme Court declared in 1823 that the native
people of the Pacific Northwest had no claim to the land."
(Paragraph 15)
Ⓒ "Forests started falling to the ax and plow, displacing many animal
species from their habitats." (Paragraph 16)
Ⓓ "In 1846, President James Polk signed a treaty with Britain granting the
Oregon Territory to the United States." (Paragraph 17)

7. Select two details from Passage 2 that provide evidence to support why
Britain began to lose interest in fighting for the Oregon Territory.
Ⓐ “A treaty known as the Convention of 1818 created an uneasy truce by
stating that Britain and the United States would rule the territory jointly
for 10 years…” (Paragraph 14)
Ⓑ “Meanwhile, Britain tried to strengthen its hold on the Oregon Territory
through the Hudson Bay Company, which had taken over the fur trade.”
(Paragraph 16)
Ⓒ “The British traded with Native American tribes and if farmers occupied
the land, the tribes would no longer be able to hunt freely, resulting in
fewer furs and lower profits for the companies.” (Paragraph 16)
Ⓓ "...the depletion of fur-bearing animal species, along with internal
political problems at home, made Parliament reluctant to send troops to
fight for land...” (Paragraph 17)
Ⓔ “Ultimately those who lost the most in the struggle for the Oregon
Territory were Native Americans, who lived there for many years.”
(Paragraph 18)

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8. Select the detail from Passage 2 that first introduces the idea that the
Oregon Territory would become a desirable place.
Ⓐ “The Pacific Northwest, he wrote in his journal, was ‘entirely covered
with snow which afforded a very dreary prospect; there being not the
least verdure to be seen.’” (Paragraph 10)
Ⓑ “Cook might, therefore, have been surprised to hear that scarcely 50
years later a contentious dispute - nearly leading to war - would break
out over this ‘dreary’ land.” (Paragraph 10)
Ⓒ “The native people of the Pacific Northwest did not consider the region
barren.” (Paragraph 11)
Ⓓ “In his journals, William Clark noted the ‘great number of sea otter’
frolicking off the coast. He purchased a pelt from the local people to
bring back as a specimen.” (Paragraph 12)

9. What is the central idea of Passage 2?

Ⓐ Land ownership as it played out through settlement in the West.

Ⓑ Prosperous fur trade and the outcomes of the explorers’ gain of

wealth.
Ⓒ Relationships between foreign allies and the settlers of the new
territory.
Ⓓ Establishment of the trading system and purchasing of land with the
native American Indians.