Online Social Studies League
A Division of AcademicLeagues.com
4th Grade Sample Contest
Student Name _________________________
Date ___________________
Rules: You have 30 minutes to complete this test. You must work independently,
and no reference tools may be used. Each question has exactly one right answer.
Part 1: History
1. Which of the following is not one of the original thirteen colonies of what would
become the United States?
A. Maryland
C. North Carolina
B. Missouri
D. Massachusetts
2. What two states joined the United States most recently?
A. California and New Mexico
C. Washington and Oregon
B. Texas and Louisiana
D. Alaska and Hawaii
3. What was the Underground Railroad?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The first underground subway system in America
A train track that connected California to Texas
A secret path that helped slaves escape to freedom
The best path for ships to take when crossing the Atlantic Ocean
4. Which of the following people was never the president of the United States?
A. Colin Powell
C. George Bush
B. Bill Clinton
D. Ronald Reagan
5. I was the sixteenth president of the United States. The Civil War took place during
my presidency, and I issued a statement (now called the “Emancipation Proclamation”)
that ended slavery in the United States. Unfortunately, in 1865, just as the Civil War was
ending, I was shot and killed by an assassin while watching a play at Ford’s Theatre.
Who am I?
A. Thomas Jefferson
C. Abraham Lincoln
B. John Kennedy
D. Teddy Roosevelt
Part 2: Geography
6. On a road trip, the Smith family drove from
Pennsylvania to Maine without ever leaving the
United States. What two states must the Smith family
have driven through? (They would’ve driven through
more than two states total.)
A.
B.
C.
D.
New York and Rhode Island
Vermont and New Hampshire
Massachusetts and New York
New York and New Hampshire
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7. There is just one spot in the United States where four state borders all meet at one
point. (At this point, you can actually stretch out so that you have your hands and feet in
four different states!) What four state borders meet in this way?
A.
B.
C.
D.
North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa
Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina
Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey
Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado
8. Which of Earth’s oceans is the largest?
A. Atlantic
C. Arctic
B. Pacific
D. Indian
9. Which U.S. state borders four of the five Great Lakes?
A. Wisconsin
C. Michigan
B. Ohio
D. New York
10. My capital city is Madison, but my largest city is Milwaukee. I have been called
“America’s Dairyland” and am known for my production of cheese. (Maybe that’s why
we have “cheeseheads” rooting for our very own Green Bay Packers!) Lake Michigan
rests on my east coast. What state am I?
A. Wisconsin
C. Iowa
B. Minnesota
D. Michigan
Part 3: Government
11. Out of the 43 total presidents in U.S. history, three have been named George. Which
ones?
A. The 18th, 36th, and 43rd presidents
C. The 1st, 41st, and 43rd presidents
B. The 1st, 5th, and 16th presidents
D. The 1st, 11th, and 42nd presidents
12. What is the title of a person who is the head of a state government?
A. mayor
C. senator
B. governor
D. representative
13. If the president of the United States dies, or for some other reason cannot finish his
term, who becomes the new president?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The vice president
The Speaker of the House
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
No one – a new election takes place right away
14. Which of the following documents came first?
A. The Constitution
C. The Bill of Rights
B. The Declaration of Independence
D. The Emancipation Proclamation
Part 4: Current Events
15. On February 4, 2007, what two teams played in professional football’s Super Bowl?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Oakland Raiders and the Detroit Lions
The New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints
The Florida Gators and the Ohio State Buckeyes
The Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts
© 2007 Academic Leagues
Online Social Studies League
A Division of AcademicLeagues.com
Answer Key – 4th Grade Sample Contest
1. B (For an older audience, we would include a more disguised right answer, such as
Vermont.)
2. D (Alaska and Hawaii both joined the Union in 1959. The 48th state, Arizona, had
joined back in 1912.)
3. C (For a fun, interactive look at the Underground Railroad, we recommend National
Geographic’s site: www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/.)
4. A (Colin Powell served as the Secretary of State from 2001-2005 during President
George W. Bush’s first term.)
5. C (There will be one “Who am I?” question on each fourth grade contest.)
6. D (This is a real-life question designed to test your students’ knowledge of the
locations of a handful of states in the northeastern United States.)
7. D (The Four Corners are shown at www.utah.com/playgrounds/four_corners.htm.)
8. B (Did you know that in the spring of 2000, the International Hydrographic
Organization stated that the Earth has a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, and determined
that it includes the water below 60 degrees south which surrounds Antarctica?)
9. C (Michigan – including its Upper Peninsula – borders all of the Great Lakes except
Lake Ontario.)
10. A (There will be one “What location am I?” question on each fourth grade contest.)
11. C (The three presidents named George were George Washington (1st president),
George H.W. Bush (41st) and George W. Bush (43rd). Note that in coming up with a total
of 43, this question counts Grover Cleveland (and his two non-consecutive terms) twice.)
12. B
13. A (Nine vice-presidents have taken over the presidency without being elected – four
inherited the office through the natural death of the incumbent, four by assassination, and
one by resignation.)
14. B (The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the Constitution was
signed in 1787, the Bill of Rights was passed by Congress in 1789, and the Emancipation
Proclamation was issued in 1863. Simply put, the United States had to become a country
before any of the other documents would be needed.)
15. D (Regarding the other answer choices, the Lions and Raiders were the two worst
teams in pro football in 2006-2007, the Patriots and Saints were the last two teams
eliminated before the Super Bowl, and the Buckeyes and Gators played in college
football’s national championship game in January of 2007.)
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