2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option A is correct

The First Amendment includes specific freedoms, including the freedom of religion. One

effect of this includes protecting ministers who deliver religious messages to anyone who

chooses to listen.

Option B is incorrect

The First Amendment protects the freedom of religion, including the freedom to not

engage with any religion. Because of this, political leaders cannot require religious tests to

hold office.

Option C is incorrect

The Establishment Clause, which is part of the First Amendment, ensures that a national

religion cannot be established.

Option D is incorrect

An effect of the First Amendment does not include political leaders requiring churches to

pay taxes.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option C is correct

The Whigs, who took their name from earlier opponents of royal oppression, saw

President Jackson as ruling like a king and exceeding his constitutional powers as

president. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and

interpret information from a visual.

Option A is incorrect

The Whigs did not accuse Jackson of an extravagant lifestyle; that came in the

campaign against Martin Van Buren during the election of 1840.

Option B is incorrect

President Jackson did not attempt to start a war with Great Britain during his

presidency.

Option D is incorrect

President Jackson did not try to reduce the number of members of the Supreme Court;

he simply ignored the court’s ruling in Worcester v. Georgia in 1832. The number of

justices did increase from 7 to 9 in 1837.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Part A: Option C

is correct

Frederick Douglass shared his personal experiences as an escaped enslaved person and hoped

this would persuade Northerners to help end all slavery in the United States. For this item, the

student applies critical-thinking skills to support a point of view on a social studies issue.

Part A: Option A

is incorrect

Although Frederick Douglass was an adviser to political leaders, he was not elected to office.

Part A: Option B

is incorrect

Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison were both opposed to slavery, and Douglass

worked with abolitionists to end slavery.

Part A: Option D

is incorrect

Although Frederick Douglass noted that his own education was lacking, he did not argue that

education was the main way to challenge slavery.

Part B: Option D

is correct

Frederick Douglass was important to the abolitionist movement because his personal narrative

as an enslaved person revealed the inhumanity of the system in which he grew up. For this

item, the student applies critical-thinking skills to support a point of view on a social studies

issue.

Part B: Option A

is incorrect

Frederick Douglass was a good speaker; however, the content of his speeches being about his

own experiences are what made his impact so powerful, not his acquaintance with William Lloyd

Garrison.

Part B: Option B

is incorrect

Frederick Douglass was a good speaker; however, the content of his speeches being about his

own experiences are what made his impact so powerful, not his impression on William Lloyd

Garrison.

Part B: Option C

is incorrect

Frederick Douglass was important to the abolitionist movement because his personal narrative

as an enslaved person revealed the inhumanity of the system in which he grew up. Frederick

Douglass was uncomfortable speaking because he did not think he had the capabilities to speak

and be understood. He believed this based on his life of slavery and lack of education. He

wanted to share information about life in enslavement to help people understand, empathize

with enslaved people, and end slavery.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

To balance the interests of both the large and small states, the framers divided the power

between the two houses. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills to acquire

information about the founding of the United States.

Option A is incorrect

The Great Compromise did not address issues of voting rights.

Option B is incorrect

The Great Compromise solved the issues of state representation, not issues between

Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

Option C is incorrect

The Great Compromise focused on representation, not taxation.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option B is correct

The plantation system in the southern colonies focused on agriculture, especially the growing

of cash crops. This was made possible by the region’s longer growing season. For this item,

the student applies critical-thinking skills to interpret information from a chart.

Option A is incorrect

The characteristics of the New England colonies during the late 1600s supported shipbuilding

and lumber harvesting rather than agriculture. The industrialization of the northern economy

would not occur until the 1800s.

Option C is incorrect

The economy of the southern colonies relied on agriculture and cash crops. Industrialization

occurred primarily in the North and did not begin until the 1800s.

Option D is incorrect

While the New England colonies did have a large portion of their population living in rural

areas, it was not in order to increase agricultural production.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

Spain primarily colonized large parts of North and South America for reasons that

included wanting to find sources of gold and spreading Catholicism. For this item, the

student applies critical-thinking skills to analyze a primary source to acquire information

to answer a historical question.

Option A is incorrect

England primarily established colonies in North America to gain land, to exercise religious

freedom, and to seek wealth.

Option B is incorrect

France primarily established colonies in North America to develop trade opportunities and

spread the Catholic faith.

Option C is incorrect

Germany did not colonize large areas of North or South America, nor did they aim to

spread the Catholic faith.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Score 2 points for

correct answers that

include reference to

any two:

Proclamation of 1763:

The British restricted/prevented westward expansion and settlement.

Stamp Act:

All colonists had to pay taxes on documents and paper.

Taxes had to be paid in silver, which was difficult to acquire.

Lack of representation in Parliament:

Colonists had to pay taxes that were created by a government in which they did not

have representation.

British economic policies following the French and Indian War:

The British used taxes from the colonies to pay off debt from the war.

Score 1 point:

Response provides only half of the correct details.

Score 0 points:

Does not provide a response, or the response is incorrect or irrelevant.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option A is correct

Congress is granted the ability to pass laws over presidential veto by securing a

two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. For this

item, the student applies critical-thinking skills to use valid primary sources to

acquire information about the United States.

Option B is incorrect

While Congress has the power to ratify amendments, this power was not a way of

addressing the grievance in the excerpt.

Option C is incorrect

While the House of Representatives has the power to introduce tax bills, this power

is not a way of addressing the grievance in the excerpt.

Option D is incorrect

While the Senate has the power to ratify treaties, this power is not a way of

addressing the grievance in the excerpt.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

Pro-slavery Southerners wrote the Lecompton Constitution, but it was never accepted

by Congress. The Lecompton Constitution permitted slavery and did not allow free

blacks to live in Kansas. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills to

interpret a primary source.

Option A is incorrect

Opponents of Manifest Destiny were not in favor of the expansion of slavery and would

not have written the Lecompton Constitution.

Option B is incorrect

Supporters of abolitionism were not in favor of the expansion of slavery and would not

have written the Lecompton Constitution.

Option C is incorrect

Anti-slavery Northerners were not in favor of the expansion of slavery and would not

have written the Lecompton Constitution.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option C is correct

Areas to the east of the Appalachian Mountains were more densely populated

because the Appalachians were a barrier to westward expansion. For this item, the

student applies critical-thinking skills to interpret information from a map.

Option A is incorrect

There are no very densely populated areas in the southern states on the map. Most

very densely populated areas are located in the northern and mid-Atlantic states on

the map.

Option B is incorrect

The Proclamation of 1763 was a British policy that was no longer in effect in 1790. It

also did not prevent movement away from coastal areas; it only limited how far west

people could settle.

Option D is incorrect

The Appalachian Mountains, not the Rocky Mountains, were a barrier to expansion in

1790.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

Slater’s mill contributed to the rapid growth of the U.S. textile industry because it

introduced British industrial production methods to the United States economy. For

this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills to analyze a primary source to

acquire information to answer a historical question.

Option A is incorrect

Slater’s mill contributed to significant growth in the U.S. textile industry. Labor laws

during this time did not limit child labor. Factories established after the opening of

Slater’s mill often employed children.

Option B is incorrect

Interchangeable parts increased the production of many goods, including textiles,

and were important to the American Industrial Revolution. Slater’s mill did not limit

the need for interchangeable parts.

Option C is incorrect

Slater’s mill is not associated with contributing to the enactment of expanded

regulations on foreign trade.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

The Pilgrims landed in this location, which is Plymouth, Massachusetts. For this item,

the student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and interpret information from

a map.

Option A is incorrect

The location indicated was the first permanent English settlement of Jamestown,

Virginia.

Option B is incorrect

This location is Baltimore, Maryland, and is not where the Pilgrims landed.

Option C is incorrect

This location is New York, New York, which is not where the Pilgrims landed.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option “All states had to

approve amendments.”

is correct

The Articles of Confederation required a unanimous agreement to amend them. This

made changing the Articles very difficult and prevented the central government from

responding to new challenges. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills

to analyze information by applying absolute and relative chronology through

categorizing.

Option “States coined

their own money.” is

correct

The Articles of Confederation did not grant the central government the power to coin

money. Interstate trade became difficult and confusing without one national, uniform

system of currency.

Option “The one-house

legislature was based on

population.” is incorrect

Under the Articles of Confederation, the one-house legislature was not based on

population. Each state had one vote regardless of the size of its population.

Option “The central

government held too

much power.” is

incorrect

The central government under the Articles of Confederation was weak in relation to the

power of the individual state governments.

Option “Slavery was

banned in the Northwest

Territory.” is incorrect

While slavery was banned in the Northwest Territory under the 1787 Northwest

Ordinance, this piece of legislation was considered an accomplishment of the

government under the Articles of Confederation.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option B is correct

The Reconstruction Act of 1867 created five military districts in the South and gave the

U.S. military martial-law powers to enforce federal laws and protect the rights of African

Americans.

Option A is incorrect

Martial law was established by the Reconstruction Act of 1867 and gave authority to U.S.

troops to enforce laws, not to prevent businesses from being taken over, a practice

embodied in the term “carpetbaggers.”

Option C is incorrect

The U.S. military provided supplies to formerly enslaved people along the Atlantic Coast

but did not supply weapons.

Option D is incorrect

The Fourteenth Amendment contained a clause that former Confederate leaders could

not run for state or national office, but it did not prevent African Americans from running

for public office. During Reconstruction, thousands of African Americans were elected to

local, state, and federal offices.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option “experiences of

individuals” is correct

The First Great Awakening placed greater importance on the experiences of the

individual than on religious doctrine.

Option “advancements

of the arts” is incorrect

The First Great Awakening was not an art movement.

Option “system of

slavery” is incorrect

George Whitefield helped advance the First Great Awakening in the thirteen British

colonies, but not as a support for slavery in the thirteen colonies.

Option “democratic

feelings” is correct

The First Great Awakening in the thirteen British colonies promoted spiritual

equality and contributed to the spread of democratic feelings, encouraging a sense

of independence among many colonists.

Option “economic

opportunities” is

incorrect

The First Great Awakening in the thirteen British colonies promoted spiritual

equality and contributed to the spread of democratic feelings. It did not spread

economic opportunities in the colonies.

Option “technological

advances” is incorrect

The First Great Awakening did not lead to advances in technology in the 1730s and

1740s.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

The list includes governmental actions that affected trade and the colonial

economy. Following the American Revolution, the newly established United States

supported the development of a government that would intervene in the affairs of

private businesses at a minimal level. For this item, the student applies critical-

thinking skills to interpret information.

Option A is incorrect

The list includes governmental actions that affected trade and the colonial

economy. These laws encouraged the Founders to limit government interference

with private businesses, not with foreign relations or policy.

Option B is incorrect

The list includes governmental actions that affected trade and the colonial

economy. Following the establishment of the United States, the Founders

prioritized protecting the rights of citizens to avoid forming an authoritarian

government.

Option C is incorrect

The Founders did not promote the establishment of taxes on the states. The

Articles of Confederation and the Constitution did not provide the federal

government with the ability to tax the states.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option B is correct

The city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, was in the middle of the Confederate States of

America. It was a strategic victory for the Union Army because it gave them more

control of the Mississippi River.

Option A is incorrect

The Battle at Chattanooga, not the Battle of Vicksburg, paved the way for the siege

targeting Atlanta.

Option C is incorrect

The Battle of Vicksburg did not prevent a Confederate invasion of the North, as

Vicksburg was in the middle of the Confederacy, not on the border.

Option D is incorrect

The victory at Antietam, not Vicksburg, paved the way for Lincoln’s Emancipation

Proclamation.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option C is correct

Industrialization in the 1800s attracted immigrants who came seeking employment

opportunities, especially in the Northern cities. The increased immigrant population led

to increased nativist feelings.

Option A is incorrect

The United States was able to produce more goods domestically and did not rely on

imported goods.

Option B is incorrect

While industrialization reduced U.S. dependence on foreign-produced goods, it did not

lead to isolationist views about conflicts in other countries.

Option D is incorrect

While industrialization increased demand for Southern-grown cotton, it did not directly

lead to concerns over slavery.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option C is correct

People protested the passage of the Intolerable Acts, which were laws passed by

Parliament that punished the people of Boston following the Boston Tea Party.

Colonists were forced to house and feed British soldiers to help pay for the cost of the

troops protecting the colonists. People tried to continue expanding self-government in

the colonies even after the period of salutary neglect. These actions were part of the

Revolutionary Period.

Option A is incorrect

Reconstruction occurred after the end of the Civil War, from 1865 to 1877.

Option B is incorrect

Sectionalism was the era leading up to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.

Option D is incorrect

The early republic was the era from the late 1780s to the 1820s.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option “Wrote about the

hardships of slavery” is

a contribution made by

Harriet Beecher Stowe

In her novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote about the hardships of

slavery.

Option “Worked to

improve conditions for

the mentally ill” is a

contribution by

Dorothea Dix

Dorothea Dix advocated for the mentally ill, and her work helped create the first

mental asylums.

Option “Led efforts to

promote women’s right

to vote” is a

contribution by

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a writer and activist who was an important leader in the

women’s suffrage movement.

Option “Argued for

universal access to

education” is an

incorrect response

None of these three individuals argued for universal access to education.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option B is correct

The addition of the territory ceded by Mexico led to increased debate over

expanding slavery.

Option A is incorrect

The Mexican Cession is associated with increasing debate over the expansion of

slavery and increased sectional tension, not with the unification of different cultural

groups.

Option C is incorrect

The border established in 1848 following the Mexican Cession was not temporary.

Option D is incorrect

The Mexican Cession is not associated with contributing to the development of a

canal system.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option B is correct

In Gibbons v. Ogden, the U.S. Supreme Court held that states may be subject to

federal regulation of commerce. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking

skills to use valid primary sources to acquire information about the United States.

Option E is correct

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states had the authority to regulate trade only

within their borders; only the federal government could regulate trade between

states.

Option A is incorrect

Only the federal government has the power to control commerce that involves foreign

countries.

Option C is incorrect

The U.S. Supreme Court decision made it clear that the power to regulate interstate

commerce remained with the federal government only.

Option D is incorrect

The U.S. Supreme Court decision clarified that the power to regulate interstate

commerce was denied to the states.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option A is correct

President Jackson used this proclamation to address the constitutional

question of whether states can nullify federal laws. For this item, the student

applies critical-thinking skills by using primary sources to acquire information

about the United States.

Option B is incorrect

While the power of eminent domain is included in the U.S. Constitution, the

question of whether the federal government can take control of private

property was not raised and debated because of the actions described in the

excerpt.

Option C is incorrect

While reciprocity is included in the U.S. Constitution, the question of whether

states can apply full faith and credit to one another was not raised and

debated because of the actions described in the excerpt.

Option D is incorrect

While due process is included in the U.S. Constitution, the question of whether

the federal government can guarantee due process was not raised and

debated because of the actions described in the excerpt.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Part A: Option B is

correct

James Madison advocated for federalism because it split governmental power between

two levels, state and federal. Each has its powers, and some are shared, ultimately

limiting the power of each. For this item, the student applies critical–thinking skills to use

a valid primary source to acquire information about the United States.

Part A: Option A is

incorrect

James Madison advocated for federalism because it split the government into different

levels of power between state governments and the national government.

Part A: Option C is

incorrect

James Madison does not argue that federalism will prevent conflict.

Part A: Option D is

incorrect

James Madison’s mention of security refers to securing the rights of the people, not

military security.

Part B: Option D is

correct

James Madison believed that federalism would help protect the rights of the people. For

this item, the student applies critical–thinking skills to use a valid primary source to

acquire information about

the United States.

Part B: Option A is

incorrect

James Madison did not argue that federalism was effective because power was

surrendered by the people.

Part B: Option B is

incorrect

James Madison believed that different levels of government would restrict the others’

powers; he did not believe in a single government body or power.

Part B: Option C is

incorrect

This statement does not support the answer to Part A. James Madison argued in favor of

federalism and of supporting state governments and one national government; he did

not limit his support to local governments.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option A is correct

Thinkers of the Enlightenment, such as John Locke, helped inspire citizens to seek out

representative government. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills by

doing an analysis to categorize information.

Option B is incorrect

The ideas of John Smith and other English soldiers did not lead to the growth of

representative government.

Option C is incorrect

This is an economic need that does not fit with the table and would not be a reason for

the growth of representative democracy.

Option D is incorrect

This is an economic interest, and it is not related to the growth of a representative

government.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option B is correct

As an early American writer, Walt Whitman wrote about and celebrated the individualism

the American people believed they possessed. For this item, the student applies critical-

thinking skills by drawing inferences from a primary source.

Option A is incorrect

“Song of Myself” describes individualism and does not include references to the civic

responsibilities of citizens.

Option C is incorrect

The goal of the temperance movement was to stop the sale and consumption of alcohol.

This excerpt does not contain any reference to the temperance movement.

Option D is incorrect

The goal of the Hudson River School of art was to capture the natural beauty of the

American landscape. This excerpt does not reference that art movement.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Options “Declares

wars” and “Makes the

laws” are powers of the

Legislative Branch

The U.S. Constitution gives the legislative branch the power to declare wars and to

make (write) laws in Article I.

Options “Commands

armed forces” and

“Enforces the laws” are

powers of the

Executive Branch

The U.S. Constitution gives the executive branch the power to command the armed

forces and to enforce laws in Article II.

Options “Declares laws

unconstitutional” and

“Interprets the laws”

are powers of the

Judicial Branch

The U.S. Constitution gives the judicial branch the power to interpret laws and declare

them unconstitutional in Article III and in the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Marbury

v. Madison.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

Many Chinese immigrants came to take part in the gold rush. They also helped construct

the Transcontinental Railroad.

Option A is incorrect

This quotation is describing an immigrant from Ireland who fled the potato famine.

Because of their Catholic faith, Irish immigrants were often discriminated against.

Option B is incorrect

This quotation is describing a German immigrant. Many Germans left to avoid political

problems and settled in the Midwest, where they began farming.

Option C is incorrect

This quotation is referring to an immigrant from Scotland who left to avoid harsh English

rule. Additionally, much Scottish immigration to the Carolina backcountry occurred in the

eighteenth century.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option C is correct

Henry David Thoreau was an abolitionist who believed that slavery was wrong and that the

U.S.-Mexican War was an excuse to expand slavery in the United States. He did not want

his tax money going toward institutions and wars he did not support. For this item, the

student applies critical-thinking skills to examine a primary source to acquire information

about the United States.

Option A is incorrect

The cause of Henry David Thoreau’s civil disobedience was not related to differences

between the rich and the poor or the class system.

Option B is incorrect

Henry David Thoreau’s problem with the poll tax was not related to increasing taxes nor to

taxes being used in urban areas.

Option D is incorrect

Henry David Thoreau’s concerns were about involvement in the U.S.-Mexican War, not with

the Civil War.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war between the United States and Mexico.

Mexico ceded parts of its territory, which included most of the present-day southwestern

United States. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills by interpreting

information from a map.

Option A is incorrect

This land was acquired following a war with Mexico, not Spain.

Option B is incorrect

The war was fought against Mexico, not Great Britain.

Option C is incorrect

This land was acquired through a treaty with Mexico, not France.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Score two points for

correct answers that

include a reference to

both:

Price of wheat:

The price of wheat went up.

Wheat was more expensive.

Reason price increased:

When there was less wheat, more people wanted to buy it, so sellers raised their prices.

When there was less wheat, it had to be imported from other areas, so the price increased.

For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills by analyzing information to acquire

information about the United States.

Score 1 point:

Response provides only half of the correct details.

Score 0 points:

Does not provide a response, or the response is incorrect or irrelevant.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option A is correct

The Declaration of Sentiments, modeled after the Declaration of Independence, listed areas

in which women faced inequality and demanded women be granted the right to vote. For

this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills to analyze a primary source to acquire

information to answer a historical question.

Option B is incorrect

This document was created in support of the suffrage movement. This document listed

inequalities faced by women and demanded women be granted the right to vote. The

excerpt does not include references to the temperance movement.

Option C is incorrect

This document was created in support of the suffrage movement. This document listed

inequalities faced by women and demanded women be granted the right to vote. The

excerpt does not include references to abolitionist beliefs.

Option D is incorrect

This document was created in support of the suffrage movement. This document listed

inequalities faced by women and demanded women be granted the right to vote. The

excerpt does not include references to education reform.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option C is correct

Prior to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, slavery was prohibited in areas above the 36th

parallel. The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed this and gave each territory the power to

decide whether it wanted to allow slavery (i.e., popular sovereignty).

Option A is incorrect

Although South Carolina did threaten to secede during the Nullification Crisis, it did

not actually leave the union until Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860.

Option B is incorrect

The Missouri Compromise allowed Missouri to enter the union as a slave state and

Maine to enter as a free state.

Option D is incorrect

The Compromise of 1850 allowed California to enter the union as a free state.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

Canals were a major means of transportation in the nineteenth century, providing a

faster and less-expensive method than wagons to ship raw materials and

manufactured goods before the advent of railroads. For this item, the student applies

critical-thinking skills to organize and interpret information from maps.

Option A is incorrect

While canals can be used as a source for irrigation, the canals on the map did not

serve this function.

Option B is incorrect

While canals can serve as a means of flood control, the canals on the map did not

serve this function.

Option C is incorrect

While canals can be used to supply freshwater, the canals on the map did not serve

this function.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option A is correct

There were many battles before Saratoga, but this was a major victory that

convinced the French to form an alliance with the United States and support the

Americans in their war for independence against Great Britain.

Option B is incorrect

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, and thus preceded the

victory at Saratoga in October 1777.

Option C is incorrect

There were many more battles after Saratoga before the end of the American

Revolution. The victory at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781 brought about the Treaty of

Paris in 1783.

Option D is incorrect

General George Washington was leader of the Continental Army from 1775 until the

end of the American Revolution.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option D is correct

The gold rush increased mining in the West, which was a major economic activity in the

region during the 1850s. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills by

organizing and interpreting information in a chart.

Option A is incorrect

Tariffs would likely have either a positive or negative effect on both regions, not just

the West.

Option B is incorrect

The West did not reduce its agricultural output during this time but instead saw an

increase in agricultural production as its population grew.

Option C is incorrect

The West experienced an increase, not a decrease, in demand for consumer goods as

its population grew because of the gold rush.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option “history and

experience prove that

foreign influence is one

of the most [harmful

enemies] of Republican

Government” is correct

This line from the excerpt emphasizes the effect President Washington believed forming

permanent alliances would have on the U.S. government. For this item, the student applies

critical-thinking skills by drawing conclusions about a primary source.

Option “The name of

American, which

belongs to you, in your

national capacity” is

incorrect

This line from the excerpt emphasizes national identity; it does not address the formation of

permanent alliances.

Option “habits which

lead to political

prosperity, Religion

and morality are

indispensable supports”

is incorrect

This line from the excerpt emphasizes ideals President Washington considered important; it does

not address the formation of permanent alliances.

Option “Promote then

as an object of primary

importance,

Institutions for the

general diffusion of

knowledge” is incorrect

This line from the excerpt emphasizes the importance of educational institutions; it does not

address the formation of permanent alliances.

Option “As a very

important source of

strength & security,

cherish public credit” is

incorrect

This line from the excerpt emphasizes the importance of public credit; it does not address the

formation of permanent alliances.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option C is correct

The excerpt is about the freedom of the press, which is a fundamental belief/right in

the United States Constitution, because it promotes a democratic republic. For this

item, the student applies critical-thinking skills to identify a cause-and-effect

relationship.

Option A is incorrect

The excerpt is about the freedom of the press, which allows political parties to share

information about their opponents.

Option B is incorrect

The First Amendment protects the people from governmental review of information

prior to its publication, which was one of the things that the Founding Fathers

wanted to prevent.

Option D is incorrect

The First Amendment protects the right of people to criticize elected officials.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option C is correct

President Davis believed that the secession of the Southern states was a necessity

forced by the actions of the United States and that the Confederacy would be the

new government for the South, while President Lincoln believed in the preservation

of the union. For this item, the student applies critical-thinking skills by using

primary sources to acquire information about the United States.

Option A is incorrect

President Davis believed that secession was being forced upon the Confederate

states because of actions by the United States and that it was lawful based on text

from the U.S. Constitution.

Option B is incorrect

President Lincoln believed that the U.S. Constitution did not provide any right to

wage war against the United States and that such an action was illegal.

Option D is incorrect

President Lincoln believed that the U.S. Constitution did not give states the right to

secede and that the union must be preserved.

2023 STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Rationales

Item#

Rationale

Option B is correct

According to the excerpt, both enslaved people and free blacks were discriminated

against. In the South, free blacks gradually began to lose their rights as freemen.

In the North, many free blacks were excluded from jobs that were reserved for

whites.

Option A is incorrect

In the South, enslaved people could not travel freely, and over time the rights of

free blacks were limited, including the ability to travel freely. In some areas of the

North, there were limits on the freedoms of free blacks.

Option C is incorrect

In the South, enslaved people could not own businesses, while free blacks may

have owned businesses. However, over time the rights of free blacks were severely

reduced. In the North, free blacks were allowed to own businesses, but there were

restrictions in many areas.

Option D is incorrect

In the South, enslaved people were often loaned out to work for other people, and

in limited instances enslaved people were allowed to keep some of the money they

earned. In the North, free blacks were paid for their labor, but in many situations,

they were paid less than whites were.