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Quizzes > History > Regional History

APUSH Period 2 Practice Quiz - Can You Score 100%?

Dive into this AP US History practice quiz - tackle Period 2 questions now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art collage of colonial quill ink map coins on golden yellow background for APUSH Period 2 practice quiz

Ready to dive into colonial America and test your skills? Our free apush period 2 practice test is designed for driven high schoolers aiming to master AP US History. In this AP US History practice quiz, you'll tackle APUSH period 2 questions on early colonial politics, economic rivalries, and evolving societies. You'll build a deeper understanding of colonial policies, intra-colonial conflicts, and social dynamics that shaped the New World. Whether you're reinforcing lessons or sharpening your AP US History test prep, this quiz offers instant feedback and clear explanations. Brush up on essentials in this unit 2 overview , then jump into our interactive quiz to see if you can ace it! Start now and boost your confidence with an engaging APUSH period 2 review.

Which English colony was the first permanent English settlement in North America?
Roanoke
St. Augustine
Plymouth
Jamestown
Jamestown, founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company, became the first permanent English settlement in North America after earlier attempts like Roanoke failed. Its survival established a foothold for English colonization. The colony's success was built on tobacco cultivation and the evolving leadership of figures like John Smith. Learn more.
Which document, signed in 1620, established a rudimentary form of self-government among the Pilgrims?
Virginia Charter
Mayflower Compact
Articles of Confederation
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The Mayflower Compact was signed by Pilgrim leaders aboard the Mayflower in 1620 to create a basic legal order and self-governing colony. It is considered an early, influential example of colonial self-government and social contract theory. The Compact bound settlers to majority rule and laid groundwork for later colonial charters. Learn more.
What was the primary significance of the Virginia House of Burgesses, established in 1619?
It regulated trade with Native Americans.
It abolished indentured servitude.
It granted complete religious freedom.
It was the first representative legislative assembly in the English colonies.
The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected legislative assembly in the English colonies, marking the beginning of representative government in North America. It met in Jamestown and allowed colonists to participate in making colonial laws. This institution influenced later colonial assemblies and American political traditions. Learn more.
What was the purpose of the headright system introduced in Virginia and Maryland?
To restrict the growth of slavery.
To regulate trade with Native Americans.
To encourage settlement by granting land to colonists and sponsors.
To enforce religious conformity.
The headright system granted 50 acres of land to settlers and sponsors for each person whose passage they financed. It was designed to attract labor and investors to the Chesapeake colonies, boosting population growth. The policy contributed to the development of plantations and the use of indentured and enslaved labor. Learn more.
Which colony was founded by William Penn as a haven for Quakers?
Pennsylvania
Georgia
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
William Penn founded Pennsylvania in 1681 as a proprietary colony for Quakers facing persecution in England. The colony implemented religious tolerance, fair treatment of Native Americans, and representative government. It became known for its diversity and prosperous exports of grain. Learn more.
Which colony was established as a refuge for English Catholics in 1634?
Virginia
Massachusetts
Delaware
Maryland
Maryland was founded by Lord Baltimore in 1634 as a proprietary colony offering religious freedom to Catholics and others. The Maryland Toleration Act of 1649 was one of the first laws granting freedom of worship to Christians. The colony's economy centered on tobacco plantations. Learn more.
Which economic activities dominated the New England colonies?
Large tobacco plantations
Rice and indigo cultivation
Fishing, shipbuilding, and small-scale farming
Silver mining
New England's rocky soil and harsh climate limited large-scale agriculture, leading colonists to focus on fishing, shipbuilding, and small farms. Shipbuilding supported Atlantic trade and coastal commerce, while fishing drove exports to Europe and the Caribbean. These industries shaped the region's economy and society. Learn more.
Why were the Middle Colonies often called the "breadbasket" of colonial America?
They produced large quantities of grain for export.
They specialized in shipbuilding.
They mined iron and coal.
They raised livestock primarily for meat.
The Middle Colonies, with fertile soil and milder climates, became leading producers of wheat, barley, and oats for export to Europe and other colonies. Surplus grain exports earned them the nickname "breadbasket." This agricultural strength attracted diverse settlers and boosted colonial economies. Learn more.
What was the primary purpose of the Navigation Acts imposed by Britain?
To abolish the use of paper money
To ensure colonial trade benefited England
To grant colonists free trade with all nations
To require colonists to serve in the Royal Navy
The Navigation Acts were aimed at restricting colonial trade to English ships and ports to keep profits within the British Empire. They mandated that certain "enumerated" goods be shipped only to England or its colonies. These laws laid the groundwork for colonial resentment over mercantilist policies. Learn more.
What was an indentured servant in the colonial period?
A landowner who recruited settlers
A free farmer owning large plantations
An enslaved person with lifetime servitude
A person who worked for a set number of years in exchange for passage to America
Indentured servants agreed to work for a colonial employer for a fixed term, typically four to seven years, in exchange for passage, room, and board. After completing their contract, they received "freedom dues," which could include land or money. This system supplied vital labor for early tobacco and rice plantations. Learn more.
What was the primary purpose of joint-stock companies in the early English colonies?
To organize Native American trade
To provide religious instruction
To establish royal governors
To pool capital and share risk in colonial ventures
Joint-stock companies allowed investors to pool funds to finance large colonial enterprises, spreading financial risk among shareholders. The Virginia Company and Massachusetts Bay Company used this model to fund settlements like Jamestown and Boston. Profits from resources and trade were shared among stakeholders. Learn more.
Compared to New England colonies, the Chesapeake colonies had:
An economy based on small-scale farming
Stronger urban development
Greater religious diversity and longer lifespans
Higher mortality rates and more dispersed settlements
The Chesapeake region's warm climate and swampy conditions led to higher death rates from disease. Settlements were often dispersed around plantations rather than clustered towns. By contrast, New England had lower mortality, tighter communities, and diversified economies. Learn more.
Which event in 1676 was fueled by frontier settlers' grievances over Native American policy and colonial leadership?
King Philip's War
Stono Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion
Glorious Revolution
Bacon's Rebellion erupted when frontier settlers, led by Nathaniel Bacon, attacked Native tribes and challenged Governor William Berkeley's authority. Settlers resented the governor's refusal to defend frontier areas from raids and his favoritism toward large planters. The uprising highlighted class tensions and colonial governance issues. Learn more.
What was the policy of salutary neglect in the British colonial system?
Strict British control over colonial legislatures
A system granting complete independence to colonial assemblies
Informal British policy of lax enforcement of trade regulations
An edict requiring colonists to produce goods for the British Navy
Salutary neglect refers to Britain's informal 18th-century policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws in the colonies. This approach allowed colonial economies and political institutions to develop with relative autonomy. It later became a point of contention when Britain sought to reassert control. Learn more.
Why was the colony of Georgia founded in 1732?
To serve as the capital of the British Empire
To discover gold and silver resources
As a buffer against Spanish Florida and a debtor refuge
As a haven for Puritans
James Oglethorpe founded Georgia as a strategic buffer between South Carolina and Spanish Florida and as a place to resettle indebted English prisoners. Initially, it banned slavery and large estates, although those prohibitions were later lifted. Georgia's unique start shaped its early social and economic structures. Learn more.
How did the Glorious Revolution of 1688 affect colonial administration in New England?
It ended religious freedom in Massachusetts
It caused New England to become a French possession
It strengthened the power of the New England governors
It led to the collapse of the Dominion of New England
After Protestant William and Mary replaced James II, colonists in New England overthrew the unpopular Dominion of New England, which had centralized control under Governor Andros. They reinstated separate colonial charters and assemblies. This event reaffirmed colonial self-government traditions. Learn more.
Which conflict in New England (1675 - 1678) resulted in the death of thousands and weakened Native American power in the region?
King Philip's War
French and Indian War
Pequot War
Queen Anne's War
King Philip's War was a devastating conflict led by the Wampanoag leader Metacom (King Philip) against New England colonists. It resulted in heavy casualties on both sides and effectively ended major Native American resistance in southern New England. The war reshaped the demographic and political landscape of the region. Learn more.
Which crop became the staple export of South Carolina in the early 18th century?
Rice
Tobacco
Wheat
Cotton
Rice thrived in South Carolina's swampy coastal lowlands and became the colony's most profitable export by the early 1700s. The labor-intensive cultivation relied heavily on enslaved African expertise. This "Carolina Gold" fueled the colony's economic growth. Learn more.
Which belief was central to Quaker thought under William Penn's leadership?
Separation of church and state
The inner light and religious equality
Predestination and original sin
Strict Sabbath observance
Quakers held that everyone possessed an "inner light," or direct access to God, leading to beliefs in equality, pacifism, and simplicity. Under William Penn, Pennsylvania embodied these principles with religious freedom and fair dealings with Native Americans. Quaker ideals influenced later American values. Learn more.
What defined a proprietary colony in British North America?
The king ruled directly without intermediaries
It operated under a corporate charter
Land was granted to one or more proprietors with governing rights
Colonists elected a royal governor
Proprietary colonies were granted by the English crown to individuals or groups who had full governing rights. Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Carolina began as proprietary colonies. Proprietors appointed governors and councils and could enact laws subject to royal approval. Learn more.
The term "Triangular Trade" refers to which pattern?
Furs, wheat, and timber between New England, Canada, and Britain
Exchange of rum, enslaved Africans, and sugar between New England, Africa, and the West Indies
Coal, iron, and textiles between Britain, France, and Spain
Books, newspapers, and religious tracts between Europe, America, and Asia
The Triangular Trade was a three-leg system: New England rum sent to Africa, enslaved Africans transported via the Middle Passage to the West Indies, and Caribbean sugar and molasses shipped back to New England. This network fueled colonial economies and the Atlantic slave system. Learn more.
What major religious movement in the 1730s and 1740s emphasized emotional faith and revival meetings?
The Enlightenment
The Second Reformation
The Methodist Schism
The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was a series of revivals led by preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, emphasizing personal salvation and emotional experience. It challenged established churches and contributed to greater religious diversity. The movement fostered a sense of shared American identity. Learn more.
Which body was established after the Glorious Revolution to oversee colonial legislation and commerce?
Board of Trade
East India Company
Dominion Council
Privy Council
The Board of Trade, created in the late 17th century, advised the crown on colonial legislation, trade regulations, and governance. It reviewed colonial laws and reports from governors, shaping mercantilist policy. The Privy Council retained ultimate authority, but the Board specialized in American affairs. Learn more.
Which uprising occurred in 1739 when enslaved Africans rebelled near Charleston, South Carolina?
New York Slave Revolt
Fort Mose Uprising
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Stono Rebellion
The Stono Rebellion was one of the largest slave uprisings in the British mainland colonies, beginning on a plantation near the Stono River. Rebels marched toward Spanish Florida, seeking freedom, but were suppressed by colonial militia. The revolt led to stricter slave codes and harsher punishments. Learn more.
Which practice best illustrates British mercantilist policy toward the colonies?
Allowing colonists unrestricted trade with France
Granting colonial charters full legislative independence
Encouraging colonial manufacturing of finished goods
Requiring enumerated goods to be shipped only to England
Under mercantilism, Britain sought to control colonial trade by restricting certain valuable goods - called enumerated goods - to English ships and markets. This policy aimed to ensure profits stayed within the empire and to supply raw materials to British industry. It fostered colonial resentment leading up to the American Revolution. Learn more.
What was the Covenant Chain in the 17th century?
A plan to unite New England colonies under one government
An alliance system between colonial New York and the Iroquois Confederacy
A religious covenant among New England Puritans
A British trade monopoly on furs in New England
The Covenant Chain was a series of treaties and agreements in the mid-17th century between the English governors of New York and the Iroquois Confederacy. It established political and military alliances in exchange for trade and diplomatic recognition. The relationship became a model for British-Native American diplomacy. Learn more.
What was the primary role of colonial assemblies in the 17th and early 18th centuries?
Levying taxes and passing local legislation
Commanding colonial militias
Regulating transatlantic shipping
Appointing royal governors
Colonial assemblies, elected by landowning colonists, controlled taxation and local laws, giving settlers a measure of self-government. Assemblies often clashed with royal governors over spending and appointed officials. Their authority laid the groundwork for later demands for representative government. Learn more.
What term describes the voyage that brought enslaved Africans to the Americas?
First Leg
Columbian Exchange
Middle Passage
Back Passage
The Middle Passage was the transatlantic crossing endured by captive Africans en route to the Americas. Conditions aboard ship were brutal, with high mortality rates from disease, malnutrition, and abuse. This journey formed the middle leg of the Triangular Trade. Learn more.
Which colony adopted the first written constitution in British North America in 1639?
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Massachusetts Bay
Connecticut
Connecticut's Fundamental Orders of 1639 established a framework for self-government with an elected governor, council, and assembly. Historians regard it as the first written constitution in the English Atlantic world. It influenced colonial charters and the U.S. Constitution. Learn more.
Which Enlightenment philosopher most directly influenced colonial ideas about natural rights and government by consent?
Voltaire
John Locke
Thomas Hobbes
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
John Locke's writings on natural rights (life, liberty, property) and government as a social contract shaped colonial political thought. His ideas were reflected in documents like the Virginia Declaration of Rights and later the Declaration of Independence. Locke influenced American revolutionary leaders. Learn more.
Which law granted partial church membership to grandchildren of original Puritan settlers?
Maryland Toleration Act
Mayflower Compact
Half-Way Covenant
Massachusetts Body of Liberties
The Half-Way Covenant (1662) allowed children of baptized church members to receive baptism and partial membership even if they hadn't experienced personal conversion. It aimed to address declining church participation in New England. The policy blurred distinctions between the elect and others. Learn more.
What was the primary purpose of Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of Union (1754)?
To create a unified colonial government for defense and Indian relations
To reform tax collection in the West Indies
To dissolve all colonial legislatures
To declare independence from Britain
Franklin's Albany Plan proposed a central colonial council with authority over defense, Native American diplomacy, and western expansion. Though it was never adopted, the plan foreshadowed later ideas of union and federalism. It reflected growing colonial cooperation and identity. Learn more.
How did the Zenger trial (1735) contribute to the development of American political values?
By strengthening royal censorship
By outlawing anonymous pamphleteering
By establishing truth as a defense for libel and advancing freedom of the press
By prohibiting criticism of colonial assemblies
John Peter Zenger's acquittal on libel charges established that publishing truthful criticisms of government officials could not be prosecuted as libel. This case advanced the principle of a free press in America. Colonists hailed it as a check against tyranny. Learn more.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Analyze Colonial Political Structures -

    Examine the development of representative assemblies, colonial charters, and governance models in the period 1607 - 1754 to understand how early American political institutions formed.

  2. Evaluate Colonial Economic Systems -

    Assess the motivations, labor practices, and trade networks that shaped New England, Middle, and Southern colonies' economies and their impact on colonial society.

  3. Identify Causes and Impacts of Colonial Conflicts -

    Recognize the key events and repercussions of major disputes - like the French & Indian War and early revolutionary tensions - that influenced colonial unity and British imperial policy.

  4. Compare Regional Social and Cultural Dynamics -

    Contrast the religious, ethnic, and social structures across colonial regions to appreciate the diversity and tensions that characterized Period 2 society.

  5. Apply Historical Reasoning to APUSH Period 2 Questions -

    Use primary and secondary source analysis to answer practice questions accurately, supporting your arguments with evidence and clear historical context.

  6. Develop Effective AP US History Test-Prep Strategies -

    Hone critical thinking and time-management techniques tailored to the APUSH Period 2 practice test to boost confidence and improve overall exam performance.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Mercantilism & Triangular Trade -

    Under mercantilist policies like the Navigation Acts (1651 - 1673), colonies supplied raw materials to England and imported manufactured goods, enriching the mother country. Remember "MAN" (Mercantilism, Atlantic system, Navigation Acts) to recall Britain's trade controls - a key theme in your apush period 2 practice test.

  2. Salutary Neglect & Colonial Self-Governance -

    From the mid-17th century, Britain's lax enforcement, known as salutary neglect, allowed colonial assemblies like Virginia's House of Burgesses to expand authority. Use the mnemonic "HATS" (House of Burgesses, Assemblies, Town meetings, Salutary neglect) when tackling AP US History practice quiz questions on early self-rule.

  3. Labor Systems & Social Hierarchy -

    Indentured servitude dominated early Chesapeake labor until Bacon's Rebellion (1676) exposed unrest, leading planters to rely increasingly on African slavery for stability. Comparing slave codes and servitude contracts (see Library of Congress sources) is essential for mastering APUSH period 2 questions on colonial societies.

  4. Religious Diversity & Cultural Trends -

    New England's Puritan founders enforced conformity, while Maryland's Act of Toleration (1649) and Pennsylvania's Quaker haven (1681) showcase early religious pluralism. A quick "RRR" (Religious dissent, Revival stirrings, Regional variety) mnemonic helps cement AP US History test prep on colonial culture.

  5. Imperial Control & Early Resistance -

    The Dominion of New England (1686) and colonial reactions to the Glorious Revolution revealed growing unrest against imperial overreach. Remember "DRIP" (Dominion, Rights claims, Impressment, Protests) to trace the escalation of resistance in your apush period 2 review.

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