Download Give examples of technological advancements and their impact on

Sample Assessment Items
This is not meant to be printed off and given as a test…this document is to give you ideas
of how this standard might be assessed. Please use these as an example when you are
developing your own formative assessments. Remember formative assessment is to be
given throughout the teaching of a standard to help you guide your instruction based on
students needs. A good formative assessment should have a mix of multiple choice as
well as open ended.
SS4E1 The student will use the basic economic concepts of trade, opportunity cost,
specialization, voluntary exchange, productivity, and price incentives to illustrate
historical events.
f. Give examples of technological advancements and their impact on business
productivity during the development of the United States (such as the steamboat, the
steam locomotive, and the telegraph).
Multiple Choice:
Which economic activity, based on water- and steam power, began to flourish not long
after America gained its independence?
a. agriculture
b. industry
c. military
d. service
Answer: b
Which invention would have resulted in an increase in the demand for coal?
a. iron plow
b. cotton gin
c. steam engine
d. the automobile
Answer: c
How did the invention of the electric light bulb help businesses become more
productive?
a. It allowed people to specialize in their tasks.
b. Businesses could operate more easily at night.
c. It led to an increase in the number of factories.
d. all of the above
Answer: b
Open ended:
What did Robert Fulton do to improve travel by water?
How did the railroads help American business?
How did the introduction of the steamboat impact American commerce?
How did the development of the steamboat, the locomotive, and the telegraph impact
the American economy?