INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Page

Average Scale Scores . . . . . 1

Students Reaching NAEP

Achievement Levels . . 2

Percentile Scores . . . . . . . . 3

2001 Assessment . . . . . . . . 3

Student Subgroup Findings . 4

School Factors . . . . . . . . . . 9

Sample Test Questions . . . 12

NAEP on the Web . . . . . . . 20

National Assessment of

Educational Progress

An Important

Indicator of

Educational Progress

Since 1969, NAEP has been the

sole, ongoing national indicator

of what American students know

and can do in major academic

subjects.

Over the years, NAEP has

measured students’ achievement

in many subjects, including

reading, mathematics, science,

writing, U.S. history, civics,

geography, and the arts. In

2001, NAEP conducted a

national assessment in U.S.

history at grades 4, 8, and 12.

NAEP is a project of the

National Center for Education

Statistics (NCES) in the U.S.

Department of Education and is

overseen by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB).

Improvements Seen in NAEP 2001

U.S. History Results at Grades 4 and 8

Results for the 2001 National Assessment of Educational Progress

(NAEP) U.S. history assessment show that the average scores of fourthand eighth-grade students have improved since 1994. The average

score of twelfth-grade students, however, has not changed significantly.

This history assessment was first administered to nationally representative samples of

fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade students in

1994. The figure above shows national average

scores in 1994 and 2001 based on a 0–500

NAEP U.S. history scale at each grade.

In 2001, the average scores of fourth- and

eighth-graders improved in comparison to

1994. The 2001 score for twelfth-graders was

not statistically different from the 1994 score.

It should be noted that every test score has a

standard error—a range of a few points plus or

minus the score—which accounts for potential

score fluctuation due to sampling error and

measurement error. Statistical tests that factor in

these standard errors are used to determine

whether the differences between average scores are

significant. Estimates based on smaller subgroups

are likely to have relatively large standard errors.

As a consequence, some seemingly large differences may not be statistically significant. Only

statistically significant differences are cited in this

report.

The Nation’s Report Card 2001

National Center for Education Statistics

Highlights

U.S. History

 Significantly different from 1994.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994 and 2001 U.S. History Assessments.

U.S. Department of Education  Office of Educational Research and Improvement  NCES 2002-482
The Nation’s Report Card

Achievement Levels

Basic: This level denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade.

Proficient: This level represents solid academic performance for each grade assessed. Students

reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subjectmatter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills

appropriate to the subject matter.

Advanced: This level signifies superior performance.

Gains Seen in Fourth- and Eighth-Graders’

2001 Achievement-Level Performance

The 2001 U.S. history assessment results show some changes since 1994 in the percentages of

students at or above the NAEP achievement levels. At grade 4, the percentage of students performing at or above Basic increased between 1994 and 2001, although there were no changes in the

percentages of students performing at or above Proficient and at Advanced. At grade 8, there were

increases in the percentages of students at or above Basic and Proficient, as well as at Advanced. At

grade 12, however, the percentages of students performing at each level in 2001 were not statistically different from 1994.

Percentage of students within and at or above achievement levels,

grades 4, 8, and 12: 1994 and 2001

How to Read These Figures:

● The italicized percentages to the right of the shaded bars represent the percentages of students at or above Basic and Proficient.

● The percentages in the shaded bars represent the percentages of students within each achievement level.

 Significantly different from 1994.

NOTE: Percentages within each U.S. history achievement-level range may not

add to 100, or to the exact percentages at or above achievement levels, due to

rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and

Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994 and 2001 U.S. History Assessments.

2%

15% 17%

47%

64%

36%

1994

2%

16% 18%

49%

67%

33%

2001

Advanced

At or above

Proficient

At or above

Basic

Proficient

Basic

 Below

Basic

Grade 4

1%

13% 14%

48%

61%

39%

1994

2%

15% 17%

48%

64%

36%

2001

Advanced

At or above

Proficient

At or above

Basic

Proficient

Basic

Below

Basic

Grade 8

1%

10% 11%

32%

43%

57%

1994

1%

10% 11%

32%

43%

57%

2001

Advanced

At or above

Proficient

At or above

Basic

Proficient

Basic

Below

Basic

Grade 12

2

Achievement

Levels Provide

Yardstick for

Student

Performance

Achievement levels provide

a context for interpreting

student performance on

NAEP. These performance

standards, set by NAGB and

based on recommendations

from broadly representative

panels of educators and

members of the public,

determine what students

should know and be able to

do for the Basic, Proficient,

and Advanced levels of

performance in each subject

area and at each grade

assessed.

As provided by law, the

Deputy Commissioner of

Education Statistics, upon

review of a congressionally

mandated evaluation of

NAEP, has determined that

the achievement levels are to

be used on a trial basis and

should be interpreted and

used with caution.

However, both the Deputy

Commissioner and NAGB

believe that these performance standards are useful

for understanding trends in

student achievement. NAEP

achievement levels have

been widely used by national and state officials.

Detailed descriptions of the

NAEP U.S. history achievement levels can be found on

the NAEP Web Site at http://

nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
3

U.S. History Highlights 2001

255 253

234

210

147

180

158

186

212

235

0

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

500

1994

Grade 4

2001

Percentiles

90th

75th

50th

25th

10th

327 326

309 309

288 288

243

265

246

266

0

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

500

1994

Grade 12

2001

Percentiles

90th

75th

50th

25th

10th

303

299

282

261

217

239

220

241

264

285

0

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

500

1994

Grade 8

2001

Percentiles

90th

75th

50th

25th

10th

Gains Made by Lower-Performing Fourth-Graders and

Lower- and Higher-Performing Eighth-Graders

Scale score percentiles, grades 4, 8, and 12: 1994 and 2001

 Significantly different from 1994.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994 and 2001 U.S. History Assessments.

The NAEP U.S. history framework that describes the content

for both the 1994 and 2001

assessments was developed

through a national consensus

process and adopted by NAGB.

The framework identifies eight

historical periods and four

central themes that were the

basis for developing the test

questions. The four central

themes were:

1. Change and Continuity in

American Democracy:

Ideas, Institutions, Practices,

and Controversies;

2. The Gathering and Interactions of Peoples, Cultures,

and Ideas;

3. Economic and Technological

Changes and Their Relation

to Society, Ideas, and the

Environment; and

4. The Changing Role of

America in the World.

The complete framework is

available at the NAGB Web Site

at http://www.nagb.org.

The results in this report are

based on a national sample

that included special-needs

students; however, no testing

accommodations were offered

to these students. As a consequence, a small percentage of

sampled students were

excluded from the assessment

because they could not be

tested meaningfully without

accommodations. No testing

accommodations were offered

in 1994 or 2001 so that

results from the 2 assessment

years could be compared.

However, a second set of 2001

results is available that is based

on a sample for which accommodations were provided.

This second set of results is

presented in the full report,

The Nation’s Report Card: U.S.

History 2001, and on the

NAEP Web Site at http://

nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.

In addition, the percentage of

students excluded from both

samples is provided.

Looking at how scores

changed across the performance distribution clarifies

the source of the improvement in the average national

score at grades 4 and 8. An

examination of scores at

different percentiles on the

0–500 U.S. history scale at

each grade indicates whether

or not the changes seen in the

national average score results

are reflected in the performance of lower-, middle-, and

higher-performing students.

The percentile indicates the

percentage of students whose

scores fell below a particular

average score. In 2001, for

example, 25 percent of

fourth-graders scored at or

below 186.

As shown in the figures below,

there were some changes

between 1994 and 2001 at

various points in the score

distribution for fourth- and

eighth-graders, but no significant

changes for twelfth-graders.

At grade 4, score increases

between 1994 and 2001 at the

10th and 25th percentiles

indicate an improvement for

lower-performing students.

At grade 8, increases were

seen across a wider distribution, with improvements from

1994 to 2001 seen for both

lower-performing students

(25th percentile) and higherperforming students (75th

and 90th percentiles).

At grade 12, performance

across the score distribution

in 2001 was not statistically

different from 1994—a

finding that reflects the results

seen in the overall national

average score at this grade.

NAEP 2001 U.S. History Assessment Design:

Framework, Accommodations, and Samples
The Nation ’ s Report Card

gender

In addition to reporting

information on all students’

performance on its assessments, NAEP also studies the

performance of various

subgroups of students. The

U.S. history achievement of

subgroups of students in

2001 reveals whether they

have progressed since 1994,

as well as how they performed

in comparison to other

subgroups in 2001.

When reading these subgroup

results, it is important to keep

in mind that there is no

simple, cause-and-effect

relationship between membership in a subgroup and

achievement on NAEP. A

complex mix of educational

and socioeconomic factors

may interact to affect student

performance.

The figures below present

average U.S. history scores for

males and females in 1994 and

2001. At grade 4, both male

and female students had higher

Subgroup Data Reveal How Various

Groups of Students Performed on NAEP

Average U.S. History Scores by Gender

Average U.S. history scale scores by gender, grades 4, 8, and 12: 1994 and 2001

average scores in 2001 than in

1994, while at grade 8 only

males showed a statistically

significant gain in 2001 over

1994. At grade 12, neither male

nor female students showed a

significant change from 1994

to 2001. At all three grades in

2001, there was no statistically

significant difference between

the performance of males and

females.

Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12

500 

280 

270 

260 

250 

240 

230 

220 

0 

1994 2001

264

261

500 

290 

280 

270 

260 

250 

240 

230 

0 

1994 2001

288

285

288

286

Male Female

500 

250 

240 

230 

220 

210 

200 

190 

0 

1994 2001

203

209 

259 

206

4

 Significantly different from 1994.

NOTE: Italicized scale score values indicate that two or more groups had the same rounded average score. The average scale scores, when rounded,

were the same for male and female students at grade 4 in 2001 and at grade 8 in 1994. At grade 4, the  indicating statistical significance

applies to both males’ and females’ 2001 average score.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, National

Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994 and 2001 History Assessments.
U.S. History Highlights 2001

gender

The percentages of male and

female students at or above

the Basic and Proficient U.S.

history achievement levels are

presented below. Comparing

the 1994 and 2001 achievement-level results for males

and females shows that at

Achievement-Level Results by Gender

Achievement-level results by gender, grades 4, 8, and 12: 1994 and 2001

grades 4 and 12 there have

been no statistically significant increases or decreases

since 1994. At grade 8, however, the percentages of male

students at or above Basic and

at or above Proficient were

higher in 2001 than in 1994.

However, any apparent changes

in the percentages of eighthgrade females at or above Basic

and Proficient were not statistically significant.

A comparison of the differences

in the percentages of male and

female students at or above the

Basic and Proficient levels in

2001 shows no significant

differences at grade 4, a higher

percentage of males than females

at or above Proficient at grade

8, and a higher percentage of

males than females at or above

Basic at grade 12.

5

 Significantly different from 1994.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and

Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, National

Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994 and 2001 U.S. History

Assessments.

0

Female

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

65 68

Grade 8

'94 '01

61 63

Grade 12

'94 '01

40 41

16 17

13 15

9 10 0

Male

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

62

66

Grade 8

'94 '01

61

65

Grade 12

'94 '01

45 45

18 19

15

18

12 12 



% at or above Basic

% at or above Proficient 
Average U.S. History Scores by Race/Ethnicity

6

Students who took the NAEP

U.S. history assessment were

asked to indicate which of the

following racial/ethnic

subgroups best described

them: White, Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander,

or American Indian (including Alaska Native). The figure

below shows the average U.S.

history scores for students in

these subgroups at grades 4, 8,

and 12 in 1994 and 2001.

At grade 4, both White and

Black students had higher

average scores in 2001 than in

1994, while apparent gains for

other groups of students were

not statistically significant. At

grade 8, White students scored

higher in 2001 than in 1994

and, at grade 12, Hispanic

students had higher average

scores than in 1994.

The 2001 results show a

continuing pattern of average

score differences between the

racial/ethnic subgroups. At all

three grades, White students

had higher average scores than

their Black, Hispanic, and

American Indian peers; and

Asian/Pacific Islander students had higher average

scores than Black and Hispanic students. White fourthgrade students also had higher

average scores than Asian/

Pacific Islander fourth-graders.

Average U.S. history scale scores by race/ethnicity, grades 4, 8, and 12: 1994 and 2001

500 

280 

270 

260 

250 

240 

230 

220 

0 

1994 2001

267

243

263

239

246

271

267

249

243 

White Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander Black

American Indian

500 

300 

290 

280 

270 

260 

250 

240 

0 

1994 2001

292

267

285

265

279

292

274

295

269

277

White Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander Black

American Indian

500 

230 

220 

210 

200 

190 

180 

170 

0 

1994 2001

215

180

205

177

190

220

186

213

188

197

White Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander Black

American Indian

Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12

Average U.S. History Score Gaps Between Selected Racial/Ethnic Subgroups

Average score differences in 1994 and 2001

between White students and Black students

and between White students and Hispanic

students are presented in the figure shown to

the right. Results from the 2001 U.S. history

assessment reflect a narrowing of the score

gap between White students and Black

students at grade 4, and between White

students and Hispanic students at grade 12.

Score differences by race/ethnicity, grades 4, 8, and 12: 1994 and 2001 Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12 Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12

White-Black White-Hispanic

Score Differences

-10 0 10 20 30 40 -10

Score Differences

0 10 20 30 40

31

28

24

33

28

19

2001





38

28

27

35

24

26

1994

 Significantly different from 1994.

NOTE: Italicized scale score values

indicate that two or more groups had the

same rounded average score. The

average scale scores, when rounded,

were the same for Hispanic and Black

students at grade 8 in 2001.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education,

Office of Educational Research and

Improvement, National Center for

Education Statistics, National

Assessment of Educational Progress

(NAEP), 1994 and 2001 U.S. History

Assessments.

 Significantly different from 1994.

NOTE: Score differences are calculated based on differences between unrounded average scale scores.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education

Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994 and 2001 U.S. History Assessments.

The Nation ’ s Report Card

race/ethnicity
7

Achievement-level results by race/ethnicity, grades 4, 8, and 12: 1994 and 2001

Achievement-level results for

the racial/ethnic subgroups

are presented in the figures

below. While there have been

some gains since 1994 at

grades 4 and 8, not all

subgroups of students have

improved.

Achievement-Level Results by Race/Ethnicity

At grade 4, both White

students and Black students

had higher percentages at or

above Basic in 2001 compared

to 1994. At grade 8, White

students were the only group

to show any improvement,

with an increase in the

percentage at or above

Proficient. At grade 12, none

of the apparent changes in the

percentages of students at or

above any of the U.S. history

achievement levels from 1994

to 2001 were statistically

significant.

Comparing the subgroups’

performance in 2001 shows

higher percentages of White

and Asian/Pacific Islander

students than of Black and

Hispanic students at or above

the Basic and Proficient levels

at all three grades.

 Significantly different from 1994.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of

Educational Research and Improvement, National

Center for Education Statistics, National

Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994

and 2001 U.S. History Assessments.

0

White

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

74

79

Grade 8

'94 '01

71

75

Grade 12

'94 '01

50 49



22 24

17

21

13 13



0

Black

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

36

44

Grade 8

'94 '01

33

38

Grade 12

'94 '01

17 20



4 6 4 4 2 3 0

Hispanic

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

41 42

Grade 8

'94 '01

41 40

Grade 12

'94 '01

22

26

6 7 5 5 4 5

0

Asian/Pacific Islander

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

62

71

Grade 8

'94 '01

65 68

Grade 12

'94 '01

43

53

20 19 19 20

13

21

0

American Indian

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

51 53

Grade 8

'94 '01

42

50

Grade 12

'94 '01

30

34

9 12

5

8

5 1

% at or above Basic

% at or above Proficient 

race/ethnicity

U.S. History Highlights 2001
The Nation ’ s Report Card

type of school

500 

290 

280 

270 

260 

250 

240 

230 

0 

1994 2001

257

278

260

279

500 

310 

300 

290 

280 

270 

260 

250 

0 

1994 2001

284

299

286

298

Public Nonpublic Public Nonpublic Public Nonpublic

Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12

500 

250 

240 

230 

220 

210 

200 

190 

0 

1994 2001

203

222

207

226

0

Public

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

62

65

Grade 8

'94 '01

59 62

Grade 12

'94 '01

41 42

16 17

12

15

10  11

0

Nonpublic

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grade 4

'94 '01

82 85

Grade 8

'94 '01

84 84

Grade 12

'94 '01

59 59

26

30 28 31

18 17

Average U.S. History Scores by Type of School

Average U.S. history scale scores by type of school, grades 4, 8, and 12: 1994 and 2001

Schools that participate in

NAEP assessments are

classified as either public or

nonpublic. Looking at

students’ performance within

school type indicates that

fourth- and eighth-grade

public school students’

average scores were higher in

2001 than in 1994. The

apparent change at grade 12

was not statistically significant. In 2001, as in 1994,

fourth-, eighth-, and twelfthgraders attending nonpublic

schools had higher scores, on

average, than their peers

attending public schools.

Readers should, however,

avoid making assumptions

about the comparative quality

of instruction in public and

nonpublic schools when

reading this information.

Socioeconomic and sociological factors that may affect

student performance should

be considered before interpreting these results. Additional information about the

performance of students by

type of school can be found

in the full report, The Nation’s

Report Card: U.S. History

2001, as well as on the NAEP

Web Site at http://nces.ed.gov/

nationsreportcard.

Achievement-Level Results

by Type of School

Achievement-level results for students attending public and nonpublic schools are presented in the figures to the right. They indicate

that a higher percentage of eighth-grade public

school students reached the Proficient achievement level in 2001 than in 1994. Comparing

student performance by school type in 2001

shows that higher percentages of nonpublic

school students than of public school students

were at or above the Basic and the Proficient

achievement levels. At grade 8, there was also a

higher percentage of students at the Advanced

achievement level in nonpublic schools than

in public schools (data not shown).

 Significantly different from 1994.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education,

Office of Educational Research and

Improvement, National Center for

Education Statistics, National

Assessment of Educational Progress

(NAEP), 1994 and 2001 U.S. History

Assessments.

% at or above Basic

% at or above Proficient 

8

 Significantly different from 1994.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and

Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994 and 2001 U.S. History Assessments.
9

Computer Use

Students who participated in

the NAEP 2001 U.S. history

assessment and their teachers

answered questions related to

their background and their

experiences at school. The

responses were used to

investigate whether relationships exist between these

factors and students’ performance on the U.S. history

assessment. Some of the

findings are presented below

and on the next two pages.

While these findings may

suggest positive or negative

relationships between performance and particular factors,

it is important to note that

these relationships are not

necessarily causal: there are

many factors that may play a

role in students’ U.S. history

performance.

Teacher and Student Factors Play

a Role in U.S. History Performance

Using computers to enhance

learning has been an important challenge for educators

in all content areas. Students

who participated in the

NAEP 2001 U.S. history

assessment were asked various

questions about the ways in

which they used computers at

school in their history and

social studies classes.

About one-quarter of fourthgraders who participated in the

2001 U.S. history assessment

said that they use computers

at school for social studies at

least once every few weeks.

This proportion increased to

about one-third at grades 8

and 12.

General Computer Use

How does the way in which

students use computers relate to

performance on NAEP? The

figure below presents average

U.S. history scores for students

at grades 4, 8, and 12 by their

reports on how frequently they

used computers. This question

asked students about their use

of computers in general for

history or social studies, not

about any particular type of

computer use. The results

indicate a negative relationship

between more frequent general

use of computers in a social

studies or history class and

students’ performance on the

U.S. history assessment. At all

three grades, students who

reported daily general use had

lower average scores than did

those who reported less

frequent general use.

0

175

150

200

225

250

275

300

500

Grade 8 

Grade 4

Grade 12 

167

186

197

212 214

239

252 261

268 263 265

277 280

291 289 289

Two or three Every day times a week

Hasn't studied Never or hardly ever Once every few weeks Once a week

history this year

Average scores by frequency of computer use in social studies or history class, grades 4, 8, and 12: 2001

SOURCE: U.S. Department of

Education, Office of Educational

Research and Improvement,

National Center for Education

Statistics, National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP), 2001

U.S. History Assessment.

U.S. History Highlights 2001

school factors
school factors

The Nation ’ s Report Card

10

0

270

260

250

280

290

300

500

Not at all Small

extent

Moderate

extent

Large

extent

253

262

267

272 274

286

294

300

Specific Computer Use

It should be noted that

relatively few students reported

using a computer at school for

history or social studies—74

percent of fourth-graders, 64

percent of eighth-graders, and

42 percent of twelfth-graders

said that they never or hardly

ever used a computer in school

to study these subjects. An

additional 27 percent of

twelfth-graders reported not

having studied history during

the twelfth grade. (Data not

shown.) As shown on the

previous page, frequent users

also tended to score lowest;

however, the results presented

below suggest that how the

technology is used may

matter.

While the figure on the

previous page presents results

that suggest a negative

relationship between frequent

general use of computers in

history or social studies classes

and students’ performance,

the figures below indicate a

positive relationship at grades

8 and 12 when computers are

used for specific activities in

such classes. The figure on the

left shows that both eighthand twelfth-graders who used

computers to a great extent

for research projects by using

CDs or the Internet scored

higher, on average, than those

who did so to a lesser extent.

The figure on the right

indicates a similar positive

relationship: eighth- and

twelfth-graders who used

computers to write reports

had higher average scores than

their peers who did not.

It should be noted that a

relationship between computer use and average U.S.

history scores cannot, without

further investigation, be

interpreted causally. Certain

types of computer use may

support student learning;

however, the relationship may

also be due to the background

and other characteristics of

students who are asked to use

computers in these ways.

0

270

260

250

280

290

300

500

Not at all Small

extent

Moderate

extent

Large

extent

Grade 8 

Grade 12 

253

260

266

270 271

281

290

300

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress

(NAEP), 2001 U.S. History Assessment.

Average scores by time spent using a CD or the Internet

for research projects, grades 8 and 12: 2001

Average scores by time spent using the computer

to write reports, grades 8 and 12: 2001
11

Are certain instructional

activities associated with

performance on the NAEP

2001 U.S. history assessment?

The figures below present the

average scores of fourth-,

eighth-, and twelfth-graders

by the frequency of certain

instructional activities.

0

270

260

250

280

500

264 267

262 259

Almost 

every day

Once or 

twice a 

week

Once or 

twice a 

month

Never or

hardly

ever

0

290

280

270

300

500

290 291 290 289

276

About 

every day

Once or 

twice a 

week

Once or 

twice a 

month

Never A few

times 

a year

At grade 4, a large majority of

students had teachers who

reported having them read

from a textbook on a daily or

weekly basis. Reading from a

textbook daily was associated

with higher scores on the

assessment than was doing so

weekly or monthly.

At grade 8, students whose

teachers reported using

primary historical documents—such as letters, diaries,

or essays written by historical

figures—once or twice per week

had higher scores than those

whose teachers reported doing

so less frequently or never.

At grade 12, students who

reported never reading extra

material—such as biographies

or historical stories—scored

lower than their peers who

reported doing so a few times

per year or more often.

Eighth-grade average scores by frequency

of using primary historical documents: 2001

Twelfth-grade average scores by frequency

of reading extra material: 2001

Fourth-grade average scores by frequency

of reading material from a textbook: 2001

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational

Progress (NAEP), 2001 U.S. History Assessment.

0

210

200

190

220

500

214

207

202

209

Almost 

every day

Once or 

twice a 

week

Once or 

twice a 

month

Never or

hardly

ever

Instructional Activities

school factors

U.S. History Highlights 2001

Grade 8 

Grade 4

Grade 12 
Historical Theme: Historical Period:

Percentage correct within achievement-level intervals

Overall percentage Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced

correct (194 and below*) (195–242*) (243–275*) (276 and above*)

93 84 96 99 —

A better understanding of

students’ performance on the

NAEP 2001 U.S. history

assessment can be gained by

examining sample test questions and students’ responses

to them. The questions

shown here—one multiplechoice and one constructedresponse question for each

grade—were used in the 2001

U.S. history assessment. The

tables that accompany these

sample questions show two

types of percentages: the

overall percentage of students

who answered the question

successfully and the percentage of students in each

achievement-level interval

who answered successfully.

For the multiple-choice

questions shown, the oval

corresponding to the correct

multiple-choice response is

filled in. For the constructedresponse questions, sample

student responses are presented along with a brief

description of how the

response was scored. Because

it was a timed test of history

knowledge and skills, scoring

was based solely on content—

students may have made minor

spelling and grammatical

errors that would not have

affected their score. In

addition, the historical theme

and historical period being

assessed are identified for

each sample question.

Additional sample questions

can be viewed on the NAEP

Web Site at http://

nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.

Sample U.S. History Questions

Grade 4 Sample Questions and Responses

Fourth-Grade Multiple-Choice Question

This question asked

fourth-grade students

about the purpose of an

artifact widely used in

everyday life during the

19th century.

Economic and Technological Changes and Their

Relation to Society, Ideas, and the Environment

Expansion and Reform (1801 to 1861)

*NAEP U.S. history scale range.

— Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center

for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2001 U.S. History Assessment.

In pioneer schools, feathers like this were most often used for

A measuring

B sewing

C writing

D playing a game

12

The Nation ’ s Report Card

sample questions
13

Overall percentage Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced

“Essential” or better (194 and below*) (195–242*) (243–275*) (276 and above*)

42 13 48 76 —

Give one reason why the American Indian group long ago and your family today

differ in the ways they get their food, shelter, or clothing.

Inuit

Cree Blackfeet

Shoshone

Hopi

Apache

Yuma

Kwakiutl

Nez Perce

Sioux

Chippewa

Cheyenne

Arapaho Pomo

Seminole

Creek

Cherokee

Shawnee

Delaware

Iroquois Mohawk

Hudson

Bay

Gulf of

Mexico

Paiute Navajo

Responses to this

question were scored

according to a four-level

guide as

● “Complete”;

● “Essential”;

● “Partial”; or

● “Inappropriate.”

This question asked the

student to demonstrate

an understanding of how

American Indians met

basic needs before

contact with Europeans

and, in addition, to

compare the way of life

of an American Indian

group hundreds of years

ago and that of the

student’s family today.

This “Complete” response

correctly listed one way

that an American Indian

group (circled on map)

got food, shelter, and

clothing, and one way

that the student’s own

family gets food, shelter,

and clothing. It then

gave one appropriate

reason for differences

between the way the

American Indian group

obtained those necessities and the way in which

modern families obtain

them.

Sample “Complete” Response

Fourth-Grade Extended Constructed-Response Question Percentage “Essential” or better within achievement-level intervals

*NAEP U.S. history scale range.

—Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.

NOTE: The percentage “Essential” or better includes students who scored either “Essential” or “Complete.”

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for

Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2001 U.S. History Assessment.

Historical Theme: Historical Period:

sample questions

U.S. History Highlights 2001

The Gathering and Interactions of Peoples,

Cultures, and Ideas

Three Worlds and Their Meeting in the Americas

(Beginnings to 1607)

American Indians in the Period

Before Europeans Came

1. Food:

2. Shelter:

3. Clothing:

Your Family

1. Food:

2. Shelter:

3. Clothing:

Choose an American Indian group

from the map, and circle its name

directly on the map.

On the chart below, list one way

this American Indian group got

food, shelter, and clothing in the

period before Europeans came to

the Americas. Then list one way

your family gets food, shelter, and

clothing.
Historical Theme: Historical Period:

14

Give one reason why the American Indian group long ago and your family today

differ in the ways they get their food, shelter, or clothing.

American Indians in the Period

Before Europeans Came

1. Food:

2. Shelter:

3. Clothing:

Your Family

1. Food:

2. Shelter:

3. Clothing:

Inuit

Cree Blackfeet

Shoshone

Hopi

Apache

Yuma

Kwakiutl

Nez Perce

Sioux

Chippewa

Cheyenne

Arapaho Pomo

Seminole

Creek

Cherokee

Shawnee

Delaware

Iroquois Mohawk

Hudson

Bay

Gulf of

Mexico

Paiute Navajo

Sample “Essential” Response

The Gathering and Interactions of Peoples,

Cultures, and Ideas

Three Worlds and Their Meeting in the Americas

(Beginnings to 1607)

This “Essential” response correctly listed

means by which the

Kwakiutl (the American

Indian group circled on

the map) obtained food

and clothing, two of the

necessities listed. The

means listed for shelter,

“buffalo hide,” is not

accurate for the Kwakiutl.

The response also listed

one way in which the

student’s own family

obtained food, shelter,

and clothing. The

reason given for the

difference between the

way the American

Indian group met such

basic needs and the

way in which modern

families meet them was

considered too vague to

be acceptable.

The Nation ’ s Report Card

sample questions

Fourth-Grade Sample Questions and Responses (continued)

Choose an American Indian group

from the map, and circle its name

directly on the map.

On the chart below, list one way

this American Indian group got

food, shelter, and clothing in the

period before Europeans came to

the Americas. Then list one way

your family gets food, shelter, and

clothing.
What was the most significant factor that led the American colonists to form the

First Continental Congress in 1774?

A Religious conflict inside the colonies

B The desire of the colonists to write a Constitution to replace the

Articles of Confederation

Colonial frustration with laws passed by the British Parliament

D The desire of the colonists to stop the war between Britain and the

colonies

Historical Theme: Historical Period:

Change and Continuity in American Democracy:

Ideas, Institutions, Practices, and Controversies

The Revolution and the New Nation

(1763 to 1815)

Percentage correct within achievement-level intervals

Overall percentage Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced

correct (251 and below*) (252–293*) (294–326*) (327 and above*)

39 29 39 62 —

Grade 8 Sample Questions and Responses

Eighth-Grade Multiple-Choice Question

This question asked

students about the

major reason for the

colonial American

discontent with Great

Britain that sparked

the formation of the

Continental Congress

and the consequent

Revolution.

15

*NAEP U.S. history scale range.

— Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for

Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2001 U.S. History Assessment.

sample questions

U.S. History Highlights 2001
Historical Theme: Historical Period:

16

Economic and Technological Changes and Their

Relation to Society, Ideas, and the Environment

The Development of Modern America

(1865 to 1920)

Eighth-Grade Short Constructed-Response Question Percentage “Appropriate” within achievement-level intervals

Overall percentage Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced

“Appropriate” (251 and below*) (252–293*) (294–326*) (327 and above*)

30 9 34 64 —

Sample “Appropriate” Response

Why was the invention of the steel plow important in United States history?

Responses to this

question were scored

according to a threelevel guide as

● “Appropriate”;

● “Partial”; or

● “Inappropriate.”

This question asked

students about one of the

most important technological developments

affecting 19th-century

agriculture.

This “Appropriate”

response indicated that

the steel plow increased

efficiency in agricultural

production.

*NAEP U.S. history scale range.

— Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National

Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2001 U.S. History

Assessment.

The Nation ’ s Report Card

sample questions
17

The Progressive movement of 1890–1920 is best described as

a broad-based reform movement that tried to reduce the abuses that

had come with modernization and industrialization

B a loose coalition of groups primarily dedicated to passing a constitutional amendment prohibiting the consumption of alcohol

C an anti-tariff movement led by a federation of business owners and

manufacturers who wanted to promote trade abroad

D a grass-roots movement that attempted to gather support for the

establishment of an international organization such as the League of

Nations

*NAEP U.S. history scale range.

— Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for

Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2001 U.S. History Assessment.

Percentage correct within achievement-level intervals

Overall percentage Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced

correct (293 and below*) (294–324*) (325–354*) (355 and above*)

36 23 47 73 —

Grade 12 Sample Questions and Responses

Twelfth-Grade Multiple-Choice Question

This question asked

students to demonstrate

an understanding of the

goals of one the most

important reform eras in

U.S. history.

Historical Theme: Historical Period:

Change and Continuity in American Democracy:

Ideas, Institutions, Practices, and Controversies

The Development of Modern America

(1865 to 1920)

sample questions

U.S. History Highlights 2001
“In spite of the obvious advantages held by the North, the South

was able to fight for four years and to achieve some real military successes. So while the North held most of the cards, the South had one or

two aces up its sleeves.”

Identify two of the “aces” (significant advantages) that the

South had in the Civil War. Explain how these advantages helped the

South.

Twelfth-Grade Extended Constructed-Response Question Percentage “Essential” or better within achievement-level intervals

Overall percentage Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced

“Essential” or better (293 and below*) (294–324*) (325–354*) (355 and above*)

39 17 62 88 —

Responses to this

question were scored

according to a four-level

guide as

● “Complete”;

● “Essential”;

● “Partial”; or

● “Unsatisfactory.”

This question asked

students to both

identify advantages held

by the South during the

Civil War and explain

how those advantages

aided the Southern war

effort. Students had to

provide not only factual

information, but also a

reasonable argument

relating that information

to the course of the

Civil War.

This “Complete”

response identified two

significant Southern

advantages and, in

addition, explained how

those advantages

helped the South.

Sample “Complete” Response

18

*NAEP U.S. history scale range.

— Sample size insufficient to permit a reliable estimate.

NOTE: The percentage “Essential” or better includes students who scored either “Essential” or “Complete.”

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National

Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2001 U.S. History

Assessment.

Historical Theme: Historical Period:

Change and Continuity in American Democracy:

Ideas, Institutions, Practices, and Controversies

Crisis of the Union: Civil War and Reconstruction

(1850 to 1877)

The Nation ’ s Report Card

sample questions
The “Essential” response identified one

significant Southern

advantage and explained how that

advantage helped the

South. Both of the

reasons listed, that

southern soldiers were

more familiar with the

terrain and that they

were more familiar with

the weather, help to

explain one advantage:

fighting on one’s home

front.

Historical Theme: Historical Period:

Change and Continuity in American Democracy:

Ideas, Institutions, Practices, and Controversies

Crisis of the Union: Civil War and Reconstruction

(1850 to 1877)

“In spite of the obvious advantages held by the North, the South

was able to fight for four years and to achieve some real military successes. So while the North held most of the cards, the South had one or

two aces up its sleeves.”

Identify two of the “aces” (significant advantages) that the

South had in the Civil War. Explain how these advantages helped the

South.

Sample “Essential” Response

19

sample questions

U.S. History Highlights 2001
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such as reading, math, and science

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information about the NAEP

2001 U.S. history assessment can

be found on the NAEP Web Site.

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be ordered from

U.S. Department of Education

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Additional information about the

NAEP U.S. history framework

can be found on the National

Assessment Governing Board Web

Site at: http://www.nagb.org

The Nation ’ s

Report Card

U.S. History

Highlights

2001

National Center for

Education Statistics