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How the Nation Gained Its Land is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on how each territory became part of the United States, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Geo.5.3-5. It prints 6 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 9 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

How the Nation Gained Its Land

D2.Geo.5.3-5

NameDate

Match each territory to how it was gained, then answer the questions.

1.Draw a line from each territory to how it was gained.
  • Alaska, 1867
  • The Louisiana Territory, 1803
  • The Gadsden Purchase, 1853
  • Hawaii, 1898
  • A.Annexed after American businessmen overthrew its queen
  • B.Bought from Mexico to make room for a southern railroad
  • C.Bought from Russia
  • D.Bought from France for fifteen million dollars
2.What did the overthrow of Hawaii's queen in 1893 take from Native Hawaiians?
  • A.A war debt to France
  • B.Their own independent government
  • C.A seat in the British Parliament
3.France sold Louisiana in 1803. Did the Native nations living there agree to the sale?
  • A.No; they were not part of the deal
  • B.Yes; they were paid by France
  • C.Yes; they signed the treaty in Paris
4.People of what nation lived in California, New Mexico and Arizona before 1848?
  • A.Mexico, along with many Native nations
  • B.Britain and France
  • C.Russia only
5.Why did the United States want the Gadsden Purchase?
  • A.For a flat route for a southern railroad
  • B.To build a new capital city
  • C.For a port on the Atlantic
6.The Louisiana Purchase roughly doubled the size of the country. Who was president?
  • A.George Washington
  • B.Abraham Lincoln
  • C.Thomas Jefferson

LessonPrint · D2.Geo.5.3-5 · Set 9 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — How the Nation Gained Its Land

Set 9. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. Alaska, 1867 — C (Bought from Russia) 2. The Louisiana Territory, 1803 — D (Bought from France for fifteen million dollars) 3. The Gadsden Purchase, 1853 — B (Bought from Mexico to make room for a southern railroad) 4. Hawaii, 1898 — A (Annexed after American businessmen overthrew its queen)
  2. 2.Their own independent government
  3. 3.No; they were not part of the deal
  4. 4.Mexico, along with many Native nations
  5. 5.For a flat route for a southern railroad
  6. 6.Thomas Jefferson

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Geo.5.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.