Notable Americans — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
George Washington was the second president of the United States.
Corrected: George Washington was the first president of the United States.
Washington took office in 1789 as the first president; John Adams served second.
2. Fix the sentence:
Thomas Edison invented the airplane.
Corrected: Thomas Edison invented the practical light bulb.
Edison perfected the long-lasting light bulb in 1879; the Wright Brothers flew the first plane.
3. Fix the sentence:
Rosa Parks led the army during the Civil War.
Corrected: Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Parks was a civil rights activist whose 1955 protest helped launch the modern movement.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The first president of the United States was George Washington.
Washington was elected unanimously in 1789 and served two terms as the first president.
2. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous I Have a Dream speech.
The I Have a Dream speech was given at the March on Washington on August 28, 1963.
3. The two brothers who built and flew the first airplane were the Wright Brothers.
Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the first powered flight on December 17, 1903.
4. The author of the Declaration of Independence was Thomas Jefferson.
Jefferson drafted the Declaration in 1776, declaring American independence from Britain.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Who invented the practical electric light bulb?
Sample answer: Thomas Edison invented the practical electric light bulb in 1879.
Edison's light bulb made electric lighting affordable for homes and businesses.
2. Why is Rosa Parks remembered today?
Sample answer: Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Her protest helped launch the modern Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. King.