Notable Americans — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
Benjamin Franklin was a famous baseball player.
Corrected: Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father, scientist, and inventor.
Franklin helped write the Declaration of Independence and discovered electrical principles.
2. Fix the sentence:
Susan B. Anthony was the first woman to fly in space.
Corrected: Susan B. Anthony was a leader in the women's suffrage movement.
Anthony's work led to the 19th Amendment, giving women the vote in 1920.
3. Fix the sentence:
George Washington Carver invented the telephone.
Corrected: George Washington Carver developed many uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes.
Carver helped southern farmers by promoting crop rotation and peanut products.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The first American woman astronaut in space was Sally Ride.
Sally Ride became the first American woman in space on June 18, 1983.
2. Frederick Douglass escaped slavery and became a powerful abolitionist speaker and writer.
Douglass used his speeches and books to help end slavery in the United States.
3. Helen Keller overcame being deaf and blind to become a famous author and activist.
Keller inspired millions and worked for the rights of disabled people worldwide.
4. Cesar Chavez led farm workers to fight for fair wages and better working conditions.
Chavez organized peaceful protests and boycotts to help Mexican-American laborers.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. What did Benjamin Franklin discover with his famous kite experiment?
Sample answer: Benjamin Franklin showed that lightning is a form of electricity.
Franklin's experiment led to the invention of the lightning rod, saving buildings.
2. What did Susan B. Anthony work hard to achieve?
Sample answer: Susan B. Anthony worked to win women the right to vote.
Her efforts led to the 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, allowing women to vote.