100+ Free FTCE Social Science 5-9 Practice Questions

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approved by the Supreme Court

published in a national newspaper

ratified by all fifty state legislatures

passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the president

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ArticleFTCE Exam Guide 2026: Florida Teacher Tests, Scores, Fees, and Prep Order15 min read

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: FTCE Social Science 5-9 Exam

038

Test Code

Florida DOE / Pearson

200

Passing Scaled Score

Florida DOE

Competencies Tested

FTCE 038 Test Page

33%

History Weight (Largest)

FTCE 038 Competencies

2.5 hrs

Testing Time

FTCE 038 Test Page

$150

Exam Fee

Pearson (2026)

Sample FTCE Social Science 5-9 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your FTCE Social Science 5-9 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which ancient civilization is credited with developing one of the earliest known systems of written law, the Code of Hammurabi?

A.Babylon

B.Ancient Egypt

C.Classical Greece

D.The Indus Valley

Explanation: The Code of Hammurabi was created in Babylon under King Hammurabi around 1754 BCE and is one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes. It established the principle of proportional justice often summarized as 'an eye for an eye.'

2The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is historically significant primarily because it established the principle that

A.the monarch is subject to the rule of law

B.all citizens have the right to vote

C.the church controls the government

D.feudalism should be abolished

Explanation: The Magna Carta limited the power of the English king by establishing that even the monarch must follow the law. It became a foundational document influencing later constitutional government and ideas of due process.

3Which development most directly enabled the European Renaissance to spread new ideas rapidly across the continent?

A.The invention of the printing press

B.The construction of Gothic cathedrals

C.The fall of Constantinople

D.The discovery of the Americas

Explanation: Johannes Gutenberg's printing press, developed around 1440, allowed books and ideas to be reproduced quickly and cheaply. This dramatically increased literacy and spread Renaissance and later Reformation ideas across Europe.

4The Columbian Exchange refers to the transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases between which two regions?

A.The Eastern and Western Hemispheres

B.Europe and Asia

C.Africa and the Middle East

D.North America and South America

Explanation: The Columbian Exchange describes the widespread movement of crops, livestock, populations, and pathogens between the Old World (Eastern Hemisphere) and the New World (Western Hemisphere) following Columbus's 1492 voyages. It transformed diets, economies, and populations on both sides.

5Which Enlightenment thinker's ideas about natural rights to 'life, liberty, and property' most directly influenced the American Declaration of Independence?

A.John Locke

B.Thomas Hobbes

C.Niccolo Machiavelli

D.Adam Smith

Explanation: John Locke argued that people possess natural rights to life, liberty, and property and that government exists to protect those rights. Thomas Jefferson adapted Locke's ideas in the Declaration of Independence, writing of 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'

6The Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late 1700s, was characterized primarily by

A.a shift from hand production to machine manufacturing in factories

B.the return to small-scale agricultural villages

C.the decline of urban population centers

D.the abandonment of coal and steam power

Explanation: The Industrial Revolution transformed economies through mechanized factory production, powered by coal and steam. It led to urbanization, new social classes, and major changes in working and living conditions.

7The system of alliances, militarism, imperialism, and nationalism in early 20th-century Europe contributed most directly to the outbreak of

A.World War I

B.the French Revolution

C.the Cold War

D.the Napoleonic Wars

Explanation: Historians commonly identify militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism (often abbreviated MAIN) as the underlying causes of World War I. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 triggered these tensions into open war.

8Which document established the framework for the United States government and was ratified in 1788 after the failure of the Articles of Confederation?

A.The U.S. Constitution

B.The Declaration of Independence

C.The Bill of Rights

D.The Federalist Papers

Explanation: The U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, created a stronger federal government with three branches to replace the weak system under the Articles of Confederation. It remains the supreme law of the United States.

9The primary economic cause of tension between the northern and southern United States in the decades before the Civil War was disagreement over

A.slavery and its expansion into new territories

B.the gold standard

C.tariffs on imported automobiles

D.the income tax

Explanation: The expansion of slavery into western territories was the central conflict dividing North and South. Economic differences between the industrial North and the agricultural, slave-based South intensified this divide leading to the Civil War.

10The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, declared that

A.enslaved people in Confederate states were free

B.all slavery in the United States was immediately abolished

C.the Civil War was officially over

D.Confederate states could rejoin the Union

Explanation: The Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom for enslaved people in the Confederate states still in rebellion. It did not free enslaved people in the border states; nationwide abolition came with the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865.

About the FTCE Social Science 5-9 Exam

The FTCE Middle Grades Social Science 5-9 (038) is the Florida subject area exam required to teach social science in grades 5-9. It covers five competencies: history, geography, civics and government, economics, and social science curriculum and instruction.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

2 hours 30 minutes

Passing Score

Scaled score of 200

Exam Fee

$150 per attempt (Florida DOE / Pearson)

FTCE Social Science 5-9 Exam Content Outline

33%

History

World and U.S. history, ancient civilizations, exploration, revolutions, major wars, primary sources, and Florida history

25%

Geography

Five themes of geography, map and spatial skills, human-environment interaction, migration, and regions

25%

Civics and Government

U.S. Constitution, branches of government, checks and balances, rights and responsibilities, and comparative systems

10%

Economics

Scarcity, supply and demand, economic systems, GDP, inflation, personal finance, and global interdependence

Curriculum and Instruction

Subdiscipline relationships, differentiation, primary-source integration, and assessment methods

How to Pass the FTCE Social Science 5-9 Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Scaled score of 200
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: 2 hours 30 minutes
Exam fee: $150 per attempt

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

FTCE Social Science 5-9 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Prioritize history, which makes up 33% of the exam, covering world, U.S., and Florida history

2Memorize the five themes of geography and practice reading maps, charts, and graphs

3Learn the structure of the U.S. Constitution, the three branches, and checks and balances

4Review core economics concepts such as scarcity, opportunity cost, and supply and demand

5Practice distinguishing primary from secondary sources and analyzing author bias

6Take full-length timed practice tests to build stamina for the 2.5-hour exam

Frequently Asked Questions

What test code is the FTCE Middle Grades Social Science exam?

It is FTCE test 038. The exam certifies teachers to teach social science in grades 5 through 9 in Florida.

How many questions are on the FTCE 038 exam?

The exam has approximately 80 to 100 multiple-choice questions, and test takers have 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete it.

What passing score do I need for the FTCE 038?

You need a scaled score of 200 to pass. Raw passing percentages are relatively high, so thorough preparation across all five competencies is important.

What competencies are tested on the FTCE 038?

Five competencies are tested: history (33%), geography (25%), civics and government (25%), economics (10%), and social science curriculum and instruction (7%).

How much does the FTCE 038 exam cost?

The exam fee is $150 per attempt. Retakes also cost $150 each, so it is worth preparing thoroughly the first time.

How long should I study for the FTCE 038?

Most candidates study about 40 to 80 hours over 6 to 10 weeks, focusing the most time on the history competency since it is the largest section.