Career upgrade: Learn practical AI skills for better jobs and higher pay.
Level up
PracticeVideosBlogFlashcardsEspañol
All Practice Exams

100+ Free MTEL History/Social Science (73) Practice Questions

Pass your MTEL History/Social Science (Field 73) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately
100+ Questions
100% Free
1 / 100
Question 1
Score: 0/0

The constitutional concept of 'rule of law' is BEST defined as the principle that which of the following is true?

A
B
C
D
to track
Same family resources

Explore More MTEL Massachusetts Educator Exams

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

MTEL Biology (66)

Practice Questions

MTEL Business (19)

Practice Questions

MTEL Chemistry (67)

Practice Questions

MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills (01)

Practice Questions

MTEL Dance (46)

Practice Questions

MTEL Digital Literacy and Computer Science (71)

Practice Questions
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: MTEL History/Social Science (73) Exam

240

Passing Scaled Score

MTEL Field 73 test page

100 MC + 2 OR

Test Structure

MTEL Field 73 test page

4 hours

Testing Time

MTEL Field 73 test page

$139

Registration Fee

MTEL Field 73 test page

20% each

Four MC Subareas

MTEL Field 73 objectives

Objectives 0001-0015

Test Objectives

MTEL Field 73 objectives

History (5-12)

License Covered

DESE licensure

5 subareas

Content Domains

MTEL Field 73 objectives

MTEL History/Social Science (Field 73) is the Massachusetts subject-matter test for prospective History (5-12) teachers. It contains 100 multiple-choice questions plus two open-response assignments and is scored on a 240 passing standard within a 4-hour testing window for a $139 fee. The multiple-choice section is weighted across four subareas at roughly 20% each (World History, U.S. History, World Geography and Economics, and Civic Life and Government), and the two open-response tasks together account for the remaining 20%, asking candidates to analyze world-history and U.S.-history sources. This 100-question bank mirrors the official subarea weighting so candidates can practice across every content domain on the current 2026 framework.

Sample MTEL History/Social Science (73) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your MTEL History/Social Science (73) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1The Neolithic Revolution is BEST characterized by which fundamental change in human society?
A.The invention of iron weapons for large-scale warfare
B.The first use of written alphabetic scripts in trade
C.The transition from foraging to settled agriculture and animal domestication
D.The establishment of centralized monarchies across Eurasia
Explanation: The Neolithic Revolution refers to the shift from hunting and gathering to settled farming and the domestication of plants and animals, beginning roughly 10,000 BCE. This change produced food surpluses that supported permanent villages, population growth, and eventually complex societies.
2Mesopotamian civilizations such as Sumer are often credited with developing which early writing system?
A.Cuneiform
B.Hieroglyphics
C.Linear B
D.Phonetic alphabet
Explanation: The Sumerians of Mesopotamia developed cuneiform, a wedge-shaped script pressed into clay tablets with a reed stylus, around 3200 BCE. It is one of the earliest known writing systems and was used for record-keeping, law, and literature.
3The West African kingdoms of Ghana and Mali grew wealthy primarily through control of which trade?
A.Maritime spice trade across the Indian Ocean
B.Silk Road trade between China and Rome
C.Trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt
D.Atlantic trade in manufactured goods
Explanation: Ghana and Mali controlled and taxed the trans-Saharan caravan routes that exchanged West African gold for North African and Saharan salt, along with other goods. This trade made rulers such as Mansa Musa of Mali enormously wealthy.
4Which philosophical and ethical tradition, emphasizing social harmony, filial piety, and proper conduct, profoundly shaped imperial Chinese government?
A.Legalism
B.Confucianism
C.Daoism
D.Shintoism
Explanation: Confucianism, based on the teachings of Confucius, stressed hierarchy, filial piety, education, and ethical behavior by rulers and officials. It became the foundation of the civil service examination system and the moral framework of imperial Chinese governance.
5The Roman Republic distributed power among elected officials and assemblies in part to prevent which outcome?
A.The spread of Christianity throughout the empire
B.The expansion of trade with the Han dynasty
C.The concentration of authority in a single ruler
D.The codification of written law
Explanation: The Roman Republic created institutions such as consuls, the Senate, and popular assemblies, along with checks like term limits and the veto, to avoid the return of monarchy and the concentration of power in one person. These ideas later influenced modern republican government.
6The Renaissance, which began in Italian city-states in the 14th century, is BEST described as a renewed interest in which of the following?
A.Feudal manorial agriculture
B.Monastic isolation from secular life
C.Centralized Church control over scientific inquiry
D.Classical Greek and Roman learning, art, and humanism
Explanation: The Renaissance was a cultural movement marked by a revival of classical Greek and Roman texts, art, and ideas, accompanied by humanism, which emphasized human potential and worldly concerns. It flourished in wealthy Italian city-states such as Florence and Venice.
7The Columbian Exchange following 1492 most directly refers to the transfer of which between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres?
A.Plants, animals, people, and diseases
B.Diplomatic treaties and alliances
C.Religious doctrines only
D.Gold and silver bullion exclusively
Explanation: The Columbian Exchange describes the widespread transfer of plants, animals, people, technology, and diseases between the Americas and Afro-Eurasia after Columbus's voyages. It reshaped diets, populations, and ecosystems on both sides of the Atlantic.
8Enlightenment thinker John Locke argued that governments derive their legitimate authority from which source?
A.The divine right of kings
B.Hereditary aristocratic privilege
C.Military conquest and force
D.The consent of the governed
Explanation: Locke argued that legitimate government rests on the consent of the governed and exists to protect natural rights to life, liberty, and property. These ideas strongly influenced the American Declaration of Independence and republican thought.
9The Industrial Revolution, beginning in Britain in the late 18th century, was characterized primarily by which development?
A.The decline of urban populations in favor of rural life
B.The replacement of money economies with barter systems
C.The abandonment of overseas trade networks
D.A shift to mechanized factory production powered by new energy sources
Explanation: The Industrial Revolution involved the move from handmade goods and agrarian work to mechanized factory production, powered first by water and then by coal-fired steam. It transformed labor, accelerated urbanization, and reshaped global economies.
10Which factor is most commonly identified as a long-term cause of World War I?
A.A system of entangling alliances combined with militarism and nationalism
B.The Marshall Plan and postwar reconstruction
C.The creation of the United Nations
D.The fall of the Berlin Wall
Explanation: Historians point to militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism (often abbreviated MAIN) as long-term causes of World War I. A network of alliances turned a regional assassination crisis into a continent-wide war.

About the MTEL History/Social Science (73) Exam

The MTEL History/Social Science (Field 73) test measures the content knowledge required for the Massachusetts History (5-12) license. It covers world history, U.S. history, world geography and economics, civic life and government, and the integration of social science knowledge through written source analysis.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

4 hours of testing time (about 4h 15m appointment for CBT)

Passing Score

240 scaled score

Exam Fee

$139 (Massachusetts DESE / Pearson)

MTEL History/Social Science (73) Exam Content Outline

25% of this bank

World History

Covers Objectives 0001-0003: ancient civilizations through the modern era, including empires, trade networks like the Silk Roads, world religions, the Renaissance and Enlightenment, revolutions, the World Wars, totalitarianism, the Cold War, and decolonization.

28% of this bank

U.S. History

Covers Objectives 0004-0006: North America before 1789 through the present, including Native peoples, the transatlantic slave trade, the Revolution, the Constitution, the Civil War, Reconstruction, industrialization, the Progressive Era, the New Deal, World War II, and the Civil Rights Movement.

17% of this bank

World Geography and Economics

Covers Objectives 0007-0009: physical and human geography across global regions, map and data skills, cultural diffusion, plus economic concepts including supply and demand, opportunity cost, GDP, inflation, fiscal and monetary policy, and economic systems.

19% of this bank

Civic Life and Government

Covers Objectives 0010-0012: constitutional origins, separation of powers, checks and balances, the Bill of Rights, federalism, key Supreme Court cases, citizenship, voting-rights amendments, and Massachusetts state and local government.

11% of this bank

Social Science Inquiry and Education

Covers Objective 0013 and the open-response skills: evaluating primary and secondary sources, bias and corroboration, point of view, social science disciplines, inquiry-based pedagogy, and constructing evidence-based historical arguments.

How to Pass the MTEL History/Social Science (73) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 240 scaled score
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 4 hours of testing time (about 4h 15m appointment for CBT)
  • Exam fee: $139

Keys to Passing

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

MTEL History/Social Science (73) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study to the five-subarea blueprint so your time matches the roughly equal weighting across history, geography, economics, and civics
2Use the official Field 73 test objectives (Objectives 0001-0015) as a checklist of content domains to master
3Anchor U.S. and world history study in the Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework themes
4Drill core economics concepts such as supply and demand, opportunity cost, GDP, and fiscal versus monetary policy, which many history candidates find unfamiliar
5Practice analyzing primary and secondary sources for point of view, bias, and corroboration to prepare for both multiple-choice and open-response items
6Rehearse timed open responses that state a claim, cite specific document evidence, and explain the reasoning behind your conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MTEL History/Social Science (73) test?

It is the Massachusetts subject-matter test required for the History (5-12) educator license. It measures content knowledge in world history, U.S. history, geography, economics, and civics, and is administered by Pearson for DESE.

How is the MTEL Field 73 test structured?

The test contains 100 multiple-choice questions plus 2 open-response assignments. The multiple-choice section is divided into four subareas weighted at about 20% each, and the two open-response tasks together account for the remaining 20% of the score.

What score do I need to pass MTEL History/Social Science (73)?

Like most MTEL tests, Field 73 uses a passing scaled score of 240. Your multiple-choice and open-response performance combine into a single scaled score that must meet that standard.

How much does the MTEL History/Social Science (73) test cost in 2026?

The published registration fee for the History/Social Science (73) test is $139. Always confirm the current fee in your registration portal before checkout, since MTEL pricing is updated periodically.

How long is the MTEL Field 73 test?

Candidates receive 4 hours of testing time, with a total appointment of about 4 hours and 15 minutes for computer-based testing to allow for a tutorial and breaks. The test is offered by computer and, in some cases, online proctoring.

What should I focus on to pass the open-response section?

The two open-response items ask you to analyze world-history and U.S.-history sources and write an organized, evidence-based argument. Practice stating a clear claim, citing specific evidence from documents, and explaining how that evidence supports your conclusion.