Colonial Grievances
What was the phrase colonists used to protest taxes?
No Taxation with out Representation
What compromise created a two-house Congress with one house based on population and one with equal representation?
The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise).
Which political party, led by Alexander Hamilton, supported a strong central government and close ties with Britain?
The Federalist Party.
How did the decision in Marbury v. Madison (1803) expand the power of the Supreme Court, and why was this significant for the balance of power among the branches of government?
It established the principle of judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional. This strengthened the judiciary and ensured that the judicial branch could check the legislative and executive branches, solidifying the separation of powers.
Which amendment in the Bill of Rights was influenced by colonists’ anger at being forced to house British soldiers under the Quartering Act?
The Third Amendment.
What plan proposed at the Constitutional Convention favored larger states with representation based on population?
Virginia Plan
What controversial event during Washington’s presidency demonstrated the federal government’s ability to enforce its laws?
The Whiskey Rebellion.
In what ways did the Louisiana Purchase (1803) challenge Thomas Jefferson’s strict constructionist views of the Constitution, and how did he justify the acquisition?
Jefferson initially believed the federal government could only exercise powers explicitly granted by the Constitution, but the Constitution did not mention land purchases. He justified the Louisiana Purchase by interpreting the president’s treaty-making power broadly, showing that practical needs could outweigh strict constitutional interpretation.
What set of British laws restricted colonial trade by requiring goods to pass through England before reaching the colonies?
Navigation Acts
What was the main argument of the Anti-Federalists against the Constitution?
It gave too much power to the central government and lacked a Bill of Rights.
What was George Washington's main foreign policy
Neutrality
What were the Effects of the War of 1812
Re-establishment of US as an independent force
National pride increases
Affirmation that the government was strong enough both in foreign and domestic affairs
Ends the Federalist Party
How did the framers address colonists’ complaints about unfair trials taking place back in England and denial of jury trials in the Constitution?
By guaranteeing the right to trial by jury in the Sixth and Seventh Amendments.
Which three men wrote the Federalist Papers to support ratification of the Constitution?
John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison
What was Jefferson’s main constitutional argument against the creation of the National Bank?
It was unconstitutional because the Constitution did not explicitly authorize it (strict construction).
In what ways did the Embargo Act of 1807 reflect Jefferson’s foreign policy goals, and why did it face strong opposition at home?
The Embargo Act aimed to avoid war with Britain and France by prohibiting American ships from trading with foreign nations, reflecting Jefferson’s commitment to peaceful coercion. However, it caused severe economic hardship, particularly in New England, leading to widespread smuggling and opposition because it hurt American merchants and the national economy.
What feature of the U.S. Constitution directly responded to colonial objections to Parliament’s authority to tax them without representation?
Only the elected Congress has the power to levy taxes.
Name 3 of the 6 political principles upon which the government is established through the Constitution.
Popular Sovereignty
Limited Government
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Judicial Review
Representation
What laws, passed under President John Adams, were seen by Democratic-Republicans as unconstitutional?
Alien and Sedition Acts
How did the national debt assumption plan proposed by Alexander Hamilton create tensions between northern and southern states, and what compromise resolved the dispute?
Hamilton’s plan called for the federal government to assume state debts from the Revolutionary War to strengthen national credit. Northern states, which had larger debts, supported it, while southern states, which had mostly paid off their debts, opposed it. The Compromise of 1790 resolved the dispute: the federal government assumed the debts, and the nation’s capital was moved to the Potomac (Washington, D.C.) to appease southern interests.