Road to Revolution
What was the name of the 1765 British law that placed a tax on printed materials, including newspapers and legal documents?
The Stamp Act
The Battle of Saratoga encouraged what European nation to side with the Americans in the American Revolution?
France
Under the Articles of Confederation, who had the most power?
The states
What are the three branches of the federal government created by the Constitution?
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.
What does "ratify" mean?
To officially approve something
What was the main purpose of the Intolerable Acts, and how did the colonies respond?
Britain intended to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, but the acts encouraged colonial unity and resistance.
What was the first major armed conflict in the American Revolution? (Hint: it's often called the "Shot Heard Round the World)
Lexington & Concord
List one thing the Articles of Confederation allowed Congress to do.
Options:
- Make treaties/declare war
- Coin money
- Raise armies (kinda)
The scenario below best aligns with which principle of the Constitution?
The President can veto a bill passed by Congress.
Options: Popular sovereignty, federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, or limited government
Checks & balances
What group supported ratification of the Constitution and wanted a stronger national government?
Federalists
How did the Boston Massacre contribute to growing tensions between Britain and the colonies?
Colonial propaganda portrayed British soldiers as violent oppressors, increasing resentment toward British authority.
What was the name of the final major conflict of the American Revolution?
Siege/Battle of Yorktown
Why did the Articles of Confederation create such a weak national government?
Americans feared creating another powerful central government like the British monarchy, so they gave most political power to the states.
The scenario below best aligns with which principle of the Constitution?
The Supreme Court can rule that a state law is unconstitutional.
Options: Popular sovereignty, federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, or limited government
Federalism
What was added to the Constitution to ensure states would ratify it?
Bill of Rights
Britain believed the colonies should help pay for the French and Indian War. Why did this belief create conflict between Britain and the colonists? Describe BOTH perspectives!
Britain believed the colonists should share the cost of their defense, while colonists argued that Parliament had no right to tax them without representation.
What are the 3 "inalienable rights" Thomas Jefferson specifically mentions in the Declaration of Independence?
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
What was Shays' Rebellion, and what did it show about the Articles of Confederation?
An armed uprising of Massachusetts farmers protesting debt and taxes that exposed the national government's inability to effectively respond to domestic unrest.
What is the purpose of checks and balances in the Constitution?
To prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others.
What were the essays called that defended the Constitution and attempted to encourage Americans to support ratification?
Federalist Papers
Why did colonists oppose the Tea Act even though it lowered the price of tea?
It reinforced Parliament's right to tax the colonies without representation and gave the East India Company an unfair advantage.
List 3 events (British acts, colonial protests, etc.) and explain HOW they led to the American Revolution.
Answers will vary
How did the Constitution address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Created a stronger federal government with the power to tax, including an Executive Branch to enforce laws and Judicial Branch with a national court system
What are the two chambers in the bicameral legislative branch in the Constitution, AND how does each represent states differently?
Senate: equal representation
House of Representatives: representation based on population
Why did Anti-Federalists oppose the Constitution as it was originally written?
They feared the federal government would become too powerful and argued that individual liberties needed greater protection.