Presidents
War
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Misc
100
Which President fought in the French and Indian War as a British soldier, served as Commander of the Continental Army during the War for Independence, signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and served as the first President of the United States of America?
George Washington
100
The British government imposed heavy taxes on the American colonies in order to pay for what?
Expenses accrued from fighting the French and Indian War as well as maintaining a standing army on American soil.
100
What three things does the Declaration of Independence claim that all men have a right to?
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
100
What land acquisition involved the United States government doubling the size of the United States by purchasing a large tract of land from France?
The Louisiana Purchase
200
Which President was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, served as an ambassador to France, made the Louisiana Purchase and was an amateur architect in his spare time.
Thomas Jefferson
200
The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired where?
At Lexington and Concord
As we saw in the movie April Morning a ragtag group of farmers and craftsmen used their knowledge of the woods and countryside to beat back a well-trained British army who were on their way to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Thanks to the warning given by men like Paul Revere, the secret arrival of the army was made known, Adams and Hancock escaped to take part in the Continental Congress, and America made its first step toward freedom.
200
What is the Declaration of Independence's "self-evident truth".
That "all men are created equal".
200
Which states were gained in the Mexican-American War?
California and New Mexico
300
According to the Constitution, how was the Vice President to be chosen?
Whoever was runner-up or second place in the election would receive the position of Vice President.
300
Where did the Continental Army spend a single cruel winter?
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania
300
What are the three branches of Government provided by the Constitution?
The Executive Branch - The Central Federal Government tasked with overseeing the United States as a whole, headed by the President.
The Legislative Branch - Otherwise known as Congress, this is the Republican aspect of our Government (A Republic means that there are representatives from every state government), that represent the desires of the people in every state, make and pass laws, and create a power balance for the Federal Government. This is broken into two houses, The Senate and The House of Representatives.
The Judicial Branch - the highest court in the Government, tasked with interpreting the law and the constitution itself and how they will be applied.
300
Who was sent to explore the Oregon Territory?
Lewis and Clark
400
Which President bullied Mexico into giving up nearly half of its territory?
James K Polk
400
Why did American Colonists dump tea into Boston Harbor in 1773?
This was America's protesting response to the Tea Controversy. British Tea companies were selling excess tea so cheaply that no other competition could compete, giving British sellers a controlling monopoly of American trade.
400
How often are the following re-elected, according to the Constitution:
The President
Senators
House Representatives
Supreme Court Judges
The President: Every four years, with a limit of two terms.
Senators: One third of the Senate is up for re-election every two years.
House Representatives: All House seats are up for re-election every two years.
Supreme Court Judges: Have life-long terms which only end when they die, retire, or are removed by Congress.
400
Who joined the Lewis and Clark expedition in North Dakota and helped them make important connections with Native American tribes along the way?
Sacagawea. A Native American woman married to a French fur merchant. As a child she had been captured by a rival tribe, but due to the Lewis and Clark expedition she was able to travel back west and reunite with her tribe.
500
Which President decided to declare war against Britain over trade and naval disputes in 1812 and which future President earned his nickname "Old Hickory" by leading his troops to victory during the War of 1812?
James Madison and Andrew Jackson
500
Describe how America won the War for Independence.
The war had been waging for a long five years by the time General Cornwallis led the British on a final assault inland into the Carolinas. Despite an initial victory at Camden, SC, the Americans began pushing them back out, winning skirmish after skirmish until the army had retreated to the coast of Virginia in Yorktown.
Washington led the Continental Army down from New York where they joined a force of French troops, this combined with the force of a French Navy that was stationed off the coast of Virginia, and Cornwallis was effectively cornered. The British Army surrendered in October of 1781.
500
What was the difference between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.
Under the Articles of Confederation the central government was much weaker, to the point of being entirely powerless. The government could not tax its citizens, but instead had to beg the states for money. The government did not have the money to sustain an army nor the power to declare war, leaving the US vulnerable, especially immediately after gaining independence. There was no executive or judicial system, meaning no leader in the form of a president and high court, leaving the states with more individual power, but also meaning they functioned as separate, but friendly, small countries, with no united sense of purpose, identity, or law. The Constitution united the states by giving them a stronger common government and law that was still limited in its power and still ruled by the people.
500
What events led to the War of 1812?
The British Navy provoked aggression when they fired on an American merchant ship, Chesapeake.
In retaliation, the United States barred trade with Britain, hurting the British economy.
Later, during a Native American uprising led by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh at Tippecanoe, Native Americans were found to be suspiciously furnished with British weapons.
President Madison would then make an unpopular decision to declare war on Britain, unknowingly doing so while the British Parliament was passing a move to negotiate better relations with the United States.