Revolutionary War
What is one thing that was done at the Second Continental Congress?
Met in May 1775 after Lexington and Concord.
Created the Continental Army and named George Washington as commander.
Sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George III, trying to avoid war—he rejected it.
Acted as the national government during the war—printed money, made treaties, and organized defenses.
Moved toward independence, especially after Thomas Paine’s Common Sense.
What was one achievement of the Articles of Confederation?
Won the War for Independence.
Negotiated the Treaty of Paris (1783) to end the war.
Passed the Northwest Ordinance (1787):
Organized western lands for settlement.
Banned slavery in the Northwest Territory.
Set up a plan for adding new states equally.
Popular sovereignty – Power comes from the people.
Limited government – Government only has powers given by the Constitution.
Separation of powers – Divides roles among three branches.
Checks and balances – Each branch can limit the power of the others.
Federalism – Power is shared between national and state governments.
What was the cause of the Whiskey Rebellion?
Farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against a federal tax on whiskey.
Who did John Adams run against in the Election of 1796?
Thomas Jefferson
What was one effect that Thomas Paine's Common Sense had on the colonies?
Argued that monarchy was unbiblical and unjust—kings are not divinely appointed.
Promoted equality, saying all men are born with the same rights.
Shifted public opinion toward independence and away from reconciliation.
What was one weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
No power to tax – Congress had to ask states for money; this was unjust because not all states gave equally, leading to unequal burdens.
No executive branch – No national leader to enforce laws, weakening justice and national unity.
No national court system – States handled legal disputes differently, causing unequal justice.
Each state had one vote – Gave small states equal power to large states, which seemed unfair in representation.
Amendments required all 13 states to agree – Made change nearly impossible.
Could not regulate trade – Led to economic conflict between states.
The first ten amendments are also called the what?
Bill of Rights
The Judiciary Act of 1789 did what?
Created Supreme Court with one Chief Justice and five Associate Justices
What was the Alien Act?
Gave the president the power to either imprison or deport any non-citizen deemed dangerous
What was the significance of the Battle of Saratoga?
It was the turning point of the war.
Name one key leader in changing the government.
George Washington – His leadership and influence brought credibility to the effort to revise the government.
James Madison – Called the “Father of the Constitution”; key thinker and planner.
Alexander Hamilton – Pushed for a strong central government; co-authored the Federalist Papers.
Benjamin Franklin – Provided wisdom and compromise at the Constitutional Convention.
George Mason – Advocated for individual rights and helped shape the Bill of Rights later.
The Great Compromise led to what?
A bicameral legislature with one house based on population (House of Representatives) and one based on equality (Senate).
What was the war that fought over the Northwest Territory with the Native Americans?
Northwest Indian War
What was the Sedition Act?
Made it illegal to criticize the government or any officials
TRUE/FALSE: Valley Forge was a battle.
FALSE
TRUE/FALSE: The Articles of Confederation were created during the Revolutionary War.
TRUE
TRUE/FALSE: The Executive Branch makes laws.
FALSE
What is one thing that Washington warned against in his Farewell Address?
Warned against political parties and factions dividing the nation.
Advised to avoid permanent foreign alliances and stay neutral in world affairs.
Urged Americans to value unity, religion, and morality as foundations of a strong nation.
What event led to the Quasi-War with France?
The XYZ Affair
__________ was the battle that ended the Revolutionary War.
Battle of Yorktown
The Articles of Confederation were ratified in ________.
1781
Explain the difference between the Federalists & the Anti-Federalists.
Federalists (Hamilton, Madison) – Supported the Constitution; wanted a strong national government.
Anti-Federalists (Henry, Mason) – Feared loss of individual freedoms; demanded a Bill of Rights.
TRUE/FALSE: Washington ran unopposed in the presidential election.
TRUE
What was the XYZ Affair?
French diplomats (X, Y, & Z) demanded bribes from American envoys to begin negotiations and this angered Americans leading to the Quasi-War