State Governments/ National Governments
True or False: Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had a president who could enforce laws and command the army.
False: Under the Articles of Confederation, there was no national president. Congress handled national issues, but Congress was fairly weak and could not strongly enforce laws.
In Common Sense, Thomas Paine argued that what form of government was unnatural and should be rejected?
monarchy
whoever had this one didnt do it
no answer
How was the first english speaking community in Quebec founded
Modest loyalists moved to Canada before going to England.
Q:Why did antifederalists oppose the constitution? What did they fear would happen?
Antifederalists didn’t believe that a singular, centralized government would be beneficial to America. They feared that too much power would fall into the wrong hands, stripping power from the states and taking away the freedom they had fought so hard for. They thought this system was too similar to tyrannical England.
Describe the Ordinances of 1784 and 1785?
The Ordinances were created by the confederation to include the land west of the Appalachian mountains as part of the nation. The Ordinance of 1784 was proposed by Thomas Jefferson and it stated that the land should be divided into 10 self governing districts and each could petition to become a state when its population equaled the number of the smallest states population. The Ordinance of 1785 stated that land north of the Ohio river was to be marked off in rectangular townships, each divided into 36 identical sections and 4 sections would be set aside for the US. The profit from the sale of the other sections would go to support creating a public school.
After the Battles of Lexington and Concord, what two groups emerged within the population of the colonies with divergent political perspectives? What did they support?
the Patriots: Wanted independence from Great Britain, wanted a new independent nation
the Loyalists: Those who remained loyal to King George III and supported British rule
During the battle at Saratoga, how did the British surrender lead to a major turning point in the war?
The British surrender led directly to an alliance between the United States and France, which helped the Americans secure the resources they needed to win.
Name 2 religious groups that the Revolution affected and how they were affected
The Anglicans and Quakers. The Quakers were pacifists, so the war disrupted their prestige and the Anglicans clergy population was weakened so parishes did not have enough ministers.
Who are some of the men most well known for organizing the Constitutional Convention, drafting the Constitution, and ratifying it? (3 names)
James Madison drafted both the constitution and bill of rights. He also came up with the Virginia plan that formed a foundation for today’s house and senate. Alexander Hamilton was a New York lawyer, known for his advocacy for a central government and co-writing of the federalist papers. He and James Madison also played a crucial role in organizing the Constitutional Convention. George Washington didn’t want to attend the convention at first but after news of Shays’s rebellion reached him he left for Philadelphia. His attendance gave the meeting credibility.
How did Shay’s Rebellion lead to the Constitutional Convention?
State and federal governments were both in debt, but the federal government had no authority to tax or control states under the Articles of Confederation. Because of this, rebellions such as Shay’s, in which poorer common people felt oppressed by state taxation, were inevitable. These rebellions drew attention to the instability of a weak national government as well as a renewed passion for American ideals such as individual liberty and the common good. These ideals lead prominent thinkers like James Madison in the direction of reform to the Articles through the Constitutional Convention.
What does Maddison mean when he says “Ambition must be made to counter ambition”?
Maddison is saying that human nature is inherently self-interested and power-seeking. And by building a government so that the personal ambitions in one branch clash with the ambitions of another branch, the branches will check and limit
During the British campaign of 1777, what was the British strategy to weaken the Americans? What was the result of this effort?
The British created a strategy to divide the United States into two. Starting by conquering New York and separating New England from the rest of the colonies. They planned to make it so that they could cut off communication between the colonies and isolate their powers.
As a result, General Howe (British General) abandoned the plan entirely and decided to launch an assault on the Colonial Capital, Philadelphia. Leaving General Burgoyne by himself and later having to surrender at Saratoga.
How did women contribute to the Revolutionary War effort?
While men fought in the war, many women managed farms, businesses, and households on their own. Some women also followed army camps and helped by cooking, cleaning, and caring for the sick soldiers. Their work helped support both families and the army during the war.
Explain the principle of the “Separation of Powers”, and how it helped to shape the internal structure of the federal government?
The “Separation of Powers” was the Constitution's most distinctive feature. The central idea is that the divided branches of power would “check each other”, preventing any single despotic authority. Separation of powers shaped the internal government by dividing the government into 3 branches (Legislative, Executive and Judicial). This goes hand in hand with “Checks and Balances”, as this policy gives each branch the authority to limit or override the powers of other branches. This friction between the branches prevented one single power rising above the rest.
Describe the Articles of Confederation- What were they? Why/when were they created? What was the result?
In response to disagreements over how much power the national government should have, congress created the Articles of Confederation in 1777 to establish a more structured government for the United States. The Articles of Confederation was the first US constitution that gave congress the power to conduct wars/foreign relations and appropriate, borrow, and issue money. However it restricted congress from regulating trade, drafting troops, and levying taxes.
What is the difficulty in framing a government that is administered by men over men? (The Federalist Papers 51):
you must enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.
What was the Treaty of Paris? When did it take place? Who was involved?
The Treaty of Paris was an agreement between the British and the Americans that finally recognized America’s independence and secured land.
Took place in 1783
America, England, and France were involved
How did the Revolution change the relationship between the government and the people in the new United States?
By promoting the idea that government should serve the citizens and protect their rights. Americans began supporting representative government and believed leaders should be chosen by the people rather than a king.
What opposing views did large and small states have on legislative divisions of power? What compromise did they eventually come to?
At first, Virginia wanted to separate the legislative branch into a bicameral system where representatives of the lower house were proportional to state populations. These members would then elect representatives of the upper house. This system greatly favored larger states, giving them more power. The new jersey plan then proposed a unicameral legislature that gave each state equal representation and congress more individual powers. A compromise was finally formed where the Virginia plan would allow members of the upper house to be elected by state legislatures instead of national legislatures.
What was the Statute of Religious Liberty?
document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1777 that called for religious freedom and the separation of church and state. It was enacted after the war, as the Church of England did not approve of it, in 1786.
What was the reason the government issued paper money and how did it turn out for America?
America struggled with raising and organizing armies, providing them with equipment and finding a way to pay for it all. Even though Congress created a government arsenal at Springfield, Massachusetts it only manufactured a small fraction of equipment they needed and congress also had no authority to levy taxes directly on people. Hard money was scarce in America and states didn’t contribute more than a small part of their expected share. Congress tried to raise money by selling long term bonds, but few Americans could afford them and those who could preferred to invest in things more profitable. So they had no choice but to issue paper money. This caused inflation, prices rose really high and the value of paper money went down.
What was the Battle of Bunkerhill?
The first major battle of the war took place in 1775 in the first phase of the revolutionary war.
Led by William Howe and British forces. The British forces had lost a significant amount of soldiers but ended up winning this battle by taking over the hill.
In what ways did the American Revolution strengthen the American economy despite the problems caused by the war?
Allowed the United States to trade freely with other countries, expand westward, and grow its own industries without British control. Even though the war caused debt and inflation, independence created new economic opportunities and long-term growth.
What was the Bill of Rights and why was it significant for the Constitution?
The Bill of Rights was a set of amendments, which protected individual liberties and limited the federal government’s power, that aimed to ease the anti-federalists who believed the new government would be too powerful and interfere with individual liberties. It made the Constitution more acceptable to those who feared a strong central authority.