Founding Documents
This pamphlet, written in 1776 by Thomas Paine, argued for American independence and criticized monarchy.
What is Common Sense?
This 1786–87 uprising revealed the weakness of the Articles of Confederation.
What is Shays’ Rebellion?
This 1862 law gave settlers 160 acres of land if they farmed it for five years.
What is the Homestead Act?
This 1929 stock market event marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
What is Black Tuesday?
This surprise attack on December 7, 1941, led the U.S. to enter WWII.
What is the Attack on Pearl Harbor?
This was the first constitution of the United States and created a weak central government.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
This 1794 protest in Pennsylvania was quickly shut down by federal troops, showing the Constitution’s strength.
What is the Whiskey Rebellion?
This 1893 essay argued that the frontier shaped American democracy and identity.
What is the Frontier Thesis?
This president believed the Depression would fix itself and opposed direct aid.
Who is Herbert Hoover?
This Supreme Court case upheld Japanese internment camps during WWII.
What is Korematsu v. United States?
These essays supported ratification of the Constitution and promoted checks and balances.
What are The Federalist Papers?
The government’s inability to stop Shays’ Rebellion led to the ratification of this major document.
What is the Constitution?
This war resulted in U.S. acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
What is the Spanish-American War?
These makeshift homeless settlements were mockingly named after Hoover.
What are Hoovervilles?
This post-WWII plan sent billions in aid to rebuild Europe and stop communism.
What is the Marshall Plan?
The Articles of Confederation lacked this executive function, which limited enforcement of laws.
What is a national executive branch/federal power/ president?
The Whiskey Rebellion was sparked by this tax on a common alcoholic beverage.
What is the excise tax?
This belief claimed it was the West’s duty to civilize non-Western peoples.
What is the White Man’s Burden?
This FDR proposal aimed to expand the Supreme Court to support New Deal laws.
What is the Court-Packing Plan?
This 1973 law limited presidential war powers without Congressional approval.
What is the War Powers Resolution?
This Enlightenment concept, emphasized in both Paine's and the Federalist Papers’ arguments, supports rule by consent of the governed.
What is self-government or popular sovereignty or democracy?
This Founding Father personally led troops to stop the Whiskey Rebellion.
Who is George Washington?
This amendment allowed U.S. influence over Cuba following the Spanish-American War.
What is the Platt Amendment?
This party opposed large-scale federal relief during the Depression, favoring business recovery.
What is the Republican Party?
This role gives the president authority to enforce laws and approve or veto bills.
What is the Chief Executive?