In August 1786, farmers in three western counties revolted. Bands of outraged citizens shut down courts in Western Massachusetts. Their logic was straightforward: with the courts closed, no one's property could be seized. In September, a poor farmer and Revolutionary War veteran led hundreds of men in a forced shutdown of the Supreme Court in Springfield, Massachusetts. What was the name of the man who spearheaded the revolt?
Daniel Shays
Who asserted that the only way to gain liberty was through the separation of powers?
Baron de Montesquieu
Congress decided to divide the Northwest Territory into smaller regions, each with a governor appointed by Congress. When a territory's population reaches a certain threshold, its citizens may draft their own constitution and apply to join the Union. What was the threshold?
60,000
The right to vote is known as what?
Suffrage
What is the name given to a time of low economic activity and rising unemployment?
Depression
What is the name of an area presently encompassing Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin?
Northwest Territory
In 1785, the tariff and trade situation prompted a British publication to name the new nation what?
Dis-United States
Which document said that no one could be forced to join a specific church or to pay for one with tax dollars?
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Because of the low turnout in Maryland in 1786, the participants, notably James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, persuaded all 13 states to send representatives to the Constitutional Convention held in which location in May 1787?
Philadelphia
What legislation did Congress approve in order to establish a regional political system? The Northwest Territory was formed by this ordinance.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Congress would become the country's sole arm of government, with limited powers to preserve the people's liberties. Which document does this fall under?
Articles of Confederation
Taxes on imports or exports is known as what?
Tariffs
What happens when prices for products and services rise and the value of money falls?
Inflation
Prior to the Revolutionary War, colonial ships traded heavily with the British West Indies, stopping there on their way to other destinations. What year did this travel and trading end?
1783
Who could resolve state issues, issue coinage, borrow money, and negotiate treaties with foreign countries and Native Americans?
Congress
Which state legislature issued a large quantity of paper money worth relatively little? This made debtors (those who owe money) quite happy. They may settle their commitments using paper money worth less than the borrowed coins. However, creditors (those who lend money) were upset. Hundreds of creditors fled the state to avoid being repaid in worthless funds.
Rhode Island
What is the name given to a set of fundamental principles and laws that define the government's powers and duties?
Constitution
Following the Revolutionary War, most states struggled to meet military obligations and collect unpaid taxes. To help lessen the burden, some states began printing massive quantities of paper money. The outcome was inflation. This money had little to no real value because the states lacked the necessary reserves to back it up. What did they lack in reserves?
Gold or Silver
In 1215, King John signed a document that subjected him to the rule of law. What was the name of this document?
Magna Carta
What did Spanish officials close in 1784 to restrict US shipping, enraging Western farmers and merchants?
Mississippi River
Which philosopher felt that there was a social compact between political rulers and the people they governed?
John Locke
Early in 1786, the Virginia legislature convened a national convention. It sought to investigate economic concerns and make ideas to amend the Articles of Confederation. Which location hosted the gathering in September 1786?
Annapolis
What did Congress enact to establish a system for surveying and dividing western lands? The land was divided into 36 townships, each covering 36 square miles and consisting of 640 acres. One lot was designated for a public school, while four properties were allocated to veterans. The remainder of the lots were sold to the public.
Land Ordinance of 1785
Trade between two or more states is known as what?
Interstate Commerce
What is the name of a philosophical movement that emphasized the application of reason to old concepts and traditions?
Enlightenment
Which state refused to manufacture worthless paper money and attempted to repay its war debts by collecting land taxes?
Massachusetts
Official approval is known as what?
Ratification
“The Revolution has robbed us of our trade with the West Indies . . . without opening any other channels to compensate it. In every point of view, indeed, the trade of this country is in a deplorable condition.”
Who stated this
James Madison
What legislation passed in 1689 that established Parliament's supremacy? It also prevented the king or queen from amending legislation without Parliament's approval.
The English Bill of rights
The Massachusetts state government threatened the farmers with capture and death if they persisted in their revolt. These threats just fuelled followers' determination. What was the name of the farmers' uprising against high taxes and debt?
Shays’s Rebellion