Chapter 3.2

Question 1

13 states formed a confederation for the Revolution with what type of government?

Answer 1

Weak Central Government.

Question 2

In 1787 Congress called a convention for what purpose?

Answer 2

the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation”; Every state chose representatives; 55 total.

Question 3

In Philadelphia May 25, 1787 how were sessions held?

Answer 3

with armed guards at the doors.

Question 4

George Washington unanimously elected which chairman?

Answer 4

Ben­jamin Franklin, James Madison (“Father of the Constitu­tion”) and Alexander Hamilton wanted a powerful central government.

Question 5

Why most revolutionary leaders of 1776 were absent?

Answer 5

Jefferson, Adams, Thomas Paine were in Europe; Samuel Adams and John Hancock not elected by Mass; Patrick Henry chosen from Virginia but did not go, saying that he “smelled a rat.”

Question 6

Why were Delegates were well-to-­do?

Answer 6

none from the poorer classes; 19 owned slaves; average age 42.

Question 7

What was concidered not chaos of popular democracy?

Answer 7

Preserving and strengthening the young Republic.

Question 8

Determined to pre­serve the Union, forestall anarchy, and ensure secu­rity of life and property against “mobocracy,” what did they fear?

Answer 8

fear occupied the fifty­-sixth chair.

Question 9

How did some delegates planned to overthrow existing government?

Answer 9

By writing a constitution.

Question 10

What was the large state plan proposed by Virginia?

Answer 10

representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress based on population; larger states an advantage.

Question 11

What was the small state plan proposed by New Jersey?

Answer 11

suspicious of Virginia, equal representation in a unicameral Congress by states, regardless of size and population.

Question 12

What was the “Great Compromise?”

Answer 12

larger states given representation by population in the House of Repre­sentatives; smaller states got equal representation in the Senate.

Question 13

What was the electoral college compromise?

Answer 13

indirect presidential election balanced large and small states.

Question 14

What was the “three-fifths compromise”?

Answer 14

Should slaves count as a person in taxes and representation? South “yes”; North “no” arguing that slaves were not citi­zens; compromise at three-fifths.

Question 15

what happened when Deliberately erected barriers against “the excesses of the mob” (voters were too emotional)?

Answer 15

• Federal judges appointed for life; Powerful president elected indirectly; Senators chosen indirectly by state legisla­tures.
• Only for the House of Representatives were qualified (proper­tied) citizens permitted to choose their officials by direct vote.

Question 16

What was the two great principles of republicanism?

Answer 16

that the only legiti­mate government was one based on the consent of the governed, and that the powers of the government should be limited.

Question 17

What happened 17 weeks later, September 17, 1787?

Answer 17

42 of 55 remained to sign the Constitution; 3 of 42 refused.

Question 18

Unanimous vote impossible, so rules changed needing 9 states by special conventions to ratify. What happened when this occurred?

Answer 18

• Appealed beyond Congress and over state legislatures to the people directly.
• Planning was so secret that the people were shocked when it was first revealed.

Question 19

What type of government did federalist favor?

Answer 19

Favored stronger federal government power and influence.

Question 20

What happened because George Washington and Ben­jamin Franklin; wealthier, better edu­cated, more organized than anti-federalists?

Answer 20

100 federalist newspapers; only 12 anti-federalist newspapers.

Question 21

Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison wrote a series of newspaper
articles in NY supporting the new Constitution. What was it called?

Answer 21

The federalist papers.

Question 22

What kind of Government did Anti-Federalists oppose?

Answer 22

Opposed the stronger federal government; Samuel Adams, Patrick
Henry, and Richard Henry Lee.

Question 23

What did States’ rights” supporters (Radical Whigs) plot?

Answer 23

plot by wealthy to steal power from

common folk.

Question 24

How were the free­doms of the individual were jeopardized by the absence of a bill of rights?

Answer 24

Sovereignty of the states was being submerged.

Question 25

What was Against a federal stronghold (later DC)?

Answer 25

creation of a standing army, omission of any reference to God, questioned ratifying with only two-thirds of the states approving it.

Question 26

What happened when Virginia saw the proposed constitution?

Answer 26

Biggest and most populous state; fierce anti-federalist; If the Union was going to be formed anyway, VA should not stay out as independent state; vote 89-79 to join. ratified it later not because they wanted to but because they could not survive as lone wolves.

Question 27

What happened when New York saw the proposed constitution?

Answer 27

Heavily anti-federalist state convention; New York realized it could not prosper apart from the Union, ratified 30 to 27. ratified it later not because they wanted to but because they could not survive as lone wolves.

Question 28

What happened when North Carolina saw the proposed? constitution?

Answer 28

Held hostile convention that adjourned without taking a vote. ratified it later not because they wanted to but because they could not survive as lone wolves.

Question 29

What happened when Rhode Island saw the proposed?

Answer 29

Rejected the Constitution by popular referendum. ratified it later not because they wanted to but because they could not survive as lone wolves.

Question 30

What happened when Militant minority of American radicals engineered a new Revolution?

Answer 30

• A majority had not spoken. Only about 1/4th of adult white males picked the delegates.
• Had the Constitution been submitted to a manhood-suffrage vote, as in New York, it would have encountered much more opposition and probably defeated.