Chapter 5

Question 1

In what three major areas did England influence American colonial government?

Answer 1

Local government, legislative government, limited government.

Question 2

What factors nurtured the growth of colonial political power during the first half of the eighteenth century?

Answer 2

Official neglect and geographical remoteness

Question 3

What two events in 1760 brought about changes in British colonial rule that would eventually lead to American independence?

Answer 3

Britain’s huge debt following the end of French & Indian War and the accession of George III to the throne.

Question 4

What influence did Christian thought have on the Declaration of Independence?

Answer 4

Declaration reflected Christian political thinking that defined natural law that’s synonymous to God’s law

Question 5

What two significant factors during the American Revolution profoundly molded the nature of the United States government following the war?

Answer 5

1. Second Continental Congress functioned as the national government.
2. The states resisted yielding their power to tax to the Continental Congress

Question 6

What was the crucial weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

Answer 6

They have the inability of the national government to enforce its policies.

Question 7

What two major events focused attention upon the shortcomings of the American Confederation?

Answer 7

1. The confederation congress’s inability to effectively deal with interstate commerce disputes on national scale
2. Shay’s rebellion which generated the fear of anarchy.

Question 8

What two key procedural rules, established at the very beginning of the Constitutional Convention, greatly facilitated the progress of the convention?

Answer 8

1. A rule of secrecy outside the convention hall

2. The decision to organize as a committee of the whole

Question 9

What major agreement did the Constitutional Convention reach after only five days of meetings?

Answer 9

The convention would establish a new national government, restructured and redefined with a supreme legislature, judiciary, and executive.

Question 10

Who is known as the Father of the Constitution?

Answer 10

James Madison

Question 11

In what three major areas did the Constitutional Convention need to make compromises?

Answer 11

Representation, slavery, commerce

Question 12

Who were the main leaders among the Anti-Federalists? the Federalists?

Answer 12

• Anti-Federalists - Patrick Henry, George Mason, Edmond Randolph, George Clinton.
• Federalists - Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay

Question 13

What were the two major arguments presented against adoption of the Constitution?

Answer 13

It curbed state power and lacked the Bill of Rights

Question 14

What were the two most crucial state conventions in the ratification of the Constitution? What factors led to the final approval of the Constitution in these states?

Answer 14

• New York & Virginia
• A few undecided Virginia delegates were swayed by Madison’s promise to help push through the Bill of Rights, and some New York anti-federalists switched sides after the Virginia anti-federalists failed to block the ratification.

Question 15

In what three major ways colonial governments were influenced by English government?

Answer 15

The terminology of the British local governments, representative legislature, and laws that protected individual rights of limited government.

Question 16

What actions by England threatened colonial governments and aroused revolution?

Answer 16

England passed a series of taxes and trade restrictions, imposed a peace time colony on the colonists, required colonists to provision the army.

Question 17

How did Jefferson justify the colonies’ break with England in the Declaration?

Answer 17

Jefferson based his argument on unalienable rights of man established by natural laws. Since the king as repeatedly violated these rights the colonists were justified in seeking independence

Question 18

On what major issues did the Constitutional Convention agree?

Answer 18

On the need of restructured national government as well on the need of basic principles of limited governments.

Question 19

Why did the 2nd Continental Congress create a weak confederation? What was the primary weakness of the Articles?

Answer 19

They created a weak confederation because a stronger local government was viewed as a check against tyranny, the power of the state legislature was enhanced, and executive power was weakened. The primary weakness of the Articles was the inability of the national government to enforce its policies

Question 20

Describe the major issues that required compromise at the Constitutional Convention. Name the compromises.

Answer 20

1. How many representatives each state could have; Connecticut Compromise: 2 houses with equal representation in one and proportional representation in the other
2. Whether slaves should be counted when determining representation for slave-holding states; 3/5 Compromise
3. Who would deal with interstate and international trade; Compromise: congress was given power over foreign and interstate commerce and the legislative was forbidden to impose any export duties on the states or interfere with the slave trade for at least 20 years

Question 21

Summarize the positions of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.

Answer 21

• Federalists were advocates of the Constitution

* Anti-Federalists opposed the new plan of government

Question 22

In what states did the greatest threat to the ratification of the Constitution exist? What compromise was the deciding factor in the success of ratification?

Answer 22

Virginia and New York; the Federalists compromised by agreeing to send recommendations for amendments in conjunction with ratification

Question 23

What did Virginia Plan advocate?

Answer 23

Bicameral legislative branch and number of representatives based on population.

Question 24

Which was the last state to ratify the Articles of Confederation

Answer 24

Maryland

Question 25

For what two main reasons did people oppose ratification of the Constitution?

Answer 25

Too little power for the states

Didn’t have Bill of Rights

Question 26

What King ascended the throne in England in 1760?

Answer 26

King George III

Question 27

What document did the first continental congress send to the king?

Answer 27

Declaration of Grievances

Question 28

What was the real fear that was created by Shay’s Rebellion?

Answer 28

Anarchy would breakout against the country

Question 29

What law did the 1765 Stamp Act violate?

Answer 29

Petition of Right

Question 30

Who led an uprising of farmers in Massachusetts?

Answer 30

Daniel Shays

Question 31

Levy taxes

Answer 31

True

Question 32

When pirates ships and crews, navy to fight them

Answer 32

True

Question 33

Britain kept close watch of American affairs

Answer 33

False

Question 34

The Articles of Confederation were ratified 2 months after they were introduced

Answer 34

False

Question 35

All the states had to have at least

Answer 35

False

Question 36

Colonial newspapers closely followed

Answer 36

False

Question 37

Essay 1:

What did the Virginia Plan advocate? Which states did it favor?

Answer 37

It advocated a bicameral Congress, with the number of representatives based on state population or on the amount of revenue that a state provided the national government. Since representation under the Virginia Plan was based on state population, it naturally favored the larger states.

Question 38

Essay 2:

1. What catalytic events shook America and encouraged independence?

Answer 38

1. The French and Indian War ended after Montreal, the last French stronghold in North America, surrendered to the British. The French defeat removed a major obstacle from the path of American expansion, and at the same time the war left Britain strapped with a huge debt that Parliament would soon demand that the colonies help shoulder.
2. Also in 1760, George III acceded to the throne.
   Reasserting the political strength of the crown. His brash efforts, however, combined with an inept group of advisors and parliamentary supporters, would strain and eventually snap the British hold on the American colonies.