Confederation and Constitution

Question 1

Critical Period

Answer 1

Term Popularized by John Fiske referring to the time after the American Revolution in the 1780s when the Nations Future was uncertain

Question 2

Common Elements in State Governments

Answer 2

1. Cheif executive had limited power
2. Most states had bicameral legislatures; Pennsylvania and new hampsiere had Unicameral
3. Lower house appropriated funds; dominate branch of government
4. Property ownership required for voting and holding office
5. Judges appointed by legislature with tenure based upon “good behavior” and created a more independent judiciary.
6. States had “Bills of Rights” designed to protect the rights of citizens from government abuse

Question 3

Indian land cessions

Answer 3

During the last third of the 18 century Native Americans were forced to give up extensive homelands

Question 4

Articles of confederation and perpetual friendship

Answer 4

Introduced by Richard Lee Henry he suggested that colonies enter into a bond of perpetual friendship congress feared this idea because they thought a strong national government would be oppressive. Approved in march 1781

Question 5

Ordinance of 1784

Answer 5

The first land ordinance. Written by Thomas Jefferson allowed for formation of new states all states were to enter the Union with equal footing to the original 13

Question 6

Ordinance to 1785

Answer 6

The Second ordinance. allowed for the surveying and disposition of the lands west of the Ohio River.

Question 7

Range

Answer 7

Smallest division of Land

Question 8

Township

Answer 8

6 miles square

Question 9

Section

Answer 9

360 acres within a township

Question 10

Northwest Ordinance

Answer 10

Last Ordinance of the three. Established Government for the new territories. There were to be 3 - 5 states created. Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
5000 adult males - Non voting representative to be sent to congress
60,000 adult males - could apply to admission to the Union

Question 11

Congressional Authority

Answer 11

1. Declare war make and peace.
2. Make treaties with Indians and foreign powers.
3. Create army and navy.
4. Coin money and borrow funds.
5. Set weights and measures.
6. Establish a post office

Question 12

Congressional Limitations

Answer 12

1. Limited taxing authority; requested state funds.
2. No regulatory power over trade and commerce.
3. No federal court system.
4. A single vote in Congress for each state.
5. No chief executive officer to implement policy

Question 13

Failures of Congress

Answer 13

1) States did not honor the Treaty of Paris, 1783; states refused to
return property to the Loyalists (Tories).

(2) British refused to leave the Northwest Territory; refused to leave
until the return of British property by the states.

(3) Spain did not allow free navigation on the Mississippi River and closed
the port at New Orleans (only way into the interior of the new country)
closing of the port made trade difficult.

(4) Lack of cooperation between state governments and the national
government; made negotiations with other nations extremely difficult;
army forced Congress from Philadelphia.

In 1786 Shays Rebellion demonstrated the
weakness of the national government.

Question 14

Shays Rebellion

Answer 14

A civil insurrection in Massachusetts (1786) during an economic depression; farmers demanded:

an end to specie payments for debt

Government issue currency

an end to imprisonment for debt

stay laws to end property forecloses

Question 15

Federal Constitution

Answer 15

James Madison was the “most gifted” at the convention and is termed the “father of the Constitution.

Locke argued for a social contract and for the right of
citizens to revolt against their king if that monarch became
tyrannical. This philosophy enormously influenced the
democratic revolutions that followed, especially the founders.

Charles Montesquieu advocated a “separation of powers” in
Spirit of the Laws (1748) with political authority divided among
legislative, executive and judicial powers; branches of a co-equal
government.

Question 16

Great Debate

Answer 16

The 55 delegates intended to revise the Articles of
Confederation in Philadelphia which began May 25, 1787.

Virginia Plan (May 29, 1787) called for popular
representation; introduced by Edmund Randolph

New Jersey Plan (June 15, 1787) called for equal
representation; introduced by William Paterson

Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise) combined the two ideas on July 16, 1787; passed by one vote and was introduced by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth

he Three-fifths Compromise was the first compromise on slavery.

Question 17

Article I section 2

Answer 17

Representatives and taxes will go off of respective numbers based upon the number of free persons.
(including those bound to service for a term
of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths
of all other Persons)

Question 18

Article I section 9

Answer 18

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State. No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

Question 19

Roger Sherman

Answer 19

Roger Sherman, from
Connecticut, was the only
Founding Father to sign all
four of the most significant
documents in American
history:

Articles of Association from the first Continental Congress

Declaration of Independence

Articles of Confederation

and Constitution.

Question 20

Federalist

Answer 20

Federalists that strongly
supported the Constitution. They were worried more
about the failure of the national government under the Articles of Confederation than the possibility of future abuses of government.

Question 21

Anti federalists

Answer 21

Anti federalists that strongly
opposed the Constitution. They were worried that the
new Constitution might centralize authority and become abusive … their experience with Great Britain

Question 22

Battleground states

Answer 22

Massachusetts: Federalists promised to
add a Bill of Rights to Constitution if MA ratified.

Virginia: Federalists promised to
add a Bill of Rights to Constitution if VA ratified.

New York: Federalists supported the Constitution
with the Federalist Papers.

Question 23

The Federalist Papers

Answer 23

The Federalist Papers were a series of eighty-five essays urging the citizens of New York to ratify the
new United States Constitution.

Written by Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison, and John Jay

Question 24

James Madison on the benefits of Republicanism

Answer 24

The tenth essay in The Federalist Papers, often called Federalist No. 10, is one of the most famous. Written by James Madison, it addresses the problems of political parties (“factions”).

Madison argued that there were two
approaches to solving the problem of political parties: a republican government and a democracy. He argued that a large republic provided the best defense against what he viewed as the tumult of direct democracy. Compromises would be reached in a large republic and citizens would be represented by representatives of their own choosing.” 32

Question 25

Bill of rights of outline

Answer 25

Freedom of religion, speech, the press, and assembly.

2. Right to keep and bear arms.
3. Limitation on quartering of soldiers in private homes.
4. Limitations on searches and seizures.
5. Protection of personal and property rights.
6. Right to a speedy, public, and fair trial.
7. Trial by jury in a civil case.
8. Excessive bail and cruel punishments prohibited.
9. People possess other rights besides those listed.
10. Unspecified powers belong to the states or the citizens

Question 26

what does constitution mean

Answer 26

Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes: “We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our liberty and of our property under the Constitution

Question 27

An Economic Interpretation of the
Constitution of the United States

Answer 27

the
Founding Fathers had been
motivated by economic reasons.
According to Beard the Constitution
was a conservative reaction to the
Declaration of Independence by
conservative property owners and
creditors.