Important Acts

Question 1

Alien and Sedition Acts

Answer 1

series of laws that restricted public activities of French Revolution supporters
under Pres. John Adams

Question 2

Articles of Confederation

Answer 2

1781 - loose fed gov’t
no chief executive or judiciary and legislature had no authority to collect taxes

Question 3

Compromise of 1850

Answer 3

admitted Calif as free state but other new territories got to decide themselves
pushed by Senator Henry Clay
incld Fugitive Slave Act

Question 4

Declaration of Independence

Answer 4

adopted 4 July 1776
included reasons for separation and principles of governance

Question 5

Dred Scott Decision

Answer 5

1857 - right before Civil War
S.Ct. decided that slaves are property not people and that the Missouri Compromise was unconst. b/c it deprived ppl of their property

Question 6

Homestead Act

Answer 6

1860s - up to 160 acres to any (white/male) head of house who paid fee, lived on the land for 5 yrs, and cultivated or built on it

Question 7

Intolerable Acts/Coercive Acts

Answer 7

1774 - series of British measures designed to punish Mass for Boston Tea Party

Question 8

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Answer 8

1854 - divided west section into two territories - did not exclude slavery from either, essentially repealing Missouri Compromise - led to collapse of Whig party, rise of Rep. party, and a step closer to Civil War

Question 9

Missouri Compromise

Answer 9

1820/1821 - settlement btw north and south to admit Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state - declared unconstitutional in Dred Scott

Question 10

Monroe Doctrine

Answer 10

1823 - Pres James Monroe - US would not tolerate intervention by Euro nations - promised US would not interfere with Euro colonies or govts

Question 11

Shay’s Rebellion

Answer 11

1786 - protested foreclosure of farms for debt and shut down courts - persuaded ppl for the need of a central fed govt

Question 12

Stamp Act

Answer 12

1765 - first direct tax on colonies - petition King George III and he repealed act in 1766

Question 13

War of 1812

Answer 13

1812-1815 - btw US and Brits - US unsuccessfully attacked Canada - Brits burned White House - Andrew Jackson led Battle of New Orleans - created Star Spangled Banner

Question 14

Whiskey Rebellion

Answer 14

1790s - Penn residents took arms against fed who collected tax on liquor distilled at home - fed troops put rebellion down - important test of the pwr of the new fed govt to enforce its laws