Lectures 1-4 (Promises and Limits of American Democracy)

Question 1

When was the Declaration of Independence made?

Answer 1

1776

Question 2

What are the Articles of Confederation? When were they in place?

Answer 2

First US Constitution.
Served as a bridge between initial govt of the Revolutionary period (Continental Congress) and the federal govt after 1787.

1781-1789

Question 3

Who wrote the Declaration?

Answer 3

Thomas Jefferson

Question 4

What are the 3 phases of American Revolution?

Answer 4

Protest and resistance: 1763-1776
War: 1776-1782
Consolidation: 1783-1788

Question 5

What are the main quotes from the Constitution?

Answer 5

“we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”
“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.
“It is the right of the people to alter or abolish it”

Question 6

How many original colonies?

Answer 6

13

Question 7

Who controlled Florida and Louisiana during the 1700s?

Answer 7

Spain

Question 8

Which people are considered the roots of republicanism?

Answer 8

Cicero
Plutarch
Machiavelli
John Milton

Question 9

According to Cicero, what were the pillars of a great republic?

Answer 9

Liberty and natural law

Question 10

What was Plutarch’s belief?

Answer 10

Individual heroes were the primary determinant of the course of history.

Question 11

What did John Milton believe in?

Answer 11

Antimonarchical rule

Question 12

When was the Bill of Rights ratified?

Answer 12

1791

Question 13

When was the Constitution written and then ratified?

Answer 13

Written in 1787
Ratified in 1788

Question 14

Who was the architect of the Constitution?

Answer 14

James Madison

Question 15

What was Shay’s Rebellion in 1787?

Answer 15

Brought about by a monetary debt at the end of the war
Centred in Massachusetts

Question 16

When was the Constitutional Convention?

Answer 16

May-September 1787

Question 17

What is the 3/5 Compromise?

Answer 17

3 out of 5 slaves were counted when determining a state’s total population for legislative representation and taxation

Question 18

What was James Madison’s view on the constitutional status of slaves?

Answer 18

“when it views them in the mixed character of persons and of property. This is in fact their true character”

Question 19

Who were the Federalists? Examples?

Answer 19

A national coalition of bankers and businessmen in support of Hamilton’s fiscal policies.
Hamilton, John Jay, Madison

Question 20

Who were the Anti-Federalists and what did their agitations lead to?

Answer 20

Coalition of popular politicians who unsuccessfully opposed the strong central govt envisioned in the Constitution.

Led to Bill of Rights

Question 21

What did the Anti-Federalists fear?

Answer 21

Single national govt, upper-class dominance, inadequate separation of powers, loss of immediate control over local affairs

Question 22

Which figures were Anti-Federalists?

Answer 22

Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, Monroe, John Hancock

Question 23

What was the Massachusetts Compromise?

Answer 23

Gathered enough support for the Constitution whilst introducing first amendments

Question 24

What was the purpose of D.C.?

Answer 24

Being the centre of the US political system

Question 25

Who architected the city?

Answer 25

Pierre L’Enfant

Question 26

What was the First Party System?

Answer 26

Jefferson and the Republicans
Hamilton and the Federalists

Question 27

Who was elected in 1800?

Answer 27

Jefferson and Republicans

Question 28

When were the Alien and Sedition Acts?

Answer 28

1798

Question 29

What were the Alien Acts?

Answer 29

Raised the waiting period for naturalisation from 5 to 14 years, permitted the detention of subjects of an enemy nation, and authorised the chief executive to expel any alien he considered dangerous

Question 30

What was the Sedition Act?

Answer 30

Banned the publishing of false or malicious writings against the government and the inciting of opposition to any act of Congress or the president

Question 31

What were the Alien and Sedition Acts in response to?

Answer 31

Expected war with France
Aimed at Irish and French immigrants who were mostly pro-French