Unit 3: The Constitution and the Federalist Era 1783-1800

Question 1

Who and When were the Articles of Confederation completed by?

Answer 1

The Continental Congress in 1777

Question 2

What was the first governing document of the “new nation”?

Answer 2

The Articles of Confederation

Question 3

What are some of the flaws of the Articles of Confederation?

Answer 3

Congress did not have the power to tax or regulate trade.

There was no Executive Branch

Question 4

What are some of the issues that the “new nation” faced?

Answer 4

Britain wouldn’t allow its colonies to trade with the “new nation”
States charged taxes on goods from other states.
States fought over western lands

Question 5

List of Rebellions that occurred in the “new nation”.

Answer 5

Shay’s Rebellion, Pennsylvania 1783

Question 6

Land Ordinance V. Northwest Ordinance

Answer 6

A plan that divided the lands that make up Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It was divided into 36 square mile townships which were divided into 36 small plots.
Rules for a territory to be admitted as a state. Had to have 5,000 voting residents and elect its own government. had to reach 60,000 to be qualified as a state and banned slavery in those territories.

Question 7

Shays Rebellion

Answer 7

Massachusetts farmers were unable to pay the taxes so Daniel Shay and 1200 other farmers went to the courthouse at Springfield and overtook it.
This showed the US government was too weak to do anything about the rebellion and led to a demand of a stronger government.

Question 8

The Constitutional Convention

Answer 8

First time:
5 states out of 13 sent representatives
Second Time:
12 states sent representatives
George Washington presided over the convention. James Madison is thought to be the father of the Constitution. Purpose: to improve the Articles of Confederation.

Question 9

Issue 1

Answer 9

Little states wanted equal representation for all states. Big states wanted representation based on population.
Solution!: Bicameral Legislature

Question 10

House of Representatives V. Senate (Legislature Branch)

Answer 10

House of Representatives:
Lower House, Representation is based on population, Serves:2 years
Senate:
Upper house, Representation based on population, 2 per state, Serves:6 years

Question 11

Issue 2

Answer 11

The south wanted slaves to count towards the population but northern states did not. (The south had more slaves which would give them more representation).
Solution!: Three fifths compromise. Ex: 500,000 slaves =30000

Question 12

Issue 3

Answer 12

Dividing the powers between state and government.

Solution: Federalism(Divided the powers between the state and national Govt)

Question 13

Enumerated V. Reserved

Answer 13

Enumerated (Delegated) Powers:
Held by the national government
Powers: National defense, Regulating trade between states, Foreign relations, and Printing Money
Reserved:
Held by the state
Powers:Education, Marriage laws, Driver’s licences, Trade within a state

Question 14

Shared Powers(Concurrent)

Answer 14

National Government and State shares

Powers: Borrow money, Debt, Taxes, and Establish Courts.

Question 15

Issue 4

Answer 15

Keeping the National government from becoming too powerful
Solution!: Checks and Balances!
Legislature: President can veto a law passed by congress
Executive: Congress can override president with 2/3 vote, and can prove judges to be unconstitutional
Judicial: Congress can remove judges

Question 16

Executive Branch, Judicial Branch, and Legislature Branch

Answer 16

Executive: Carries out the laws (The president and Cabinet)
Legislature: Makes the Laws (Senate and HOR)
Judicial: Interprets the Laws (Supreme Court and lower courts)

Question 17

Federalists V. Anti-Federalists

Answer 17

Federalists:
Wanted a strong central government
Support: Merchants, artisans, workers, and small states
Anti-Federalists:
Opposed Constitution. Protection over individual rights
Support: Farmers, and Large states
Demanded Speech, Religion, Press, trial by jury

Question 18

R.A.P.P.S

Answer 18

Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Press
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Petition
Freedom of Assembly

Question 19

How did the Federalists win with Virginia and New York?

Answer 19

New York:Big population.Hamilton’s book convinced people

Virginia: Big population. Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments)

Question 20

Electoral College

Answer 20

a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

Question 21

Creation of Cabinent

Answer 21

Congress created the Cabinent
Secretary of State: Thomas Jefferson
Secretary of Treasury: Alexander Hamilton
Secretary of War: Henry Knox
Attorney General: Edmund Randolph

Question 22

USA’s Current Cabinent

Answer 22

Secretary of State: John Kerry
Secretary of Treasury: Jack Lew
Secretary of War: John McHugh
Attorney General: Eric H. Holder

Question 23

Judicial Branch

Answer 23

Only court mentioned in the Constitution. Chief justice and 5 associates (Needed an uneven amount of people to get a majority vote). Created 13 district courts and 3 appeal courts

Question 24

Alexander Hamilton V. Thomas Jefferson

Answer 24

Alexander Hamilton believed in a central govt.where commerce and industry were key to prosperity. The North Favored him.
Thomas Jefferson believed also in a central govt. but that farmers should have more power which was popular among the South and West.

Question 25

Hamilton’s Proposal

Answer 25

Pay off national debt, high tariffs( tax on imported goods), and create a national bank. Opposition: Southern states already paid their debt. Thomas Jefferson said the constitution didn’t give the govt. the power to establish a national bank. Compromise: Capital is moved to the South. Federal govt. has control over state, tariffs but at lower rate, and national bank was privately owned.

Question 26

Whiskey Rebellion

Answer 26

Whiskey had an exercise tax and farmers didn’t want that because it was easy for them to turn corn into whiskey and ship it over the mountains. So in response farmers attacked tax collectors. Washington and 15,000 troops marched to put the rebellion down. Outcome: Nobody was killed and it showed the strength of the government and gave people confidence

Question 27

Washington’s legacy

Answer 27

Two-terms per president

Question 28

The Federalists V. Democrat-Republican

Answer 28

Federalists:
Hamilton and John Adams led this group of people. They believed in a strong CENTRAL government led by well educated elite. They were pro British and favored tariffs, national bank, and trade & industry. Had a loose interpretation of the constitution.
Democrat-Republican:
Jefferson and Madison led this group of people. They believed in a strong STATE government and were pro French. They disagreed with Hamilton’s plan and had a strict interpretation of the Constitution.

Question 29

Adams Election

Answer 29

John Adams (federalist) V. Thomas Jefferson (Democrat-Republican) the election showed the divisions and Adams won the Northeast.

Question 30

XYZ Affair V. Alien Sedition Acts

Answer 30

XYZ Affair:
The French were seizing the American ships. The French ministers wanted bribes and the representatives refused. People wanted to go to war but Adams didn’t think the US was strong enough for a war.
Alien Sedition Acts:
The Alien Act was passed by federalists to hurt the democrat-republican. The act stated that in order to be a citizen you had to be 14. Also if the government thought that you were dangerous the government could deport you. The sedition Acts were an act that told the press that they couldn’t speak badly about the government or the president. That brought about controversy in the country and also hurt the federalist popularity. They eventually died out as a political party.

Question 31

Shay’s Rebellion

Answer 31

Farmers were upset because they couldn’t pay the taxes. Daniel Shay and 1200 farmers went to the courthouse at Springfield and took it over. Outcome: Showed the countries weakness and led for a stronger government.

Question 32

Who is the Father of the Constitution

Answer 32

James Madison

Question 33

Strict V. Loose Interpretation

Answer 33

Strict: Powers are not specifically given to the national govt. by the constitution. Loose: Congress has the power to do whatever is “necessary and proper”

Question 34

What did Washington warn against in his Farewell Address?

Answer 34

a party system and permanent foreign alliances

Question 35

Checks and Balances

Answer 35

Legislature: President can veto a law passed by congress
Executive: congress can override president with 2/3s vote, can approve funding and can confirm or reject apt. to the courts.
Judicial: President has the power to pardon individuals convicted of crimes