topic 2: the beginings of the American Goverment

which of the following help lead to growing self-goverment in the colonies?

a. the colonist depended on Great Britain for their defense

b. England had recently defeated France in the French and Indaian War

c. The colonist no longer wished to be British citizens

d. England was far away and travel and communication were slow

d. England was far away, leading to increased local governance by colonists.

Many of the colonist believed that people have the right to resist an unfair or illegitimate government. Which of the following actions best reflects their beliefs?

a. the passage of the stamp act and its later appeal

b. the Boston tea party protest against British polices

c. the rejection of Benjamin Franklins Albany plan by the colonies and the crown

d.the formation of the New England Confederation and British Board of trade

b. the Boston Tea Party protest against British policies, which demonstrated active resistance to perceived injustices.

The concept of limited government holds that

government power should be restricted.

Which of the following is one factor that led to the signing of the Magna Carta?

• A.

  the settling of Jamestown in 1607

• B.

  the crowning of William and Mary

• C.

  the confiscation of Connecticut's royal charter

• D.

  the heavy taxes imposed by King John

D. the heavy taxes imposed by King John, which prompted barons to demand limitations on the king's authority.

What was the significance of the Petition of Right?

It limited the kings power

How were the members of the lower house of the legislature in the royal colonies chosen?

They were elected by property owners allowed to vote

How did the government of the charter colonies differ from those of the royal and proprietary colonies?

The governors were elected by male property owners, and laws made by their bicameral legislatures were not subject to the governor's veto.

How did political cartoons contribute to the debates about taxes and trade restrictions in the years leading up to the Declaration of Independence?

they expressed a point of view in a way that could be widely distributed and understood.

Which of the following led to the meeting of the First Continental Congress?

• A.

  Parliament had called for a meeting of colonial legislatures.

• B.

  The colonists had begun to boycott British goods.

• C.

  Parliament had passed the Intolerable Acts.

• D.

  The British refused to repeal the Stamp Act.

Parliament had passed the Intolerable Acts

Once the delegates had agreed to declare independence from Great Britain, which of the following issues did they vigorously debate?

• A.

  Should the Declaration criticize the king?

• B.

  Was a Declaration really necessary?

• C.

  Should the Declaration condemn the slave trade?

• D.

  Who should write the Declaration?

C. Should the Declaration condemn the slave trade?

What was the authority behind both the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence?

The consent of the governed is a principle that government must obtain power from the people it rules.

 In what way was the Stamp Act Congress the first step leading to the First (1774) and Second (1775–1781) Continental Congresses?

It was the first time the colonies came together to discuss the problems of the British policies. This established precedent for collective action and a shared political identity by drafting the Declaration of Rights and Grievances.

Why were the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party important events on the road to independence?

A.

They were evidence that citizens of other colonies were indifferent to British tax and trade policies.

B.

They were evidence that colonists wished to gain the sympathies of British soldiers.

C.

They were evidence of the colonists’ growing ability to govern themselves.

D.

They were evidence of increasing tensions between Great Britain and the colonies.

They were evidence of increasing tensions between Great Britain and the colonies.

Why was the Declaration of Independence issued AFTER the 1775 battles of Lexington and Concord?

A.

At the time of the battles, the colonists had not yet made the final decision to break with Great Britain.

B.

The British won them easily, so the colonists had to wait over a year to declare independence.

C.

They were the final battles of the Revolutionary War.

D.

It was issued in response to the deaths of five colonists during the Boston Massacre.

At the time of the battles, the colonists had not yet made the final decision to break with Great Britain.

How does the declaration organize its key points from beginning to end? 

Starts with the introduction (the purpose), then the preamble ( the principles), then the body ( the grievances-everything the British crown did wrong), then the conclusion (formally declaring the states independent)

Which feature of State constitutions was accomplished by creating three branches of government, each with its own powers?

seperation of powers

Which statement BEST describes the reason for growing tensions between Great Britain and the colonies in the years after King George III took the throne?

• A.

  The colonists were continually attacked by the French and their Native American allies.

• B.

  Parliament raised taxes and restricted trade without consulting colonial legislatures.

• C.

  The British condemned the Albany Plan of 1754.

• D.

  Colonial legislatures had to pay royal governors.

Parliament raised taxes and restricted trade without consulting colonial legislatures.

What was significant about the Stamp Act Congress?

• A.

  The Congress wrote a Declaration of Rights and Grievances.

• B.

  It caused Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act but not the Intolerable Acts.

• C.

  Colonial legislatures gained more decision-making power.

• D.

  It was the first time that several colonies met to oppose British policies.

It was the first time that several colonies met to oppose British policies

Why did the First Continental Congress call for a Second Continental Congress before adjourning?

• A.

  Delegates wanted time to see if the Declaration of Rights and the boycott of British goods would change British policy.

• B.

  Delegates needed time to respond to the Intolerable Acts and gauge their effect on the colonial economy.

• C.

  The battles of Lexington and Concord required the creation of a Continental Army.

• D.

  King George III had abolished the First Continental Congress and halted all trade.

Delegates wanted time to see if the Declaration of Rights and the boycott of British goods would change British policy

Which event led MOST DIRECTLY to the calling of the First Continental Congress?

• A.

  British troops killed five colonists in Boston.

• B.

  Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts.

• C.

  Colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

• D.

  The battles of Lexington and Concord were fought.

Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts

Later used for the creation and approval of the U.S. Constitution, what process for constitution-making did Massachusetts establish?

• A.

  An appointed commission wrote a constitution and then ratified it with a 2/3 vote.

• B.

  The voters drafted a proposed constitution and submitted it to the State legislature for approval.

• C.

  A popularly elected convention wrote a constitution and then submitted it to voters for approval.

• D.

  The state legislature wrote a constitution and then submitted it to voters for approval.

A popularly elected convention wrote a constitution and then submitted it to voters for approval.

What was the main governing body created under the Articles of Confederation?

a judicial branch

• B.

  a unicameral Congress

• C.

  a presiding officer

• D.

  an executive branch

a unicameral congress

In what way did the new government established by the Articles of Confederation reflect the colonists’ determination to prevent the central government from becoming too powerful?

A.

Congress issued money called Continentals but they soon became worthless.

B.

States were represented based on property ownership.

C.

There was a central government that did not have the power to enforce its decisions.

D.

States were represented by one delegate per region.

There was a central government that did not have the power to enforce its decision

Congress accomplished some significant successes, despite limited powers, which included the

A.

Declaration of Rights and Grievances.

B.

Declaration of Independence.

C.

Treaty of Paris in 1783.

D.

State constitutions for all 13 colonies.

Treaty of Paris in 1783

Why did the Articles of Confederation specify that each State would have one vote, regardless of size or population?

A.

It made the passing of laws more efficient.

B.

A unicameral government requires one vote per State.

C.

The smaller States feared domination by the larger States.

D.

The authors of the Articles were determined to create a limited government.

The smaller States feared domination by the larger States.

What is one reason the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation helped contribute to economic chaos following the Revolutionary War?

• Student Selected CorrectA.

  States printed their own money.

• DisabledB.

  States borrowed from the Federal Government.

• DisabledC.

  States created their own banks.

• DisabledD.

  States refused to tax their people

States printed their own money.

States competed with each other for trade advantages as a result of which key weakness in the Articles of Confederation?

A.

There was no system of national courts.

B.

Congress had no power to levy taxes.

C.

Congress had no power to regulate commerce.

D.

States were given one vote only, regardless of size.

Congress had no power to regulate commerce.

Shays’ Rebellion was a result of economic chaos caused by which weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation?

A.

Congress had no power to levy taxes and there was no judicial branch to interpret laws.

B.

Congress had no power to regulate commerce and had no power to coin money.

C.

Congress had no power to levy taxes and shared power with the states to raise armies.

D.

No changes to the Articles were possible without consent of all 13 States.

Congress had no power to regulate commerce and had no power to coin money.

What do you think might happen as a result of the inability of the Continental Congress to pay its debts?  

Economic instability

What weakness in the Articles of Confederation led to a conflict between Virginia and Maryland?

• A.

  Congress did not have the power to collect taxes from the States.

• B.

  Congress did not have the power to print currency.

• C.

  Congress did not have the power to regulate trade among the States.

• D.

  Congress did not have the power to enforce laws in the States.

Congress did not have the power to regulate trade among the States.

The Articles of Confederation reflected the colonists' desire for

• A.

  a strong executive branch.

• B.

  a bicameral legislature.

• C.

  State sovereignty.

• D.

  a strong judicial branch.

state sovereignty

Which of the following weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation was MOST directly related to Shays' Rebellion?

• A.

  the policy of one vote in Congress for each State

• B.

  the inability of Congress to levy taxes or regulate commerce

• C.

  the lack of a national court system to settle disputes

• D.

  the carrying out of executive functions by congressional committees

the inability of Congress to levy taxes or regulate commerce

The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation eventually led the States to determine it was necessary to establish

• A.

  a bicameral legislature.

• B.

  a national judicial system.

• C.

  a congressional voting policy based on population.

• D.

  a stronger national government.

a stronger national government.

Which of the following is evidence that the new central government could not enforce the Articles?

• A.

  States making agreements with foreign governments

• B.

  the States' inability to raise money through taxes or duties

• C.

  ongoing disputes over western land claims and other territories

• D.

  the call for a meeting to revise the Articles

the States' inability to raise money through taxes or duties

ow was the government, as established by the Articles of Confederation, influenced by the colonists' ideas and experiences?

• A.

  The colonists planned a strong central government so they could fight the British.

• B.

  The colonists wanted to be independent within the framework of royal control.

• C.

  The colonists did not want to give up too much power to a central government.

• D.

  The colonists did not plan to allow individual State governments.

The colonists did not want to give up too much power to a central government.

Which of the following is TRUE about the delegates to the Constitutional Convention?

• A.

  Most were from Virginia.

• B.

  Most were well educated.

• C.

  Most were in their sixties and seventies.

• D.

  Most thought the States should be eliminated.

Most were well educated.

The Framers included many distinguished and educated individuals. Describe three different political philosophies of the delegates

Natural rights, republicanism, and constitutionalism

When debating at the Federal Convention in 1787, Alexander Hamilton stated that, “Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.” Which of the following is a form of despotism?

A.

a direct democracy

B.

an indirect democracy

C.

an autocracy

D.

an aristocracy

an autocracy

How did the voting procedure for the Constitutional Convention reflect the democratic ideal of majority rule and minority rights?

• A.

  Every State had one vote per delegate.

• B.

  Every State had a number of votes relative to its population.

• C.

  Every State had one vote and if the majority favored a motion, it would pass.

• D.

  Every State had one vote and if the minority favored a motion, it would pass.

Every State had one vote and if the majority favored a motion, it would pass.

On which of the following points did the Virginia and New Jersey plans AGREE?

• A.

  The new government should have a federal executive of more than one person.

• B.

  The new government should have most of its powers vested in a National Judiciary.

• C.

  The new government should have three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

• D.

  The new government should have a legislature made up of a House of Representatives and a Senate.

The new government should have three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

Why was Congress forbidden to act on the slave trade for at least twenty years?

• A.

  Northerners wanted to ensure that Congress could not ban slavery.

• B.

  The southern States demanded this concession in exchange for their agreement to the commerce power.

• C.

  The northern States demanded this concession in exchange for their agreement to the Connecticut Compromise.

• D.

  Southerners wanted to end slavery sooner than the twenty-year period.

The southern States demanded this concession in exchange for their agreement to the commerce power.

Why did large States favor representation in Congress based on population?

Because there were more people in large states there fore their voice will more likely be able to make taxes and trade in there favor.

Why did small States favor equal representation of the States in Congress?

Because then the people in the small states also get a voice and a choice in the legal decisions.

The Anti-Federalists focused their arguments against ratification of the Constitution on what main point?

• A.

  They felt more details were needed regarding the executive branch.

• B.

  They believed the convention should have only revised the Articles of Confederation.

• C.

  There was no constitutional provision for a bill of rights.

• D.

  They greatly disagreed with the ratification process.

There was no constitutional provision for a bill of rights.

Which of these compromises directly impacted the establishment of a two-house legislature in the U.S. Constitution?

• A.

  the Missouri Compromise

• B.

  the Connecticut Compromise

• C.

  the Three-Fifths Compromise

• D.

  the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

the Connecticut Compromise

Which of these political leaders contributed MOST significantly to the framing of the U.S. Constitution?

• A.

  James Madison

• B.

  John Adams

• C.

  Thomas Jefferson

• D.

  Patrick Henry

James Madison

Which of the basic concepts expressed below is an underlying principle of the Federal Government created by the U.S. Constitution?

• A.

  "The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom." —John Locke

• B.

  "The subject speaks its own importance; comprehending in its consequences nothing less than the existence of the Union, the safety and welfare of the parts of which it is composed…" — Alexander Hamilton

• C.

  "I look on that paper as the most fatal plan that could possibly be conceived to enslave a free people." —Patrick Henry

• D.

  "These lawyers, and men of learning, and monied men…expect to get into Congress themselves.... and get all the power and all the money...." —Amos Singletary

• The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom." —John Locke

Which of the following features in the Constitution BEST illustrates the concept of limited government?

• A.

  the counting of each enslaved person as three-fifths when determining a State's population

• B.

  representation by population in the House and equal representation in the Senate

• C.

  the prohibition against the Federal Government taxing the exports of any State

• D.

  the banning of the slave trade in the southern States until the year 1808

the prohibition against the Federal Government taxing the exports of any State

Which of these statements BEST describes the viewpoint of Anti-Federalists regarding the ratification of the proposed Constitution?

• A.

  The document should be ratified, because it establishes an essential, centralized federal government that was missing under the Articles of Confederation.

• B.

  The document should not be ratified, because the issues of slavery and foreign trade are not adequately handled in the proposed constitution.

• C.

  The document should be ratified, because it addresses the issues of popular sovereignty and the right to a fair trial that appear in state constitutions.

• D.

  The document should not be ratified, because it fails to secure basic rights for the individual, which were the essential principles of the Declaration of Independence.

The document should not be ratified, because it fails to secure basic rights for the individual, which were the essential principles of the Declaration of Independence.