American National Government Test 1

Be able to explain the connections between the Enlightenment and the outbreak of the American Revolution.

The Enlightenment was all about thinking for yourself and using reason to make decisions. The American Revolution grew out of these ideas because the colonists realized it wasn’t right for their natural, God-given rights to be taken away by the British. They also believed there should be a separation of power between the colonies and the government, so that’s what they set out doing.  

Explain briefly the key themes of the Enlightenment.

• The primacy of reason: God gave us a brain and reason to think use that to question everything.  
  

• · The goodness of mankind: that people are born good and we have a clean slate.
  

• · The notion of progress: you can improve yourself in so many different aspects of life through using reason. You can be changed and we aren’t held down by traditions.  
  

• · Science > superstition: the universe can be understood. (scientific revolution)

Be able to list and discuss the key conclusions of the Declaration of Independence and their Enlightened roots.

• Natural rights: we have natural God given rights and the British are violations them. (John Locke: life liberty and protection of property)
  

• · Abolishing corrupt government: enlightenment says abolish the government that abuses its power (Locke) the declaration will be including this and declaring independence  
  

• · Establishing a new government: created a declaration that would protect all their beliefs and them. They wanted the government to serve the people and to be balanced.  

Explain how Enlightenment ideals influenced the values and beliefs of America’s founding fathers.

• Thinkers like John Locke influenced their belief in natural rights (life, liberty, and property)  which Thomas Jefferson later echoed as “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
  

• · James Madison drew from Montesquieu’sbelief in the separation of powers. This shaped Madison’s vision for the U.S. Constitution, where power was divided among three branches of government to not give to much power.  

Know the fundamental causes of the American Revolution.

• War: after the 7 years war between the French and native Americans the British has massive debt and about to have national bankruptcy. They though the colonies could pay for this since it was for them.
  

• · Taxation: because of the debt, Britain taxed the people on stamps, molasses, quartering soldiers, tea, and so many more. The people were NOT happy with this. “No taxation without representation”

Understand the key elements of the Articles of Confederation.

1. One state, one vote: no matter how big or small state was, each one only got one vote in Congress. This kept all states equal, even if some had bigger populations

2. Two Thirds Majority: to pass laws, at least 2/3rds of the state had to agree. This made it harder to pass laws quickly.

3. Unanimity for Changes: if they wanted to change the article of themselves, every state had to agree. One state could block a change.

4. finances: The national government could not collect taxes directly. It has to ask states for money, and states could say no. This made it hard for the government to raise money.

5. Unanimity for creation: The articles only went into effect once all the states had agreed to them

Discuss the key weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

1. State Sovereignty – Each state retained most of its power and independence. Congress could not enforce laws directly on citizens; it had to rely on state governments, which often acted in their own self-interest rather than for the common good

2. Taxation & Debt – Congress had no independent power to tax. It could only request money from the states, which often refused or paid late. As a result, the Confederation struggled with war debt and couldn’t fund essential functions .

3. Trade Problems – Congress had no authority to regulate interstate commerce or foreign trade. States imposed their own trade policies, sometimes even against each other, which created economic conflict and inefficiency .

4. Foreign Policy Challenges – Because the central government was so weak, it lacked credibility abroad. It could not compel states to comply with treaties or present a united front in negotiations, leaving the U.S. vulnerable diplomatically .

5. Rigid Rules for Change – Amending the Articles required unanimous consent of all 13 states, making reforms almost impossible. Even passing laws required approval from two-thirds of the states, which slowed decision-making .

Be familiar with the key debates and key compromises of the Constitutional Convention as they relate to issues like representation, slavery, trade and commerce, and the role of the executive branch

1. Representation

• Big States vs. Small States → Big states wanted representation by population (Virginia Plan). Small states wanted equal votes (New Jersey Plan).

• Compromise → Great Compromise: Two houses of Congress — House of Reps by population, Senate equal (2 per state).

2. Slavery

• Southern states wanted enslaved people counted for representation but not taxation. Northern states said the opposite.

• Compromise → Three-Fifths Compromise: each enslaved person counted as 3/5 of a person for both taxes and representation.

3. Trade & Commerce

• North wanted Congress to regulate trade (including tariffs). South worried Congress might tax exports or ban the slave trade.

• Compromise → Congress could regulate trade, but no export taxes and slave trade allowed until 1808.

4. Executive Branch

• Debate over a weak vs. strong executive. Some wanted multiple leaders, others one president.

• Compromise → One president with limited powers, checked by Congress and the courts, chosen by the Electoral College instead of direct vote.

Know why the delegates at the Constitutional Convention were so sensitive to the idea of a powerful central government

The delegates were super sensitive about giving too much power to a central government because of their recent history.

• They had just fought a war against Britain’s strong monarchy and Parliament, which they felt had abused power (taxes, soldiers, no say in laws).

• Under the Articles of Confederation, they went the other way — super weak central government — but that failed (couldn’t raise taxes, couldn’t regulate trade, states acted like separate countries).

• At the Convention, they wanted a government strong enough to keep order, pay debts, and defend the country, but not so strong it could turn into another tyranny.

• That’s why they built in checks and balances (separation of powers, limits on executive, state powers protected).

Explain the advantages of the Federalists during the ratification debates. What were the advantages of the Anti-Federalists?

The Federalists supported the Constitution whereas the Anti-Federalists were against the Constitution. Anti- Federalists wanted nothing to do with a strong central government and they encouraged the states to have most of the power. For the Federalists they wanted a strong central government so that there was order and unity. The only way that the Anti-Federalists would support the Constitution was with the Bill of Rights. The Federalists thought that the Bill of Rights was unnecessary and thought the Constitution would by itself limit the government.

Know the requirements for proposing Constitutional Amendments as outlined in the Constitution.

The requirements for proposing the Constitutional Amendments involve the two houses. Congress has had the ⅔ vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Know the fundamental rights outlined in the U.S. Bill of Rights

• 1st Amendment: Freedoms of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition. 

• 2nd Amendment: Right to Bear Arms

• 5th Amendment: Rights of the Accused

SKIP

Be able to briefly describe the Enlightened concepts of Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances.

• Separation of Powers: 

  • Legislative (makes laws)

  • Executive (enforces laws)

  • Judicial (interprets laws)- Judges the law 

• This prevents any one branch from becoming too powerful 

• Checks & Balances: 

  • A system where each branch of government can limit the powers of the other branches 

  • Makes sure that no branch dominates

    • The President can veto laws passed by Congress.

    • Congress can override a veto with a 2/3 vote.

    • The Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional.

Baron de Montesquieu

French thinker, author of The Spirit of the Laws (1748); introduced the idea of separation of powers and checks and balances as essential to liberty

Separation of Powers

Division of government into different branches (legislative, executive, judicial) to prevent tyranny

The Boston Massacre

Clash between British soldiers and Boston colonists; several colonists were killed, fueling anti-British sentiment

Thomas Paine

Pamphlet urging colonists to seek full independence from Britain, written in plain language for ordinary people

George Washington

Commander of the Continental Army; later first President; known for refusing kingship or dictatorship

Constitutional Convention

Meeting in Philadelphia where delegates created the U.S. Constitution to replace the weak Articles of Confederation

The Federalist Papers

Essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay promoting ratification of the Constitution.

SKIP

SKIP

3/5 Compromise

Constitutional agreement counting enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

John Locke

Enlightenment philosopher; believed people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property, and that governments exist to protect those rights

Checks and Balances

System where each branch of government limits the power of the others, ensuring no single branch dominates

The Boston Tea Party

Protest where colonists disguised as Native Americans dumped British tea into Boston Harbor in defiance of the Tea Act

Common Sense

Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in plain language calling for independence

James Madison

“Father of the Constitution”; key figure at the Constitutional Convention; influenced by Enlightenment ideas

The Federalists

Supported ratifying the Constitution and a strong central government

The Bill of Rights

First ten amendments to the Constitution, protecting individual liberties.

SKIP

House of Representatives

First ten amendments to the Constitution, protecting individual liberties.

Philosophes

Enlightenment writers and thinkers (often in France) who promoted reason, progress, and social reform .

Thomas Hobbes

Pre-Enlightenment thinker; argued that without strong government, life would be “nasty, brutish, and short”

The Sons of Liberty

Patriot group led by Samuel Adams; organized boycotts and protests against British taxes .

secret organization of America colonist who hated British policies & taxes in the lead up to the American Revolutions. They were the group that were a part of the Boston Tea Party. 

The Coercive Acts

Also called Intolerable Acts; closed Boston Harbor and increased the royal governor’s power .

Coercive Acts: Also known as the “Intolerable Acts” and these acts were forced. The acts include- 

Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, and Quartering Act. I will go into more details. 

The Treaty of Paris

Ended the Revolutionary War; Britain recognized American independence .

The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolutionary war & recognized the U.S 

As an independent nation. 

Shays’ Rebellion

Uprising of farmers in Massachusetts over debt and taxes; showed weakness of the Articles of Confederation .

mainly led by Daniel Shays, a former Revolutionary War Soldier. It revealed how bad the Article of Confederation was. This helped lead to the creation of the U. S. Constitution. 

The Anti-Federalists

SKIP

Senate

two houses of the U.S. Congress, the other is the House of Representatives. TOGETHER, They make the legislature branch. 100 members in all & 2 from each state. 

Supreme Court

Highest court in the United States. It is included in the Judicial Branch.