From Chaos to Constitution: Big Ideas, Quotes to Think About

For Q2 for Mr. Ippolito’s History Class At Rio Norte Junior High School

★ Be prepared to choose one quote and explain what it reveals about the story of how the United States moved from chaos under the Articles to order under the Constitution, or what the Constitution left unresolved. (Some of these may become short-answer questions.)

I chose the quote,"When rich people feel like something has to be done, something is usually done." This reveals how the United States moved from chaos under the Articles to order under the Constitution because the Constitution was made by the rich and powerful, who feared losing their wealth and power. Under the Articles of Confederation, it was too weak to stop rebellions like Shay’s Rebellion, which worried merchants and landowners. Because of this 55 delegates came together in a Constitutional Convention to fix the Articles, but they really created the Constitution. This left slavery unresolved due to the wealthy protecting and supporting it.

John Green, Crash Course US History #8, number 1

"When rich people feel like something has to be done, something is usually done."

John Green, Crash Course US History #8, number 2

"They didn't want too much government, but they also didn't want too much democracy."

John Green, Crash Course US History #8, number 3

"To avoid tyranny of the government, the Constitution embraced two principles: separation of powers and federalism."

Clint Smith, Crash Course Black American History

"Sometimes, American history demands that we hold sets of complicated truths at the same time."

Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Holmes (1820), looking back on slavery

"We have the wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other."