US History Midterm Review

What was the first constitution that created a republican form of government in the United States of American?

Articles of Confederation

Under the first constitution created by the Second Continental Congress, the _______ was/were the most powerful level of government.

States

List the weaknesses of the first government of the United States.

No power to tax, no common currency, no executive branch, no judicial branch.

Why did Shay's Rebellion served as a catalyst for the Constitutional?

It demonstrated the weakness of both the states and the national government

Why would the Virginia Plan which was proposed by Edmund Randolph have served the interests of the more populous of the original thirteen states?

Both houses of Congress would have had representation based on population

How was the resolution of the differences between slave states and free states at the Constitutional Convention achieved?

They agreed to the 3/5ths Compromise and the Fugitive Slave Clause and to allow the Transatlantic slave trade to go on for 20 more years,

Because he kept copious notes regarding the proceedings, chaired important committees, and wrote much of the text of the Constitution, _________________ is known as the father of the Constitution

James Madison

Instrumental in calling for and organizing the Constitutional Convention, _______________ presided over debate in Philadelphia.

George Washington

What was the underlying dispute between the Federalists who wanted ratification of the Constitution and Antifederalists who opposed ratification?

How strong the national government would be

In order to encourage support for ratification of the Constitution, which group of men wrote a series of essays published anonymously in newspapers, known collectively as The Federalist?

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay

What two documents were used by James Madison to write the Bill of Rights he proposed to the first Congress for amendment to the Constitution?

Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom and Virginia Declaration of Rights

Who were the members of President Washington's first Cabinet.

Henry Knox, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton

In George Washington's Farewell Address, the first outgoing President stressed the importance of two policies. What were they?

Avoid foreign entanglements and political parties aka factions

During the Adams Administration, John Marshall, Eldridge Gerry, and Charles Pinckney journeyed to France to negotiate with Talleyrand, the ruler of the French Revolution. America's representatives were visited by three mysterious French ministers who asked for payment in exchange for a meeting. John Marshall boldly refused and led the delegation home. When the Americans returned to the U.S. they were greeted by an adoring throng chanting this.

Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute

Discuss the Sedition Act.

It punished writing negatively about the government and was a clear violation of the 1st Amendment

Why was the Election of 1800 notable?

Peaceful transition of political power between warring parties

The power known as judicial review was claimed by the Supreme Court in what case?

Marbury v. Madison

When John Marshall declared that "the power to tax is the power to destroy" he meant that if the state of Maryland could tax the Bank of the United States, this is what he meant.

If it could tax a little, it could tax the BUS out of existence in violation of federal policy

In Gibbons v Ogden, the Supreme Court found what

Only the national government could regulate interstate commerce

Impacts of the Louisiana Purchase?

Doubled the size of the US. \n It secured U.S. control of the Mississippi River. It made a water route for farmers to help ship their products to market and opened new lands to new resources (plants and animals). Confirmed the doctrine of implied powers of the federal Constitution.

Fighting between England and France helped to push the United States into declaring war against England in 1812 due to the English practice of doing these three things.

Impressing sailors, interfering with trade, and inciting Native Americans to kill settlers

The beginning of the Monroe Administration is known as "The Era of Good Feeling" due to the notable absence of these things.

Political parties

Andrew Jackson lost the Election of 1824 to John Quincy Adams due to a vote in which house of Congress?

House of Representatives

Andrew Jackson vetoed the Recharter of this institution because he hated it

Bank of the United States

The two routes depicted in the map above, on which Southeastern Indian Tribes including the Cherokee were forced to travel as a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. What is the colloquial name for this event?

Trail of Tears

How would you explain the relationship between western expansion and the debate about slavery?

As the country moved west, the question was always whether the new territory would allow slavery

What were the three elements of the Compromise of 1820?

Missouri a slave state, Maine a free state, 36'30 line between slave and free territory

What were the three elements of the Monroe Doctrine.

Europe should not try to colonize in the Western Hemisphere, the Western Hemisphere is uniquely suited to the republican form of government, and America promises not to try to colonize in Europe

What did Andrew Jackson call the outcome of the Election of 1824?

A Corrupt Bargain

In the cartoon above, what does the "Downfall of Mother Bank" refer to?

Jackson's veto of the recharter of the Bank of the United States.

What device invented by Eli Whitney that ultimately helped to fuel the Sectional Tensions leading to the Civil War by increasing demand for cotton and slave labor?

Cotton Gin

Describe the Abolition Movement.

Arose from the Second Great Awakening and was closely tied with the other progressive movements of the time. Committed to ending slavery as soon as possible.

Denmark Vesey, Gabriel Prosser, and Nat Turner were all leaders of what

slave rebellions

In the war against Mexico, what was President Polk's primary objective

California

The United States negotiated with Mexico to make the this purchase after the Mexican War.

Gadsen Purchase

List the elements of the Compromise of 1850.

California a Free state, Texas a Slave state, end of the slave trade in D.C., stronger fugitive slave law, popular sovereignty for Nevada, Utah territories

Why did fighting between settlers break out in Kansas?

Abolition Movement and Southerners both sent settlers to influence the popular sovereignty vote

Who did the Republicans first run as candidate for US President?

John C. Fremont

Dred Scott made this legal argument as he tried to gain his freedom.

When he lived in a free territory, he became free

In the Dred Scott case, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney wrote that because Dred Scott was a slave, he was not a citizen, and therefore had no legal standing to bring a lawsuit. He also wrote this about slaves in general.

A slave is a slave wherever he goes; slaves are property that cannot be taken from owners without due process of law

Southerners were disappointed about impact of the Dred Scott case, because of this Northern reaction.

Northerners said they would ignore the ruling

During the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln trapped Douglas into admitting these points.

Slavery could not persist despite the Dred Scott ruling if the majority of the population opposed it

After the Election of 1852, why did the Whig Party fall apart?

Due to the party' failure to take a stand on slavery, it divided into a northern and southern wing.

While Lincoln's success in the Presidential Race of 1860 was certainly not hurt by the fact that the Democrats had split into a Northern and Southern faction, the victory was ultimately attributable to what key factor?

The platform that promised free soil, homesteads, transcontinental railroad, and high tariffs

What did Lincoln mean when he spoke of "a house divided"?

The nation could not go on part slave and part free

List some problems faced by the South in waging war against the North.

No industry, no infrastructure, harbors blockaded

In the early years of the Civil War, Lincoln struggled to find these.

Generals who would fight aggressively against Lee

List three attributes of the Emancipation Proclamation from your notes.

Executive order, aimed at keeping European nations neutral and stirring up slave populations

How has the Gettysburg Address come to be regarded?

Statement of what our nation stands for

The "Awful Arithmetic" involved disregard for these.

Northern casualties