The Historical Setting Of The Constitution

Question 1

How many colonies did Britain have on the Eastern seaboard of America?

Answer 1

13

Question 2

Describe democracy within these 13 British colonies

Answer 2

It was limited. Each had charters setting out the form of government and the rights of colonists. Each colony has a governor, legislature and judiciary. Each had a property qualification for voting from which women and black ppl were excluded. Despite their shortcomings, the colonies provided a blueprint for what was to come

Question 3

How did the British government view the colonies?

Answer 3

As existing purely for the economic benefit of Britain

Question 4

Why were colonists angry about the fact that they had to pay taxes to Britain?

Answer 4

Because they had no representation in the British parliament

Question 5

What did Bostonian patriot James Otis say about taxation?

Answer 5

“Taxation without representation is tyranny”

Question 6

How did British actions make revolution inevitable?

Answer 6

They tried to tighten their grip over the colonies in the 1770s

Question 7

What did the 13 colonies do in 1776 and what did this lead to?

Answer 7

They signed the Declaration of Independence, leading to war and eventual defeat of the British in 1783

Question 8

What was the initial vision for the 13 colonies once independence had been achieved?

Answer 8

A confederacy of independent states rather than a national government

Question 9

Define confederacy

Answer 9

A league or loose collection of independent states in which the national government lacks significant powers

Question 10

What were the articles of confederation?

Answer 10

The compact between the 13 original states that formed the new nation in 1781. It was replaced by the us constitution in 1789

Question 11

Explain how the confederation was lacking in power?

Answer 11

It had no executive or judiciary and it’s legislature was little more than a talking shop

Question 12

How did the ex-colonies almost turn their victory into defeat?

Answer 12

Because the government created by the articles of confederation was weak. This meant that the colonies may have gained their independence but had failed to form a nation

Question 13

What did Washington and Hamilton, two key leaders from the war, believe was necessary following independence and why?

Answer 13

A strong central government. The states were squabbling rather than cooperating on on issues like currency and commerce, and the leaders feared the reappearance of the British if they remained divided

Question 14

What happened at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention?

Answer 14

55 delegates representing 12 of the 13 states met and concluded that the confederacy was flawed and weak, but were fearful that a government that was too strong could threaten rights and liberties.

Question 15

What process did the 1787 Philadelphia Convention kickstart?

Answer 15

The tentative process of forming a new kind of government that had a strong centre while still preserving states’ rights and individual liberties. The answer was a federal constitution, with the BoR containing lots of intricate checks and balances between the different levels and branches of government

Question 16

What was the main disagreement at the Philadelphia Convention?

Answer 16

There were disagreements over the two plans considered; the New Jersey plan and the Virginia plan

Question 17

How was the impasse at the PC solved?

Answer 17

With the Connecticut Compromise

Question 18

What did the Connecticut compromise do?

Answer 18

Devised a new federal kind of government where some poltical power rests with the federal government but other, equally important, powers rest with the state government

Question 19

Explain the New Jersey plan

Answer 19

Drafted by William Patterson, it proposed a Congress with one chamber that was based on an equal representation of states. This meant it was favoured by states with smaller populations

Question 20

Explain the Virginia Plan

Answer 20

Drafted by James Madison, it proposed a Congress of two chambers where states would be represented according to their population. This meant that it was favoured by states with larger populations

Question 21

How did the CC act as a compromise?

Answer 21

Drafted by Roger Sherman, it proposed a Congress of two chambers with one based on state population (the house) and one based on equal representation (the senate)