Chapter 2-3: The Constitution

Question 1

4 building blocks of the US government

Answer 1

1. colonial experience - colonists would build on knowledge and experiences they had gained from colonization periods
2. constitutionalism - the founding fathers and colonists were committed to a written plan of government
3. republicanism - the colonists and founding fathers wanted government that was of by and for the people. the people would elect delegates to represent them in their law making body (legislature) and this representative government
4. enlightenment principles - the colonists and founding fathers have been heavily influenced by enlightenment. writings from thomas hobbes and john locke

Question 2

what did the delegates of the second continental congress decide to do close to the end of revolutionary war

Answer 2

the delegates decided that the 13 independent states should form a league of friendship

Question 3

what does the word “article” refer to

Answer 3

different parts of the document (13 articles)

Question 4

describe the congress of confederation

Answer 4

each state was to send one representative to the congress and each state had only one vote

Question 5

list some powers (6) of the congress according to the articles of confederation

Answer 5

1. ask each of the states for money to help run the central government
2. declare war, make peace, and raise an army and navy
3. control the relations of the US with other nations
4. arrange for mail service
5. manage indian affairs
6. borrow money to pay necessary government expenses

Question 6

why did some states at first refuse to accept the articles of confederation

Answer 6

these states had no claims to land west of the Appalachian mountains and refused to join with the larger states

Question 7

at what time were the articles of confederation finally accepted

Answer 7

1781

Question 8

what was a reason why the articles of confederation did not work well (2 reasons)

Answer 8

1. did not give central government enough power
2. did not want a powerful national government that would interfere in local affairs and they would not give up their newly won independence

Question 9

what level of government did not have enough power under the articles of confederation

Answer 9

federal/national government

Question 10

why was the government losing the respect of other nations

Answer 10

the weak government was losing the respect of other nations because the confederation borrowed money from France and the Netherlands

Question 11

by 1785, the situation was critical…the 13 states were far from ______, people were _______, _________ was suffering, men openly _________ their government, ________ was growing everywhere, the national government had no ________ abroad and the states were constantly _________

Answer 11

united, poor and hungry, trade, defied, discontent, respect, among themselves

Question 12

that stronger union come with a new document:

Answer 12

the constitution

Question 13

what was the first attempt of the colonies at organized government among all the colonies

Answer 13

articles of confederation

Question 14

once the war was over and freedom had been won, what became difficult

Answer 14

it became difficult for people to give up their own individual freedoms for the sake of a national government

Question 15

(central government or no central government) to declare war and negotiate peace

Answer 15

central government had power

Question 16

(central government or no central government) to regulate trade and commerce

Answer 16

central government did not have power

Question 17

(central government or no central government) to borrow money

Answer 17

central government had power

Question 18

(central government or no central government) to raise an army and navy

Answer 18

central government had power

Question 19

(central government or no central government) to levy taxes

Answer 19

central government had no power

Question 20

(central government or no central government) to prohibit states from issuing their own money

Answer 20

central government had no power

Question 21

(central government or no central government) to act directly against individuals or states

Answer 21

central government had no power

Question 22

(central government or no central government) to establish post offices

Answer 22

central government had power

Question 23

due to the federal government lacking some of the above powers, what happened

Answer 23

articles of confederation simply did not work

Question 24

the articles of confederation was the ______ of the newly formed government

Answer 24

first constitution

Question 25

what is a confederation

Answer 25

loose alliance

Question 26

3 features of the articles of confederation

Answer 26

1. created a unicameral (one house) legislature 2. each state received one vote 3. only power delegated to congress was law making

Question 27

quarreling began over _______ (land beyond the appalachians) and ________

Answer 27

the new territory, tariffs between states

Question 28

the new government __________ and soldiers who fought _________, yet they had no power to raise money or force the states to pay the taxes owed to the federal government. (there was _______ to enforce laws)

Answer 28

owed huge debts to other nations, had not been paid, no executive branch

Question 29

what did the economic depression do to the colonists

Answer 29

it left many farmers and merchants with great personal debts and no way of repaying them

Question 30

weaknesses of the articles of confederation

Answer 30

1. congress had no power to levy taxes 2. congress had no power to regulate trade 3. each printed its own currency 4. in order to pass laws, 9/13 states had to approve the law 5. amending the articles required unanimous approval of all 13 states 6. federal government had no executive branch 7. no federal court system

Question 31

the _________ that established an organized system for settling western frontier lands (beyond the appalachian mountains)

Answer 31

land ordinance of 1785

Question 32

the _______ that set up a 3 step system for adding new states to the union

Answer 32

northwest ordinance of 1787

Question 33

to approve

Answer 33

ratified

Question 34

single chambered congress

Answer 34

unicameral

Question 35

needed to pass a law

Answer 35

approval of 9 of 13 states

Question 36

needed to amend or change articles

Answer 36

consent of all 13 states

Question 37

yield territory claims

Answer 37

cede

Question 38

under the articles of confederation, the plan for the central government did NOT include

Answer 38

an executive branch

Question 39

according to the articles of confederation, this was the main purpose of congress

Answer 39

lawmaking

Question 40

shays's rebellion was caused by this problem

Answer 40

economic depression

Question 41

this caused many americans to agree to a strong national government

Answer 41

shays's rebellion

Question 42

what level of government had the most power under the articles of confederation

Answer 42

states government

Question 43

what will the congress do to the articles of confederation in 1785

Answer 43

revise/update the articles of confederation

Question 44

what word means representative democracy

Answer 44

republic

Question 45

a written plan of government is called a

Answer 45

constitution

Question 46

how many votes were needed to pass a law under the articles of confederation

Answer 46

9/13 states

Question 47

what right was congress not given under the articles of confederation

Answer 47

the right to officially tax

Question 48

what type of principles was the articles of confederation based upon

Answer 48

enlightenment

Question 49

after the american revolution, each state printed its own _______

Answer 49

currency

Question 50

what level of government had the least amount of power under the articles of confederation

Answer 50

federal government

Question 51

what is the word for a person that has administrative authority

Answer 51

executive

Question 52

know the old northwest map

Answer 52

6 states, 5 great lakes, ohio and mississippi rivers

Question 53

the northwest ordinance of 1787 set aside land as the

Answer 53

Northwest territory

Question 54

a ________ is a group of people who make laws

Answer 54

legislature

Question 55

__________ was the capital of the northwest territory

Answer 55

cincinnati

Question 56

the northwest territory included land that is now the states of

Answer 56

ohio, michigan, indiana, illinois, wisconsin, and part of minnesota

Question 57

land ordinance of 1785

Answer 57

1. divided land into squares called townships (36 townships) 2. land was set aside for schools 3. prohibited slavery

Question 58

northwest ordinance of 1787

Answer 58

3 step system for admitting states 1. congress appointed governor and 3 judges 2. when territory got to 5000 votes, they can send delegate to congress (some representation) 3. 60,000 people = apply for statehood

Question 59

one section of a township

Answer 59

640 acres for one township ``` 1/2 = 320 acres 1/4 = 160 acres 1/8 = 80 acres 1/16 = 40 acres ```

Question 60

how much does land cost in the township

Answer 60

$1 an acre

Question 61

the northwest ordinance of 1787 and land ordinance of 1785 were considered successes of the ________ government

Answer 61

articles of confederation

Question 62

what section of a township was for the purpose of education

Answer 62

16

Question 63

each township was divided into _____ sections

Answer 63

36 sections

Question 64

a township was _______ mile(s) long and ______ mile(s) wide

Answer 64

6x6

Question 65

what was prohibited in the northwest territory

Answer 65

slavery

Question 66

why were schools built close to the center of the township

Answer 66

easy access

Question 67

how many square miles are in 1 township

Answer 67

36

Question 68

a section of a township is a square of land ______ mile(s) long and _____ mile(s) wide

Answer 68

1 mile by 1 mile

Question 69

after a territory's constitution was approved, it could become a ______

Answer 69

state

Question 70

describe the structure of the government set up by the articles of confederation

Answer 70

league of friendship, unicameral congress, and only one branch (law making, legislative). each state had one vote in congress

Question 71

3 congressional powers granted to congress under the articles of confederation

Answer 71

1. make war and peace 2. make treaties 2. set up money system 3. establish post offices

Question 72

what obligations did states have to one another

Answer 72

treat each other fairly, surrender fugitives to one another

Question 73

why obligations did states have to citizens

Answer 73

protect property and promote welfare

Question 74

what powers did congress not have

Answer 74

regulate trade (citizens wanted to do this)

Question 75

what government action took place in response to shays' rebellion

Answer 75

the Massachusetts legislature eventually passed laws to ease the burden of debtors

Question 76

what was the goal of the constitutional convention

Answer 76

revise the articles of confederation

Question 77

(true/false) every one of the 13 states had to ratify the articles of confederation

Answer 77

true

Question 78

(true/false) economic issues first motivated americans to get together to discuss the effectiveness of the articles of confederation

Answer 78

true

Question 79

describe the geographical description of the old northwest

Answer 79

1. north of the ohio river 2. east of the mississippi river 3. west of the appalachians 4. south of the great lakes

Question 80

(true/false) as far as congress was concerned, the main purpose for the 1787 convention in Philadelphia was to revise the articles of confederation

Answer 80

true

Question 81

the main reason that no amendments were ever added to the articles of confederation was that

Answer 81

amendments needed the consent of all 13 state legislatures

Question 82

which of the following was NOT a reason for changing the articles

Answer 82

the articles allowed slavery to continue

Question 83

the main concern of the rebels who carried out shays' rebellion was to protest

Answer 83

the loss of their properties to tax collectors

Question 84

(true/false) the articles of confederation formed a strong central government

Answer 84

false

Question 85

(true/false) every state had one vote in congress no matter what number of delegates represented it

Answer 85

true

Question 86

(true/false) when congress asked the states for money to pay national debts, the states did what the congress asked

Answer 86

false

Question 87

(true/false) every state did what they wanted

Answer 87

true

Question 88

(true/false) the articles of confederation was america's first constitution

Answer 88

true

Question 89

(true/false) the continental congress wrote the articles during the revolutionary war

Answer 89

true

Question 90

a synonym for law

Answer 90

ordinance

Question 91

why was the northwest ordinance one of the most important laws ever passed by any government

Answer 91

the ordinance of 1787 not only guided the states which were formed from the northwest territory, but it was also the model which was followed by all other states which subsequently came into the union

Question 92

what rights were guaranteed the people living in a territory

Answer 92

the right to worship as they wished, the right of freedom of speech, the right to a jury trial, and protection from cruel and unusual punishment

Question 93

what influence did this ordinance have on the government of later territories

Answer 93

the laws passed in the ordinance became a model that was followed by other states who came into the union