Chapter 2

Question 1

Who participated in the Constitutional Convention?

Answer 1

Several dozen white men all NOT chosen by a popular election.

Question 2

What were the Constitutional Convention delegate’s official task and how did they handle media?

Answer 2

To revise the Articles of Confederation. They publicized it and said it would go into effect if ratified by popular conventions in just 9 states rather than requiring ratification from all 13 states. They swore off all media, all keeping their promise to keep everything a secret

Question 3

What was the PRIMARY goal of the American Revolution?

Answer 3

Liberty

Question 4

How did the goal of the American Revolution compare to the purposes of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the Chinese Revolution of 1949?

Answer 4

They sought equality and were little concerned with Liberty.

Question 5

What did America’s revolutionary leaders believe explained the inadequacy of British government?

Answer 5

Human nature

Question 6

What did the colonists believe was the basis for the liberties that the colonists fought to protect?

Answer 6

Life, liberty, and property

Question 7

For most Americans, where did ideaology fit into their motivation?

Answer 7

Money

Question 8

What was the chief topic of the majority of the Declaration of Independence?

Answer 8

The colonists’ specific complaints against George III and his ministers.

Question 9

Whose writings influenced the political theory of the DOI?

Answer 9

Jefferson

Question 10

According to the “Two Treatises of Government”, what was THE most critical element in the formation of government?

Answer 10

Majority rule, the government must rest on the voluntary consent of the governed

Question 11

Who said that the “real revelation” was the “radical change in the principles, opinions, and sentiments, and affections of the people”? What did he mean by this statement?

Answer 11

John Adams. Revolution was radical change

Question 12

What was the “new sentiment” that the United States was founded upon?

Answer 12

Political authority couldn’t not rest on tradition but only on consent

Question 13

What were the problems with the government created under the Articles of Confederation?

Answer 13

They lacked power to levy taxes, regulate commerce, or sign treaties with foreign nations

Question 14

How long did the convention in Philadelphia last?

Answer 14

4 months

Question 15

What did the experience of the Massachusetts constitution of 1780 prove?

Answer 15

That the government needs to be strong

Question 16

Who led the Shay’s Rebellion? How was it interpreted by political leaders at the time?

Answer 16

Daniel Shays. They thought a little rebellion was a good thing

Question 17

Of the men at the Constitutional Convention, who was the most famous in the world as a scientist and a writer?

Answer 17

Benjamin Franklin

Question 18

Describe the Constitutional Convention

Answer 18

4 month long meeting that was supposed to revise the Articles. When they first met, they had no accepted political theory that would tell them what kind of national government would serve the goal of protecting life, liberty, and property. Everyone was in agreement that there should be a new form of government, but since it was a vague subject, it left room for debate.

Question 19

What did the framers believe was a greater threat than rule by a few?

Answer 19

The tyranny of the majority

Question 20

What were the two elements or goals the Framers were trying to balance in the government they were creating?

Answer 20

1) national legislature

2) people would directly elect at least one house of legislature

Question 21

Be able to explain in detail the elements of the Great Compromise and explain why it won support

Answer 21

Adapted by narrowest of margins
Allowed a House of Representatives consisting of 65 members apportioned among the states roughly on the basis of population and elected by the people
A Senate consisting of two senators from each state to be chosen by the state legislatures
Reconciled interests of small and large states by allowing the small to predominate the Senate and the larger in the House.

Question 22

Electoral college

Answer 22

President chosen by this instead of by voters

Question 23

Judicial review

Answer 23

The power of the Supreme Court to declare an act of congress unconstitutional
Also a way of limiting the power of popular majorities

Question 24

Indirect election of the senate

Answer 24

An election in which voters don’t choose between candidates for an office, but elect people who then choose

Question 25

What were the features of the constitution intended to do? (Electoral college, judicial review, indirect election of the Senate)

Answer 25

They were supposed to create a system of checks and balances, making sure no people or no government position could overrule the others

Question 26

How does the Constitution limit the power of poplar majorities and why did the framers want these limits?

Answer 26

Checks and balances, such as the judicial review. They wanted to safeguard the Constitution against popular passions.

Question 27

Your text argues that the powers of the branches of government are not separated under the Constitution but rather shared? What does this mean? What was the purpose of this “sharing” or “separation”?

Answer 27

The checks and balances built into the Constitutional system exist because three branches of government share all the powers of that system

Question 28

What philosophical beliefs about the nature of men and power impact the Constitution? How so?

Answer 28

The Framers believes that men and women were good enough to make it possible to have a free government, but they were not good enough to make it inevitable. They would pursue their own interests. This impacted the system, and was a reason for the separation of powers

Question 29

What did James Madison argue regarding the impact of a heterogeneous on a representative government?

Answer 29

Self-interest leads people towards factionalism might provide a source of unity and a guarantee of Liberty

Question 30

What did the Antifederalists generally believe regarding the government created by the Constitution?

Answer 30

They felt the government would be at a distance from the people. Wanted most of the powers of the governments kept firmly in the hands of state legislatures and state courts.

Question 31

Why did the Constitution fail to outlaw slavery?

Answer 31

If slavery was forbidden in the Constitution, it never would’ve been ratified by the states that allowed and supported slavery

Question 32

According to Charles Beard, what was the chief factor motivating the Framers of the Constitution?

Answer 32

They spoke and voted in ways that would protect their own economic interests

Question 33

Why do most historians today reject the argument of Charles Beard?

Answer 33

The economic interests of the Federalists and Antifederalists were so complex and diverse as to offset one another, they did not follow any class lines

Question 34

According to the text, what was the focus of the ratification debates about the Constitution?

Answer 34

Economic issues

Question 35

Explain briefly what John Adams meant when he said our constitution was only suitable for a moral and religious people?

Answer 35

Our constitution, and therefore our government, was created for a people that upheld the law and was a religious people with strong sets of morals

Question 36

Share one idea or piece of information you’ve gained so far about the founding fathers from the reading.

Answer 36

There were two “foundings” for America, the first declared American independence, the second declared American nationhood.

Question 37

According to Madison, why was it best for the government to be at some distance from the people?

Answer 37

Liberty was only safe in large republics, where there are many opinions and interests rather than the uniformity characteristic of small communities.