The Early Republic (1783-1796)

Question 1

Which Spanish territories restricted westward expansion?

Answer 1

Florida
Louisiana

Question 2

Who were creditors?

Answer 2

People who gave out loans

Question 3

Who were debtors?

Answer 3

People who received loans and had to pay them back

Question 4

What fraction of the population were enslaved in 1783?

Answer 4

1/6

Question 5

Why was there a north and south divide?

Answer 5

South = slave economy
North = trade economy

Question 6

What was the main problem with the early republic?

Answer 6

Lacked a strong national government

Question 7

Why did congress face a mutiny in 1783?

Answer 7

We’re reluctant to fund Washington’s army

Question 8

Why was there uncertainty to the new republic?

Answer 8

Earlier republics have failed
- Oliver Cromwell only lasted 11 years until the monarchy came into rule again

Question 9

How was the national government weak?

Answer 9

• No fixed address
• Met intermittently
• Attendance of sessions were light

Question 10

What were the three departments of government that were set up?

Answer 10

• foreign affairs
• finance
• war

Question 11

How were the government not united?

Answer 11

Most decisions were made by individual states rather than nationally

Question 12

How many times did the national government move before 1785?

Answer 12

5 times
Philadelphia -> Princeton -> Annapolis -> Trenton -> New York

Question 13

What was the population of Kentucky in 1790? (Western state)

Answer 13

73,677

Question 14

What was the population of Tennessee in 1790? (Western state)

Answer 14

35,691

Question 15

Why were the government worried by the increase in west ward expansionism?

Answer 15

Feared the west would become independent from the USA

Question 16

What were the systems created to bind the western communities to the USA and alleviate fears that the west would become independent?

Answer 16

• 1785 Land Ordinance
• 1787 North west Ordinance

Question 17

What was the 1785 land ordinance?

Answer 17

Land was divided into 6 square mile townships
- each township divided into sections of one square mile

Question 18

How many sections in each township reserved?

Answer 18

• 4 sections reserved as bounty land for ex soldiers
• 1 section reserved for schools

Question 19

How much did an acre cost?

Answer 19

Less than a $1

Question 20

What were the benefits of the 1785 land ordinance?

Answer 20

• Set land boundaries = less dispute over land
• Main source of revenue for congress

Question 21

What was a failure of land ordinance?

Answer 21

Only yielded $760,000 by 1788

Question 22

Which policy replaced the 1785 land ordinance and what did it do?

Answer 22

1787 North west ordinance
- created new states rather than expanding old ones

Question 23

How big did the population be to be classed as a state?

Answer 23

60,000

Question 24

If a township had a population of 5000, what was it given?

Answer 24

• Could elect a legislature
• Could elect a non-voting representative in congress

Question 25

What was a state given?

Answer 25

• Could form a constitutional convention • Given the same powers as the 13 colonies

Question 26

How long were the articles of confederation legislation?

Answer 26

1781-1789

Question 27

What were Britain instructed to do in the treaty of Paris?

Answer 27

Leave the USA with “all convenient speed”

Question 28

Where did Britain remain stationed in the USA following the treaty of Paris?

Answer 28

South of the Great Lakes - to safeguard the fur trade and maintain contact with Natives

Question 29

How did Britain defend their disloyalty to the treaty of Paris?

Answer 29

America did not obey the treaty’s laws of repaying war debts and restoring loyalists property

Question 30

When was John Adams sent to London and why?

Answer 30

1785 Demanded the evacuation of Britain in frontier posts

Question 31

Why was John Adams demand rejected?

Answer 31

He was rejected on the basis that Britain thought there was little point negotiating with the federal government as they lacked the power to implement their treaty on their states

Question 32

Who was against American west ward expansion?

Answer 32

• British • Spanish • Native Americans

Question 33

Which river did Spain control?

Answer 33

Mississippi River

Question 34

Which area did Spain seize in 1784 and why?

Answer 34

Natchez - on the eastern bank of Mississippi, closed the river to American navigation

Question 35

What was John Jays attempt at a treaty with Spain in 1786?

Answer 35

USA agreed to give up the control of the Mississippi River for 25 years in return for accesss to Spanish markets - 5 states did not ratify, didn’t pass the 9 states that were needed to ratify

Question 36

How much did the US population increase form 1780 to 1790?

Answer 36

2.75 million to 4 million

Question 37

When were barriers to interstate trade dismantled?

Answer 37

1780s

Question 38

What were some of Robert Morris’ attempted reforms?

Answer 38

• Bank of North America (dismantled in 1784 by the gov) • National government to assume public debt (national debt became state debt) • Import duties of 5% (wasn’t passed through)

Question 39

Who was Robert morris?

Answer 39

Superintendent of finance - used some of his own money to meet expenses

Question 40

When did Robert Morris resign?

Answer 40

1787

Question 41

What was the national debt in 1783? What was the rate of interest?

Answer 41

$41 million $2.4 million in interest a year

Question 42

How much of the debt was owed to foreign aid?

Answer 42

$8 million owed to France, Spain and the Netherlands

Question 43

Who could congress not afford to pay back?

Answer 43

Soldiers

Question 44

How do the soldiers rebel in 1783?

Answer 44

Surrounded Pennsylvania state house demanding pay and half pensions - congress fled to Princeton

Question 45

How much did America import from Britain 1784-1786?

Answer 45

£7.5 million

Question 46

What percentage of the amount of imports had America exported? Highlights BOP deficit

Answer 46

1/3

Question 47

How much did congress levy to the states and how much of it was actually paid back?

Answer 47

$15 million levied and only $2.5 million paid back

Question 49

When did states stop using paper money?

Answer 49

1783 - due to inflation during the war of independence

Question 50

What currency did creditors demand debtors to pay back their loans in? Why did this become an issue?

Answer 50

Specie - shortage in specie currency

Question 51

How many states issued paper money in 1787? Which state compelled creditors to accept it?

Answer 51

7 states - Rhode Island demanded creditors to accept paper money (value of paper money in Rhode Island decreased significantly)

Question 52

When was shays rebellion?

Answer 52

January 1787

Question 53

What was shays rebellion?

Answer 53

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays. State legislature in Massachusetts demanded that debts be paid back in specie Mobs gathered outside of the court house to prevent debt cases being heard

Question 54

How were shays rebels dispersed?

Answer 54

Benjamin Franklin led 1000 militia men to stop the rebellion

Question 55

What other rebellions highlighted how individual debt was such a big issue?

Answer 55

• September 1786: Several hundred farmers rebelled in New Hampshire after the legislative assembly refused to issue paper money - 2000 militia men called to stop it • similar disturbances in Vermont, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia