unit 3

Question 1

French and Indian War (1754-1763)

Answer 1

The main cause of the war was disputes between the French and English over control of the Ohio River Valley.

Question 2

Albany Plan of Union (May 9, 1754)

Answer 2

After suffering losses during the French and Indian War, the British met with representatives from seven colonies in Albany, NY to create a more unified colonial response against the French and Indians. Although never adopted, it became a model for the Articles of Confederation.

Question 3

Treaty of Paris (1763)

Answer 3

Great Britain gained French Canada and Spanish Florida, becoming the dominant power in North America.

Question 4

Virtual Representation

Answer 4

The British believed that the colonists were represented in Parliament because each member was there to represent the entire empire, not just those who voted for them. The colonists protested against this idea.

Question 5

Pontiac’s Rebellion (May 7, 1763-1766)

Answer 5

Chief Pontiac led attacks against colonial settlements in response to British expansion into Native American land.

Question 6

Proclamation Line of 1763

Answer 6

Prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. It was an attempt to stabilize relations between colonists and Native Americans but angered colonists who wanted to expand westward.

Question 7

Paxton Boys Rebellion (December 14, 1763)

Answer 7

A group of Scots-Irish Presbyterians, angered by raids from bordering native tribes, rebelled. The rebellion revealed growing tensions between backcountry farmers and Quakers who were perceived as supporting the Native Americans over the farmers.

Question 8

Sugar Act (1764)

Answer 8

Taxed foreign sugar and increased enforcement of Navigation Acts.

Question 9

Quartering Act (1765)

Answer 9

It required colonists to provide housing and shelter for British soldiers.

Question 10

Stamp Act (1765)

Answer 10

Considered the first direct tax on colonists, it taxed most printed paper to pay for British troops.

Question 11

Stamp Act Congress (November 1, 1765)

Answer 11

Colonists met to discuss the Stamp Act.

Question 12

Sons of Liberty

Answer 12

A group formed to intimidate tax collectors through aggressive acts, including destroying revenue stamps, tarring and feathering officials, and enforcing boycotts.

Question 13

Daughters of Liberty

Answer 13

A group formed in opposition to British policies. One action was the Edenton Tea Party where women boycotted British tea and goods.

Question 14

Declaratory Act (1766)

Answer 14

Declared that Parliament had the power to make laws and tax colonists whenever they wanted.

Question 15

Vice-Admiralty Courts

Answer 15

British courts in the colonies controlled maritime legal matters, including the ability to hold trials without juries.

Question 16

Townshend Acts (June 29, 1767)

Answer 16

Taxed glass, paint, oil, lead, paper, and tea.

Question 17

Letters From A Farmer in Pennsylvania (December 2, 1767-1768)

Answer 17

John Dickinson wrote these letters arguing that the Townshend Acts were illegal, that Parliament could regulate trade but not tax the colonists, and that it encouraged colonial autonomy.

Question 18

Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770)

Answer 18

British troops fired on colonists protesting the Townshend Acts. This event, used by individuals like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere to fuel the independence movement, angered colonists and intensified calls for separation from Great Britain.

Question 19

Committees of Correspondence

Answer 19

A communication system used by colonists to share information about British activities.

Question 20

Gaspee Affair (June 10, 1772)

Answer 20

Colonists disguised as Native Americans burned a British ship that was enforcing anti-smuggling laws.

Question 21

Tea Act (April 27, 1773)

Answer 21

Gave the British East India Company a monopoly over tea sales in the colonies, an act seen by the colonists as another example of taxation without representation.

Question 22

Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773)

Answer 22

Colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act.

Question 23

Coercive/Intolerable Acts (1774)

Answer 23

Laws passed by the British to punish Massachusetts after the Boston Tea Party.
- The Boston Port Act (March 31, 1774)
- The Massachusetts Government Act (May 20, 1774)
- The Administration of Justice Act (May 20, 1774)
- The Quartering Act (June 2, 1774)

Question 24

Quebec Act (June 22, 1774)

Answer 24

This act, which granted religious freedom to French Canadians and gave them access to the Ohio River Valley, angered the colonists because it denied them the land they had fought for.

Question 25

First Continental Congress (September 5–October 26, 1774): Colonies met, excluding Georgia, to discuss the Intolerable Acts. They demanded repeal of all tax laws, banned trade with Britain, advised colonies to form militias, and agreed to meet again if their demands were not met. [19]

Question 26

Suffolk Resolves: Presented by John Adams during the First Continental Congress, it called for the repeal of the Intolerable Acts. [19]

Question 27

Deism: The belief that God created natural laws but rarely intervenes in human affairs. [20]

Question 28

Rationalism: The belief that reason and knowledge are the basis for understanding the world. [20]

Question 29

Social Contract: The belief that people give consent to be governed in exchange for protection of their rights, and that they have the right to revolt if the government fails to uphold its end of the contract. This idea challenged the divine right of kings. [20]

Question 30

Two Treatises of Government (1690): Written by John Locke, it argued that government's power comes from the consent of the governed, not from divine right. It also stated that people have the rights to life, liberty and property and the right to revolt against a tyrannical government. [21]

Question 31

Three groups during the American Revolution

Answer 31

Patriots (Whigs): Colonists who supported independence from Great Britain. Moderates: Colonists who favored a less extreme approach, including negotiation and reconciliation with Great Britain. Conservatives: Colonists who supported mild protest against Great Britain. Loyalists (Tories): Colonists who remained loyal to Great Britain.

Question 32

Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775):

Answer 32

Considered the first battle of the American Revolution; Concord was the first American victory.

Question 33

Second Continental Congress (May 10, 1775):

Answer 33

This meeting saw disagreement among the colonies regarding the path forward with New England colonies favoring independence while the middle colonies preferred negotiation. George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

Question 34

Common Sense (January 9, 1776):

Answer 34

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that criticized the monarchy, encouraged the colonies to seek independence, and advocated for a government based on enlightenment ideals.

Question 34

Battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775):

Answer 34

Although a British victory, the colonists inflicted heavy losses, boosting morale.

Question 34

Olive Branch Petition (July 5, 1775):

Answer 34

Issued by the Second Continental Congress in an attempt to avoid war, it pledged loyalty to the crown and requested that Parliament grant colonists representation. King George III, following the Battle of Bunker Hill, declared the colonies in rebellion (Prohibitory Act).

Question 35

Washington’s troops cross the Delaware River (December 25, 1776)

Answer 35

This strategic move boosted the morale of Washington’s troops.

Question 36

Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776):

Answer 36

The document that declared the colonies’ independence from Great Britain and outlined the colonists’ grievances.

Question 37

Valley Forge (Winter of 1777-1778):

Answer 37

The Continental Army endured a harsh winter with limited supplies, food shortages and disease. Baron von Steuben, a Prussian military officer, used this time to train the surviving soldiers. [26]

Question 38

The American Crisis, No. 1: Published on December 19, 1775, Thomas Paine’s writings helped to motivate the Continental Army, leading to victories at Trenton and Princeton. [27]

Question 39

Battle of Saratoga (October 17, 1777): The Colonial army's victory over the British was a turning point in the war. It boosted morale and helped convince France to ally with the colonists against their common rival. [27]

Question 40

Franco-American alliance: The formal alliance between France and the Continental Army. France’s naval support proved instrumental in the American victory at Yorktown. [28]

Question 41

Southern Strategy: A British strategy aimed at gaining support from Loyalists in the Southern colonies. [29]

Question 42

Marquis de Lafayette: A French general who served in the Continental Army, contributed financially, and helped secure increased French support for the colonists. [28]

Question 43

Battle of Yorktown (October 19, 1781): The decisive battle of the American Revolution. The victory was due in large part to the alliance between the colonists and the French. [29]

Question 44

Treaty of Paris (1783): Formally ended the American Revolution. Great Britain acknowledged the United States as an independent nation and ceded land west of the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River. [29]

Question 45

“Republic Motherhood”: The idea that women played a vital role by raising children to be virtuous citizens, instilling civic virtue in them. This concept, influenced by women’s participation in the Revolution and Enlightenment ideals, elevated the importance of mothers and expanded educational opportunities for some women. [2]

Question 46

Articles of Confederation: The first government of the United States, this document, written by John Dickinson, gave more power to the states than the federal government, which made the central government weak [3, 4]. It created a unicameral legislature where each state had one vote. Nine out of 13 votes were required to pass a law and a unanimous vote was necessary to amend the articles. The articles did not establish executive or judicial branches [4].

Question 47

The Ladies Association of Philadelphia (1780): Upper-class women in this group raised funds for the Continental Army through door-to-door campaigns [2].

Question 48

Land Ordinance of 1785: Established a method for surveying and selling western lands to generate revenue. Under the Articles, the government could not tax [4].

Question 49

Northwest Ordinance of 1787: This act allowed for the creation of a legislature and a constitution when a territory reached a population of 5,000. It also set the process for territories to apply for statehood when the population reached 60,000 and banned slavery in the Northwest Territory [4].

Question 50

Constitutional Convention of 1787: This convention was convened to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and create a new government that could better address the needs of the nation [7].

Question 51

Shay’s Rebellion (1786): Farmers, unable to repay their debts with hard currency, rebelled in protest against the government’s inability to repay veterans, a consequence of its inability to tax under the Articles of Confederation. The rebellion, led by Captain Daniel Shay, was suppressed by a militia financed by merchants. Shay’s Rebellion demonstrated the weakness of the central government and contributed to the call for a stronger national government. [5, 6].

Question 52

Popular Sovereignty: A principle of government where the people hold the ultimate power and give consent to be governed [7].

Question 53

Limited Government: The idea that governmental power is restricted, primarily focused on protecting individual rights [7].

Question 54

Separation of Powers: Dividing governmental power among three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful [7].

Question 55

Checks and Balances: Each branch of government has the ability to limit the power of the other branches [7, 8].

Question 56

Judicial Review: The power of the courts to determine if laws are constitutional

Question 57

Federalism: Dividing power between the national and state governments to protect the rights of states [7, 9].

Question 58

The Great Compromise (July 5, 1787): Resolved the conflict between large and small states regarding representation by creating a bicameral legislature. The House of Representatives is based on a state’s population, as proposed in the Virginia Plan, and the Senate provides equal representation to each state, as proposed in the New Jersey Plan [10].

Question 59

Three-Fifths Compromise: An agreement where each enslaved person was counted as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of determining representation in Congress. This compromise temporarily addressed the contentious issue of how to count the enslaved population in determining a state’s representation. It also allowed the slave trade to continue for at least 20 years [11].

Question 60

Federalists: Those who supported the Constitution and a strong central government [12].

Question 61

Anti-Federalists: Those who opposed the Constitution, arguing for a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties [12].

Question 62

Bill of Rights: The first 10 amendments to the Constitution that safeguard individual rights and freedoms [9, 12, 13].

Question 63

Legislative Branch (Congress): Responsible for making laws, passing taxes and allocating spending [8].

Question 64

Executive Branch (President): Enforces the laws passed by Congress [8].

Question 65

Judicial Branch (Supreme Court): Interprets laws [8].

Question 66

Electoral College: The process by which the President and Vice-President are elected [14]. The Electoral College was created to address fears that the general public could make poor choices in electing a President.

Question 67

Cabinet System: A group of advisors to the President who head the executive branch departments [13].

Question 68

Judiciary Act of 1789: Established the structure of the federal court system, including the Supreme Court, 13 district courts and three circuit courts of appeals. It set the number of Supreme Court justices at six (one chief justice and five associate justices) and created the position of Attorney General [15].

Question 69

Hamilton’s Financial Plan: Developed by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, the plan aimed to stabilize the nation's finances by assuming state debts, implementing tariffs and taxes, and establishing the First Bank of the United States [16].

Question 70

Assumption of States’ Debts: Hamilton argued that the federal government should assume the debts incurred by the states during the Revolution. This would build national credit and strengthen the federal government. States with large debts favored assumption while states with smaller debts opposed the plan [16, 17].

Question 71

Tariff of 1789: This tariff, which placed a tax on imported goods, aimed to protect American industries and generate revenue for the federal government [16].

Question 72

First Bank of the United States (B.U.S): A national bank chartered by Congress in 1791. Hamilton viewed the bank as essential for stabilizing the economy while Thomas Jefferson opposed it, arguing that it was unconstitutional. Hamilton argued that the “necessary and proper clause” of the Constitution allowed the government to create the bank [16-18].

Question 73

Proclamation of Neutrality (April 22, 1793): Issued by President Washington, this proclamation declared the United States neutral in the war between France and other European powers [18].

Question 74

Jay’s Treaty (November 19, 1794): Negotiated with Great Britain to address British violations of American neutrality. The treaty was unpopular as it did not address the British practice of impressment and was criticized by Democratic-Republicans [18-20].

Question 75

Pinckney’s Treaty (October 27, 1795): Negotiated with Spain, this treaty secured American access to the Mississippi River and New Orleans, a crucial development for western farmers who relied on the river to transport goods. The treaty also established the right of deposit, allowing American ships to transfer goods in New Orleans without paying duties [19, 21].

Question 76

Battle of Fallen Timbers (August 20, 1794): The American victory over the Northwest Confederacy, a group of Native American tribes, led to the Treaty of Greenville in which the tribes ceded land to the United States [21].

Question 77

Whiskey Rebellion (1794): Backcountry farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against the tax on whiskey. President Washington's response, sending 13,000 troops to suppress the rebellion, asserted the power of the federal government [22].

Question 78

Federalist Party: Supported a strong central government and Hamilton’s economic programs [20].

Question 79

Democratic-Republican Party: Opposed the Federalists, favoring states’ rights and a limited role for the federal government [20].

Question 80

Farewell Address (September 19, 1796): In his farewell address, Washington warned against the dangers of political parties and foreign entanglements [20].

Question 81

XYZ Affair: Three French agents, designated as X, Y, and Z, demanded bribes from American diplomats sent to France in 1797 by President Adams to negotiate an end to French attacks on American ships. The American refusal to pay the bribe led to the Quasi-War, an undeclared naval war between the two nations [20, 23].

Question 82

Quasi-War (1798-1800): An undeclared naval war between the United States and France that ended with the Convention of 1800, a treaty that restored peace [23].

Question 83

Alien and Sedition Acts (June 18, 1798): A series of laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress aimed at limiting immigration and suppressing dissent. Democratic-Republicans viewed these acts as unconstitutional [23, 24].

Question 84

Naturalization Act: This act increased the residency requirement for citizenship from five to 14 years [23].

Question 85

Alien Act: Gave the President the power to deport or imprison immigrants considered dangerous [24].

Question 86

Sedition Act: Made it a crime to criticize the government. This act was seen as a violation of the First Amendment [24].

Question 87

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798): Written in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, these resolutions, penned by James Madison (Virginia) and Thomas Jefferson (Kentucky), argued for the principle of nullification, where states could declare federal laws unconstitutional. The Kentucky resolution gave states the power to nullify federal laws while the Virginia resolution asserted that states could interpose themselves between the federal government and its citizens [24, 25].

Question 88

Social Changes: Americans rejected aristocratic titles and primogeniture laws (laws that dictated the inheritance of land and property) [1]. The concept of a separation of church and state also emerged [1].

Question 89

Political Changes: The ideal of republican self-government gained traction, fostering the belief in individual talent and merit [1]. Republican agrarianism, the idea that a stable democracy depended upon a society of independent farmers, rose in prominence [1].

Question 90

Cultural Changes: A distinctly American culture began to take shape [2]. The number of newspapers grew, and American authors like Charles Brockden Brown began to produce novels with American themes [2]. American art also began to develop its own unique style [2].

Question 91

Westward Expansion: The Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 encouraged westward expansion [3]. The Battle of Fallen Timbers, an American victory over the Northwest Confederacy (a group of Native American tribes), further opened up land for white settlement [3]. Many Native Americans, facing pressure from white settlers, were forced to migrate west of the Mississippi River [3].

Question 92

Population Increase: The early republic witnessed a significant population surge due to natural growth (births exceeding deaths), immigration, and the forced migration of enslaved Africans [3]. Population growth and westward expansion were intertwined as Americans sought new lands for farming and settlement [3].

Question 93

Opposition to Slavery: While the Declaration of Independence’s assertion that “all men are created equal” helped fuel opposition to slavery, the invention of the cotton gin in 1793 increased the demand for enslaved labor in the South [4]. The expansion of plantation agriculture into new western lands intensified the debate over slavery [4]. Abolitionist groups worked to end slavery, while manumission societies encouraged slaveholders to voluntarily free their slaves [4].

Question 94

Movements of Enslaved African Americans: While some enslaved people managed to escape to free states or Canada, many others were forced to migrate westward with their owners as plantations expanded [4]. This internal slave trade increased as a result of soil exhaustion in older areas and the growing demand for cotton in the Deep South [4].