Question 1

Under the original Constitution, who did the people directly elect?

Accepted Answer

A)  the senators 
B)  the president 
C)  the vice president 
D)  the House of Representatives 
E)  the Supreme Court 
A)  the senators 
B)  the president 
C)  the vice president 
D)  the House of Representatives 
E)  the Supreme Court D

Question 2

James Madison

Accepted Answer

A)  urged an expansion of public liberty. 
B)  played no role at the Constitutional Convention. 
C)  was Thomas Jefferson's ally and disciple. 
D)  opposed the idea of a strong national government. 
E)  distinguished himself as the presiding officer at the Constitutional Convention. 
A)  urged an expansion of public liberty. 
B)  played no role at the Constitutional Convention. 
C)  was Thomas Jefferson's ally and disciple. 
D)  opposed the idea of a strong national government. 
E)  distinguished himself as the presiding officer at the Constitutional Convention. C

Question 3

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Accepted Answer

A)  established the policy to admit the area's population as equal members of the political system. 
B)  regulated western land sales through a policy that was amicable to the Indians. 
C)  abolished the Articles of Confederation and called for a second Constitutional Convention. 
D)  was the first step in Alexander Hamilton's plan for economic growth. 
E)  declared all Indian land to be the possession of the U.S. government. 
A)  established the policy to admit the area's population as equal members of the political system. 
B)  regulated western land sales through a policy that was amicable to the Indians. 
C)  abolished the Articles of Confederation and called for a second Constitutional Convention. 
D)  was the first step in Alexander Hamilton's plan for economic growth. 
E)  declared all Indian land to be the possession of the U.S. government. A

Question 4

Thomas Jefferson believed Indians could be the equals of whites if they abandoned their communal ideas of land ownership.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which of the following descriptions characterizes David Ramsay's The History of the American Revolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  a warning against the principles of representative government 
B)  a detailed recounting of major battles by a Patriot soldier 
C)  a celebration of the American political system and Constitution 
D)  a religious sermon questioning the hereditary rights of monarchs 
E)  a formal call for self-governance for all the world's people 
A)  a warning against the principles of representative government 
B)  a detailed recounting of major battles by a Patriot soldier 
C)  a celebration of the American political system and Constitution 
D)  a religious sermon questioning the hereditary rights of monarchs 
E)  a formal call for self-governance for all the world's people

Question 6

What Anti-Federalist idea is still part of modern political debate?

Accepted Answer

A)  a concern about cultural differences between Protestants and Catholics 
B)  a concern about a citizen's right to privacy 
C)  the fear that a strong central government threatens liberty 
D)  the fear that local political leaders hold too much power 
E)  an opposition to unrestricted immigration 
A)  a concern about cultural differences between Protestants and Catholics 
B)  a concern about a citizen's right to privacy 
C)  the fear that a strong central government threatens liberty 
D)  the fear that local political leaders hold too much power 
E)  an opposition to unrestricted immigration

Question 7

The Constitutional delegates who met in Philadelphia represented all of American society, as they were a mix of laborers, farmers, merchants, and politicians.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which of the following statements accurately describes the status of free blacks in the United States toward the end of the eighteenth century?

Accepted Answer

A)  Free blacks who lived in the northern states and owned property enjoyed all the rights of citizenship. 
B)  Although free blacks had some basic rights in northern states, no African-Americans enjoyed full equality with whites. 
C)  Although the question of citizenship for whites was highly controversial, the status of free blacks had been solidly established. 
D)  Free blacks who had served in the armed forces during the Revolution were considered full citizens, even in the South. 
E)  If they were recent immigrants free blacks could apply for citizenship, but for those born in the United States citizenship was unattainable. 
A)  Free blacks who lived in the northern states and owned property enjoyed all the rights of citizenship. 
B)  Although free blacks had some basic rights in northern states, no African-Americans enjoyed full equality with whites. 
C)  Although the question of citizenship for whites was highly controversial, the status of free blacks had been solidly established. 
D)  Free blacks who had served in the armed forces during the Revolution were considered full citizens, even in the South. 
E)  If they were recent immigrants free blacks could apply for citizenship, but for those born in the United States citizenship was unattainable.

Question 9

What does it mean that the fugitive slave clause accorded slave laws "extraterritoriality"?

Accepted Answer

A)  If a slave owner moved with his slaves to a state where slavery was abolished, he could still hold slaves. 
B)  If a fugitive managed to cross state lines, he or she would no longer be considered a slave, but rather a free person with all the rights of someone who was born free. 
C)  The Supreme Court would follow a standard procedure in returning slaves that had escaped across state lines to their owners. 
D)  It was the responsibility of masters to apprehend their runaway slaves. 
E)  The condition of bondage remained attached to the person even if he or she escaped to a state where slavery had been abolished. 
A)  If a slave owner moved with his slaves to a state where slavery was abolished, he could still hold slaves. 
B)  If a fugitive managed to cross state lines, he or she would no longer be considered a slave, but rather a free person with all the rights of someone who was born free. 
C)  The Supreme Court would follow a standard procedure in returning slaves that had escaped across state lines to their owners. 
D)  It was the responsibility of masters to apprehend their runaway slaves. 
E)  The condition of bondage remained attached to the person even if he or she escaped to a state where slavery had been abolished.

Question 10

What do you see as the chief contributions of the Bill of Rights to American life today?

Accepted Answer

The chief contributions of the Bill of R

Question 11

Indians and whites shared an understanding of freedom that included land ownership and the right to vote in the new American government.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

How did the Articles of Confederation compare to the Constitution with regard to the economy?

Accepted Answer

A)  Under the Articles, states made more decisions about the economy than the national government. 
B)  Under the Articles, states did not take an interest in their respective economies. 
C)  Under the new Constitution, land distribution would benefit the poor. 
D)  Under the new Constitution, current property holders were losing rights. 
E)  Under both the Articles and the Constitution, the national government played a prominent role in economic decisions. 
A)  Under the Articles, states made more decisions about the economy than the national government. 
B)  Under the Articles, states did not take an interest in their respective economies. 
C)  Under the new Constitution, land distribution would benefit the poor. 
D)  Under the new Constitution, current property holders were losing rights. 
E)  Under both the Articles and the Constitution, the national government played a prominent role in economic decisions.

Question 13

Which statement is true about the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention?

Accepted Answer

A)  Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were two key participants. 
B)  Less than a quarter of the delegates had college educations. 
C)  Most were "self-made men" who had worked their way up from the lower classes. 
D)  They shared a belief in the need to curb the "excesses of democracy." 
E)  All but five had served in the Continental army during the Revolution. 
A)  Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were two key participants. 
B)  Less than a quarter of the delegates had college educations. 
C)  Most were "self-made men" who had worked their way up from the lower classes. 
D)  They shared a belief in the need to curb the "excesses of democracy." 
E)  All but five had served in the Continental army during the Revolution.

Question 14

Anti-Federalists were concerned that the Constitution severely limited liberty.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Which of the following groups of people did Benjamin Franklin describe as "our debtors, loose English people, our German servants, and slaves"?

Accepted Answer

A)  anti-Federalists 
B)  frontier settlers 
C)  Loyalists now living in Canada 
D)  residents of the coastal cities 
E)  Catholics 
A)  anti-Federalists 
B)  frontier settlers 
C)  Loyalists now living in Canada 
D)  residents of the coastal cities 
E)  Catholics

Question 16

Which statement is true regarding Native Americans' status in the new nation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Indian tribes had no representation in the new government. 
B)  Most white Americans saw Indians as their equals and welcomed them with open arms into the new nation. 
C)  With the signing of the Declaration of Independence, warfare between Indians and whites immediately ceased. 
D)  An entire tribe had to vote to accept the terms of a treaty with the United States or it would be invalid. 
E)  The annuity system gave Indians increased control over their own lives. 
A)  Indian tribes had no representation in the new government. 
B)  Most white Americans saw Indians as their equals and welcomed them with open arms into the new nation. 
C)  With the signing of the Declaration of Independence, warfare between Indians and whites immediately ceased. 
D)  An entire tribe had to vote to accept the terms of a treaty with the United States or it would be invalid. 
E)  The annuity system gave Indians increased control over their own lives.

Question 17

The Bill of Rights was celebrated by Americans upon its authoring and soon became a staple of public school education for decades.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

What was James Madison's position on including a bill of rights in the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  He believed a bill of rights was essential for protecting individuals from aggressive state governments. 
B)  He felt the Constitution would fail in its central goals without a bill of rights. 
C)  He refused to support ratification until a bill of rights was included. 
D)  He believed a bill of rights redundant, because the Constitution itself would protect liberties. 
E)  He argued against a bill of rights as a threat to federal power. 
A)  He believed a bill of rights was essential for protecting individuals from aggressive state governments. 
B)  He felt the Constitution would fail in its central goals without a bill of rights. 
C)  He refused to support ratification until a bill of rights was included. 
D)  He believed a bill of rights redundant, because the Constitution itself would protect liberties. 
E)  He argued against a bill of rights as a threat to federal power.

Question 19

What did Anti-Federalists believe was true of popular self-government?

Accepted Answer

A)  Locally focused government would bring about the destruction of civilized life. 
B)  It was the perfect form of government for a large nation, where all voices could comingle. 
C)  Popular self-government could only be effective if it was regulated by a strong central authority. 
D)  It was an ideal not worth fighting for. 
E)  It would flourish best in small communities, where rulers and ruled interacted daily. 
A)  Locally focused government would bring about the destruction of civilized life. 
B)  It was the perfect form of government for a large nation, where all voices could comingle. 
C)  Popular self-government could only be effective if it was regulated by a strong central authority. 
D)  It was an ideal not worth fighting for. 
E)  It would flourish best in small communities, where rulers and ruled interacted daily.

Question 20

Crèvecoeur's Letters from an American Farmer described America as a melting pot of Europeans.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 7: Founding a Nation, 1783-1791

Under the original Constitution, who did the people directly elect?

James Madison

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Thomas Jefferson believed Indians could be the equals of whites if they abandoned their communal ideas of land ownership.

Which of the following descriptions characterizes David Ramsay's The History of the American Revolution?

What Anti-Federalist idea is still part of modern political debate?

The Constitutional delegates who met in Philadelphia represented all of American society, as they were a mix of laborers, farmers, merchants, and politicians.

Which of the following statements accurately describes the status of free blacks in the United States toward the end of the eighteenth century?

What does it mean that the fugitive slave clause accorded slave laws "extraterritoriality"?

What do you see as the chief contributions of the Bill of Rights to American life today?

Indians and whites shared an understanding of freedom that included land ownership and the right to vote in the new American government.

How did the Articles of Confederation compare to the Constitution with regard to the economy?

Which statement is true about the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention?

Anti-Federalists were concerned that the Constitution severely limited liberty.

Which of the following groups of people did Benjamin Franklin describe as "our debtors, loose English people, our German servants, and slaves"?

Which statement is true regarding Native Americans' status in the new nation?

The Bill of Rights was celebrated by Americans upon its authoring and soon became a staple of public school education for decades.

What was James Madison's position on including a bill of rights in the Constitution?

What did Anti-Federalists believe was true of popular self-government?

Crèvecoeur's Letters from an American Farmer described America as a melting pot of Europeans.

A New World

Beginnings of English America, 1607-1660

Creating Anglo-America, 1660-1750

Slavery, Freedom, and the Struggle for Empire to 1763

The American Revolution, 1763-1783

The Revolution Within

Securing the Republic, 1790-1815

The Market Revolution, 1800-1840

Democracy in America, 1815-1840

The Peculiar Institution

An Age of Reform, 1820-1840

A House Divided, 1840-1861

A New Birth of Freedom: the Civil War, 1861-1865

What Is Freedom: Reconstruction, 1865-1877

Americas Gilded Age, 1870-1890

Freedoms Boundaries, at Home and Abroad, 1890-1900

The Progressive Era, 1900-1916

Safe for Democracy: the United States and World War I, 1916-1920

From Business Culture to Great Depression: The Twenties, 1920-1932

The New Deal, 1932-1940

Fighting for the Four Freedoms: World War II, 1941-1945

The United States and the Cold War, 1945-1953

An Affluent Society, 1953-1960

The Sixties, 1960-1968

The Conservative Turn, 1969-1988

From Triumph to Tragedy, 1989-2004

A Divided Nation

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