Question 1

Shays's Rebellion was significant because it demonstrated

Accepted Answer

A)  that land distribution policies were out of date. 
B)  that controversies over the emancipation of slaves could turn violent. 
C)  that Congress's attempts to pass pro-debtor laws were unpopular with farmers. 
D)  the need for a stronger central government. 
E)  the chaotic nature of Indian policy after the Battle of Fallen Timbers. 
A)  that land distribution policies were out of date. 
B)  that controversies over the emancipation of slaves could turn violent. 
C)  that Congress's attempts to pass pro-debtor laws were unpopular with farmers. 
D)  the need for a stronger central government. 
E)  the chaotic nature of Indian policy after the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

Question 2

Which of the following is true of the debate surrounding the ratification of the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  Rhode Island and North Carolina ultimately voted against ratification. 
B)  Alexander Hamilton refused to take a side in the debate. 
C)  Propertied men and urban dwellers were typically Anti-Federalists. 
D)  Northern state conventions unanimously supported ratification. 
E)  Thomas Jefferson's s were influential in raising support for ratification. 
A)  Rhode Island and North Carolina ultimately voted against ratification. 
B)  Alexander Hamilton refused to take a side in the debate. 
C)  Propertied men and urban dwellers were typically Anti-Federalists. 
D)  Northern state conventions unanimously supported ratification. 
E)  Thomas Jefferson's s were influential in raising support for ratification.

Question 3

The eighty-five s written in support of ratification of the Constitution are called

Accepted Answer

A)  The Wealth of Nations. 
B)  the Articles of Confederation. 
C)  The Federalist. 
D)  "Agrippa." 
E)  The History of the American Revolution. 
A)  The Wealth of Nations. 
B)  the Articles of Confederation. 
C)  The Federalist. 
D)  "Agrippa." 
E)  The History of the American Revolution.

Question 4

Which of these established a government with a clear-cut separation of powers?

Accepted Answer

A)  Articles of Confederation 
B)  United States Constitution 
C)  Treaty of Greenville 
D)  Continental Congress 
E)  Magna Carta 
A)  Articles of Confederation 
B)  United States Constitution 
C)  Treaty of Greenville 
D)  Continental Congress 
E)  Magna Carta

Question 5

Which of the following statements accurately describes the original House of Representatives?

Accepted Answer

A)  It contained 150 members. 
B)  It was the only sector of the constitutional government that was directly elected. 
C)  It was given the power to nominate federal judges. 
D)  Its decisions could be vetoed by the Senate. 
E)  Representatives were up for reelection every year. 
A)  It contained 150 members. 
B)  It was the only sector of the constitutional government that was directly elected. 
C)  It was given the power to nominate federal judges. 
D)  Its decisions could be vetoed by the Senate. 
E)  Representatives were up for reelection every year.

Question 6

Which of the following is true regarding Congress and the African slave trade in the United States under the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  Congress never prohibited this slave trade. 
B)  The First Congress under the Constitution prohibited the importation of slaves into the United States. 
C)  Congress always let individual states make their own decisions with regard to importing slaves. 
D)  Congress prohibited the African slave trade ten years after ratification of the Constitution. 
E)  Congress prohibited the African slave trade twenty years after ratification of the Constitution. 
A)  Congress never prohibited this slave trade. 
B)  The First Congress under the Constitution prohibited the importation of slaves into the United States. 
C)  Congress always let individual states make their own decisions with regard to importing slaves. 
D)  Congress prohibited the African slave trade ten years after ratification of the Constitution. 
E)  Congress prohibited the African slave trade twenty years after ratification of the Constitution.

Question 7

The U.S. Constitution as written in 1787 does not use the words "slave" or "slavery."

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What was the significance of the part of the Constitution that granted Congress power over economic decisions such as tariffs, interstate commerce, patents, bankruptcy rules, and weights and measures?

Accepted Answer

A)  It forced several states into bankruptcy by 1800 and greatly endangered the longevity of the new nation. 
B)  It created the conditions necessary for a national economic market and contributed to a framework for American development. 
C)  It angered slaveholders, who feared Congress would use these powers to limit slavery since the Constitution explicitly recognized slaves as property. 
D)  It created an imbalance of power, which would be challenged and ultimately remedied by the creation of the Supreme Court in the nineteenth century. 
E)  It angered George Washington and nearly led him to turn down the role of president and reject the new nation. 
A)  It forced several states into bankruptcy by 1800 and greatly endangered the longevity of the new nation. 
B)  It created the conditions necessary for a national economic market and contributed to a framework for American development. 
C)  It angered slaveholders, who feared Congress would use these powers to limit slavery since the Constitution explicitly recognized slaves as property. 
D)  It created an imbalance of power, which would be challenged and ultimately remedied by the creation of the Supreme Court in the nineteenth century. 
E)  It angered George Washington and nearly led him to turn down the role of president and reject the new nation.

Question 9

Which of the following statements characterizes James Madison's position regarding the new Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  He was critical of it because he thought it was too similar to England's constitution. 
B)  He feared it would create a "tyranny of the majority" without a bill of rights. 
C)  He predicted that it would only allow for an effective government in a small, homogenous nation. 
D)  He believed the nation's size and diversity would help to secure the rights of individuals under the new form of government. 
E)  He viewed it as a document that was inherently anti-slavery and that would guarantee emancipation. 
A)  He was critical of it because he thought it was too similar to England's constitution. 
B)  He feared it would create a "tyranny of the majority" without a bill of rights. 
C)  He predicted that it would only allow for an effective government in a small, homogenous nation. 
D)  He believed the nation's size and diversity would help to secure the rights of individuals under the new form of government. 
E)  He viewed it as a document that was inherently anti-slavery and that would guarantee emancipation.

Question 10

Which of the following is a check against presidential power in the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  Only the Senate can override a president's veto. 
B)  The Supreme Court can impeach the president for "high crimes and misdemeanors." 
C)  The Senate can remove the president from office after he or she is impeached by the House. 
D)  Congress can reject all presidential appointments. 
E)  Although the president appoints federal judges, they serve for ten years to ensure their independence. 
A)  Only the Senate can override a president's veto. 
B)  The Supreme Court can impeach the president for "high crimes and misdemeanors." 
C)  The Senate can remove the president from office after he or she is impeached by the House. 
D)  Congress can reject all presidential appointments. 
E)  Although the president appoints federal judges, they serve for ten years to ensure their independence.

Question 11

So adamant was he about separating church and state that James Madison opposed the appointment of chaplains to serve Congress and the military.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

During the early years of the republic, African-Americans

Accepted Answer

A)  were far fewer in number than Native Americans. 
B)  enjoyed none of the rights whites enjoyed. 
C)  far exceeded the Indian population within the United States. 
D)  were all held as slaves except for a few free blacks in Massachusetts. 
E)  found a champion for the cause of emancipation in George Washington. 
A)  were far fewer in number than Native Americans. 
B)  enjoyed none of the rights whites enjoyed. 
C)  far exceeded the Indian population within the United States. 
D)  were all held as slaves except for a few free blacks in Massachusetts. 
E)  found a champion for the cause of emancipation in George Washington.

Question 13

Those who supported and those who opposed ratification of the Constitution typically differed in which quality?

Accepted Answer

A)  military experience 
B)  first language 
C)  religion 
D)  status as slave owners 
E)  economic status 
A)  military experience 
B)  first language 
C)  religion 
D)  status as slave owners 
E)  economic status

Question 14

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Accepted Answer

A)  called on new territorial governments to forcibly remove the Indians living there. 
B)  allowed the importation of slaves into the Old Northwest for at least another twenty years. 
C)  had far-reaching consequences because it banned slavery in the Old Northwest. 
D)  was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court the following year. 
E)  created a situation in which the Old Northwest was governed as a colony by the federal government. 
A)  called on new territorial governments to forcibly remove the Indians living there. 
B)  allowed the importation of slaves into the Old Northwest for at least another twenty years. 
C)  had far-reaching consequences because it banned slavery in the Old Northwest. 
D)  was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court the following year. 
E)  created a situation in which the Old Northwest was governed as a colony by the federal government.

Question 15

Which of the following was an advantage possessed by the United States in the decades following the Revolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  an extensive system of roads and canals that almost entirely blurred regional differences in the new nation 
B)  physical isolation from Europe that helped prevent American involvement in European wars during the period 
C)  a relatively homogenous population that quickly created a strong, united sense of American identity 
D)  a strong economy that dominated those of existing empires and almost immediately made the United States an imperial power 
E)  a predominantly older population that had a mature perspective about the gradual changes that would make the new nation prosperous 
A)  an extensive system of roads and canals that almost entirely blurred regional differences in the new nation 
B)  physical isolation from Europe that helped prevent American involvement in European wars during the period 
C)  a relatively homogenous population that quickly created a strong, united sense of American identity 
D)  a strong economy that dominated those of existing empires and almost immediately made the United States an imperial power 
E)  a predominantly older population that had a mature perspective about the gradual changes that would make the new nation prosperous

Question 16

The relationship between the national government and the states is called

Accepted Answer

A)  the separation of powers. 
B)  the New Jersey Plan. 
C)  Federalism. 
D)  the Virginia Plan. 
E)  the Constitution. 
A)  the separation of powers. 
B)  the New Jersey Plan. 
C)  Federalism. 
D)  the Virginia Plan. 
E)  the Constitution.

Question 17

What was the significance of the Empress of China?

Accepted Answer

A)  Its sinking by pirates escalated tensions with the British in the 1790s. 
B)  It was the last ship to bring slaves from Africa to America. 
C)  It was the fastest wind-powered ship in the world in 1800. 
D)  Its successful journey demonstrated that America could trade directly with Asia. 
E)  It was financed by West Indies plantation owners, reopening trade between America and that region. 
A)  Its sinking by pirates escalated tensions with the British in the 1790s. 
B)  It was the last ship to bring slaves from Africa to America. 
C)  It was the fastest wind-powered ship in the world in 1800. 
D)  Its successful journey demonstrated that America could trade directly with Asia. 
E)  It was financed by West Indies plantation owners, reopening trade between America and that region.

Question 18

What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 pledge in regard to Indian tribes in the Old Northwest?

Accepted Answer

A)  They were to be considered at war with America until they relocated farther west. 
B)  They were granted only a tenth of the available land to govern as they saw fit. 
C)  They were granted annual payments from the federal government. 
D)  They were to be forcibly removed immediately and put to work as slaves. 
E)  They were to be treated fairly and their land not taken without consent. 
A)  They were to be considered at war with America until they relocated farther west. 
B)  They were granted only a tenth of the available land to govern as they saw fit. 
C)  They were granted annual payments from the federal government. 
D)  They were to be forcibly removed immediately and put to work as slaves. 
E)  They were to be treated fairly and their land not taken without consent.

Question 19

What did James Winthrop, a Massachusetts public official, fear about the new Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  If the Constitution was not ratified, the United States would lose trade to Canada. 
B)  The new Constitution would not be powerful enough to unite all thirteen states. 
C)  If the Constitution was not ratified, the United States would be picked on by Spain. 
D)  Without the Constitution, the United States would not survive as a nation. 
E)  Under the Constitution, a citizen would lose basic civil liberties. 
A)  If the Constitution was not ratified, the United States would lose trade to Canada. 
B)  The new Constitution would not be powerful enough to unite all thirteen states. 
C)  If the Constitution was not ratified, the United States would be picked on by Spain. 
D)  Without the Constitution, the United States would not survive as a nation. 
E)  Under the Constitution, a citizen would lose basic civil liberties.

Question 20

Who became full-fledged members of the American political community under the U.S. Constitution? Fully explain what criteria were used and who was excluded from membership.

Accepted Answer

Under the U.S. Constitution, full-fledge

Exam 7: Founding a Nation, 1783-1791

Shays's Rebellion was significant because it demonstrated

Which of the following is true of the debate surrounding the ratification of the Constitution?

The eighty-five s written in support of ratification of the Constitution are called

Which of these established a government with a clear-cut separation of powers?

Which of the following statements accurately describes the original House of Representatives?

Which of the following is true regarding Congress and the African slave trade in the United States under the Constitution?

The U.S. Constitution as written in 1787 does not use the words "slave" or "slavery."

What was the significance of the part of the Constitution that granted Congress power over economic decisions such as tariffs, interstate commerce, patents, bankruptcy rules, and weights and measures?

Which of the following statements characterizes James Madison's position regarding the new Constitution?

Which of the following is a check against presidential power in the Constitution?

So adamant was he about separating church and state that James Madison opposed the appointment of chaplains to serve Congress and the military.

During the early years of the republic, African-Americans

Those who supported and those who opposed ratification of the Constitution typically differed in which quality?

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Which of the following was an advantage possessed by the United States in the decades following the Revolution?

The relationship between the national government and the states is called

What was the significance of the Empress of China?

What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 pledge in regard to Indian tribes in the Old Northwest?

What did James Winthrop, a Massachusetts public official, fear about the new Constitution?

Who became full-fledged members of the American political community under the U.S. Constitution? Fully explain what criteria were used and who was excluded from membership.

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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