CHAPTER 6
Strengthening the New Nation
TRUE/FALSE
1. By raising taxes in the early 1780s, the Confederation was able to reduce the national debt.
2. Shays’s Rebellion likely heightened the fear of many social and political elites that democracy
would begin to make class hierarchies less pronounced.
3. Delegates to the Constitutional Convention sharply debated whether to establish a monarchy
or a republic.
4. The New Jersey Plan proposed keeping a unicameral legislature with equal representation for
each state.
5. The Supreme Court has the final say in accepting and validating federal election results.
6. Although slavery was the most explosive issue of the Constitutional Convention, the new
constitution lacked any plan for limiting or ending slavery.
7. Under the Constitution, each slave would count as one person for purposes of representation,
but as only half a person for taxation.
8. Anti-Federalists favored a decentralized federal system of government.
9. James Madison introduced the Bill of Rights in Congress to address concerns of those who
initially opposed the Constitution.
10. Although the Naturalization Act of 1790 helped lead the way to the United States’ status as
the nation that has admitted the most people from the most places.
11. The northern states felt obligated to help pay off the much larger debts the southern states
incurred during the Revolution.
12. According to Thomas Jefferson, the United States needed a national bank to provide a stable
currency and act as an engine of prosperity for rural farmers to acquire funds for land and
equipment.
13. The Quasi War of John Adams’s presidency was a decades-long naval war with Great Britain to determine who
controlled the Great Lakes.
14. The XYZ affair came about as part of the so-called Quasi War with France that Adams inherited
as president.
15. A tie in electoral votes during the election of 1800 resulted in such a political crisis that, before Jefferson’s
inauguration, people talked openly of civil war.
16. The partisan divisions of the 1790s helped establish the right of “common” men to play a more
active role in governing the new nation, such as the elimination of the requirement that citizens
must own property to vote.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The term the “Critical Period,” coined by John Quincy Adams, refers to America under the Articles of
Confederation. Why was the period from 1784–1787 so critical?
a.
It was the time of the Revolutionary War in which Americans fought for their independence from
Great Britain.
b.
It was the years-long period the founding fathers took to write the Constitution, during which time
America was lawless.
c.
It was the time that American leaders developed major differences on politics, government, the
economy, and foreign policy.
d.
It was the worst period of George Washington’s presidency, during which several small wars
erupted.
e.
It was a period during which the United States failed to take advantage of opportunities to expand
and cede land in the West.
2. Why were finances the greatest weakness of the Confederation government?
a.
States were asked to “voluntarily” contribute to Congress’s budget but rarely did or sent little.
b.
An event known as the Newburgh Conspiracy led to a successful coup that had a major impact on
the economy.
c.
The laws of Congress were too strictly enforced, leading many people to file bankruptcy.
d.
Too much money was put toward the executive and judiciary branches and not enough toward the
people.
e.
The Confederation taxes were too high in an effort to pay off war debts from the Revolution.
3. Which of the following was a principle of the Land Ordinance of 1785?
a.
Land would be given to settlers for free by the new Confederation government.
b.
Plots of land in the South would be granted to specific religious sects and denominations.
c.
Individual pioneers rather than the government would primarily organize western settlement.
d.
Native American lands would never go up for sale and would remain in native possession.
e.
The Northwest Territory on America’s western border would be organized into townships.
4. Which of the following was a promise of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
a.
The West would be considered a colonial possession of the United States.
b.
Slavery would be banned north of the Ohio River.
c.
Native Americans would be forced to move farther west, all the way to the Pacific coast.
d.
The population of a territory would never affect whether it was to become a state.
e.
Territories must first adopt the national Constitution rather than write their own.
5. Which of the following statements about the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 is accurate?
a.
It promised ineffectively that Native American lands would not be taken without their consent.
b.
It made Ohio and Indiana states immediately.
c.
It prevented enslaved African Americans living in the West from remaining enslaved.
d.
It denied self-government to the region that would become Michigan and Ohio.
e.
It provided for joint occupation of that area with the British after the war.
6. How did Britain treat the United States following the Revolutionary War?
a.
Britain maintained a strong economic relationship with the United States out of fear further
disagreement would hurt the British economy.
b.
Britain was so angry that the monarchy refused to accept the allegiance even of Americans who had
been born in England.
c.
Britain considered the United States an enemy nation and closed its profitable Caribbean colonies
to American commerce.
d.
Britain embraced the new nation because much of the British population had begun adopting
similar revolutionary ideas as the Americans.
e.
Britain largely ignored the new nation and focused its attention on building its empire elsewhere.
7. One serious economic problem under the Articles of Confederation was
a.
a scarcity of good farmland.
b.
shortage of “hard money.”
c.
the impossibility of obtaining credit.
d.
excessively high income taxes.
e.
low wages caused by an oversupply of labor.
8. Shays’s Rebellion broke out in
a.
Georgia.
d.
Rhode Island.
b.
Kentucky.
e.
Pennsylvania.
c.
Massachusetts.
9. Shays’s Rebellion was led by
a.
merchants.
d.
indebted farmers.
b.
factory workers.
e.
ambitious politicians.
c.
bankers.
10. A major cause of Shays’s Rebellion was that
a.
farmland in the western territories was became increasingly expensive.
b.
slate legislatures gave tax incentives to slaveholders in Boston.
c.
the central government banned the use of the state militia.
d.
a new state constitution raised the property qualifications to both vote and hold office.
e.
state legislatures lowered tax rates on farmers but not on the social elite.
11. Which of the following occurred in part as a result of Shays’s Rebellion?
a.
George Washington declared his support for the rebels.
b.
The social elite continued to promote the rebels’ cause.
c.
England prepared for the possibility of resuming the war.
d.
There were numerous calls promoting a stronger central government.
e.
The state legislature increased taxes.
12. The convention, which assembled in May 1787, was supposed to
a.
write a new constitution.
b.
address the country’s financial crisis.
c.
revise the Articles of Confederation.
d.
nominate someone for president.
e.
discuss better trade relations with Britain.
13. Which of the following statements accurately describes the delegates who met at the
Constitutional Convention?
a.
They included many participants from the Revolution who engaged in active debate with one
another.
b.
They tended to be elderly and out of touch with current events, prioritizing concerns from before
the Revolution.
c.
They predominantly wanted a weaker central government and argued passionately for their case.
d.
They for the most part wished to rejoin the British Empire but negotiate better representation.
e.
They included a few women who had little say in the Constitution but still made their wishes
known.
14. The convention’s most gifted political philosopher and the man who emerged as its
central figure was
a.
Alexander Hamilton.
d.
Patrick Henry.
b.
George Washington.
e.
James Madison.
c.
Benjamin Franklin.
15. Which of the following is true of Madison’s Virginia Plan?
a.
It proposed a president for life.
b.
It proposed a two-house Congress.
c.
It was most favored by the small states.
d.
It advocated amending the Articles of Confederation.
e.
It proposed to abolish the state governments.
16. Which of the following is true of the so-called Great Compromise?
a.
Benjamin Franklin negotiated it.
b.
Southerners drafted it to protect slavery.
c.
It listed the explicit powers of Congress.
d.
It created a four-year term for a president.
e.
It settled the question of congressional representation.
17. The founding fathers viewed the most democratic entity of the government as the
a.
presidency.
d.
cabinet.
b.
Senate.
e.
House of Representatives.
c.
Supreme Court.
18. According to the Constitution, the president has the authority to
a.
veto acts of Congress.
b.
resign and choose his or her successor.
c.
declare war.
d.
appoint state governors.
e.
abolish the Senate and appoint new senators.
19. The Constitution addressed slavery by
a.
referring numerous times to “slaves” or “slavery.”
b.
counting slaves as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of apportionment.
c.
requiring that all slaves count toward a state’s congressional representation.
d.
making it legal in every state.
e.
requiring that slaves have full legal protections.
20. On the question of women’s rights, the proposed Constitution
a.
denied the vote to females.
b.
was surprisingly progressive for its time.
c.
defined women as the property of their husbands.
d.
accepted the advice of prominent women.
e.
said nothing.
21. How did the Constitution affect immigration and naturalization?
a.
The founding fathers were in strong agreement that the United States remain open to all foreigners
and enabled this through a series of detailed laws set forth in the Constitution.
b.
The Constitution said little about immigration and naturalization, which has allowed policy to
change over the years in response to fluctuating political moods and economic needs.
c.
The Constitution offered guidance on immigration and created a naturalization process highly
similar to that of Great Britain in that citizens could not renounce their original citizenship.
d.
Although the Constitution created opportunities for the new nation to accommodate immigration,
the idea of America as an asylum for refugees was at odds with George Washington’s vision as
president.
e.
The Constitution ensured that the naturalization of all peoples, including those of African or Asian
descent, be left to the national government rather than the states.
22. The collection of essays known as The Federalist Papers was written by
a.
James Madison and George Washington.
b.
Thomas Jefferson.
c.
Patrick Henry.
d.
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
e.
John Adams.
23. Who among the following was an anti-Federalist?
a.
Alexander Hamilton
d.
James Madison
b.
John Jay
e.
George Washington
c.
James Monroe
24. The Federalist essay Number 10 explains how a republic can
a.
defend itself.
d.
pay its debts.
b.
become a democracy.
e.
be successful in a large, diverse society.
c.
create a just society.
25. The Federalist essays argued that
a.
the size and diversity of the large new country would make it impossible for any one faction to
control the government.
b.
the Constitution was necessary to prevent one faction from taking control of the nation.
c.
a republican form of government could not work in a nation as large as the United States and
therefore the Constitution was necessary.
d.
the Constitution would promote control of the government by one faction, which would be good for
the nation.
e.
if the Constitution failed, the country could always go back to the Articles of Confederation.
26. The Constitution was to be considered ratified as soon as it had been approved by
a.
the Constitutional Convention.
d.
nine of the states.
b.
the Continental Congress.
e.
a majority popular vote.
c.
all thirteen states.
27. In early 1789, the new Congress gathered in the national capital, which was
a.
Philadelphia.
d.
Washington, D.C.
b.
New York City.
e.
Baltimore.
c.
Boston.
28. Which of the following states was the first to ratify the Constitution?
a.
Delaware
d.
Virginia
b.
New York
e.
Massachusetts
c.
Rhode Island
29. In his inaugural address, President Washington emphasized
a.
his economic plans.
d.
relations with Britain.
b.
party politics.
e.
his cabinet selections.
c.
national unity.
30. The Bill of Rights was written to
a.
safeguard freedoms such as press, speech, and assembly.
b.
ensure that critics of the Constitution could be arrested and expelled from the
United States.
c.
constitute the first ten amendments to the Constitution, excluding immigrants
from voting.
d.
create a National Bank, initially under the control of Alexander Hamilton.
e.
settle all questions about presidential versus congressional authority.
31. In regard to religion, which of the following is true of the Constitution?
a.
It makes the United States a Christian nation.
b.
It reflects the atheism of the founding fathers.
c.
It prohibits the states from having official churches.
d.
It expresses hostility toward religion.
e.
It prevents Congress from establishing an official religion.
32. Alexander Hamilton’s basic vision of America was to make it
a.
a vibrant capitalist power.
b.
a democratic model for the world.
c.
a mighty empire like ancient Rome.
d.
committed to limited government and social equality.
e.
an example of racial tolerance and diversity.
33. One key element of Hamilton’s program to encourage manufacturing was his proposal for
a.
a cutoff of trade with Britain.
b.
high protective tariffs.
c.
government-owned factories.
d.
importation of cheap foreign labor.
e.
government colleges for industrial education.
34. Madison decided to support Hamilton’s debt proposals in return for an agreement to
a.
give more money to the original bondholders.
b.
make the states pay their own debts.
c.
cut taxes.
d.
limit future federal spending.
e.
relocate the nation’s capital southward.
35. Which of the following statements accurately describes the Bank of the United States?
a.
It would be totally owned by the federal government.
b.
It had unanimous support in Congress.
c.
The Constitution had specifically demanded its creation.
d.
It would provide regulation of national currency.
e.
President Washington ultimately opposed it.
36. What did Hamilton do in his debate with Jefferson over the national bank’s constitutionality?
a.
He emphasized states’ rights.
b.
He strictly interpreted the Constitution.
c.
He used the doctrine of implied powers.
d.
He emphasized the Tenth Amendment.
e.
He relied on Madison’s support.
37. The emergence of two political parties reflected the basic philosophical differences between Jefferson and Hamilton.
Which of the following accurately describes Jefferson’s philosophy and political party?
a.
As a Federalist, Jefferson wished to place limits on states’ rights and believed that the common
people, especially the lower classes, were untrustworthy.
b.
As a Federalist, Jefferson prioritized the values and concerns of northerners and promoted urban
and commercial growth.
c.
As a Democrat, Jefferson envisioned a developing American economy and society modeled on that
of Britain rather than France.
d.
As a Democratic Republican, Jefferson believed in a strong national government out of fear of the
tyranny of the masses, especially farmers.
e.
As a Democratic Republican, Jefferson was concerned about threats to individual rights and states’
rights posed by big government.
38. What was the significance of the French Revolution to the United States in its infancy?
a.
It united the new nation because the general public sought to play a part in the war and defend
values similar to those they had fought to protect through the American Revolution.
b.
It demonstrated how the new nation would honor alliances, for Washington took Jefferson’s
suggestion to use the American alliance with France during the revolution as a bargaining point
with the British.
c.
It demonstrated how the new nation had not yet become enough of an economic power for trade to
influence
its decision on whether to enter a war or support an alliance with another country.
d.
It showed how removed the new nation was from world affairs due to the failure of American
politicians to express strong opinions regarding the legitimacy of the war.
e.
It tested the ability of the United States to remain neutral in world affairs and resulted in heightened
divisions between Federalists and Democratic Republicans during Washington’s second term.
39. When Britain and France went to war in 1793, which of the following did the United States do?
a.
It supported Britain because of its conservative government.
b.
It supported France because of the Franco-American alliance.
c.
It expressed neutrality, warning Americans not to aid either side.
d.
It allied with other nations to oppose both Britain and France.
e.
It sharply increased its military spending.
40. Which of the following statements is true of Edmond-Charles Genêt?
a.
He came to the United States to escape the revolutionary excesses of the French Revolution.
b.
He encouraged American privateers to attack English and Spanish vessels.
c.
He quickly won the sympathy of Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists.
d.
He was deeply involved in the XYZ affair.
e.
He became a leading member of the Republican party.
41. Which of the following statements accurately describes the effects of Jay’s Treaty?
a.
Although the United States was divided on its passage, the treaty improved relations between the
United States and Britain by reopening American merchants’ access to
West Indies trade.
b.
The terms of the treaty led to military cooperation between Britain and the United Sates against
France, resulting in the most celebrated moments of Washington’s presidency.
c.
Although the treaty was strongly supported in the United States, the British people dramatically
protested it and nearly prevented it from being signed.
d.
Although Republicans in the South strongly supported the treaty, New Englanders successfully
prevented its passage in the Senate because it spread the system of slavery.
e.
The terms of the treaty made it clear that the British would never agree to reimburse Americans for
the loss of any American property during the war and would continue to sell products to France.
42. Which of the following was a result of Hamilton’s excise tax on whiskey?
a.
New conflicts erupted in the Ohio Valley between settlers and Native Americans because Native
Americans depended on the commodity.
b.
Federalists in New York City boycotted whiskey because they resented farmers in
Pennsylvania who now paid lower taxes.
c.
As president, George Washington refused to support or enforce the tax, declaring it
unconstitutional and coming to the aid of those affected.
d.
Frontier farmers formed a rebellion because they had little cash, and grain alcohol was their
most valuable commodity.
e.
Frontier farmers rejoiced because the tax would cause the sales of their main, more valuable
crops such as vegetables to increase.
43. Pinckney’s Treaty between Spain and the United States resolved many outstanding border
questions. The treaty was also an important development because it
a.
gave the United States ownership of the Mississippi River.
b.
expelled all Native Americans from the Southwest.
c.
gave Americans access to Spanish New Orleans for trade.
d.
ceded Florida to Britain.
e.
allowed Americans to settle in Texas.
44. Which of the following statements correctly describes Daniel Boone?
a.
He led the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania and used guerrilla war tactics to fight
Washington’s militia.
b.
He was drawn to Kentucky by its fertile soil and plentiful game and helped lead a group of white
settlers there through the wilderness.
c.
He traveled to the northern boundary of Florida during the signing of Pinckney’s treaty to claim
the land there.
d.
He was present at the Constitutional Convention and successfully voiced the complaints of
immigrants and farmers.
e.
He was a Revolutionary War hero who became a folk legend because he switched sides and joined
the British.
45. Washington gave his farewell address on September 17, 1796, during which he advised the
United States to
a.
encourage the emerging party system.
b.
become more involved in European affairs.
c.
choose Aaron Burr as the next president.
d.
seek colonies in Africa as a cheaper source of enslaved Africans.
e.
avoid permanent alliances with other countries.
46. Under President Adams, a war between the United States and France
a.
was an undeclared naval conflict.
b.
was ended by the XYZ affair.
c.
halted partisan divisions.
d.
ended in American victory.
e.
led to French attacks on the U.S. coast.
47. The Sedition Act was aimed primarily at
a.
foreign immigrants.
d.
French spies.
b.
anti-war Federalists.
e.
draft-evaders.
c.
Republican newspaper editors.
48. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions argued that states could nullify federal laws. Who
wrote the Resolutions and in response to what federal laws?
a.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison wrote the resolutions against the Alien and Sedition Acts.
b.
Alexander Hamilton wrote the resolutions against the National Bank Act.
c.
Daniel Shays wrote the resolutions against the Whiskey Tax.
d.
John Adams wrote the resolutions against the Judiciary Act.
e.
George Washington wrote the resolutions against Jay’s Treaty.
49. Why was the election of 1800 significant?
a.
The election’s outcome continued the Federalist domination of the U.S. government and, thus,
limited the voice of Democratic Republicans.
b.
Jefferson and Aaron Burr were tied with the same exact number of electoral votes, which created a
political crisis over the transition of power.
c.
The election marked an era early in the nation’s history that would remain unaffected by partisan
politics.
d.
The election resolved the fundamental political tensions that had emerged between ardent
nationalists and those who prized states’ rights.
e.
The presidency henceforth would no longer be held by slaveholders, which would help make
politicians more sympathetic to minorities.
50. Which of the following statements accurately describes the Judiciary Act of 1801?
a.
It created three new positions on the Supreme Court to ensure the new president would appoint
them.
b.
It was the first act passed by the Republicans when they came to power after the election of 1800.
c.
It allowed federal judges to be impeached under the Sedition Act.
d.
It created sixteen federal circuit courts and reduced the number of Supreme Court justices.
e.
President Jefferson vetoed it in the first use ever of veto power by the executive branch.
51. What did Adams do soon before he left office?
a.
He repealed Hamilton’s tax policies.
b.
He questioned the fair outcome of the election.
c.
He cemented Federalism within the judiciary.
d.
He destroyed his official records.
e.
He renewed his friendship with Jefferson.
ESSAY
1. Describe the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Why had the Articles been written
that way?
2. It is sometimes assumed that because the Articles of Confederation were weak, they were
unpopular. Discuss the merits and shortcomings of this statement.
3. Discuss the background, details, and results of Shays’s Rebellion. In what way did the
rebellion impact the debate about the type of governmental structure America should adopt
for its future?
4. Trace the Confederation government’s policies concerning diplomacy. How effective was the government in dealing
with outside interests?
5. Discuss the conflict between Federalists and anti-Federalists in the writing and ratification of the Constitution.
6. What major compromises were made at the Constitutional Convention, and what issues were
settled? What issues remained unsettled?
7. Describe the system of checks and balances in the Constitution.
8. Examine the importance of the Bill of Rights in establishing trust and clarifying laws between
the new nation and its citizens.
9. Assess Alexander Hamilton’s contributions to establishing national economic policy.
10. Examine George Washington’s motives in declaring that the United States would remain
neutral in the conflict between England and France.
11. Trace the development of political parties during Washington’s administration and describe
their basic philosophies.
12. Examine the Whiskey Rebellion with an eye on the issue of whether it was a serious threat to
the life of the young nation.
13. What was George Washington’s greatest achievement as president? What was his worst failure? Overall, was his
administration a success for the nation? Was it a success for the Federalists?
14. Describe the presidency of John Adams. Be sure to include both the domestic and foreign
issues that confronted his administration and how he succeeded in dealing with these issues.
15. Examine the argument that the Alien and Sedition Acts destroyed John Adams’s presidency.
MATCHING
Match each description with the item below.
a.
was the oldest member of the Constitutional Convention and had faith in a representative
democracy
b.
issued a neutrality proclamation in 1793 in response to pressure to enter European conflicts
c.
drafted the land ordinance of 1784 and assumed individual pioneers should be allowed to settle the
western territories
d.
was a diplomat who sought to undermine American policy relative to the French Revolution
e.
briefly represented New York at the Constitutional Convention and was a leader of the Federalists
f.
wanted the preamble of the Constitution to read “We the states” rather than “We the people”
g.
was the most active at the Constitutional Convention and emerged as its philosophical leader
h.
led American troops in what became known as the Northwest Indian War, including the Battle of
Fallen Timbers
i.
was a prominent supporter of slavery and negotiated an extremely popular treaty with Spain
j.
wrote “On the Equality of the Sexes” and argued that women experience prejudice
k.
was the first chief justice of the Supreme Court and negotiated a treaty with Great Britain
1. James Madison
2. Benjamin Franklin
3. Alexander Hamilton
4. Patrick Henry
5. Thomas Jefferson
6. John Jay
7. Anthony Wayne
8. George Washington
9. Edmond-Charles Genêt
10. Judith Sargent Murray
11. Thomas Pinckney