Q&A Hero

Q: How did the French Revolution affect America? a. It resulted in a rush of French immigrants and a strong French influence on American culture. b. It deepened existing political differences in America. c. It was the first time America sent troops to fight on foreign soil. d. It inspired a series of slave revolts throughout the South. e. It inspired the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Q: The Democratic-Republican Societies of the 1790s a. criticized the Washington administration. b. spoke out against the French Revolution. c. formed only about a dozen chapters in various cities. d. strongly supported Hamiltons economic program. e. broke up and created the Democratic and Republican Parties by 1797.

Q: Which of the following led directly to the creation of the Republican Party in the 1790s? a. the creation of the Bank of the United States b. speculators profiting from the sales of government bonds c. Shayss Rebellion d. the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions e. Jays Treaty

Q: What is true about the Federalists? a. They were skeptical of Alexander Hamiltons economic program. b. They supported close ties to Britain. c. They opposed George Washingtons administration. d. They were mainly a mix of wealthy southern planters and ordinary farmers from across the territories. e. They rooted their platform in a strong trust in democratic self-rule.

Q: Mary Wollstonecrafts A Vindication of the Rights of Woman a. was the first pamphlet published in the United States by an American woman. b. was inspired by Thomas Paines Rights of Man. c. won strong support from the Federalist Party. d. strongly challenged traditional gender roles. e. was based on her experiences as a cross-dressing soldier during the Revolutionary War.

Q: Why did Thomas Jefferson and James Madison oppose Alexander Hamiltons economic plan? a. They believed the plan gave too much autonomy to independent farmers. b. They believed that an alliance between commercial capitalists and a powerful federal government threatened freedom. c. They thought the plan would make the nation too socially equal. d. They thought the plan required too much westward expansion. e. The plan did not include tariffs, which they supported.

Q: What happened to King Louis XVI during the French Revolution? a. He abdicated the throne and moved to Switzerland. b. He successfully fled to Austria with his wife. c. He ruled as a less powerful constitutional monarch after the Revolution. d. He was executed, along with numerous aristocrats. e. He was rescued from French imprisonment by British spies.

Q: Which international partner did Alexander Hamilton think most important for the survival and prosperity of the United States? a. the Indians b. the Spanish c. the French d. the West Indians e. the British

Q: What vision of Americas future guided Thomas Jefferson and James Madison? a. a major commercial and military power under strong federal leadership b. a bastion of freedom in which freed slaves would eventually enjoy equal rights with whites c. a land of economic equality in which no one would be wealthy and no one would be poor d. a rural republic of independent farmers freely selling their goods to a global market e. an increasingly urban democracy, largely populated by educated businessmen and craftsmen

Q: With regard to Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jeffersons debates in the 1790s, what aspect of their differences in opinion can still be seen in todays United States? a. whether foreign policy in the United States should favor Great Britain or France b. whether alcohol should be taxed c. whether the United States should remain a nation of mostly farmers d. whether the Constitution should be interpreted strictly or loosely e. whether the capital should remain in Washington, D.C.

Q: Edmond-Charles Genet was a French diplomat who a. was also a British spy, which led to his arrest in the United States. b. commissioned American ships to sail under the French flag and fight the British. c. sought refuge in America as soon as the French Revolution began in 1789. d. became a key adviser to President Washington on European affairs. e. sought unsuccessfully to convince the Democratic-Republican Societies to support the French Revolution.

Q: Opponents of Hamiltons economic plan a. included George Washington. b. were mostly northerners who had supported ratification of the Constitution. c. believed future growth was to be found through close ties with Britain. d. agreed to a compromise that included placing the national capital in the South. e. were simply jealous of Hamiltons close relationship with Washington.

Q: What was impressment? a. the legal doctrine stating that a slave who traveled to free territory was still in bondage b. the practice of kidnapping sailors and forcing them to serve in the British navy c. the legal and economic rights held by an apprentice during his apprenticeship d. the process through which an immigrant applied for citizenship prior to 1845 e. the legal doctrine that prevented widows from inheriting property upon their husbands deaths

Q: Strict constructionists believed that a. Jays Treaty should be construed or interpreted to put more restrictions on Indians. b. freedom of speech and of the press should be restricted if the president believed that to be necessary. c. the federal government could only exercise powers specifically listed in the Constitution. d. the general welfare clause of the Constitution gave the federal government power to create a national bank. e. the creation of new western settlements should be strictly limited to avoid Indian wars.

Q: Which of the following did Jays Treaty accomplish? a. Britain abandoned the practice of impressment. b. The United States no longer paid tribute to the Barbary states. c. Britain paid millions of dollars in compensation to the United States for escaped slaves. d. The United States guaranteed favored treatment of British imports. e. France and Great Britain were no longer at war.

Q: Pierre Charles LEnfant is well known for a. leading a slave rebellion in Saint Domingue. b. designing Washington, D.C. c. masterminding the XYZ Affair. d. negotiating the Louisiana Purchase. e. writing Letters from an American Farmer.

Q: Benjamin Banneker was a. a scientist who helped survey the new national capital. b. the congressional leader of the opposition to Hamilton in the early 1790s. c. the secretary of war who publicly disagreed with Washington over Indian policy. d. an African-American slave whose capture inspired the Fugitive Slave Law. e. the first black person elected to Congress when he won election in the Revolution of 1800.

Q: How did Americans respond to the French Revolution? a. Almost everyone supported it at first, because the French seemed to be following in the footsteps of Americans. b. Hamilton supported the creation of a standing army to prepare the nation should French radicalism spread across the Atlantic. c. Opponents of the French Revolution formed the Republican Party, headed by Thomas Jefferson. d. They blocked passage of Jays Treaty, which showed preference for Great Britain. e. President Washington immediately spoke out against French radicals and dispatched American warships to assist England.

Q: The New Jersey Plan proposed a single-house legislature in which each state had one vote.

Q: Congress nearly passed a clause in the Ordinance of 1784 that would have prohibited slavery throughout the West.

Q: When George Washington took office as the first president of the United States, American leaders believed that the new nations success depended on a. creating political parties as a means of channeling the peoples passions. b. maintaining political harmony. c. protecting all forms of freedom. d. Washingtons willingness to serve until he died. e. coining money.

Q: Which element of our current political system did the founding fathers generally hope to avoid? a. political parties b. any involvement by the government in financial affairs c. western expansion d. state courts e. the presidential cabinet

Q: The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 did not acknowledge that the Indians owned their land.

Q: States called out militias to stop foreclosures on the homes of debtors.

Q: Why was political rhetoric so passionate and divisive during the 1790s? a. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr joined forces in trying to form their own political party separate from the Federalists and Republicans. b. The United States would not have a national debt until the 1800s; all war debts following the Revolution remained squarely with the states. c. Americans feared that the ideals of the Revolution would be betrayed as America faced the realities of governance. d. Religious tensions that had been a secondary concern during the War for Independence came to dominate all other concerns. e. Prominent newspaper editors later found to be British agents deliberately sowed dissension and soon nearly sparked another war.

Q: Shayss Rebellion demonstrated to many leading Americans the need for a more central government to ensure private liberty.

Q: Alexander Hamiltons long-term goal was to a. increase the Republican Partys political power. b. ensure that the United States would be a primarily agrarian nation. c. promote the power of state governments. d. make the United States a major commercial and military power. e. succeed George Washington as president.

Q: Rhode Islands refusal to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention reflected the fact that the state already had well-established trade and debt relief policies.

Q: Which of the following was part of Alexander Hamiltons financial program? a. default on all debts prior to the ratification of the Constitution b. the Bank of the United States, modeled on the Bank of England c. a tax on wine producers as a means of raising revenue d. taxes and subsidies to promote the growth of cotton e. creating Washington, D.C., as a major trade port

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

Q: What was the main source of the political divisions that surfaced in 1790 and 1791? a. the election of George Washington as the nations first president b. the Louisiana Purchase c. slavery d. the rights of women e. a financial plan developed by Alexander Hamilton

Q: Alexander Hamilton proposed in the Constitutional Convention that the president and senators serve life terms.

Q: What did Alexander Hamilton include in his economic proposal? a. the creation of individual state banks b. subsidies to whiskey producers c. tariffs on exported goods d. federal responsibility for outstanding Revolutionary War debts e. the elimination of the national debt

Q: What did Thomas Jefferson believe regarding individuals abilities and achievements? a. They were completely random and unpredictable. b. They were predestined by God. c. They were directly tied to race and were unchangeable. d. They were shaped by social conditions and thus changeable over time. e. They were tied entirely to environment but unrelated to race or intelligence.

Q: The U.S. Constitution of 1787 was Americas first written constitution.

Q: Who was allowed to become a citizen following the Naturalization Act of 1790? a. children of slaves b. German immigrants c. free blacks not born in the United States d. Japanese immigrants e. Native Americans

Q: Which of the following views of African-Americans did Thomas Jefferson express? a. They were unfit for economic independence and political self-government. b. Those held in slavery should be emancipated immediately and every former slave family should be given a forty-acre farm in a western territory. c. If legally free, they should be allowed to marry white persons. d. They were naturally as intelligent as whites but lacked educational opportunities. e. They were destined to someday hold an equal place in society with whites.

Q: What was the annuity system involving the U.S. government and certain Indian tribes? a. a system under which the Indians ceded land to the United States annually b. a system under which the federal government gave annual monetary grants to Indians c. a system that placed Indians on reservations west of the Mississippi River d. a system that allowed a percentage of Indians each year to attend American schools e. a system where the states paid each local tribe an annual fee for their land

Q: Who appears to have fathered one or more children with his slave? a. John Adams b. Thomas Jefferson c. George Washington d. Ben Franklin e. Benjamin Rush

Q: What was Thomas Jeffersons stance on Indians? a. He believed they were savages unworthy and incapable of civilization. b. He believed they could become full-fledged members of the republic by assimilating. c. He believed their society was equal to whites in every way but was uncomfortable with their cultural practices. d. He believed they should be driven from the continent entirely, so as to keep the population pure. e. He believed that Indians had perfected harmonious living and aimed to learn from them.

Q: Which was a development in the late eighteenth century that represented an increase in freedoms and rights for Americans? a. Women entered the public sphere as teachers and lawyers. b. Ex-slaves were given the right to vote in southern states. c. Children were granted explicit legal rights under the Bill of Rights. d. Indentured servitude and apprenticeship declined. e. Indians were granted the right to vote in the Northwest Territory.

Q: The 1790 Naturalization Act established a policy of open immigration and naturalization for a. all people of the world. b. white Europeans. c. Asians. d. Africans. e. Indians.

Q: ___ 1. Alexander Hamilton ___ 2. Daniel Shays ___ 3. Henry Knox ___ 4. John Adams ___ 5. Hector Cr vecoeur ___ 6. George Washington ___ 7. Thomas Jefferson ___ 8. Little Turtle ___ 9. Patrick Henry ___ 10. James Madison ___ 11. Arthur St. Clair ___ 12. James Winthrop a. was an Anti-Federalist who condemned slavery but feared abolition b. suffered defeat at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, leading to the Treaty of Greenville c. wrote Notes on the State of Virginia d. wrote Letters from an American Farmer e. led an uprising of Massachusetts farmers f. wrote an Anti-Federalist essay signed Agrippa g. willed his slaves to be freed upon the death of his wife h. was defeated by Little Turtle in the Ohio Valley i. served as a diplomat to England and was unable to attend the Constitutional Convention j. wrote most of The Federalist essays k. was the father of the Constitution and the lifelong disciple and ally of Thomas Jefferson l. was secretary of war during Washingtons administration

Q: Approximately how many slaves were living in America by 1790? a. 700,000 b. 100,000 c. 70,000 d. 20,000 e. 5,000

Q: ___ 1. Articles of Confederation ___ 2. Federalism ___ 3. Virginia Plan ___ 4. checks and balances ___ 5. The Federalist ___ 6. New Jersey Plan ___ 7. three-fifths clause ___ 8. Treaty of Greenville ___ 9. Naturalization Act of 1790 ___ 10. Bill of Rights ___ 11. importation of slaves ___ 12. Somerset case a. established the annuity system b. called for a unicameral system c. was the first American constitution written d. was abolished in the United States on January 1, 1808 e. called for two houses based on proportional representation f. was another name for the separation of powers g. was a basic political principle sometimes called the division of powers h. were written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay to generate support for Constitutional ratification i. amendments to the Constitution j. held that citizenship was limited to whites only k. provided that some of the slave population would be counted in determining each states representation l. ruled slavery unlawful in England

Q: During the early years of the republic, African-Americans 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.

Q: At the time of independence, the nation was largely urban, with most of its population residing in the large seacoast cities.

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

Q: Which of the following sentiments would Hector St. John Cr vecoeur agree with based on the excerpt from his Letters from an American Farmer? a. The United States was a land of new opportunities for European immigrants. b. Without a strong federal Constitution, the American experiment was sure to fail c. Power corrupts and must be held in check through the separation of powers. d. An agrarian lifestyle was essential to American virtue. e. Free African-Americans were citizens of color deserving of full legal rights.

Q: When was the principle of birthright citizenship established? a. with the passage of the Naturalization Act of 1790 b. with the signing of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 c. during the debate surrounding ratification of the Constitution d. during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War e. with the ratification of the Constitution

Q: Which statement is true regarding Native Americans status in the new nation? 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.

Q: Who in the nineteenth century used the words We the people from the Constitution to claim that the southern states could not secede from the Union? a. Andrew Jackson b. Abraham Lincoln c. George Washington d. Jefferson Davis e. Daniel Webster

Q: Under the Treaty of Greenville of 1795, a. Great Britain agreed to remove its remaining forts from U.S. soil. b. twelve Indian tribes ceded most of Ohio to the federal government. c. the U.S. government allowed Indians to petition for citizenship. d. the federal government forbade American settlement west of the Mississippi. e. the United States recognized Great Britains claim to what is now Ontario.

Q: Envisioning the nation as a community open to all those devoted to its political institutions and social values is what? a. ethnic nationalism b. federalism c. separation of powers d. religious toleration e. civic nationalism

Q: Which of the following is true of American national identity as envisioned by the Constitution of 1787? a. The document distinguished only between those defined as American citizens, who were entitled to constitutionally protected rights, and aliens, who were not so entitled. b. The Constitution clearly states that persons of African descent could not be U.S. citizens, but that anyone of European or Asian descent could be. c. The people were free Americans; Native Americans and other persons, meaning African-American slaves, were not considered part of the political nation. d. The Constitution expressly stated that only white men were entitled to the rights it delineated. e. The Constitution made clear that only civic nationalism, not ethnic nationalism, defined American national identity.

Q: Which of the following is true of how the U.S. government in the 1790s dealt with Native Americans? a. Because the Constitution counted all Indians toward representation in Congress, Indians received all rights and privileges that other Americans did. b. Because the Constitution stated that Indian tribes were domestic dependent nations, the government treated them just as it treated nations like Great Britain and France. c. Henry Knox, the first secretary of war, pursued policies designed to exterminate Native Americans. d. The U.S. government made treaties with them mainly to transfer land to itself or to the states. e. No American leaders believed that Native Americans could assimilate into American society, so the government largely ignored Indians.

Q: What about the Bill of Rights was most remarkable in its departure from British precedent and even the Declaration of Independence? a. It invoked the blessing of divine providence. b. It provided constitutional recognition of religious freedom. c. It was the first document to mention the term unalienable rights. d. It referred to the pursuit of happiness. e. It granted the right to assemble.

Q: Who was J. Hector St. John de Cr vecoeur, in addition to being the author of the Letters from an American Farmer? a. a Frenchman who praised American society in contrast to European society b. the son of a Revolutionary War general who established a prosperous farm in Virginia c. a French trader who died after offending a number of aristocratic families in America d. a former owner of a plantation in the West Indies plantation who relocated to America e. a free black who owned land in Vermont after serving in the Revolutionary War

Q: What role did the Constitution play in the question of American citizenship? a. The Constitution officially granted citizenship to any white person born on American soil, formalizing the definition of citizenship that had long been held by the colonies. b. The Constitution did not include the word citizen whatsoever because the Declaration of Independence already had already granted citizenship to all property-owning males. c. The Constitution gave a detailed description of the role of the federal government, rather than the states, in defining and guaranteeing the rights of all American citizens. d. The Constitution specified that all white people over the age of eighteen were to be considered citizens and, as children, needed to prove their loyalty to the nation. e. The Constitution failed to define the word citizen, reflecting the lack of a commonly agreed-upon understanding of the rights that went with citizenship.

Q: Which of the following ideas does J. Hector St. John de Cr vecoeur express in Letters from an American Farmer? a. America as a Christian nation first and foremost b. America as a nation defined by unsettled, uncultivated land c. America as a melting pot for various ethnicities d. America as a place that emphasized nobility, where the streets are paved with gold e. America as a country of Englishmen who all shared the same motives

Q: Those who supported and those who opposed ratification of the Constitution typically differed in which quality? a. military experience b. first language c. religion d. status as slave owners e. economic status

Q: In The History of the American Revolution, David Ramsay a. argued that the Constitution represented a repudiation of the Revolution. b. urged southern states to demand greater protection for slavery before ratifying the Constitution. c. praised American state constitutions for allowing future amendments. d. took issue with James Madisons vision of extending the sphere. e. took the British side when explaining why the Revolution occurred.

Q: The original Constitution a. was written in four months and is around 4,000 words long. b. was written in nine months and is around 7,000 words long. c. was written in two years and is 3,000 words long. d. was written in five years and is around 20,000 words long. e. was written in ten years and is around 100,000 words long.

Q: Which of the following descriptions characterizes David Ramsays The History of the American Revolution? 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 worlds people

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

Q: What was one of the rights named in the Bill of Rights? a. the right to vote regardless of gender b. the right to equal protection under the law c. the right to trial by jury d. the right of sovereign immunity e. the right to sell alcohol

Q: Which of the following is true of the debate surrounding the ratification of the Constitution? 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 Jeffersons essays were influential in raising support for ratification.

Q: What is the significance of the Ninth Amendment? a. It established the freedom of the press, a key component of American liberty. b. It affirmed that powers not delegated to the national government or prohibited to the states continued to reside with the states. c. It established the requirement of religious tests for federal officeholders. d. It clarified the roles of the president and vice president. e. It declared that rights not specifically mentioned in the Constitution were retained by the people.

Q: What Anti-Federalist idea is still part of modern political debate? a. a concern about cultural differences between Protestants and Catholics b. a concern about a citizens 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

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

Q: What was James Madisons position on including a bill of rights in the Constitution? 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.

Q: The Anti-Federalist James Winthrop argued that a bill of rights was necessary in the Constitution because a. the English had one, so America ought to mirror that example. b. the right to bear arms for the militia should be guarded by law. c. using the examples of Wilkes and Zenger, the protection of speech and press was essential. d. it would secure the minority against the usurpation and tyranny of the majority. e. ratification of the Constitution was in doubt without the inclusion of the Bill of Rights.

Q: Which of the following groups tended to be Anti-Federalist during the ratification debates? a. wealthier citizens b. rural residents closely tied to the commercial marketplace c. merchants engaged in foreign commerce d. state politicians e. urban artisans, laborers, and sailors

Q: The Constitutions most energetic supporters were a. men of substantial property. b. Virginians. c. small farmers. d. New Yorkers. e. North Carolinians.

Q: Which was a factor that helped to raise support for ratification of the Constitution? a. Patrick Henrys promise to oppose the inclusion of a Bill of Rights. b. violent conflicts with the Indians in the New England states c. the hope that a strong federal government would be able to boost the economy d. Thomas Jeffersons popular essays on government e. the promise to Virginians that they would gain more western territory

Q: Which of the following scenarios can potentially be seen as a violation of the First Amendment? a. an accused thief spends two years in jail before receiving a trial b. a corporation fires an employee for voicing his opinion on the presidential election c. a defendant is forced to testify in his trial d. a woman is arrested for organizing a peaceful meeting to protest the federal governments immigration policies e. police officers enter and search a suspected thiefs home before they obtain a warrant

Q: The three-fifths clause in the U.S. Constitution a. required that all revenue bills receive a three-fifths affirmative vote in the U.S. House. b. gave the white South greater power in national affairs than the size of its free population warranted. c. explicitly declared that slaves were not fully human and were therefore undeserving of legal rights. d. made it easier to amend the Constitution than it had been to amend the Articles of Confederation. e. expired in the year 1808 because of a key sectional compromise at the Constitutional Convention.

Q: The eighty-five essays written in support of ratification of the Constitution are called a. The Wealth of Nations. b. the Articles of Confederation. c. The Federalist. d. Agrippa. e. The History of the American Revolution.

Q: The Somerset case a. ended the importation of slaves into the United States. b. established the idea that any slaves who set foot on British soil would become free. c. freed slaves from the ship Amistad. d. used the language of liberty to rule that free blacks could own property. e. set the precedent that fugitive slaves had to be returned to their masters.

Q: What was the first object of government, according to James Madison? a. Feed the poor. b. Protect free speech. c. Guarantee voting rights. d. Protect property rights. e. Secure freedom.