Name:________________________________Per:________
8.1 The Articles of Confederation
1. Define the following terms:
Bicameral
Having two separate lawmaking chambers
Ordinance
A law
Depreciate
To fall in value
The Making of a Republic
2. What questions or challenges needed to be resolved following the American Revolution?
They faced the challenge of governing themselves. Would the states be able to
work together and still maintain their independence? How would each
individual state govern itself?
3. What kind of constitutions did the states create and WHY?
After years of British rule, Americans were determined not to place too much
power in the hands of one ruler or body. They crafted constitutions that limited
the power of the governor.
4. Define and describe how a constitutional republic works.
It’s a government in which citizens rule through elected representatives. These
representatives would serve for a specific term of office and pledge to govern by
the laws set down in a written constitution, or plan of government.
5. As you read, list the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:
Strengths (what central gov. could do)
Conduct foreign affairs
Maintain armed forces
Borrow money
Issue currency
Weaknesses (What central gov. could NOT do)
No power to regulate trade, force citizens to
join the army, or impose taxes
It had to ask states to raise money for troops
Weak central gov. with no chief executive
All states had to approve any amendments
6. What delayed ratification (approval) of the Articles?
Disputes over western lands: seven states claimed land west of the Appalachians.
Maryland refused to approve articles until other states gave up their land claims
7. How was the Confederation government too weak to handle problems facing the U.S.?
The weak Congress could not pass laws unless nine states voted in favor of it.
Changing the Articles required the approval of all 13 states. It was hard for
Congress to pass laws or amend the Articles when there was any disagreement.
8. What were some achievements under the Confederation government?
Americans negotiated a treaty with Britain and expanded the country’s foreign
trade. The Confederation also helped with settling and governing western lands.
Policies for Western Lands
9. Describe how the Confederation government created policies to turn territories into states:
The Ordinance of 1785: Set up a process to survey and sell the lands north of the Ohio
River. It divided that territory into townships.
The Northwest Ordinance: Lands in the Northwest Territory were to be divided into
three to five smaller territories, and when a state reached 60,000 residents, the
people could seek statehood.
Bill of Rights (3 things): Guaranteed freedom of religion and trial by jury. No
slavery—the first attempt to stop the spread of slavery in the United States.
Land Act of 1800: This made it possible for people to pay for land a little at a time.
Problems at Home and Abroad
10. Why did the government have trouble raising money to pay off debt from the war?
Without the power to tax, the Confederation could not raise money to pay its
debts. It asked the states for money, but could not force the states to pay.
11. Summarize the worsening financial and political problems that faced the U.S.:
Import Tax: One state opposed the plan to tax imported goods to help pay off debt.
Relations with Britain: Britain was blocking American trade and did not withdraw
its troops, but Congress didn’t have the power to make sure Loyalist property
was returned.
Relations with Spain: To stop American expansion into its territory, it closed off
American access to the Mississippi River, which Americans needed for shipping
8.2 Forging a New Constitution
1. Define the following terms:
Depression
Compromise
A period when economic activity slows and unemployment
increases
A settlement of a dispute by each party giving up some
demands
The Need for Change
2. What events led to a serious shortage of money in the United States?
1.
The U.S. went through a depression
2.
Wartime damage to Southern plantations led to a drop in rice exports.
3.
Trade fell: British closed the West Indies market to American merchants.
4.
The little money the gov. had went to paying debts to foreign countries.
3. How were economic troubles particularly hard for farmers?
Unable to sell their goods, they could not pay their taxes and debts. This led
state officials to seize farmers’ lands and throw them in jail.
4. Summarize the events of Shays’s Rebellion.
Farmers in Massachusetts forced courts to close in order to stop judges from
legally taking away farmers’ lands. They tried seizing guns and
ammunition. The militia stopped them and killed four farmers.
5. Why did Shays’s Rebellion frighten Americans?
Concern grew that the government could not handle unrest and prevent violence.
6. Who founded the first antislavery society, and why do you think it was this group?
The Quakers in Pennsylvania—not necessary for economy, against religion.
The Constitutional Convention
7. Why was the government following the revolution still not a nation?
It was a union of 13 independent states without a strong national government.
8. Why did Alexander Hamilton call for a convention (meeting) in Philadelphia?
To discuss trade issues and consider what possible changes were needed to make
the federal government adequate.
9. What role did James Madison play at the Convention (include his nickname).
He kept a record of the convention’s work. He is often called the “Father of the
Constitution” because he was the author of the basic plan of government the
Convention adopted.
10. Read about the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan and compare them below:
Similarities
Differences
Both plans had three branches:
Legislative, executive, and judicial
Both plans gave the federal government
More powers than it had under AofC
The plans disagreed on how state votes
would be determined—should it be by
population or should each state get one
vote?
Agreeing to Compromise
11. Describe Roger Sherman’s Great Compromise in the two-house legislature:
Upper House (Senate): Each state would have two members (equal representation)
Lower House (House of Representatives): the number of seats for each state would
vary based on the state’s population (larger state gets more votes)
12. Read about the Three-Fifths Compromise
Problem: Disagreement over how to count slave population. Southern states would
get more votes, but also pay more in taxes.
Solution: Every five enslaved persons would count as three persons in the state’s
population total, which would be the basis for setting taxes and determining
representation in Congress
13. What agreement was made about the slave trade?
Northerners agreed to keep the new Congress from interfering with the slave
trade until 1808
14. Why did George Mason propose a bill of rights and why was it rejected?
He thought the gov. would abuse its power. Others believed the Constitution
carefully defined government powers and provided enough protection of
individual rights.
15. What did the drafters decide about state approval of the Constitution?
The document would go into effect with the approval of just 9 out of 13 states.
8.3 A New Plan of Government
1. Define the following terms:
Federalism
Sharing power between the federal and state governments
Legislative branch
Lawmaking branch of government
Executive branch
Branch that executes, or carries out the law, headed by the
president
Electoral College
Judicial Branch
Checks and balances
Amendment
Special group of electors chosen to vote for president and
vice president
Branch that includes the courts that settle disputes and
questions of law
System by which each branch of government limits power
of other branches
A change, correction, or improvement added to Constitution
The Constitution’s Sources
2. Read about European influences and briefly describe their effects on the U.S. Constitution:
 placed limits on the power of the monarch (leader)
English Bill of Rights  many believed a Bill of Rights was needed
John Locke
 natural rights, a contract between gov. and people
Montesquieu
separate/balance powers of government against each other
Magna Carta
3. Describe how the federal government and the states share power under the Constitution:
Federal powers: tax, regulate trade, control currency, raise an army, declare war
“Necessary and proper”: This power allows Congress to make laws as needed
to deal with new situations
State powers: power to control trade inside their borders, local governments,
schools, establish marriage and divorce laws
Shared powers: power to tax and establish criminal justice systems
4. How were the Constitution and laws of Congress to be “the supreme law of the land?”
No state could make laws or take actions that went against the Constitution.
Federal courts would settle disputes between the federal government and states.
Government Structure
5. How did the Framers address grievances expressed in the Declaration of Independence?
They limited the power of government and protected rights of citizens
6. How did the Framers use Montesquieu’s idea of separation of powers?
Divide the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, judicial
7. Who makes up each branch of government?
Legislative: Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)
Executive: President and Vice President head the branch
Judicial: Supreme Courts and other federal courts
8. What does a system of checks and balances prevent?
No single branch of government can gain too much power in the government.
Debate and Adoption
9. Read about the debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists and compare below:
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Wanted ratification of Constitution.
Reminded Americans of flaws in AoC.
The U.S. would not survive without a
strong national government.
Constitution would create a better
framework of government.
Strong national gov. would take
away liberties Americans fought for
in the Revolution.
They warned the gov. would ignore
the will of states and favor wealthy
Favored local gov. controlled by people
10. What did several states require before they ratified the Constitution? Why?
Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms
11. Why did large states, like New York and Virginia, hold off on ratification?
They didn’t think it placed enough limits on government—wanted B.O.R.
12. How long did it take to ratify the constitution, from the first state to the last?
December 1787 – May 1790: Two and a half years.