What do I need to know for my CHAPTER 9 TEST?
Just like chapter 8, you MUST answer each of these questions. You will turn
in your work on the day of your test with a parent signature.
You should be able to answer these questions:
1. What were the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation were the first plan established for
the new government of the United States after the Declaration
of Independence was written.
2. What were THREE weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
 The Legislature had no real power over the states.
 There was no president or unifying leader.
 States followed their own plans and acted independently
3. List THREE contributions James Madison made to the Constitution.
 Given credit for writing the Constitution.
 Believed that the country needed a strong central
government.
 Believed that the legislature should have two chambers, the
Virginia Plan.
 Orchestrated the Great Compromise (made it happen)
4. Why is James Madison called the “Father of the Constitution”?
 Madison is called the father of the Constitution because he
had the major ideas for the new government and how it
would work.
5. Did James Madison write the Constitution?
He is given credit for it, but several men worked on the
document.
6. How was the issue of representation in Congress solved at the
Constitutional Convention?
The Great Compromise was when the smaller states were given a
house where each state had one representative, or one vote, and
the other house had representatives based on a state’s
population. Each group, small states and large states, got a little
of what they were asking for.
7. Why is George Washington called the “Father of our Country”?
George Washington was our first president and dictated by his
actions how a president would act in the government, what the
responsibilities would be, and how he or she would interact with
Congress.
8. Why is the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom important?
It became important to the first amendment, which guarantees a
person’s right to practice the religion of their choice without
persecution.
9. What are TWO things Thomas Jefferson did DURING his presidency?
Jefferson bought the Louisiana Purchase from France, and sent
Lewis and Clark to explore the region. He also sent Meriwether
Lewis and William Clark to explore the land out to the Pacific
Coast.
10.What was important about the War of 1812? (HINT: What did it prove?)
No one won the War of 1812, but it did prove that the United
States could stand up for itself as an independent nation.
11. What was the Monroe Doctrine?
Written by James Monroe, the Monroe Doctrine warned European
powers that they had no right to interfere with countries in
North and South America.
12.Why did some of Virginia’s planters move to the western part of the
state?
Farmers had not taken care of the land when growing tobacco,
and the land was tired and contained few remaining nutrients.
Tobacco was no longer growing well. So farmers headed west in
search of better farming land.
13.How did the practice of slave trading emerge in Virginia?
Slave trading began in Virginia because the new increase in cotton
farming required a large amount of labor to pick the cotton from
the fields. The cotton gin made processing the cotton much
faster, and so more cotton needed to be harvested from the
fields.
14.Where did John Brown lead an attack?
John Brown led an attack on slavery in Harper’s Ferry Virginia in
1859. He took control of an armory, took prisoners, and expected
slaves to fight with him for their freedom. No slaves fought, and
John Brown was tried for treason and executed.
You should be able to answer these questions in complete sentences on
your test:
15.Describe THREE reasons why the Articles of Confederation created a
weak government.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
16.Why did southern planters defend the idea to have slaves?
 Agricultural economy
 Slave labor needed on large plantations
17.Why did northerners NOT need to rely on slaves?
 Colder climate
 Manufacturing economy
