Don't Know Much About History: study questions
~ He said this after Shay's Rebellion and it is prevented an over reaction of the up rise. And it prevented people from just giving up on the new government and that it was important that the government did not get to much control.
2) Why did Shay's Rebellion happen?
~ Farmers were being sent to jail and court and having their land taken away because they could not pay taxes, the farmers thought they were being treated unfairly
3) The constitution is "a political creation, hammered together in a series of artfully negotiated compromises. Discuss these compromises.
~ 3/5 compromise which stated that slaves would count as 3/5, this was for taxation and representation purposes.
4) What was the Virginia Plan?
~ Becomes the constitution with some compromises. James Madision's idea
5) "No person held in service" was a euphemism for what?
Slaves, how it is written in the constitution
6) List the basic Powers and Checks of the three branches of the government.
~ 1) What are the three branches of government and what are the powers of each?
The legislative Branch (House of Representative & the senate): collecting taxes, coining money, and regulating trade. They can declare war and raise and support armies. They also makes all laws needed to fulfill the functions given to it as stated in the constitution.
Executive Branch (The president): There job is to carry out the nation’s laws and policies, be commander in chief of the armed forces and conduct relations with foreign countries.
Judicial branch (Supreme Court and other lower federal courts the congress establish): They hear cases involving the constitution, laws passed by congress and disputes between states. Executive serves as a check or limit on congress, by which they can vetoing the bill. But congress can override or vote down the veto by having two thirds of both the houses voting for the bill.
Also the president chooses the supreme court justices and the senate must approve. The supreme court checks the congress and president by ruling on the constitutionality of the laws and presidential acts.
7) Who wrote the Federalist Papers and why did they write them?
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. To back up the radification of the constitution.
8) Briefly outline the first ten amendments.
1st. seperation of church and state
2nd. The right to bear arms
3rd. soldiers cannot be housed in a private house
4th. the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure
5th.laws concerning prosecution
6th. right to a speedy, public trial
7th. Guarantees trial by jury
8th. prohibits cruel and unusual punishment
9th. Defines the rule of the construction of the constitution
10th.rights of states under constitution
9) Who could wrote in the first election (what parts of the population)?
white males with land
10) How did Washington D.C. come be located on the banks of the Potomac?
They wanted it next to virginia. A secret dinner desicion between Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison wanted it close to virginia to ensure Virginias state of power.
11) What did Jay's Treaty do?
it eliminated british control of western posts, increased trade between countries and averted war
12) What was the "Whiskey Rebellion" and how was it put down?
The farmers rebel because whiskey was being taxed and Washington lead a bunch of troops which put down the rebel quickly
13) Describe the election of 1800? How was it finally resolved?
It was a tie between thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr that had to go to the house of representatives. After 35 votings Hamiltion persuaded on Represnetative to vote for Jefferson which made him win
14) Who was John Marshall?
head of the supreme court for 35 years, put in place by John Adams and made the supreme court what it is today
15) Why did France sell its North America possessions (the Louisiana territory) to the U.S.?
After losing Haiti, Napoleon decides to worry European affairs rather than getting a colony and fighting in America
16) What did Lewis and Clark do? Describe their journey?
Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to Explore the west and the new territory. They did this because Jefferson wanted to get American into the fur trade, to feel out the political and military uses of the West and to collect scientific information about this vast uncharted land. they set out from St. Lewis on three boats, , wintered at fort mandan in north dakota. in the spring the continued west and reached the pacific coast by boat in november and wintered in Fort Clatsop. went for an overland return, splitting into two groups after crossing the rockies and arrived together in St. Lous.
17) How did Hamilton incur the wrath of Aaron Burr? Was he right in what he did? How did the ordeal end?
We made Burr lose his spot as president and as governor, causing a successful political destruction of Burr. Well yes in a sense, challegning Hamilition should have been expected by what he did to burr but burr betraying the United States was not right. Hamiltion was killed and Burr's take over and creat a new empire failed.
18) What was Jefferson's Embargo Act? Why was it unpopular and what was it suppose to do?
the Embargo act prohibited all exports into America as economic retaliation for the British impressment policy and as a means to keep America out of the war. It was very unpopular.
19) What did Tecumseh try and do?
Tried to unite the native groups because he envisioned a vast Indian confederacy strong enouogh to keep the Ohio River as a border between Indians and Whites ( prevent further westward expansion)
20) Describe the Battle of Tippecanoe?
Occured at the junction of the Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers. The Prophet ordered poorly calculated attack on Harrisons 1000 men. The indians inflicted heavy losses but were eventually pushed back and all of their food stores, their village were destroyed and the prophets claim of invincible magic was shattered
21) Most historians call the War of 1812 a draw. Why?
Both agreed on a truce and neither side lost or gained anything
22) Describe the Battle of New Orleans.
It was a very lopsided war. British suffered more than 2000 dead, while the US casualties were 8 dead and a small number wounded
23) What did the Monroe Doctrine state?
it declared that the United States would not tolerate interventions in the Americas by European nations. or that the US would not interfere with already established colonies or with government sin Europe.
24) What was the Missouri Compromise?
Missiouri would be considered a slave state even though it was north of the slave non slave seperation boundries.
25) How was the election of 1824 decided? Why was it called a "corrupt bargain"?
It went to the house of representatives. it was between andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay. Lots of mudslinging. When John Quincy Adams was elected, Clay was given a position of power which looked like clay dropped to let Adams win so long as he got a position of power. recieved a spot on the presidents cabinet so it looked like a bargon
26) List some of the labels attached to Andrew Jackson.
Trail of Tears, Jacksonian Democracy, Andrew jackson embodied the new American spirit and became the idol of the ambitious jingoistic younger men who called themsleves Democrats ( of the American common man)
27) Was Andrew Jackson an Indian hater? What did the natives call him? What "Indian Wars" did he fight in and what was the outcome? What was his native "policy" as President?
Yes he was, They called him Long Knife. Creek War, which is where he got his reputation as a ruthless indian fighter, first Seminole war, 1812. Unless they adapt the American Culture, we ill kill you our you need to move.
28) How did Jackson come to symbolize the common people?
Andrew jackson embodied the new American spirit and became the idol of the ambitious jingoistic younger men who called themsleves Democrats. Cam from porverty, fought in the revolution, first president from the west.
