Download AMERICAN HISTORY CHAPTER 7 STUDY GUIDE CREATING THE

AMERICAN HISTORY
CHAPTER 7 STUDY GUIDE
CREATING THE CONSTITUTION
Before the Articles of Confederation, was there a national constitution? If not, what was there as far as
written governmental statements?
At the state level, who was the executive? How was the legislative branch appointed?
What year was the Articles of Confederation adopted?
Define confederation?
Of the three branches of government that characterize the United States today, which did the Articles of
Confederation have?
What motivated the writers of the Articles of Confederation to create a relatively weak central
government?
Give three examples (pgs 206 & 208, for example) of things Congress had no power to do with the
Articles of Confederation.
A.
B.
C.
Before the Land Ordinance of 1785, most states claimed land far west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Why did Congress want these lands for itself rather than allowing them to remain parts of existing
states?
What was the purpose of the USPLS? Who devised it?
Be able to describe a piece of land using the USPLA system.
What are the dimensions of a township?
What are the dimensions of a section?
How many acres are in a section?
The Northwest Ordinance set up a three-step process for statehood. What were the steps?
A.
B.
C.
Why were Massachusetts farmers in the 1780s so upset with Congress?
Daniel Shays was so upset that he and approximately 1000 Massachusetts farmers banned together
seeking a takeover of a government barricks. While he was arrested, what impact did the rebellion
have?
The Constitutional Convention was held in what year? In what city?
A.
B.
What was the original intent of the convention (pg. 212)?
Who was asked to act as president of the convention?
Instead of revising the Articles of Confederation, a proposal for a entirely new constitution was made
by whom?
This proposal was called the Virginia Plan. How did it compare with the Articles of Confederation and
who was its author?
A.
B.
The Virginia Plan called for ______ separate branches of government. They were:
A
B
C
The function of the ___________ branch is:
The function of the ___________branch is:
The function of the ___________branch is:
How many people did Edmund Randolph propose should hold the title of chief executive (president)?
The Virginia Plan called for a two-part legislature – an upper and a lower house. How did James
Wilson believe these legislatures should be chosen?
What aspect of the Virginia Plan did smaller states especially disagree with?
To address this issue the New Jersey Plan was proposed by whom? What was his proposal?
A.
B.
Finally, Roger Sherman saved the day by proposing what is now considered “The Great Compromise.”
What was his idea?
Other issues in the constitutional debates included slavery. Why did southern states seek to have slaves
count towards a state's population total?
What was the northern states' argument against this?
What compromise was agreed upon regarding this issue?
What year did the importation of slaves become illegal in the United States?
What was needed for the Constitution and the accompanying Bill of Rights to become passed as law?
What was a Federalist?
Who published the famous Federalists Papers, a collection of 85 newspaper essays supporting the
Constitution?
A.
B.
C.
According the first paragraph on pg. 219, what was Antifederalist? Were they 100% against the
Constitution? If not, what did they want?
A.
B.
C.
On what date was the Constitution ratified (confirmed or approved)?
Who was the first president of the United States?
Who was the first vice-president of the United States?
Know that the Framers of the Constitution wanted it to be able to be changed, but that they wanted it to
be fairly difficult process so that change would not happen too much too fast.
In 1789, Congress passed 10 amendments (additions) to the Constitution which are now referred to as
the ____________________
What is the First Amendment?
What is the Second Amendment?