STUDY GUIDE TEST II

 

COLONIAL POLITICS
What were the three distinct parts of the British government?  In theory, what part of English society did each part relate to?  In reality, what were the problems with the British government?
What is the origin for the British idea of liberty?
What rights were present in the English Bill of Rights?  What is the Royal Prerogative?

1763-1774
Why did Parliament and George III feel that it would be reasonable to tax the colonies?
Why were the various tax acts so unpopular with the colonists? 
What were the main complaints sent to Parliament by the Stamp Act Congress?
Can you explain the difference between virtual and direct representation?
Know the provisions of the Townshend Acts.  How did reaction to the act lead to the dissolution of the colonial assemblies?
What happened at the Boston Massacre?
What are the provisions of the Coercive Acts?
Identify the decisions reached at the First Continental Congress.
What was the ruling in the case of Campbell v. Hall?  Why did this ruling fail to help calm the revolutionary feelings in the American colonies?
TERMS: Sugar Act, Quartering Act, Stamp Act, Virginia Resolves, Sons of Liberty, Tea Act, Boston Tea Party

1775-1776
Be familiar with the events surrounding the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775.
What were the elements responsible for the American militia victory at Concord?
What decisions were reached at the Second Continental Congress?
Why was Congress hesitant about declaring revolution?  For Whigs, under what conditions should revolutions be carried out?  Why did Whigs feel the need for caution in matters of revolution?  How did Whigs define the difference between “resistance” and “revolt”?
Identify the ideas put forth by Thomas Paine in Common Sense.
Identify the 3 distinct parts of the Declaration of Independence.
What advantages did the colonists enjoy in the American Revolution?
TERMS: General Thomas Gage, Margaret Gage, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, Prohibitory Act, John Locke

1776-1783
What were the basic strategies in the early phase of the Revolution?  Why did each side focus on the particular strategy chosen?
What problems did Benedict Arnold encounter on his march to Quebec?  How did the British contribute to his troubles?
What events doomed the American assault on Quebec?
What is the importance of Arnold’s naval expeditionary force on Lake Champlain?
What cardinal mistake did Washington make in his defense of New York?
How did the British stir up further opposition as they invaded New York and New Jersey?
What elements contributed to Washington’s victory at Trenton?  Why was this victory significant?
Be familiar with the events leading up to the colonists’ victory at Saratoga.  What effect did this have on the French?
What does the Treaty of Amity & Commerce mean?  What are the provisions of the Treaty of Alliance between America and France?
How does French involvement transform the American Revolution?
What conditions led the British to shift the war effort to the southern colonies?  Who helped lead them to this strategy?  What were the flaws in it?
Why did the Southern colonies contribute so few soldiers to the Revolution?
How did Nathaniel Green eventually achieve “victories” over Lord Cornwallis?
Why did Lord Cornwallis move his armies to Virginia?
Why is the move to Yorktown a mistake for the British?
Identify the provisions of the 1783 Paris Peace Treaty.
TERMS: George Washington, Loyalists, Fabian Strategy

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
What traits from state constitutions showed up in the Articles of Confederation?  Why were these traits important to the colonists?
How did the national government function in relation to state governments?  What was the problem with this relationship?
Identify the weaknesses of the central government under the Articles of Confederation.
Identify the provisions in both the Ordinance of 1785 and the NW Ordinance of 1787.
What economic and diplomatic problems did the United States suffer in this period?
According to Madison, what vices existed in the current government?  What changes would be necessary to make in order to prevent the breakup of the United States?
Why according to Madison had the national government fared so badly since the end of the Revolution?  What solution did Madison feel was necessary?
TERMS: Annapolis Convention, Shay’s Rebellion

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Identify the provisions of the Virginia Plan, NJ Plan, and Compromise Plan
What were Southern representative objections to counting slaves as property?
What were Patterson’s objections to counting slaves as full people?
What concerns about abolition made it an unlikely solution?
Identify the decisions made about counting slaves and the slave trade.
What were the three basic problems with the creation of the Executive?
Identify the reasons for the creation of the Electoral College.
How did the Constitution differ from European practices with regards to religion?

WASHINGTON PRESIDENCY
Why did Congress permit the establishment of the Presidential Cabinet?
Identify the differences between the Federalists and Republicans over domestic and foreign affairs.
What were the two goals of Hamilton’s economic program?  Identify the three main elements of Hamilton’s economic program.  What kind of future do they envision for the United States?
Can you compare and contrast government response to the Whiskey Rebellion against Shay’s Rebellion?
Identify the problems for American caused by the European war that begins in 1793.
Identify the issues John Jay discussed with the British and the provisions of Jay’s Treaty.  What issue was not resolved by Jay’s Treaty?  What power did Washington set for future presidents during ratification of Jay’s Treaty?
Why did the Spanish sign Pinckney’s Treaty?  What are the treaty’s provisions?    
TERMS: Bill of Rights, Judiciary Act of 1789, Southwest Ordinance of 1790, Edmond Genet, “Inalienable allegiance”

ADAMS PRESIDENCY
Why are the French upset over Jay’s Treaty?  What is French reaction?
What was Congress’ reaction to the XYZ Affair?
What were the Alien and Sedition acts, why were they passed?  What are the specific powers that each one grants?
Over what issues did the Federalists lose Congressional elections of 1800?
How is the election of 1800 settled? 
TERMS: XYZ Affair, Quasi War, Convention of 1800, Mazzei Letter, 12th Amendment


READINGS

Lepore, Jill. “A World of Paine”

What did Common Sense convince the American people to do?
What saved Paine’s life upon his arrival in Philadelphia?
Why would John Adams be envious of Paine’s success?  What was Adams’ belief about democracy?
What action of Paine’s proved his commitment to the revolution?  What was his chief contribution to the war?
How does the author describe Paine’s writing style?
How did Paine sabotage his own place in the Revolution’s remembrances?
In Rights of Man, Paine laid out his political beliefs, what were they?
What were the rumors put forth by Pitt’s government?  Why did Pitt’s government do this?
In France, Paine fell from power, why?
Under what circumstances was The Age of Reason written?
According to Lepore, what belief of Paine’s led to his obscurity even during his own lifetime?
Why was The Age of Reason sold by an “invisible shopman” at one store?
What excuses have historians put forth to dismiss The Age of Reason?


Paine, Thomas. Common Sense (abridged)
OF MONARCHY AND HEREDITARY SUCCESSION
What form of government did the Jews have before they requested a king?
Why did the Jews offer Gideon a kingship? Why did Gideon turn them down? 
What warnings about kings did Samuel give to the Jews? (Pay attention to stuff in brackets for the answer)  According to Paine, how does nature itself speak against hereditary succession?
Why do people submit to hereditary succession?
What is the danger of a regency? Of elderly kings?
How does Paine refute the idea that hereditary succession prevents civil wars?
According to Paine, what seem to be the duties of the English king for which he is paid eight hundred thousand sterling a year?
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WHISKEY REBELLION
PRELUDE
What quote presented by the author points to an economic slant to this rebellion? How did the citizens of Pittsburgh avoid the destruction of their town?
I.
Why did Westerners feel cut off from the institutions of the federal government? What were the causes of the western frontier's economic stagnation?
What were the duties of excisemen? How could the Whiskey Tax ruin distillers? Define "excise tax".
What was Hamilton's response to the whiskey tax objectors? How did his response reflect a failure to understand the importance of whiskey on the frontier?
II.
What were the uses of whiskey on the frontier?
What symbols did the whiskey rebels use to equate the whiskey tax with the oppression of the British a quarter century earlier?
III.
Why did Congress fail to take further steps to quell the rebellion or address the issues that sparked it? How did the whiskey rebels interpret this? What was their reaction?
IV.
What was the economic benefit to Pennsylvania in the crushing of the rebellion?