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Origins of American GovernmentChapter 2 Review Answer Key

Our Political Beginnings (pp. 28-32)1. Provide a short list and brief description of the three major ideas about government that the North American

colonists brought with them from Britain?a. Ordered Government - government contains structure that invests each station with specific powers

b. Limited Government - government is not all powerful

c. Representative Government - the government can only wield power through elected leaders

2. _A___ 8 of 13 colonies had this type of charter.a. _B__ A colony organized by a person to whom the King had given a tract of land.b. _C___ Elected its governor rather than having the position filled by the King’s appointment.c. _C___ Enjoyed the greatest degree of self-government of any of the colonies.d. __A___ Had a bicameral legislature with the upper house appointed by the Crown.e. __C___ Colonists in this type of colony had the greatest amount of independence.

3. What is the name of the landmark British historical document that was forced up King John in 1215 and which of the three key ideas about government from #1 is reflected within it?

The landmark British document that was forced upon King John in 1215 was the Magna Carta and its key idea was limited government.

The Coming of Independence (pp. 34-39)

1. What was the name of Benjamin Franklin’s original proposal to bring about greater colonial unity during the French and Indian War?

Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union which would have allowed the colonies to cooperate in their mutual interest of self-defense.

2. What is the official name given to someone who is sent to a gathering in order to represent a larger group of people?

The official name given to someone who is sent to a gathering in order to represent a larger group of people was a delegate.

3. Define: The Presiding OfficerThe Presiding Officer is the chair of a congress or gathering of people.

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A. Royal Charter B. Proprietary Charter C. Charter Colony

4. True or False: A refusal to buy a certain product or to participate economically is known as a boycott.

5. What were some of the major ideas that were included in the Declaration of Independence? (name at least two of them)

• All men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights...life, liberty, pursuit of happiness• abusive governments must be overthrown and replaced with a just government• a representative government is better than a monarcy

6. What is it the makes up a large part of the Declaration of Independence that people often times fail to remember?

Two thirds of the Declaration of Independence is a list of complaints against the king and the wrongs they claimed he had done unto the colonies.

7. How did the relationship between Great Britain and its colonies change after the conclusion of the French and Indian War of the mid-18th century?

After the French and Indian War the British government began to tax the colonies to recover money that it had spent fighting the French. The colonies greatly resented being asked to pay these taxes.

8. In which colony was the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” fired on April 19, 1775?Massachusetts was the colony in which the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” was fired in on April 19, 1775.

9. What served as the first national government for the US starting in 1775?The 2nd Continental Congress served as the first national government starting in 1775.

The Critical Period (44-47)1. What years were the Articles of Confederation the governing document for the national government of the

United States?The Articles of Confederation was the U.S. governing document from 1781-1789.

2. True or False: Two of the major reasons for the conventions at Annapolis and Philadelphia in the 1780’s was to come up with a way for the national government to regulate interstate commerce.

3. Describe the basic structure of the national government that was created under the Articles of Confederation? (Think about in terms of the distribution of legislative, executive, and judicial powers)

The national government under the Articles of Confederation was comprised of a unicameral legislature. It had no executive or judicial branches.

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4. What were some of the major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? (Include no fewer than four in your response)

• one vote per state regardless of population• 9/13 needed to pass basic legislation• 13/13 needed to amend the Articles• no executive branch to enforce laws• no judicial branch to interpret laws• no power to tax• no power to regulate interstate trade

5. Complete the following statements with either the correct term or an accurate definition:The four characteristics that all the original State Constitutions included were:A. Popular Sovereignty - government can exist and function only with the consent of the governed

B. Limited Government- The notion that the government is not all powerful. C. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights - Sovereign people hold certain rights that the government must respect at all times.

D. Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances- Separation of powers into three branches of governments each with the power to check the others to avoid tyranny.

Creating the Constitution (48-54)1. What is the name given to the 55 delegates who gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 who eventually wrote the

Constitution?The 55 delegates who gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 are called the Framers.

2. What were the major differences between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?The Virginia Plan called for a bicameral legislature with representation based on population. New Jersey countered by proposing that representation be based on membership in the Union alone. The Connecticut delegation proposed what would come to be known as the Great Compromise. It created a bicameral legislature with the House of Representatives being based on population and a Senate with representation based on membership alone.

3. Who is considered the Father of the Constitution?James Madison is considered the father of the Constitution.

4. Which region of the new United States benefited the most from the 3/5ths Compromise and why was this the case?

The South benefitted the most from the 3/5ths compromise.

5. What day did the Framers finish the process of writing the Constitution?The Framers finished the process of writing the Constitution on September 17th, 1787.

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Ratifying the Constitution (56-58)1. What was the name given to the people in the United States who openly opposed the ratification of the

Constitution?Those who opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution were called the anti-Federalists.

2. What was the name given to the people who favored ratification of the Constitution?

Those who favored ratification of the Constitution were the Federalists.

3. In what state were the Federalist Papers published and what purpose did they serve in the effort to ratify the US Constitution?

The Federalist Papers were a series of news paper articles that were written in the state of New York urging for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

4. How many States needed to support the ratification of the Constitution before it could become law? What were the two most crucial States whose support was needed?

9 out of 13 states were needed to ratify the Constitution. However, everyone knew that Virginia and New York had to agree in order for the new Constitution to work.

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