A More Perfect Union

Identifications (4 Points) 1. Emancipation

Answer One Emancipation is the freeing of black slaves in America. States used different strategies such as buying slaves from slaveholders and freeing them or allowing children of slaves to be free.

Identifications (4 Points) 2. Veto

Answer Two Veto is the right of the executive branch in a government to reject bills passed by the legislature. Most governors elected in the states at the time of the Articles of Confederation did NOT have this right.

Identifications (4 Points) 3.Ratify Independence Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Answer Three Ratify is the act of agreeing to approve an act of government. The claim by several states to large tracts of land in the west delayed the ratification of the Articles of Confederation until compromises could be worked out.

Identifications (4 Points) 4.Public Land

Answer Four Public Land was land that belonged to the people and was controlled by the government. Virginia gave up her claims to the western land and Maryland agreed to ratify the Articles.

Identifications (4 Points) 5. Bicameral President Bush Addressing A Joint Session Of Congress

Answer Five Bicameral is a two house legislature. All of the original 13 States except Georgia and Pennsylvania had bi- cameral legislatures.

Identifications (4 Points) 6.Right of Deposit River Boat in New Orleans Today

Answer Six Right of Deposit was the permission to put goods ashore for transfer without paying a tax or duty. The US sought to have Spain grant this right to American traders in New Orleans (on the Mississippi).

Identifications (4 Points) 7. Depression

Answer Seven Depression is an economic downturn. This was one of the problems that led the states to decide that the Articles Of Confederation was too weak a form of government and adopt the Constitution to replace it.

Identifications (4 Points) 8. Secede

Answer Eight Secede is the act of withdrawing from the Union. Settlers in Kentucky and Tennessee considered seceding. The Articles of Confederation were too weak to hold these people in the Union.

Identifications (4 Points) 9.Alexander Hamilton

Answer Nine Alexander Hamilton was one of the key delegates to the Constitutional Convention. He was also one of the writers of the Federalist Papers that presented the case to the people of why the Constitution should be ratified.

Identifications (4 Points) 10. James Madison

Answer Ten James Madison wrote the original draft of the Constitution. He also was one of the writers of the Federalist Papers which presented the case to the people of why the Constitution should be ratified.

Identifications (4 Points) 11. Virginia Plan

Answer Eleven Virginia Plan was proposed by Madison as the framework for the Constitution. This plan favored the large states and was opposed by the small states.

Identifications (4 Points) 12.New Jersey Plan

Answer Twelve New Jersey Plan was a plan offered at the Constitutional Convention that merely strengthened the Articles of Confederation rather than replacing this faulty system of government.

Identifications (4 Points) 13. Federalists Alexander Hamilton

Answer Thirteen Federalists were those US statesman who favored ratifying the Constitution who argued that the Constitution divided power between the Federal government and the State governments

Identifications (4 Points) 14.Amendments George Mason was a Advocate for adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution

Answer Fourteen Amendments were additions to the Constitution. The Bill of Rights insured the rights of the citizens and was necessary to calm several states’ fears before they would vote for ratification.

Identifications (4 Points) 15. Anti- Federalists Patrick Henry was a Prominent Anti-Federalist

Answer Fifteen Anti-Federalists did not favor the ratification of the Constitution. They were concerned about ensuring the rights of citizens against a strong Federal government.

Short Answer One (8 Points) Why did the recently formed unions decide to have a weak central government when forming a government at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War?

King George III

Answer They feared the strength and power of a strong Federal government after experiencing the abuse of power of England. They were concerned that creating a strong Central government would not leave them any better off than they had been when they were colonies. That is why they chose the weak Articles of Confederation that gave most of the powers to the states.

Short Answer Two (8 Points) What were some of the positive and negative aspects of the Articles of Confederation?

Shays’s Rebellion

Answer Positive 1. Central government had limited powers. 2. Each state had equal voting power. 3. States were provided with a means of interacting. Negative 1. Weakened central government. 2. No executive branch. 3. No federal courts. 4. No power to tax or regulate commerce

Short Answer Three (8 Points) What were the main provisions of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

Many Schools Built Due to Land Ordinance of 1787

Answer The Land Ordinance of 1785 divided land into townships containing equal sections with one section of land reserved for education. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 divided the western lands into 3-5 territories and allowed for territorial governments to be set up when 5,000 men had settled. They could apply for statehood when the population reached 60,000. This provided for an orderly way for territories to eventually become states.

Short Answer Four (8 Points) What were the key compromises made at the Constitutional Convention?

3/5 Compromise and No Ban on Slave Trade for 20 Years Old Slave Auction House

Answer In the lower house (Congress) the representation would be based on population. This favored the large states. In the upper house (Senate) each state would receive equal representation. This favored the smaller states. Slaves would be counted as 3/5 of a person for purposes of representation. This was a compromise between the North and the South. The executive would be chosen by state electors for a term of 4 years.

Short Answer Five (8 Points) What were the three reasons many people felt as though the ratification of the Constitution would be difficult?

Answer States would have to surrender some of their power to the federal government. State governments would have no role in the ratification of the Constitution. The powerful government outlined in the Constitution reminded many people of British tyranny.