Early Nation Part One

What was the main difference between Federalists and Anti-Federalists?

• Federalists wanted independence from Britain, but Anti-Federalists wanted to remain as British colonies.

• Anti-Federalists wanted independence from Britain, but Federalists wanted to remain as British colonies.

• Federalists wanted a weak national government and strong state governments, but Anti-Federalists wanted a strong national government and weak state governments.

• Anti-Federalists wanted a weak national government and strong state governments, but Federalists wanted a strong national government and weak state governments.

Answer explanation

The fight between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists was essentially the fight over whether the Articles of Confederation would remain the core of the American government (the will of the Anti-Federalists) or if the Articles would be scrapped for a new arrangement that involved a much stronger federal government (the will of the Federalists).

What was the main difference between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan brought forth at the Constitutional Convention?

• The Virginia Plan called for legislative representatives to be proportional to the number of citizens in each state, while the New Jersey Plan called for a single representative for each state regardless of population.

• The New Jersey Plan called for the abolition of slavery while the Virginia Plan called for legalized slavery in all 13 states.

• The New Jersey Plan called for an electoral college system to elect the president, while the Virginia Plan called for a popular election.

• The Virginia Plan and New Jersey plan were virtually identical; each state just wanted credit for the idea.

Answer explanation

The dispute over the two plans would end in compromise. The bicameral legislature laid out in the United States Constitution is a mix of each style of representation: The House of Representatives has representatives in number proportional to each state’s population, and the Senate has two representatives for each state regardless of population.

Why did Anti-Federalists, such as George Mason, push for the inclusion of a bill of rights in the United States Constitution.

• Anti-Federalists wanted to ensure the Constitution would not gain enough state approval to replace the Articles of Confederation.

• Anti-Federalists were worried that without a guarantee of certain rights, the federal government could overstep their bounds and encroach upon its citizens’ freedoms.

• Anti-Federalists wanted to mirror the constitutions of other successful governments.

• Anti-Federalists wanted to give the federal government more power.

Answer explanation

Although its creation was largely a nod to the American Anti-Federalist movement, the Bill of Rights would go on to become one of the most important aspects of the United States Constitution. By clearly defining the essential rights of citizens rather than simply spelling out the powers of government, the United States government was established with the freedoms of its people at the forefront.

Which of the following best describes the type of government created by the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution?

• Democracy

• Republic

• Dictatorship

• Theocracy

Answer explanation

The United States is a republic where citizens elect representatives to make governmental decisions on their behalf.

How did the political power of the American federal government change from The Articles of Confederation to The Constitution?

• The federal government’s power was greatly increased under the Constitution.

• The federal government was weakened under the Constitution.

• State governments were given more power under the Constitution.

• The federal government lost the power to tax under the Constitution.

Answer explanation

The Articles of Confederation created a government where states held the majority of the power to govern themselves. The federal government existed primarily as a means to unify the states for military purposes should the need arise. In contrast, the Constitution gave the federal government significantly more power to do things like tax, regulate trade, and settle disputes between states.

Which of the following best describes the election of George Washington as America’s first president?

• The American public elected George Washington in a landslide victory.

• George Washington was elected unanimously by the Electoral College.

• George Washington narrowly defeated John Adams to become the first President.

• George Washington was not elected to the Presidency; he was given this role due to his service and leadership during the Revolutionary War.

Answer explanation

The first presidential election was held in January of 1789. George Washington was reluctant to get involved, but Alexander Hamilton and others helped convinced him to run. In 1789 only Pennsylvania and Maryland held elections in order to choose their presidential electors. State legislatures chose the electors in all of the other states. Washington received all 69 of the electoral votes, and John Adams was elected as Vice President.

Who did George Washington name as the first Secretary of the Treasury?

• Alexander Hamilton

• John Adams

• Henry Knox

• Thomas Jefferson

Answer explanation

Washington was impressed with Alexander Hamilton’s business exploits as well as his sound understanding of economics. Without Hamilton’s leadership, America would have had a difficult time navigating the financial hardships associated with starting a new nation.

What tactic did Alexander Hamilton use to get the Southern states to agree to his plan for the federal government to pay off the states’ war debts?

• Hamilton threatened to withhold future federal funds from states that did not go along with his repayment plan.

• States that did not support his plan would be considered outside the realm of American military protection.

• Hamilton agreed to move the nation’s capital into the South.

• Hamilton was able to gather enough votes in Congress to overrule the Southern states’ objections.

Answer explanation

Washington, D.C. remains America’s capital to this day thanks to this deal struck by Hamilton. By using land from Virginia and Maryland to build the new capital, the Southern states felt they had a true stake in the new nation despite paying for war debts that were mainly accumulated by the Northern states.

What was the main source of revenue for the new American government in the 1790s?

• Sales tax

• Income tax

• Tariffs on imports

• Donations from the states

Answer explanation

Nearly all of the money raised by the early American government was through taxes on goods imported from Europe. Hamilton’s hope was that the tariffs would help America raise money in the short term while motivating Americans to develop their own industry for long term growth.

Which of the following best describes Hamilton’s argument in favor of establishing a national bank?

• A national bank would enable the government to issue loans to struggling Americans.

• A national bank would provide a safe place to keep the money that the United States had acquired from Britain after winning the Revolutionary War.

• The United States would lose business to the banks of other nations if they did not create one of their own.

• A national bank was necessary in order to stabilize and improve the nation's credit.

Answer explanation

Hamilton stated that "The tendency of a national bank is to increase public and private credit. The former gives power to the state for the protection of its rights and interests, and the latter facilitates and extends the operations of commerce amongst individuals."