American Independence and a New Nation (Unit 2 and 3)

This is a map of the Thirteen Colonies.

Which number points to the site of the first battle of the American Revolution?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Which allied force helped the Continental Army defeat the British at the Battle of Yorktown?

• French Navy

• Iroquois Warriors

• Sons of Liberty

• Spanish Army

This is an excerpt from a historical document.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed….

What was the immediate impact of this document?

• It established the Articles of Confederation as the nation’s first government.

• It listed the reasons that the Constitution was adopted.

• It guaranteed individual rights to people in the United States.

• It declared the colonies to be independent from Great Britain.

This is the 3rd Amendment to the Constitution.

No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner prescribed by law.

The Framers of the Constitution included this amendment in the Bill of Rights as a reaction to which British act(s)?

• Intolerable (Coercive) Acts

• Quartering Act

• Stamp Act

• Townshend Acts

What political contributions did Benjamin Franklin make to the United States? Select three that apply.

• He started the Sons of Liberty.

• He participated in the Constitutional Convention.

• He helped write the Declaration of Independence.

• He served as president of the First Continental Congress.

• He served as a diplomat to France during the American Revolution.

Why was the Bill of Rights added to the United States Constitution? Select two that apply.

• to protect the voting rights of male citizens

• to encourage Antifederalists to support ratification

• to ensure that the three branches of government were separate

• to protect individual rights from a strong central government

• to outline the specific duties of the Supreme Court

This is an excerpt from Federalist No. 51.

To what [idea], then, shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary [separation] of power among the several departments, as laid down in the Constitution? The only answer that can be given is…by so [setting up] the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.

In this excerpt, the writer was making which argument in support of the ratification of the Constitution?

• Taxes collected by both the federal and state governments would help fund the government.

• The amendment process would allow the document to be changed to meet future needs.

• A strong federal government would be in a better position to act in the best interests of the people

• A system of checks and balances would keep any branch of government from becoming too powerful.

In the late 18th century, a member of the Federalist Party would most likely have supported which action?

• establishing a national bank

• discouraging the growth of manufacturing

• increasing the authority of state governments

• eliminating protective tariffs

Why did several states object to the Virginia Plan during the Constitutional Convention?

• They thought a bicameral legislature would make it difficult to pass laws.

• They believed it gave too much power to the central government.

• They felt southern states would be underrepresented in Congress.

• They were concerned smaller states would have less influence in Congress.

This timeline shows a series of events that took place during George Washington’s administration.

These events were evidence of what situation in the nation?

• Farmers believed the new government adequately addressed their needs.

• Under the Constitution, the federal government had the authority to act on domestic issues.

• Farmers in northern states paid higher taxes than those in southern states.

• Under the Constitution, there were not enough courts to hear civil cases.