Government: Topic 5

Why did American colonists want to form a republic?

• They wanted all power to reside in the states, not in a central government.
• They wanted a strong central government supported by state legislatures.
• They wanted a government in which citizens rule through elected representatives.

Americans wanted a __ central government because __.

• strong; they wanted a strong economy and steady trade relationships with other countries
• strong; they trusted elected officials to protect their rights and freedoms
• weak; they wanted the states to be able to make decisions about most issues

The Articles of Confederation created which branch(es) of government?

• legislative
• legislative and executive
• legislative and judicial

Which of the following actions did the Articles of Confederation allow Congress to take?

• regulate trade
• maintain armed forces
• impose taxes

How did the Articles of Confederation make it difficult to pass national laws?

• Nine states had to approve proposed laws before they went into effect, and amendments had to be approved by all states.
• Nine states had to approve proposed laws and amendments before they could take effect.
• All states had to approve proposed laws and amendments before they could take

Which of the following was a weakness of the Confederation government?

• It did not have the power to regulate western territories.
• It did not have the power to print currency.
• It did not have the power to impose taxes.

What was the main goal of the Ordinance of 1785?

• to make it easier for people to buy land in the Northwest Territory
• to create a process to survey and sell land north of the Ohio River
• to provide a bill of rights for settlers in the Northwest Territory

What was the combined purpose of the Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

• to encourage American settlement of the Northwest Territory
• to remove Native Americans from the Northwest Territory
• to prevent western territories from becoming slave states

What caused the paper money printed by the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War to have little value?

• It was printed in limited quantities
• The states didn't have gold or silver to back it up
• It was widely accepted by other countries

How did Britain take advantage of the weaknesses of the Confederation government?

• By forming alliances with American states
• By forcing American merchants to pay high tariffs
• By helping the Confederation build a stronger military