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WorksheetsAmerican Revolution Quiz
Total questions: 79
Worksheet time: 1hrs 19mins
What was the Second Continental Congress?
A battle during the American Revolution
A meeting of delegates from all the colonies
A trade agreement between the colonies and Britain
The signing of the Declaration of Independence
Where did the Second Continental Congress take place?
New York
Philadelphia
Boston
Washington D.C.
What year did the Second Continental Congress convene?
1774
1775
1776
1777
What was the purpose of the Second Continental Congress?
To draft the Articles of Confederation
To declare war on Britain
To decide what to do about the latest acts of the British government against the colonists' liberties
To elect a president for the new nation
What does the vocabulary word 'delegate' mean?
A type of legislation
A military officer
A representative
A legal document
Why did the lack of a central government prove to be a problem according to "The Big Question" in the image?
It led to economic instability
It caused disputes between the colonies
It made communication difficult
The text does not provide this information
When did the Second Continental Congress first meet in Philadelphia?
July 1776
May 1775
April 1775
June 1774
What event occurred just weeks before the Second Continental Congress met?
The signing of the Declaration of Independence
The end of the American Revolution
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Boston Tea Party
What was the main concern that arose when the Second Continental Congress considered what kind of government to establish?
The fear of individual states having too much power
The fear of a central government with too much power
The fear of foreign intervention in government affairs
The fear of not being able to win the war for independence
What was the name of the plan for a new central government approved by the Congress in 1777?
The Constitution
The Declaration of Independence
The Articles of Confederation
The Bill of Rights
When did the Articles of Confederation officially go into effect?
1777
1781
1787
1791
How were members of Congress under the Articles of Confederation appointed?
By the President
By popular vote
By state legislatures
By the Supreme Court
What is the definition of 'confederation' as provided in the vocabulary section?
A group of people forming an alliance
A group of states joined together by a formal agreement
A formal declaration of independence by a state
A central government body
According to the text, what did the new government under the Articles of Confederation represent?
The people of the United States
The individual states
The military forces
Foreign countries
What was one of the main powers of Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
To veto state laws
To declare war and make peace
To collect taxes from individuals
To enforce state laws
Which of the following was NOT a power of the central government under the Articles of Confederation?
Create an army and a navy
Send representatives to foreign countries
Establish a national healthcare system
Borrow money
What does the text suggest about the power of Congress under the Articles of Confederation compared to state legislatures?
Congress had more powers than state legislatures.
Congress and state legislatures had equal powers.
State legislatures had more powers than Congress.
Congress had no powers at all.
The Articles of Confederation provided for a central government that was:
Strong and powerful
Weak with few powers
Dominant over the states
Non-existent
What could the Congress do under the Articles of Confederation according to the text?
Declare war and manage foreign relations only
Make treaties and alliances, settle state arguments, borrow money, set up a postal service, and create a currency
Impose taxes and regulate trade between the states
Amend the Articles of Confederation without state approval
What limitation was placed on the Congress by the Articles of Confederation?
Congress could not borrow money from other countries
Congress could only act with powers specifically granted by the Articles
Each state, regardless of size, had two votes in Congress
Congress was required to pay back all debts within ten years
Why were some of the larger states frustrated with the voting arrangement under the Articles of Confederation?
Larger states had fewer votes than smaller states
Each state had a different number of votes based on population
Each state, regardless of size, had the same number of votes in Congress
Smaller states were given more power in decision-making
What was a problem faced by Congress after the war was over?
Congress had too much power over the states
Congress was always broke and needed to start repaying debts
Congress had to draft a new constitution
Congress was unable to form alliances with other nations
What is the definition of a treaty?
A formal agreement between two or more groups, especially countries
A partnership of different countries, organizations, or people
A document outlining the laws of a country
An informal agreement between two parties
What is an alliance?
A formal agreement between two or more groups, especially countries
A partnership of different countries, organizations, or people who agree to work together
A document outlining the laws of a country
An informal agreement between two parties
Why couldn't the Congress under the Articles of Confederation collect taxes?
Because the states preferred to collect their own taxes
Because the Articles of Confederation gave that power exclusively to state governments
Because Congress did not want to collect taxes
Because the Constitution prohibited Congress from collecting taxes
What was the central government's method of obtaining money from the states under the Articles of Confederation?
Imposing federal taxes directly on citizens
Asking states to contribute their fair share voluntarily
Borrowing money from foreign governments
Printing more currency
What was a major consequence of the central government's inability to make states contribute money?
The central government could easily pay off its debts
The states often contributed more than what was asked for
The central government had no power to enforce contributions, leading to insufficient funds
The central government started taxing citizens directly
How many states needed to agree to amend the Articles of Confederation?
All thirteen states
Ten states
A simple majority of the states
Nine states
What was the outcome when attempts were made to amend the Articles to allow Congress to tax?
The amendment passed unanimously
The amendment failed because one state refused each time
The amendment was not considered important and was ignored
The amendment passed but was later repealed
What event highlighted the problems with the Articles of Confederation's lack of power to raise an army?
The signing of the Declaration of Independence
The end of the Revolutionary War
Shays's Rebellion
The drafting of the Constitution
What was Shay's Rebellion?
A) A social movement for education reform
B) An armed revolt against perceived unfair taxes and economic conditions
C) A political campaign for independence
D) A peaceful protest against government policies
What decision did Americans make regarding the distribution of power after their experience with a king?
A) They decided to elect a king from their own citizens
B) They chose to give power to a group of elected officials
C) They decided against giving power to any single person
D) They established a new monarchy with limited powers
What was the role of the president of the Congress in the early government of the United States of America?
A) The president was the head of the whole government
B) The president had significant military power
C) The president had a nice title but no real power
D) The president was responsible for enforcing the laws
According to the Articles of Confederation, who had the right to raise a navy?
Individual states
The central government
Both the central government and individual states
Foreign allies
What did nine states do despite the Articles of Confederation's provisions?
They elected a president
They created their own navies
They formed an alliance with foreign powers
They abolished their state legislatures
How did the state legislatures view the importance of the central government under the Articles of Confederation?
As very important, rushing to send delegates to Congress
As unimportant, taking their time to elect and send delegates to Congress
As moderately important, with some states sending delegates regularly
As crucial, with all states sending delegates promptly
What was the general perception of the central government after six years under the Articles of Confederation?
It had too much power
It had an appropriate amount of power
It had not enough power
It was too involved in state affairs
Which year did the Second Continental Congress approve the Articles of Confederation?
1775
1776
1777
1778
What was the purpose of the Articles of Confederation approved by the Second Continental Congress?
To declare independence from Britain
To form a central government beyond the individual state governments
To establish a new currency system
To create a declaration of human rights
Which of the following was NOT a power of the Central Government under the Articles of Confederation?
Declare war and make peace
Create an army and a navy
Regulate interstate commerce
Borrow money
Under the Articles of Confederation, the Central Government had the power to:
Establish post offices
Collect taxes from individuals
Appoint the President
Overrule state laws
What is the Northwest Ordinance?
A treaty signed with European countries
A law passed by Congress in 1787
A battle fought in the northwest territory
A geographical feature in the northwest
What did the United States own that was bordered by the Ohio River, the Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes?
A small piece of land in the southeast
A large area in the northeast
A huge triangle of land in the northwest
An island off the coast of the Atlantic
What was the usual practice of countries after gaining new territories in the days when the United States became independent?
Granting independence to the territories
Turning the territories into colonies for their own benefit
Selling the territories to the highest bidder
Leaving the territories to self-govern
What does the term 'ordinance' mean as used in the vocabulary section?
A religious ceremony
A military strategy
A law or government rule
A piece of land
Which of the following states was NOT part of the Northwest Territory?
Ohio
Kentucky
Illinois
Indiana
Which body of water is located directly north of the Northwest Territory?
Lake Michigan
Lake Erie
Lake Huron
Lake Superior
Which river forms the southern boundary of the Northwest Territory?
Ohio River
Mississippi River
Missouri River
Tennessee River
What is the modern-day state located directly east of the Northwest Territory?
Pennsylvania
New York
Virginia
Maryland
What did Congress guarantee to everyone who settled in the vast territory mentioned in the text?
The same rights that people in the thirteen original states had
A piece of land for farming
Immediate statehood
Exemption from taxes
What was the condition for a territory to become a state according to the plan mentioned in the text?
When it had a certain number of people settled in it
When it was able to support itself economically
When it had its own army
When it was recognized by other countries
What was the status of a new state created under the plan used by Congress?
It was a colony of a mother country
It was a full-fledged state, equal to all the other states
It was a territory without the right to send representatives to Congress
It was a dependent state with limited rights
What was the stance of the Northwest Ordinance regarding slavery?
It allowed slavery in the new states
It was indifferent to the issue of slavery
It made clear Congress's disapproval of slavery
It mandated the expansion of slavery into new territories
Who was appointed the first governor of the Northwest Territory?
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Arthur St. Clair
Benjamin Franklin
What was the general feeling about the Articles of Confederation according to the text?
They were considered effective and powerful.
They were seen as needing more amendments to work properly.
They were thought to be working very well.
They were not working very well and Congress needed more power.
What did James Madison do when he was in his twenties?
He served as one of Virginia's delegates to Congress.
He helped write the new Virginia constitution.
He scrapped the Articles of Confederation.
He witnessed the problems of the young nation firsthand.
What decision did Madison come to after a few years in Congress?
To amend the Articles of Confederation.
To keep the Articles of Confederation as they were.
To scrap the Articles of Confederation and start over.
To pass another law like the Northwest Ordinance.
What is the definition of 'politics' according to the vocabulary section?
The study of historical documents.
The activities of leaders running a government.
The process of passing laws.
The act of scrapping old laws.
What event led to Alexander Hamilton being noticed by several wealthy island plantation owners?
He joined General Washington's army.
He wrote a letter describing hurricane damage.
He attended King's College in New York.
He became one of Washington's closest aides.
What did Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington agree on regarding the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles provided sufficient power to the national government.
The Articles should be completely discarded without replacement.
The Articles did not give the national government enough power.
The Articles were the best form of government possible.
Where did Alexander Hamilton attend college?
Harvard University
Yale University
King's College in New York
University of Virginia
Who was Alexander Hamilton's father?
A wealthy plantation owner
A British merchant
A local newspaper editor
A member of the Congress
At what age did Alexander Hamilton's mother die?
When he was eleven years old
When he was ten years old
When he was twelve years old
When he was nine years old
What position did Alexander Hamilton hold in General Washington's army?
He was a store clerk.
He was one of Washington's closest aides.
He was a delegate to Congress.
He was a plantation owner.
What was the real purpose of the convention in Philadelphia in May 1787 according to Hamilton and Madison?
To improve the Articles of Confederation
To replace the Articles of Confederation with a new constitution
To discuss Shays's Rebellion
To elect a new king
What event helped to convince the states that a convention was necessary?
The election of a new president
The end of the Revolutionary War
News spreading about Shays's Rebellion
A financial crisis in the states
What was Madison's concern when creating a new central government?
Ensuring it had less power than the old government
Making it identical to the old government
Giving it enough power without it being too powerful
Making it a monarchy
From whom did many of the ideas in the new constitution come?
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton
James Madison
What was one key idea that James Madison had for the new government?
What was the great weakness of the Articles of Confederation according to the text?
What was the Philadelphia convention commonly called in contemporary newspapers?
What is the Philadelphia convention now known as?
What was the general expectation of European governments regarding the United States' ability to last as a nation?
They believed the United States would become a powerful empire.
They expected the United States to last and become a model for other nations.
They did not expect the United States to last.
They were indifferent to the success or failure of the United States.
According to the text, what was believed about ordinary people's ability to govern themselves?
Ordinary people were believed to be capable of governing themselves effectively.
Ordinary people were believed to need guidance from a monarch.
Ordinary people were believed to never be able to govern themselves.
Ordinary people were believed to prefer aristocratic rule.
What would be the consequence if the Constitutional Convention failed to create a working republican government?
European governments would adopt the republican model immediately.
It would be a long time before anyone else in the world would try a republican government again.
The United States would quickly shift to a different form of government.
The Constitutional Convention would be considered a success by European standards.
What was the significance of the events in Philadelphia to the readers of newspapers at the time?
The events were considered insignificant and not newsworthy.
The events were seen as having a great effect on the future of their country.
The events were expected to lead to immediate war.
The events were thought to have no impact on international relations.
Who is depicted in the middle of the image provided in Chapter 4: Planning a New Constitution?
George Washington
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
Benjamin Franklin
What is the main topic of Chapter 4 as indicated in the image?
The drafting of the Declaration of Independence
The planning of a new Constitution
The end of the Revolutionary War
The election of the first president
According to the image, what did James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and others decide was necessary for the nation?
