Schrimsher-B101
Early U.S. History
Chapter 3 Summary Questions
Lesson 1:
1. What did the Continental Congress adopt in 1777? What were the Articles of Confederation? How did the
government under the Articles operate? What was missing from the government under the Articles? What powers did
the government have under the Articles, and what powers did the government lack? What power was purposely left out
under the Articles? Who held this power instead? How was the Congress affected by this lack of power?
2. Whom did the government depend upon for funding? How else did the Congress raise money? Explain the Northwest
Ordinance of 1787. When could a territory apply for statehood?
3. How did the Congress try to promote trade with other nations? What nations did the U.S. seek to improve trade with?
Describe the effect trade treaties had on the U.S. by 1790.
4. Identify two major achievements of the Congress under the Articles of Confederation.
5. How did many American artisans and merchants make money during the Revolutionary War? What drove many of
these artisans/merchants out of business after the war? How did George Washington explain the economic predicament
to the French minister?
6. What are duties? What states did Britain send its goods to? How did the states try to prevent Britain from exploiting the
different trade sanctions? Why was Congress unable to assist the states with their trade problems? Why were the states
acting independently a threat to the new nation?
7. Who did many American merchants and planters borrow money from before the war? How did Britain intend on getting
these debts paid off? How did state governments and courts make it difficult for Britain to get paid back?
8. How did Britain retaliate for the lack of cooperation from the states? Why could the Congress not force Britain to pull
out its troops?
9. Explain the cause of the dispute between the U.S. and Spain. How did Spain respond to the dispute, and how were
Americans affected? Again, why could the Congress not help with the situation?
10. What is a recession? Describe how American farmers were affected by the recession.
11. How did many states pay for the war effort against Britain? How did the creditors want to get repaid? How did the
farmers want to repay their debts? What was wrong with paper currency? What is inflation? Why was paper money
“good” for the debtor and not good for the lender? Describe the events in Rhode Island involving paper currency.
12. What caused Shays’ Rebellion? Who was affected the worst from the new taxes? Briefly describe the events of the
rebellion. Who was Daniel Shays? Who was Benjamin Lincoln? Explain how people of higher incomes saw Shays’
Rebellion as a threat to their class.
Lesson 2:
1. What had the political and economic problems of the U.S. led many American leaders to conclude? What were
“nationalists”? Name some influential nationalists.
2. Who was James Madison? What did Madison convince the Virginia legislature to do? What happened at this
convention?
3. Who was Alexander Hamilton, and what did he recommend that Congress do? What caused a reluctant-Congress to
agree to a convention? What was the “official” reason for Congress to call for a convention? What was the
convention’s name? What state did NOT send delegates? Where did the delegates meet? What was the convention’s
main task?
4. How many delegates attended the Constitutional Convention? Identify the occupations and experiences of the
delegates. Who was selected as the presiding officer over the convention, and why? What did James Madison do at the
convention? Why were the meetings closed to the public?
5. What kind of plan did the Virginia delegation bring to the convention? Who was the author of this plan, and what did he
become known as? What did the Virginia Plan recommend?
6. Describe the details of the Virginia Plan’s proposal. What states would benefit from the Virginia Plan? What part of the
Virginia Plan did most delegates agree with? What part of the plan was opposed by smaller states’ delegates, and why?
7. Who was William Paterson, and what counterproposal did he make? What was Paterson’s plan called? Describe the
details of the New Jersey Plan.
8. What plan did the delegates choose to negotiate on? What did this decision mean for the Articles of Confederation?
9. Why was a compromise needed to continue the debates at the Constitutional Convention? Who was Roger Sherman?
Explain the conditions of the Great Compromise.
10. How would each state’s representation be determined under the Great Compromise? What disagreement did this cause
between Northern and Southern states? Describe the arguments against counting slaves toward representation. What
was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
11. Why did Southern delegates fear a strong national government? What did the delegates agree to regarding Congress’
power to regulate trade? How many states were needed to vote in favor of the Constitution?
12. Explain the idea of popular sovereignty. What is federalism? Describe how the Constitution created a separation of
powers. Identify the 3 branches of the new government and what their general purpose was. Explain how the system of
checks and balances works.
13. Describe the powers of the office of the president. What is a veto? Explain how Congress can “check and balance” the
actions of the president. What is the principle power of the judicial branch? Describe how the judicial branch’s power
is balanced by both the president and the congress.
14. What are amendments? Is amending the Constitution easy? Why or why not? Describe the process for amending the
Constitution. How did George Washington describe the accomplishments of the Constitutional Convention? What was
John Adams’ opinion of the convention’s outcome?
Lesson 3:
1. Who were the Federalists, and what does their name emphasize? What do Federalists believe? What kinds of
Americans tended to be Federalists, and why? Why did large landowners want a strong national government? Why did
some merchants want a strong national government? Why were some farmers Federalists?
2. Who were the Anti-Federalists, and why was their name misleading? What was the primary concern of AntiFederalists? Why did prominent Americans such as Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Samuel Adams opposed
the Constitution? What type of American tended to be Anti-Federalist, and why?
3. What were the differences in the campaigns of Federalists and the Anti-Federalists? What was The Federalist? Who
were the primary authors of the essays? What pen name did the authors use? How are The Federalist essays still used
by government officials to this day?
4. Identify the states where the ratification vote would be close. Name the states that ratified the new Constitution quickly.
What was the opinion of a majority of delegates in Massachusetts when the convention started? Why was Samuel
Adams staunchly against the new Constitution? What did the Federalists do to satisfy Adams’ objections? What is a
bill of rights? What other amendment did the Federalists promise to Adams for his vote? What changed John
Hancock’s opposition to Constitution?
5. What 2 large and populous states had still not ratified the new Constitution? What arguments did Anti-Federalists in
Virginia make against the Constitution? Who proposed the argument in favor of ratification to the Virginia delegates?
What ultimately caused the Virginia convention to vote in favor of the Constitution?
6. Who were the leading Federalists in favor of ratification for New York? Why did they delay the final vote on
ratification? What did the delegates from New York City threaten if the Constitution wasn’t ratified?
7. Name the only 2 states that had NOT ratified the Constitution by 1788. Were these states ratification necessary? Why
or why not? When did these 2 states finally ratify?
8. What question was on the minds of Americans after the new Constitution was ratified? What helped to ease tensions of
many Americans about the new government? How was George Washington elected to be the first president under the
new Constitution?
9. What was one of the most important acts of the new Congress under the Constitution? What is the Bill of Rights? Why
did James Madison make the Bill of Rights a priority?
10. What did James Madison base the Bill of Rights upon? Who were the authors of these documents? How many
amendments did the first Congress propose? How many were approved? What did the first 8 amendments protect?
What did the last 2 amendments do? Why are the 9th & 10th amendments important (especially to Anti-Federalists)?