Study Guide
Creating a New Nation
1. Why were the Articles of Confederation unsuccessful as a government system?
2. What weakness did the Articles of Confederation have?
3. How were the Articles of Confederation different from the Constitution?
4. What did the Northwest Ordinance do?
5. Why provoked Shays’ Rebellion?
6. How did Shays’ Rebellion bring about change to the government?
7. What replaced the Articles of Confederation?
8. What issue did the Great Compromise settle?
9. Explain “Separation of Powers”
10. How does the concept of “federalism” embody the principles of limited central government?
11. Who was selected to serve as chairman of the Constitutional Convention?
12. What issue did the Three-Fifths Compromise solve?
13. Who is known as the “Father of the Constitution”?
14. The ideas expressed in the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom were later included _______.
15. What did Anti-Federalists believe?
16. What did the people in favor of the Constitution write to convince citizens of the merit of the Constitution?
17. What did Federalist believe?
18. Why was the process of the Constitution’s ratification so difficult?
19. What did the supports of the Constitution promise to include to address the concerns that the Constitution
failed to safeguard individual liberties?
20. What was influenced by the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom?
21. What did the Land Ordinance of 1785 do?
22. How did George Mason influence the Constitution?
23. What issue did Federalist and Anti-Federalists disagree over the most?
24. In the 1780’s, many Americans distrusted a strong central government. How was this distrust shown?
25. Who was the first Secretary of Treasury?
26. Who was the first Secretary of State?
27. What was the most controversial part of Alexander Hamilton’s economic program?
28. During his presidency, George Washington sent a large contingent of federal troops to end which of the
following domestic disturbances?
29. What did the Democratic-Republican believe?
30. What did the Federalist of the 1790s believe?
31. What was Washington’s official response to the war between France and Britain?
32. What tradition or precedent did George Washington create?
33. What did Washington warn against in his Farewell Address?
34. Which event led to an undeclared war with France?
35. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions asserted states’ rights and opposed what federal policy?
36. What was the principle of nullification a direct response to ?
37. What was the XYZ Affair?
38. Who was the leader of the Federalist Party of the 1790s?
39. Who was the political leader of the Democratic-Republican Party of the 1790s?
40. What did Thomas Jefferson favor?
41. What did Alexander Hamilton favor?
42. Who were the most notable Federalist?
43. Why did political parties form at the end of Washington’s presidency?
44. Explain the system of checks and balances.
45. Describe the Historical Significance of the following:
a. Shays’ Rebellion
b. Articles of Confederation
d. Alexander Hamilton
c. James Madison
e. Constitution Convention
f. Thomas Jefferson