US History & Government Study Guide #1
Influence of Geography
Explain the advantages of the following four geographic features of the United States of
America.
1. Mississippi River
 Served as a way to move people & products.
2. Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
 great for trade along the coast & with Europe
 Promote fishing
 Natural barrier—protection from foreign invasion
3. Great Plains
 Breadbasket of America
 Flat and easy to travel
4. Abundant Natural Resources
 Tobacco, cotton, trees, crops, coal & oil
 Developed into an economic powerhouse
13 Colonies
Geography was the primary influence on colonial life. So were the practices brought from
the homelands of the colonists. This divided the colonies into three major areas. Explain
the main economic activities in the three colonial regions:
New England Economy
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Soil is not good for farming
- Could only grow enough food to support
the population
Fishing is a key economic activity
Timber/wood supply is plentiful
Valuable natural resources
Ship building business will grow in New England
Middle Atlantic Economy
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Soil is excellent for farming
Natural resources for future industrialization like coal, steel, iron, etc.
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NYC becomes center of finances (money) for the colonies
Southern Colonies Economy
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Soil is not good for edible crops, BUT
Soil is excellent for the production of Cash Crops.
Cash crops—crops grown to sell not to eat
Cash crops—1. Tobacco, 2. Cotton—harvesting/planting of these labor intensive
crops needs many workers.
Demand for slaves increases as farms expand
Foundations of US Government
1. Choose one of the key people and highlight their achievements and the impact
these achievements had on this time period in this section.
John Adams
Samuel Adams
Benjamin Franklin
Alexander Hamilton
Patrick Henry
Thomas Jefferson
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Voltaire
George Washington
James Madison
2. Big Thinkers, Big Ideas for America
Explain how the following Enlightenment Philosophers influenced American
Government
 John Locke - Thomas Jefferson uses ideas from John Locke and the
Enlightenment Thinkers to write the Declaration of Independence. Locke
believed in:
 Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
 Government had the responsibility of protecting an individual’s rights and
liberties, and if the government did not protect them, people had the right
to overthrow or abolish the government.
 Baron De Montesquieu - a French political analyst who lived during the Age of
Enlightenment. He wrote The Spirit of Laws, which talked about the separation of
powers.
 Jean Jacques Rousseau - Rousseau argued that human beings are basically good by
nature, but were corrupted by complex events in society.
3. Early Attempts at Self-Government
Ideals of Democracy
Mayflower Compact This was an agreement for the settlers on how to govern their
colony. This was one of the first steps in American for selfgovernment (democracy).
Virginia House of
A law making assembly made up of representatives from the colony.
Burgesses
This is the first instance of limited self-government in the English
colonies.
Fundamental Orders The framework for the government of the Connecticut colony from
of Connecticut
1639-1662.
4. What was the Proclamation Line of 1763?
The proclamation forbade all settlers from settling past a line drawn along the
Appalachian Mountains. It closed off the frontier to colonial expansion. The King and
his council presented the proclamation as a measure to calm the fears of the Indians,
who felt that the colonists would drive them from their lands as they expanded
westward. The colonists resented this and ignored the King’s rule, which pushed
them toward war with Britain.
5. Causes of the Revolution – Explain how the following led to the American
Revolution
CAUSES
Reversal of Salutary Neglect—An economic system of mercantilism still exists BUT the
mother country (England) begins to relax economic control over the colonies  equal to
economic freedom = more $$$ POWER. When Britain tried to impose more rules and
take control over the colonies again, the colonies were upset.
Mercantilism—
- Colonies exist to benefit the mother country
- Raw materials are sold by the colony to the mother country (i.e. timber)
- In return, mother country sells finished products back to the colony (i.e. desk
- There are trade restrictions on the colonies selling to other countries.
Stamp Act and Intolerable Acts—This law placed a tax on newspapers, pamphlets, legal
documents, and most other printed materials. This was supposed to pay the cost of
keeping British troops in America. The Stamp Act and Intolerable Acts angered the
colonists and caused them to renew boycotts and to call to the people of all the English
colonies to arm themselves and form militias.
“No Taxation without Representation”— because the colonies didn’t have representation
in the British Parliament, they felt the British had not right to force laws on the colonies.
Therefore they used this argument to protest the Sugar Act.
6. Discuss three ideas the government expressed in the Declaration of Independence.
a. The people have self-evident truths: All men are created equal and they have
certain unalienable rights.
b. The three unalienable rights are: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
c. The government derives its “just powers” from the =consent of the governed.
7. Explain the main ideas of each piece of literature by Thomas Paine and how each
one influenced the American Revolution.
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Thomas Paine (1776) wrote Common Sense a 47-page pamphlet which
discussed the Revolution. It convinced many readers to support a
complete break with Great Britain.
Articles of Confederation
1781-1789
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Strengths
Successful conclusion of the
American Revolution
Negotiated the Treaty of Paris
Passage of the Land Ordinance of
1785 and the Northwest Ordinance
of 1787 which set a pattern of
how new states could join the
nation. It also did not allow slavery
in the Northwest Territory
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Weaknesses
strong state governments and a
weak central (national, federal)
government
One vote for each state, regardless
of size
No single national currency
Congress could not collect taxes
No separated executive branch to
enforce acts of Congress
Congress powerless to regulate
foreign and interstate commerce
No national court system to
interpret laws
Amendment only with consent of all
the states
A 9/13 majority required to pass
laws
Writing & Ratifying the Constitution, 1787-1789
Explain what the constitutional issue was for each compromise and how compromise was
reached.
Compromise
Issue
What compromise was reached
Great
New Jersey Plan: equal representation—
A bicameral system was reached.
Compromise favors smaller populated states.
The New Jersey Plan was used for
Create a new stronger central government
the Senate (2 members per state).
and a weak state government
Virginia Plan: representation based on
population—favors larger populated states.
3/5
Compromise
The south wanted to count slaves as people
for representation and as property for tax
purposes. The North said—No, you can’t
have it both ways
Trade
Compromise
*Southerners opposed tariffs because
their economy was heavily dependent upon
trade.
*Northerners wanted tariffs to protect
their industries from foreign competition.
The Virginia Plan was used for the
House of Representation (number
of representatives based on
population).
They will count each slave as three
fifths of a person, so 5 slaves = 3
people.
The Constitution allows the federal
government to tax interstate trade
but not intrastate trade.
Governments of the United States: 1781 and 1789
How the Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
Were Corrected by the Constitution
Articles of Confederation
Constitution of the United States
 States have most of the power. The
 States have some power, but most is
national government has little
given to the national government
 No executive officer to carry out
 A president heads the executive
the laws of Congress
branch of the government
 No national courts. Only state courts
 Both national and state courts exist.
exist
 Congress is responsible to the people
 Congress is responsible to the states
 Laws may be passed by a majority
 Nine out of 13 states have to
vote of both houses of Congress
approve a law before it can go into
 Congress given the power to tax
effect
 Congress given the power to regulate
 Congress has no power to tax
interstate and foreign trade
 Congress cannot regulate trade
 Only the national government has the
among the states
power to coin money
 Each state coins its own money. No
national currency
Definitions
Ratification
Reserved
Powers
Delegated
Powers
Approve
Powers reserved for the states
Establish schools, Pass statewide laws, regulate intrastate trade
Powers delegated to the federal government
Regulate interstate trade, coin money, declare war, sign treaties
Concurrent
Powers
Federalism
Federalist
Papers
Preamble
Separation of
Powers
Powers held and exercised by both the national and state governments
A strong central government
Written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison & John Jay, they were a
series of essays to persuade the NY State convention to agree to the
Constitution
The preamble describes the purpose of the government set up by the
Constitution. We the people…
3 Branches of Government
1. Legislative Branch—make laws
2. Executive Branch—The President, enforces laws
3. Judicial Branch—Supreme & Federal Courts
Explain what the debate was between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Include
who supported the Bill of Rights and why?
The Great Debate
Federalists
Antifederalists
-James Madison
-Thomas Jefferson
-They wanted a strong national government
-Wanted strong state government
-They were afraid the president would be
like a king
-They feared for Americans’ individual
liberties
The federalists added the Bill of Rights to appeal to the antifederalists. These were
amendments designed to protect citizens’ rights.
The Constitution
Implied Powers
 Powers not written in the Constitution—future power
 This makes the constitution a “living document” and gives the government most of
its power today
 Flexible document based on the necessary and proper (or elastic) clause
 Gives the Legislative Branch flexibility to make laws today. i.e. radio, internet.
Bill of Rights
Right(s)
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1st Amendment
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Press
Freedom of Assembly
Freedom of Petition
2nd Amendment
Right to keep arms
3rd Amendment
Right to protection from troops being quartered in homes during peacetime
4th Amendment
Right against unreasonable search and seizure without a warrant
5th Amendment
Rights of the Accused
 A census is given every 10 years to find out the population for representation in the
House of Representatives and for electoral votes.
 The number of electoral votes for each state is determined by the number of
House of Representatives and Senators = the electoral
Two Issues: How to select the President, and how long is he/she president.
Two types of elections: Direct Election and Indirect Election
Direct election:
1. People vote for a candidate
2. Person with the most votes wins
Indirect election:
1. People vote for a representative
2. Representative votes for candidate.
Election Compromise:
1. Indirect election for the President and Senate
2. Direct election for the House of Representatives
Electoral College:
1. U.S. Senators 2 from each state times 50 states
2. House of Representatives % according to population
A census is required every ten years to determine representation in Congress.
A criticism of the Electoral College is that presidents may be elected without
receiving the majority of the popular vote. You can win the population but lose the
electoral vote. An example of this is Busch/Gore 2000
The Unwritten Constitution: Practices of the Government based on tradition &
customs. Examples: political parties, political conventions
Judicial Review
The most important power of the Supreme Court is the ability to declare laws
unconstitutional. The power of Judicial Review was a precedent set in the 1803 Marbury
vs. Madison decision. It also serves a check on the laws passed by Congress and the
actions and treaties of the President.
The War of 1812 (Also see DBQ handout)
 Tension with Britain mounted
 The war Hawks (South & West) were pro war and the Doves (New
Englanders) were anti war
 Tried to blame the impressment of our seamen and the ships being taken to
British ports as the reason for the war, but the real
 Motive for the war was for the expansion of the United States (Canada)
The Monroe Doctrine (Also see handout)
 US would defend Western Hemisphere from European interference
 An end to European colonization in the Western Hemisphere
 If Europe has a problem with the Western Hemisphere, see the US first
“Big Brother,” because European interference was “dangerous to our
peace and safety.”
 *This assumes a leadership role in the Western Hemisphere
 We are also flexing our muscles
 No interference by the US in European affairs and European colonies.
Missouri Compromise (Also see Missouri Compromise handout)
1. Maine—admitted as free state
2. Missouri—admitted as a slave state
To maintain a balance of members of free and slave states
3. Rest of Louisiana Territory—states north of 36 30' would be free states
below 36 30' would be slave states.
Marshall Court
Marbury vs. Madison
 President Jefferson tried to deny the appointments of Federalist judges
that President Adams appointed right before he left office.
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Under orders from President Jefferson, Secretary of State James Madison
never delivered the papers.
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Marbury sued Madison demanding that the Supreme Court order the
Secretary of State to let him take his office.
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Chief Justice John Marshall ruled against Marbury, declaring it was
against the Supreme Court for the Supreme Court to order the executive
branch.
**This was a victory for the Supreme Court for the case established the power
of Judicial Review
McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819
 States were unhappy with the establishment of the second bank of the
US
 Maryland didn’t feel it was constitutional to have a national bank.
 They charged the national bank a $15,000 tax for operating in Maryland.
 The Supreme Court Ruled: it was necessary and proper to have a national
bank and the tax was unconstitutional because the Federal Government
supersedes the state government—national supremacy.
Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824
 Ogden received a license from NY State to operate steam-powered ferry
boats between NY and NJ
 Gibbons received a license from the Federal Government to carry
passengers from NJ to NY
 Ogden asked NY to forbid Gibbons landing rights to the port of NY and
NY issued the injunction
 The Supreme Court Ruled: The national government can regulate
interstate commerce and the federal government supersedes the state
government—national supremacy.