Main themes of Chapter Five:
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The political strategies employed by the 2nd Continental Congress in
declaring their independence from England and uniting the colonies in
military endeavor
The battle strategies and military contingencies that characterized the three
distinct phases of the American War of Independence
The attempt by Americans to apply revolutionary republican ideology to
the building of the nation and to the remaking of society, and how this
application affected such minority groups as African-Americans, Native
Americans, and women in the newly independent colonies
The problems that remained after, or were created by, the American
Revolution and that were faced by the weak national government under
the Articles of Confederation
A thorough study of Chapter Five should enable the student to understand the
following:
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The historical debate surrounding the nature of the American Revolution
and the reasons for disagreement
The defining of American war aims and the importance of Thomas Paine's
Common Sense
The origins and content of the Declaration of Independence
The three distinct phases of the War for Independence, and its
transformation into a new kind of conflict that worked against British
military superiority
The impact of the Revolution on women, African-Americans, Native
Americans, and other minorities
The assumptions and rhetoric of the political philosophy of republicanism
The types of governments created by the new states, and the important
features in their governments
The course of diplomacy between Americans both during the War and in
the years afterwards during attempts to stand up the new nation
The features of the Articles of Confederation, and the reasons for its
creation
The domestic and diplomatic problems faced by the government under the
Articles of Confederation, and how they were addressed
Main themes of Chapter Six:
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The origins of and debates surrounding the U.S. Constitution, and how the
debates were resolved
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The differing views of what the nation should become, and how these
differences led to the rise of the Federalists, the Republicans, and America's
"first party system"
The ways in which the new United States tried to establish itself as a nation
in the eyes of both foreign powers and its own people
The rise and fall of the Federalist Party and the background of the
"Revolution of 1800"
A thorough study of Chapter Six should enable the student to understand the
following:
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The groups that advocated a stronger national government and how they,
probably a minority, were able to achieve their objective
The historical debate concerning the motives of the delegates to the
Constitutional Convention
The debate over the Virginia and New Jersey plans and how it was resolved
The idea of federalism and the working design of the American
Constitution
The importance of The Federalist Papers in the ratification struggle, and the
arguments of the Antifederalist opposition
The financial program of Alexander Hamilton, and its contribution to the
success of the new government
The emergence of the first party system, the political philosophies of the
Federalists and Republicans, and their respective influence through the
election of 1800
The ways in which the weak new nation coped with various domestic and
international problems, including the Whiskey Rebellion, Native American
unrest, and the "quasi war" with France
The presidency of John Adams, the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts,
and their role in helping to bring about the "Revolution of 1800"
Main themes of Chapter Seven:
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How Americans expressed their burgeoning cultural independence
through republican education, literature, and religious revivalism
The impact of industrialism on the United States and its people,
particularly with regard to agricultural technology and transportation
The domestic questions and foreign entanglements of Thomas Jefferson's
presidency, including Marbury v. Madison, the Louisiana Purchase, the
settling of the West, and the impressment and embargo controversies
The response of the American people and their political system to the
nation's physical expansion, and the reaction of Native American groups to
this expansion
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The growing conflict between British naval policies and American selfidentity that led to the War of 1812, and its ultimate consequences for the
young American nation
A thorough study of Chapter Seven should enable the student to understand the
following:
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The role of republican education in creating a "virtuous and enlightened
citizenry"
The American cultural and nationalist aspirations beginning to emerge in
the first two decades of the nineteenth century
The effects of the revolutionary experience on American religion, and the
changing religious patterns that helped bring on the Second Great
Awakening
The growing industrialism of America and the important advances made in
technology and transportation during Jefferson's presidency, belying the
simple, agrarian republic envisioned by the Jeffersonians
The political philosophy of Thomas Jefferson, and the extent to which he
was able to adhere to his philosophy while president
The origins and compromises that led to the creation of Washington, D.C.
as America's capital
The Jeffersonian-Federalist struggle over the judiciary—its causes, the
main points of conflict, and the importance of the outcome for the future
of the nation
President Jefferson's constitutional reservations concerning the Louisiana
Purchase, and the significance of his decision to accept the bargain
The reasons for President Jefferson's sponsorship of the Lewis and Clark
expedition, and the importance of that expedition
The strange story of Aaron Burr, his duel with Alexander Hamilton, and his
trial for "conspiracy"
The problems caused by Tecumseh's attempts at confederation and by the
Spanish presence in Florida as Americans surged westward
The motivations behind Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's strategy of
"peaceable coercion," and why it ultimately failed
The international events leading up to the War of 1812, and the domestic
forces encouraging the war
The extent of the opposition to the American war effort, and the ways in
which the New England Federalists attempted to show their objections
The end of the War of 1812, and the treaties accompanying it
The comparative role of the United States in the "global industrial
revolution" that originated in Great Britain
Chapter 5 Essays
Compare and contrast the British and the American conduct of the war. How did
each side propose to "win," how realistic was its assessment of the situation, and
how did this prewar assessment influence the ultimate outcome of the war?
Explain how the political ideology that was the foundation of the American
Revolution influenced the writing of state constitutions and the Articles of
Confederation. How did the colonial experience of the states help shape this
political ideology? (Be sure to consult previous chapters when answering this
question.)
Chapter 6 Essays
Compare and contrast the political, economic, and social philosophies of Thomas
Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Explain the sort of nation each wished to
create.
The Bill of Rights is generally recognized as protecting the citizens of the United
States from their government, but what safeguards are contained in the
Constitution to protect the states from violation of their rights? What additional
safeguards were proposed by Jefferson and Madison in the Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions, and what were the implications of these resolutions with regard to
the growth of the central government?
Chapter 7 Essays
Jefferson and the Republicans championed the rights of the states and advocated
a strict adherence to the Constitution, but once in office, they found new
situations that demanded governmental actions that, in some cases, went beyond
what the Federalists had done. What caused Jefferson and his party to change
their approach to governing, what reservations did they have about what they
were doing, and how were they able to rationalize this apparent change in
program and philosophy? (Be sure to consult previous chapters when answering
this question.)
Many historians view the War of 1812 as the "second American war for
independence," but is this an accurate characterization? In what way did British
policies prior to 1812 threaten Americans' independence? Had the United States
not fought the war, what might the results have been? Assess these questions, and
determine if the United States was indeed fighting for "independence."