AP US History Unit 3 Study Packet
Post-Independence and the Critical Period
Directions: Follow this sheet daily. The date next to the assignment indicates the night
the homework must be done—all assignments are due the following class meeting. Make
sure to do your IDs on a set of index cards) and type or handwrite your answers to the
discussion questions. You must write both the question and the answer for all discussion
questions.
ALL ID RESPONSES AND DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS MUST BE IN
YOUR OWN WORDS—NOT COPIED VERBATIM FROM THE BOOK!
IN ADDITION, BE SURE YOUR ID NOT ONLY IDENTIFIES THE GIVEN
PERSON, PLACE, OR EVENT, BUT ALSO EXPLAINS ITS IMPORTANCE.
Checklist of Assignments
Assignment
IDs
Discussion Questions
Constitution Handout
Multiple Choice Packet
Daily in-Class Cornell Notes
Due Date
Friday 9/28 and Friday 10/5
Friday 9/28 and Friday 10/5
Friday 9/28
Thursday 10/4
Friday 9/28 and Friday 10/5
Points Possible
26
59
30
20
10 each
Other Unit Assignments
Reading Quizzes—Friday 9/28 and Thursday 10/4
Take home essay—Assigned Thursday 10/4 and due Monday 10/8
In-Class test—Friday 10/5
9/24 and due 9/26 Building the New Nation: The Articles of Confederation pp. 156168
IDs
Abigail Adams
Republican motherhood
Articles of Confederation
Northwest Ordinance
Dey of Algiers
Shay’s Rebellion
Discussion Questions
1. What were some signs that equality was more prevalent in post-Revolutionary
America?
2. How was this move towards equality incomplete?
3. How did the role of women change in post-Revolutionary society? (See page 169—
Examining the Evidence too)
4. What did the new state Constitutions have in common?
5. In what ways were the states showing an increasingly democratic character?
6. What does Bailey mean when he says “in the United States, economic democracy,
broadly speaking, preceded political democracy?” What were some signs of increasing
economic democracy?
7. What were the economic benefits to Independence? What were the drawbacks? (Make
a chart if it helps)
8. What does Bailey say about the general economic and social atmosphere in general?
Why?
9. What were the “hopeful signs” that the country would be able to unify under a new
government?
10. What was the major issue preventing states from agreeing to the Articles of
Confederation? How was it solved?
11. Why were the Articles of Confederation once dubbed “The Articles of Confusion.”
What were its’ weaknesses? (OK to list)
12. Why are the Articles of Confederation considered a landmark despite their
weaknesses?
13. What significant legislation did the Confederation succeed in planning?
14. How did these land ordinances solve the problem of empire?
15. What were foreign relations after the Revolutionary War like? Why couldn’t America
do much to make them better?
16. In what ways did America resemble anarchy under the Articles of Confederation?
9/26 The Constitutional Convention and Its Product pp. 168-178
IDs
The Great Compromise
3/5ths Compromise
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
The Federalist
Discussion Questions
1. What was the issue that led to a call for a new Constitutional Convention? What did
they decide would be their purpose?
2. How were the representatives to the convention chosen? What type of men were they?
3. Make a list of the important men present at the Constitutional Convention.
4. What were the main priorities of the delegates?
5. What was the daring step taken by delegates to the Convention?
6. What was the main conflict between states at the Convention? How was it resolved?
7. What were the changes to the executive branch made by the new Constitution?
8. Explain the compromise reached regarding the election of the president.
9. What stipulations regarding slaves and slavery were made in the Constitution?
10. What were some of the non-democratic elements of the new Constitution? Why were
they included?
11. What were some of the democratic elements of the new Constitution?
12. How did the Framing Fathers attempt to get around the problem of unanimous
ratification of the Constitution? Why was this so extraordinary?
13. Who were the antifederalists? What were their concerns about the Constitution?
(ok to list)
14. What type of people were the Federalists? What were their advantages?
(also see map on p.184)
15. What did the federalists promise in order to get the Constitution ratified in
Massachusetts?
16. Which states lagged in ratifying the Constitution? What were their reservations?
17. What was the role of The Federalist in persuading New York to ratify?
18. Why did the last two states finally decide to ratify?
19. In what ways was conservatism triumphant with the ratification of the new
Constitution?
20. In what ways was republicanism safe-guarded?
9/27—Constitution Handout—use copy of Constitution on pp. A4-A20 in the back to
complete.
9/28 The Constitution ctnd. Read The 1787 Constitution Debate pp. 13 & 14 and
answer questions on p. 15, AND Read Zinn piece pp. 89-101
Discussion Questions for Zinn
1. What have many Americans believed over the years about the Constitution?
2. What did Charles Beard discover about the writers of the Constitution?
3. Who was not represented in the Constitution according to Beard?
4. What were the frustrations of the men behind Shay’s rebellion?
5. In what ways were the rebels punished? What were the authortities so afraid of?
6. What sorts of elections did the new Constitution establish?
7. Why did Madison want a representative government?
8. What does Zinn see as the “economic interest behind the political clauses of the
Constitution”?
9. Who does Zinn say the Constitution was a compromise between?
10. What does Zinn mean at the bottom of p. 98 when he says that the Constitituion
“serves the interests of a wealthy elite, but also does enough for small property
owners, for middle income mechanics and farmers, to build a broad base of
support” ?
11. In what ways does Zinn think the early government defied the First Amendment?
Whose interests were being protected?
10/1 Launching the New Ship of State pp. 180-186
IDs
The Judiciary Act of 1789
Strict construction
Loose construction
Whiskey Rebellion
Discussion Questions
1. Why does Bailey conclude that “America’s new ship of state did not spread its
sails to the most favorable breezes”?
2. What sorts of population changes were happening in the years following the
passage of the Constitution?
3. What was Washington’s first important action upon taking the office of
President?
4. What are the Bill of Rights? Why were they passed?
5. Describe Alexander Hamilton’s financial plan. Why did he believe assumption
would be so beneficial to the federal government?
6. Why did Virginia finally agree to allow the federal government to assume its
debts?
7. Why did Hamilton see debt as an asset?
8. What was the purpose of Hamilton’s new tariffs?
9. What was the issue between Hamilton and Jefferson regarding the national bank?
How was it resolved?
10. What did the Whiskey Rebellion show about Washington’s administration?
10/2 The Development of Political Parties pp. 186-200
IDs
Neutrality Proclamation
Edmond Genet
The Treaty of Greenville
Jay’s Treaty
Impressment
The XYZ Affair
Alien Laws
Sedition Act
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Nullification
Discussion Questions
1. What led the first political parties to develop? What was the central issue that
divided them?
2. How did the French Revolution further divide the two parties?
3. Why did many Americans, particularly Washington, believe it was best to stay out
of the French Revolution?
4. In what ways was America still in conflict with Britain?
5. What were the effects of Jay’s treaty?
6. What did Washington warn against during his farewell address?
7. Why was France upset with the United States? What happened between the two
countries?
8. How did the Americans finally settle things with the French?
9. In what ways did the Federalists try to suppress the Jeffersonians? Why do you
think Bailey calls this a “witch-hunt”?
10. In what ways were the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions an argument for states
rights?
11. What were the main features of the Federalist Party’s beliefs? (ok to list)
12. What were the main features of the Jeffersonian-Republican’s beliefs? (ok to list)
13. Why did Thomas Jefferson accept slavery as a necessary feature of American
society?
Multiple Choice Practice
Directions: The following multiple choice questions are meant to give you exposure to
the format, style and type of multiple choice questions you will see on the AP US History
exam. In addition, they are meant to help you review the content from the last unit.
You can work individually, or with your study group, to find the answers to the questions
below. I recommend waiting until you’ve studied the content until you work on the
related questions below—that way you can check your understanding of the material
you’ve studied.
Turn in your answers to me on a sheet of notebook paper with the question number and
the letter of the correct answer.
Due: Thursday 10/4. Worth 20 HW points.
1. The Republican Response to the 1798 Alien and Sedition Acts included
a. South Carolina’s nullification of the acts
b. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
c. The Hartford Convention
d. The Ostend Manifesto
e. The Mulligan Letters
2. The primary issue in dispute in Shay’s Rebellion was
a. The jailing of individuals or seizure of their property for failure to pay
taxes during a time of economic hardship
b. The under representation of western Massachusetts in the state legislature
leading to accusations of “taxation without representation”
c. The failure of Massachusetts to pay a promised postwar bonus to soldiers
who had served in its forces during the Revolution
d. The failure of Massachusetts authorities to take adequate steps to protect
the western part of the state from the depredations of raiding Indians.
e. Economic oppression practiced by the banking interests in eastern
Massachusetts.
3. All of the following were weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT
a. It lacked the power to levy taxes
b. It lacked the power to regulate commerce
c. It lacked the power to borrow money
d. It could not compel the states to abide by the terms of international treaties
it made
e. It lacked a strong executive
4. The most controversial portion of Alexander Hamilton’s economic program was
a. Federal assumption of state debts
b. Assessment of direct taxes on the states
c. Creation of the Bank of the United States
d. Imposition of high protective tariffs
e. Establishment of a bimetallic system
5. The international incident known as the XYZ Affair Involved
a. The French foreign minister’s demand for a bribe before he would meet
with the American envoys
b. The British refusal to evacuate their forts on American territory
c. General Andrew Jackson’s incursion into Spanish-held Florida
d. The British seizure of American crewmen from a US Navy warship in
Chesapeake Bay
e. Aaron Burr’s secret plot to detach the western United States in order to
create a new nation of which he would be ruler.
6. In the 1790s political conflict between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
Hamilton, Jefferson would have been more likely to
a. Take a narrower view of the Constitution
b. Favor Britain over France in the European wars
c. Favor the establishment of a national bank
d. Win the cooperation of presidents George Washington and John Adams
e. Oppose the efforts of Citizen Genet in America.
7. Which of the following was NOT true of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
a. It recognized the territorial claim of the various Indian tribes within the
Northwest territory
b. It guaranteed freedom of religion to settlers in the Northwest Territory
c. It guaranteed the right to a jury trial to settlers in the Northwest Territory
d. It prohibited slavery within the Northwest Territory
e. It specified procedures through which settlers could organize state
governments and eventually apply for full statehood.
8. During the campaign to ratify the Constitution, the Federalists argued
a. For a return to the Articles of Confederation as the framework for a
federal government
b. That a bill of rights, to correct flaws in the Constitution, must be in place
before the Constitution could be ratified
c. For rejection of the Constitution and the convening of a new
Constitutional Convention to come up with a better framework for
government.
d. For ratification of the Constitution, with a possible bill of rights to be
discussed after ratification.
e. Against a strong national government of any kind and an increase in the
powers of states to govern themselves
9. A leader of the Nationalist movement in the United States in the 1780s was
a. Alexander Hamilton
b. Thomas Jefferson
c. Samuel Adams
d. Richard Henry Lee
e. Thomas Payne
10. The XYZ Affair was important in that it
a. Underlined the importance of a strong, impartial federal judiciary in
resolving Constitutional disputes between the state and federal
governments
b. Led to US abrogation of the 1778 peace treaty and brought the US into a
quasi –war with France
c. Nearly brought Britain into the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy
d. Discredited Aaron Burr and forced his removal from the 1800 presidential
election ticket as Thomas Jefferson’s running mate
e. Led the US to seek a declaration of war against Britain in 1812 for
impressing American seamen onto British ships.
11. George Washington responded to the Whiskey Rebellion in the western counties
of Pennsylvania by
a. Ignoring it until it died out
b. Dispatching Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, to negotiate a
reduced tax with the protestors.
c. Calling a special session of Congress to deal with the problem
d. Sending an army larger than any he had ever commanded in the
Revolution to put down the revolt
e. Requesting an advisory option from the Supreme Court on the
constitutionality of the excise tax.
12. Identify the following:
“The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations is…to have
with them as little political connection as possible…It is our true policy to
steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.”
a. James Monroe, annual message to Congress (December 1823)
b. George Washington, “Farewell Address” (September 1796)
c. Thomas Jefferson, first inaugural address (March 1801)
d. George Washington, “Proclamation of Neutrality” (April 1793)
e. Theodore Roosevelt, annual message to Congress (December 1904)
13. The Constitutional Convention of 1787
I.
Was dominated by Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, John
Adams and George Washington
II.
Published daily summaries of its debates in the Philadelphia
newspapers.
III.
Was called by the Confederation Congress for the sole
purpose of revising/amending the Articles of Confederation.
IV.
Outlawed the foreign slave trade
a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. I, II, and IV only
e. I, II, III and IV
14. The Bill of Rights
a. Is the first ten amendments to the Constitution
b. Limited the powers of the federal government to those specifically named
in the Constitution
c. Gave citizens freedoms of religion, assembly, speech and press, and the
right of petition
d. Guaranteed the rights of persons accused of crime
e. All of the above.
15. The Federalist Papers
a. Were written anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James
Madison
b. Argued that under the Constitution the states would relinquish too much
sovereignty
c. Opposed ratification of the Constitution without the addition of a bill of
rights.
d. Convinced Patrick Henry to support the Constitution
e. Stressed that the Constitutional Convention was instructed to revise the
Articles of Confederation, not to write a new constitution.
16. The Federalist Party headed by Alexander Hamilton
I.
Advocated a pro-British foreign policy
II.
Supported a “loose” or “broad” interpretation of the
Constitution
III.
Favored a government run by yeoman farmers and mechanics
IV.
Championed the concept of a strong central government
a. I and II only
b. II and III only
c. III and IV only
d. I, II and III only
e. I, II and IV only
17. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions took the position that:
only the US Supreme Court had the power to restrict freedom of speech and press
the authority of the state governments included the power of whether or not an act
of Congress was constitutional
c) only fiscal measures initiated by state legislatures could be acted upon by
Congress
d) Congress was responsible for maintaining the vitality of a “loyal opposition”
political party
e) the “supremacy clause” of the Constitution applied only to foreign affairs
a)
b)
18. Which is NOT true concerning the Alien and Sedition Acts?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
they were used by the president to silence his political opponents, the Federalist
newspaper editors
they gave the president the power to imprison or deport aliens dangerous to the
national welfare
they raised the residency requirement from five to fourteen years for naturalized
citizenship
they provided fines and imprisonment for those who spoke or published “false,
scandalous, and malicious writing or writings against the government of the
United States” or Congress or the president
they grew out of public anger at the undeclared naval war with France, the XYZ
affair, the influx of Irish and French fleeing the abortive Irish Revolution of 1798
and the French Revolution of the 1790’s
19. All of the following were part of Alexander Hamilton’s economic program
EXCEPT:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
excise taxes
subsidies to farmers
federal assumption of state debts
protective tariffs
a national bank
20. President Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation of 1793 was issued in response
to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Spanish expansion in the Southeastern United States
Dutch economic activity in the mid Atlantic states
Canadian alliances with northern American Indians
French diplomatic overtures to invoke the Franco-American Alliance of 1778
English boycotts of selected American manufactures