The Constitution

Don't Know Much About History: study questions

1) Discuss the significance of Thomas Jefferson's quote: "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing...God forbid that we should ever be twenty year without such a rebellion...The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
2) Why did Shay's Rebellion happen?
3) The constitution is "a political creation, hammered together in a series of artfully negotiated compromises. Discuss these compromises.
4) What was the Virginia Plan?
5) "No person held in service" was a euphemism for what?
6) List the basic Powers and Checks of the three branches of the government.
7) Who wrote the Federalist Papers and why did they write them?
8) Briefly outline the first ten amendments.
9) Who could wrote in the first election (what parts of the population)?
10) How did Washington D.C. come be located on the banks of the Potomac?
11) What did Jay's Treaty do?
12) What was the "Whiskey Rebellion" and how was it put down?
13) Describe the election of 1800? How was it finally resolved?
14) Who was John Marshall?

The Constitution

Chapter 9: Study Questions

1) What were some of the successes of the Revolution’s emphasis on equality?  Failures?

2) What happened to slavery in most Northern states following the conclusion of the war?

3) What was the role of women following the Revolution?

4) Why did the founding fathers avoid the slavery issue?

5) What were some of the reasons the American Revolution was able to avoid the violence associated with the French Revolution?

6) What were some of the strengths of the nation as it became independent?

7) What was the compromise that needed to be reached for the Articles of Confederation to be ratified?

8) What were the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

9) What was the Northwest Ordinance?

10) What was Shay’s Rebellion?  Why was it important?

11) Who were the leading men of the Constitutional Convention?  What was the occupation and social status of these men?

12) Why was the Constitution Convention originally called?

13) What was the Great Compromise?

14) How did the founders decide the president would be elected?  Why?

15) How did the founders deal with the slavery question?

16) What is the only branch of government directly elected by the people?

17) Why did many oppose the Constitution as it was originally written?

18) What were the Federalist Papers?  Purpose? Authors? 

19) Who were the men who opposed the Federalists?  Why?   

Revolutionary War REVIEW

THINGS TO KNOW:


People:

Henry Clinton
William Howe
Daniel Morgan
Horatio Gates
Benedict Arnold
George Washington
Johnny Burgoyne
Sam Adams
John Adams
John Hancock
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Paine
Alexander Hamilton

Battles:
Lexington and Concord
Ticonderoga
Bunker Hill
Quebec
Valcour Island
Saratoga
Trenton
Brandywine and Germantown
Monmouth
Yorktown

Chapter 8:

1) What actions did the Second Continental Congress take in 1775?
2) What traits did Washing display as commander of the Revolutionary Army?
3) What was important about the colonial invasion of Canada in 1775?
4) When did England consider America to be in rebellion?
5) Why did the colonists delay declaring independence until July, 1776?
6) What were the three parts of the Declaration of Independence (read it from the back of your book)?
7) Who proposed the idea of independence to the Continental Congress?
8) What were the major points of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense?
9) What is a republic?
10) What percentage of Americans supported the revolution?
11) What were the characteristics of those who continued to support Britain?
12) What was the British military strategy early in the war?
13) What battle convinced the French that the Americans could win the war?
14) What was the impact of French assistance during the Revolutionary War?
15) Why did Native Americans generally support the British?
16) What battle effectively ended the war? How long did fighting continue after the battle?
17) What were the results of the Treaty of Paris?
18) Why were the British so generous in their peace terms with the Americans?
19) What happened to the Loyalists following the Revolution?


1763 - The Proclamation Act of 1763
1764- Sugar Act
1765 - Stamp Act
1767 - Townshend Act
1770 - Boston Massacre
1773 - Tea Act
1773- Boston Tea Pary
1774 - Intolerable Acts

1st and 2nd Continental Congress (what each congress did)

1) What rebel leaders does Paul Revere ride at midnight to warn?
2) In detail, describe how the battle of Concord looked?
3) Why was the Revolutionary War the most important event in U.S. History?
4) How many cities over 10,000 where there in America at the time of the Revolution?
5) Describe the country before the Revolutionary War? Why might not we, in the 21st century, recognize it?
6) Why was James Otis important?
7) What was Samuel Adams known for?
8) Describe the Patriotic Leaders.
9) What percent of the population, according to John Adams, wanted liberty?
10) Discuss how the events of the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party lead to the Revolutionary War.

Chapter 7

1) When do many argue that the American Revolution began?
2) What were the factors that separated the colonists from England?
3) What was mercantilism?  Why was it established?
4) Under mercantilism, how did the average American compare with the average Englishman?
5) Why did Americans resent the mercantile system?
6) What was "salutary neglect?" What did it end?
7) Why did the British pass the Stamp Act?
8) What was American reaction to the Stamp and Sugar Acts?
9) What was the "Association"?
10) What was the Declaratory Act?
11) What is meant by "virtual representation"?
12) Where were the Townsend Acts?
13) What caused the Boston Massacre?
14) What were the committees of correspondence?
15) How did Parliament think they had avoided "no taxation without representation" by passing the Tea Act?
16) How was the Boston Tea Party a reaction to the Tea Act?
17) What did the British do in response to the Boston Tea Party?
18) What were the Intolerable Acts? Why were they so unpopular?
19) Why did the First Continental Congress meet?  What did they accomplish?
20) What advantages/disadvantages did each side possess as the War for Independence began?
21) What percentage of Americans supported total independence?
22) What role did economics play

Revolutionary War Projects

Choose two battles and four people below and result them.

For the battles I would like a listing of date, place, commanders in charge, and who was the victory.  Further you need three to four sentences on the importance of each battle (or the importance of the battle's outcome) and a picture to go with them.  

For the people (these are all commanders) you need a picture and 3-4 sentences of their role in the war. Note: You need to cite your sources.  Give web page name and address.

GRADING:

Battles 

5 points for correct date and place

5 points for correct commanders and who won

15 points for the importance of each battle

People

15 points each for theirs roles

10 points for proper citation of sources

Battles:
Cowpens
Monmouth
Guiltford Courthouse
Yorktown
Camden

People:
George Clinton
Nathaniel Greene
Daniel Morgan
William Howe
Charles Cornwallis
Horatio Gates
Charles Lee 

Benedict Arnold

In September of 1780, Arnold tried to give West Point to the British.  The plan nearly succeeded.  John Andre, Arnold's British connection, was captured after the two met to arrange a plan.  The plans were discovered in Andre's boot.  Arnold then escaped (he had been told about Andre's capture by one of the officers who held Andre captive- the men did not think their was any connection with Arnold).

Arnold wrote a statement about why he changed sides which was published in a British newspaper in London.

Saratoga

Discussion Questions should be answered on student blogs.

1)    According the program, what would have happened if Benedict Arnold had died at Saratoga?

2)   Why is Saratoga important?  What should we remember about it?

3)   Who was the overall commander for the Colonial forces at Saratoga?  What was the dispute between him and Benedict Arnold?

4)   Why did the British fail at Saratoga?

5) What are the dates of the Saratoga Battles?  

Battle of Valcour Island

Prompt: Imagine you are a member of the USS Philadelphia on Lake Champlain during the year 1776.  Your mission is to stop the invading British navy.  I want you think cramp quarters of your boat, reflect on how long you’ve been on the water, and discuss some of the hardships you’ve had to overcome.  Also, I want you to discuss any apprehensions you might have about confronting the British in open warfare on the lake (think about how small the boat is and how grapeshot and cannon balls could rip the ship apart).

NOTES

Battle of Quebec: NOTES
Washington sends Col. Arnold and 1100 troops through the unmapped wildness in Maine.

Gen. Montgomery takes 1200 men up Lake Champlain and onto the St. Lawrence River.

The battle takes place during a snowstorm on 12/31/75.

REASONS for the INVASION:

A) Create a 14th Colony
B) Eliminate the threat of a northern invasion.
C) Eliminate a British base in North America.
D) Create an aggressive statement and suggest the cost of the war to King George III.
E) Bring the Canadians to the Americans side.

Results: Montgomery shows up late after becoming bogged down in Montreal. 400 of Arnold's men turn back and return to Mass. When both forces come together in December they do not have the men to successful hold a siege or attack the city. Further, the element of surprise is gone. The invasion ultimately fails, both Gen. Montgomery and Col. Arnold are removed from the battle during the opening minutes of the fight. Gen. Montgomery hit with a cannon ball and Arnold shot in the leg.

Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold, Ticonderoga, and the Battle of Saratoga
Essential Questions:

A) Why was Ticonderoga important?
B) Who was Benedict Arnold?
C) Could the Revolutionary War have been won without Benedict Arnold?
D) Should Benedict Arnold be considered a hero or a villain?
E) How did the Battle of Saratoga affect the outcome of the Revolutionary War?

SOAP

SOAP the Document:  Making Primary Source Documents
Come Clean!

Source

•
Who wrote the document?
•
What is the author’s background/point of view?

Whose point of view, given the topic, is
missing?
•
Do you consider the source a reliable one on this topic?  Why/why not?

Occasion
•
When was the document written?
•
What does the date of the document tell you about its content?

What other historical events were going on during this time?

Audience
•
To whom is the author writing?
•
What type of document is this (diary entry, personal letter, public speech,
etc.)?  
•
Does the private/public nature of the document inform you about its content
(is the author sharing private thoughts, making a public pronouncement,
etc.)?

Purpose
•
Why was the document written?  What is the purpose of the document?
•
What is the document saying?