🌟 COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
1. Articles of Confederation
America’s first government (1781–1789)
● States had almost all the power
● National government was extremely weak
Major Weaknesses
● No power to tax
● No army
● No executive branch
● No national court system
● Couldn’t regulate trade
● Needed unanimous vote to amend
● Needed 9/13 states to pass laws
Why It Failed
● States acted like separate countries
● Economic problems
● Government couldn’t respond to crises, especially Shays’s Rebellion, showing
national weakness
This failure led directly to the Constitutional Convention.
2. The Constitution (1787)
Purpose
Replace the Articles with a stronger federal government while preventing tyranny.
What It Created
● Three branches of government
○ Legislative (Congress)
○ Executive (President)
○ Judicial (Courts)
● Checks and balances
● Federalism (power shared between states and national government)
Vague Parts (intentionally)
● Necessary and Proper Clause
● General Welfare Clause
● Executive powers not fully defined
These allow flexibility and interpretation.
Major Compromises
Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
● House of Representatives → proportional representation
● Senate → equal representation (2 per state)
3/5 Compromise
● Enslaved people counted as 3/5 of a person for representation & taxation.
Relationship to Shays’s Rebellion
● Rebellion showed the national government couldn't maintain order
● Convinced leaders a stronger government was necessary
● Motivated creation of the Constitution
Ratification
● Needed approval of 9/13 states
● Caused major debate between Federalists & Anti-Federalists
● Promise of Bill of Rights helped secure ratification
3. Bill of Rights (1791)
First 10 amendments added to protect individual freedoms.
Key Amendments to Know
1. Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, petition
2. Right to bear arms
3. No quartering soldiers
4. No unreasonable searches or seizures
5. Due process, no self-incrimination, no double jeopardy
6. Rights in criminal trials (speedy trial, lawyer, jury)
7. Right to jury in civil cases
8. No cruel or unusual punishment
9. People have more rights than listed
10.Powers not given to federal gov. go to states/people
Added because Anti-Federalists demanded protections.
4. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Federalists
● Supported the Constitution
● Wanted a strong national government
● Argued it was necessary for stability, defense, unity
● Wrote the Federalist Papers
● Key figures: Hamilton, Madison, Jay
Anti-Federalists
● Opposed the Constitution
● Feared strong government → tyranny
● Wanted stronger state powers
● Would not support Constitution without a Bill of Rights
● Key figures: Patrick Henry, George Mason
Main Disagreements
● Size + power of central government
● Individual liberties
● Representation
● Lack of Bill of Rights (biggest issue)
5. Speculators
Who They Were
People who bought government bonds or land cheaply, often from Revolutionary War
veterans who needed money.
Why They Became Controversial
● Under Hamilton’s financial plan, the government paid back bonds at full value
● Speculators made huge profits
● Many believed this was unfair to original bondholders (soldiers)
What This Shows
● Early America faced major financial debates
● Wealth and power were heavily influenced by government policy
⭐ 20 MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. What major event revealed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
A. Boston Massacre
B. Shays’s Rebellion
C. War of 1812
D. Whiskey Rebellion
2. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government could NOT:
A. Declare war
B. Print money
C. Tax citizens
D. Make treaties
3. Why did the Articles of Confederation purposely create a weak central
government?
A. Americans feared repeating British tyranny
B. States wanted to unite under one strong leader
C. The economy was too weak for a stronger government
D. Congress wanted full control over the states
4. The Constitution was written mainly to:
A. Replace the Declaration of Independence
B. Strengthen the national government
C. Prevent any future amendments
D. Give states independence from each other
5. The Great Compromise settled a dispute between large and small states over:
A. Slavery
B. Voting rights
C. Representation in Congress
D. Presidential powers
6. The Great Compromise created a Congress with:
A. One house, proportional representation
B. One house, equal representation
C. Two houses: both proportional
D. Two houses: one proportional, one equal
7. The 3/5 Compromise dealt with counting which group for representation and
taxes?
A. Immigrants
B. Women
C. Enslaved people
D. Children
8. Which branch of government enforces the laws?
A. Legislative
B. Judicial
C. Executive
D. State governments
9. Federalism means:
A. All power goes to the states
B. All power goes to the federal government
C. Power is shared between federal and state governments
D. Power is held only by the president
10. Which group supported the ratification of the Constitution?
A. Anti-Federalists
B. Loyalists
C. Federalists
D. Populists
11. Which group wanted a Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?
A. Federalists
B. Anti-Federalists
C. Congress
D. Speculators
12. Why did Anti-Federalists oppose the Constitution?
A. It was too short
B. It created a government they feared was too powerful
C. It ended state governments
D. It protected slavery too strongly
13. What finally convinced many Anti-Federalists to support the Constitution?
A. Promise to add the Bill of Rights
B. Promise to end slavery
C. New tax laws
D. Larger state militias
14. The Bill of Rights is:
A. The first 10 amendments
B. The first 10 articles
C. The entire Constitution
D. A section of the Declaration of Independence
15. Which amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and
petition?
A. 1st Amendment
B. 4th Amendment
C. 6th Amendment
D. 10th Amendment
16. Which amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures?
A. 2nd Amendment
B. 3rd Amendment
C. 4th Amendment
D. 8th Amendment
17. The Necessary and Proper Clause allows Congress to:
A. Declare war without approval
B. Create laws needed to carry out its powers
C. Change the Constitution at will
D. Overrule the Supreme Court
18. Speculators in early America were people who:
A. Protested against taxes
B. Bought bonds or land cheaply hoping to profit
C. Worked for the government
D. Served in the military
19. How did speculators profit from Hamilton’s financial plan?
A. Bonds were repaid at full value
B. The government gave them free land
C. They received tax exemptions
D. They were paid double for their bonds
20. Which of the following was not a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
A. No power to tax
B. No national army
C. No national court system
D. Strong executive branch