American History | Lesson 1.
01 Study Guide
Lesson 1.01 Study Guide
Complete this Study Guide to ensure success on the Quiz.
1. Election of 1788: first election for new leaders/ representatives under the US Constitution. It was held
from Monday, December 15, 1788, to Saturday January 10, 1789.
2. What was the important outcome of George Washington’s election in 1789?
He was elected unanimously
3. Why is George Washington important as the first president of the United States? He was literally
the first person to be THE President. There was no one and no position to serve as
an example. His leadership example has served as a role model for all presidents to follow.
4. Cabinet: advisors appointed by the president to help with advising the president and running aspects of
the government. In the US government the advisors typically go by the title of secretary.
5. Electoral College: a body of electors established by the US Constitution, for the sole purpose of electing
the president and the vice president of the United States. These electors meet in their state capitals in
December to cast their votes.
6. Inaugration: the process of swearing a person into office. This is commonly done through a formal
ceremony of event.
7. What were the two reasons for the creation of the Electoral College?
The first reason was to prevent the people from being manipulated and having a tyrant coming to power
through mob rule, fear, and manipulation. The second reason was to better balance the differences
between small states and large states. This gives a slight advantage to smaller states.
8. Political Parties: Is an organized group of people who have the same ideology or political positions. They
work to field candidates for elections to get them elected to positions as leaders and representatives to
implement the party’s agenda.
9. How did George Washington feel about political parties? What was James Madison’s view?
Washington did not like political parties. He called them factions and warned against them as groups that
would agitate the people with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms.
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American History | Lesson 1.01 Study Guide
10. What was James Madison’s View? Madison believed that factions should be encouraged, the more the
better so that no one group could become too strong and take over the government.
11. What are the Pros and Cons of political parties?
Pros
Present political ideas and plans to the voting population
Prevent dramatic and unexpected political shifts that threaten the stability of the country
Encourage people to join and participate politically
Cons
The party(s) often carry vested interests that may only benefit a few and force them to directly
oppose the other party
Political parties create factionalism and animosity between parties making working together
inside and outside of the government difficult if not impossible.
Negative attacks against candidates and exclusion of people from opposition parties often exclude
the best or most qualified people to help the country
12. What was the Whiskey Rebellion? In 1791 Alexander Hamilton proposed a tax on liquor that was passed
by Congress. The new nation was still short on money after the Revolutionary War. Pennsylvania farmers
were upset and protested, which resulted in an uprising of farmers and distillers in western Pennsylvania
in protest of the Whisky Tax. When President Washington assembled 12,000 militia the rebellion fell
apart. This is considered the first critical test of federal government authority under the new US
Constitution.
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