U.S. Political History

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AP U.S. History › U.S. Political History

Questions 1 - 10
1

What was the significance of The Revolution of 1800?

It represented a shift in political ideology, from Federalism to Democratic-Republicanism

It Signaled the end of the Democratic-Republican party as a major force in United States’ politics

It re-affirmed the Universal Suffrage of all white men

It ushered in another term for President John Adams

All of the those mentioned were true and significant

Explanation

The Presidential Election of 1800, also called The Revolution of 1800, was important for a number of reasons. The only true answer choice here though is that it represented a shift from the Federalist Party to the Democratic - Republican Party. It was the beginning of the end for the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republicans would hold power for several years to come. The election was also notable for exposing one of the flaws of the original Constitution; Because Electors were instructed to cast their vote for two separate candidates the result was both Jefferson and Burr gaining the exact same number of votes. It took thirty-six polls before Jefferson was finally elected President, and Burr Vice-President. Following this election the Twelfth Amendment was passed to instruct electors to make a clear distinction between their choice for President and for Vice-President.

2

What was the significance of The Revolution of 1800?

It represented a shift in political ideology, from Federalism to Democratic-Republicanism

It Signaled the end of the Democratic-Republican party as a major force in United States’ politics

It re-affirmed the Universal Suffrage of all white men

It ushered in another term for President John Adams

All of the those mentioned were true and significant

Explanation

The Presidential Election of 1800, also called The Revolution of 1800, was important for a number of reasons. The only true answer choice here though is that it represented a shift from the Federalist Party to the Democratic - Republican Party. It was the beginning of the end for the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republicans would hold power for several years to come. The election was also notable for exposing one of the flaws of the original Constitution; Because Electors were instructed to cast their vote for two separate candidates the result was both Jefferson and Burr gaining the exact same number of votes. It took thirty-six polls before Jefferson was finally elected President, and Burr Vice-President. Following this election the Twelfth Amendment was passed to instruct electors to make a clear distinction between their choice for President and for Vice-President.

3

What was the significance of The Revolution of 1800?

It represented a shift in political ideology, from Federalism to Democratic-Republicanism

It Signaled the end of the Democratic-Republican party as a major force in United States’ politics

It re-affirmed the Universal Suffrage of all white men

It ushered in another term for President John Adams

All of the those mentioned were true and significant

Explanation

The Presidential Election of 1800, also called The Revolution of 1800, was important for a number of reasons. The only true answer choice here though is that it represented a shift from the Federalist Party to the Democratic - Republican Party. It was the beginning of the end for the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republicans would hold power for several years to come. The election was also notable for exposing one of the flaws of the original Constitution; Because Electors were instructed to cast their vote for two separate candidates the result was both Jefferson and Burr gaining the exact same number of votes. It took thirty-six polls before Jefferson was finally elected President, and Burr Vice-President. Following this election the Twelfth Amendment was passed to instruct electors to make a clear distinction between their choice for President and for Vice-President.

4

In order to vote in the Plymouth Colony, under the Mayflower Compact, an individual had to be .

white

white and male

white, male, and a land owner

white, male, a land owner, and a member of the church

white, male, a land owner, a member of the church, and married

Explanation

The Mayflower Compact was signed by some of the original settlers of the Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, in 1620. Having been bound for Virginia, their ship was forced to change direction by a violent storm, ending up in Massachusetts. The Pilgrims took this as a sign from God that this place was where they were to make their new community. They signed the Mayflower Compact shortly after arriving and dictated that the government of this new territory would adhere to majority rule of the members of the church (despite the fact that slightly less than half of the people on board were Pilgrims). In order to vote, an individual needed to be white and male, own land, and be a recognized member of the church community.

5

Which of the following statements regarding the Constitutional Convention of 1787 is NOT true?

States’ rights activists favored the Virginia Plan

Small states favored the New Jersey Plan

Large states favored the Virginia Plan

The New Jersey Plan was largely a response to the Virginia Plan

All of these answers are true/correct

Explanation

States’ rights activists, along with smaller states, disfavored the Virginia Plan. The reason for smaller states’ disfavor should be somewhat obvious: given that the Virginia Plan based apportionment (a fancy word that means the number of delegates or representatives each state gets) solely on population, smaller states would be at the complete mercy of the larger states (because of the \[possibly\] huge population differential).

States’ rights activists, on the other hand, opposed the Virginia Plan for a totally different reason: the sheer amount of power delegated to the central government under the plan. Somewhat more specifically, the Virginia Plan allowed the proposed central government to exercise something called the “universal negative,” which allowed the proposed central government to veto any state law with which it disagreed. Even more disturbingly, from the view of the states’ rights activists, the proposed central government had the ability (under the plan) to enforce its own laws with the full force of its army. Thus, for all of these reasons, the states’ rights activists disfavored the plan.

6

Which of these statements best describes the Warren Court of the 1960s?

Liberal and Strict Constructionist

Conservative and Strict Constructionist

Moderate and Loose Constructionist

Moderate and Strict Constructionist

Liberal and Loose Constructionist

Explanation

The Warren Court, lead by Chief Justice Earl Warren, ran a program of liberal reforms and loose interpretation of the Constitution from 1953 to 1969. The Court was lauded (and criticized) for helping to end racial segregation in America and expanding civil liberties, as well as, judicial power and Federal power. The Warren Court was controversial in its time for often ignoring legal precedent in favor of encouraging a movement towards liberalism.

7

The House Un-American Activities Committee was formed primarily to detect __________.

Communists

Escaped slaves

Catholics

Illegial immigrants

Japanese spies

Explanation

The House Un-American Activities Committee was formed in 1938, with the expressed purpose of investigating disloyalty and subversive activities among American citizens. The committee focused its investigations on suspected communists, who were believed to hold positions of influence within American society. Charges of espionage were famously brought against Alger Hiss in the 1940s.

8

The House Un-American Activities Committee was formed primarily to detect __________.

Communists

Escaped slaves

Catholics

Illegial immigrants

Japanese spies

Explanation

The House Un-American Activities Committee was formed in 1938, with the expressed purpose of investigating disloyalty and subversive activities among American citizens. The committee focused its investigations on suspected communists, who were believed to hold positions of influence within American society. Charges of espionage were famously brought against Alger Hiss in the 1940s.

9

Which of these statements best describes the Warren Court of the 1960s?

Liberal and Strict Constructionist

Conservative and Strict Constructionist

Moderate and Loose Constructionist

Moderate and Strict Constructionist

Liberal and Loose Constructionist

Explanation

The Warren Court, lead by Chief Justice Earl Warren, ran a program of liberal reforms and loose interpretation of the Constitution from 1953 to 1969. The Court was lauded (and criticized) for helping to end racial segregation in America and expanding civil liberties, as well as, judicial power and Federal power. The Warren Court was controversial in its time for often ignoring legal precedent in favor of encouraging a movement towards liberalism.

10

Which of the following statements regarding the Constitutional Convention of 1787 is NOT true?

States’ rights activists favored the Virginia Plan

Small states favored the New Jersey Plan

Large states favored the Virginia Plan

The New Jersey Plan was largely a response to the Virginia Plan

All of these answers are true/correct

Explanation

States’ rights activists, along with smaller states, disfavored the Virginia Plan. The reason for smaller states’ disfavor should be somewhat obvious: given that the Virginia Plan based apportionment (a fancy word that means the number of delegates or representatives each state gets) solely on population, smaller states would be at the complete mercy of the larger states (because of the \[possibly\] huge population differential).

States’ rights activists, on the other hand, opposed the Virginia Plan for a totally different reason: the sheer amount of power delegated to the central government under the plan. Somewhat more specifically, the Virginia Plan allowed the proposed central government to exercise something called the “universal negative,” which allowed the proposed central government to veto any state law with which it disagreed. Even more disturbingly, from the view of the states’ rights activists, the proposed central government had the ability (under the plan) to enforce its own laws with the full force of its army. Thus, for all of these reasons, the states’ rights activists disfavored the plan.

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