Question 1

The Declaration of Independence was mostly written by

Accepted Answer

Thomas Jefferson is credited as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, although he did have input and revisions from other members of the Continental Congress.

Question 2

By dumping the East India Company's tea into Boston Harbor,Samuel Adams and his followers pressured the British into enacting a number of harsh reprisals that

Accepted Answer

The Boston Tea Party, led by Samuel Adams and his followers, was a key event that radicalized the American colonists and spurred them to resist British rule. The harsh reprisals enacted by the British in response to the protest, such as the Coercive Acts, further fueled anti-British sentiment and helped to galvanize the colonists to push for independence.

Question 3

Among the sectors of society that were important in colonial politics prior to the American Revolution,the more radical forces were represented by

Accepted Answer

The more radical forces in colonial politics were represented by shopkeepers, laborers, and small farmers. They were the ones most vocal in their opposition to British taxation and policies. The other sectors, like New England merchants and southern planters, were not as inclined to radical rhetoric or actions.

Question 4

Prior to the Revolutionary War,British policies harmed the economic interests of which two large sectors of colonial society that previously supported British rule?

Accepted Answer

Southern planters and New England merchants were the two large sectors of colonial society that were harmed economically by British policies. The Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Acts all directly impacted the profits and livelihoods of New England merchants, while the British policy of favoring West Indian sugar over southern colonial tobacco and rice hurt the profits of southern planters. As a result, both groups became increasingly discontent with British rule and supported the revolutionary cause.

Question 5

The Boston Tea Party was led by

Accepted Answer

The Boston Tea Party was led by Samuel Adams who was a prominent American statesman, political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Question 6

In November 1777,the Continental Congress adopted the United States' first written constitution.It was known as the

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union were adopted by the Continental Congress in November 1777, serving as the first written constitution of the United States. The Virginia Plan was proposed in 1787 as a blueprint for a new constitution, the Annapolis Convention was a meeting that preceded the Constitutional Convention, the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776 and was not a constitution, and the Seneca Falls Declaration was a document advocating for women's rights in 1848, long after the Articles of Confederation were adopted.

Question 7

The result of the 1777 Continental Congress was a constitution concerned primarily with

Accepted Answer

The 1777 Continental Congress resulted in the Articles of Confederation, which were primarily concerned with limiting the powers of the central government to prevent any single entity from gaining too much control, reflecting the colonies' recent experiences with British rule.

Question 8

Which of the following was NOT one of the sectors of society that was particularly influential in colonial politics?

Accepted Answer

While all the other sectors mentioned were influential in colonial politics (such as New England merchants who were involved in commerce and trade, southern planters who were vital to the economy and held political power, small farmers who were the backbone of the colonial agricultural system, and shopkeepers who were often involved in local government), the poor were not considered a powerful or influential group in colonial politics. They often faced economic hardships and were not able to participate fully in the political process.

Question 9

The Boston Tea Party set into motion a cycle of provocation and retaliation that,in 1774,resulted in the convening of an assembly of delegates from all parts of the colonies called the

Accepted Answer

The convening of an assembly of delegates from all parts of the colonies in 1774 is known as the First Continental Congress. This gathering was a response to the harsh measures taken by the British Parliament following the Boston Tea Party, and its purpose was to protests against British policies and to coordinate resistance to them. Therefore, the best choice is E, First Continental Congress.

Question 10

Under the Articles of Confederation,what power was Congress given?

Accepted Answer

Under the Articles of Confederation, the power given to Congress was primarily the power to declare war. Congress did not have the power to levy taxes or regulate commerce, and could only build a standing army with the approval of state governments. Slavery was not addressed in the Articles of Confederation.

Question 11

During the winter of 1786-1787,John Adams of Massachusetts was sent to negotiate a new treaty with the British to cover disputes left over from the war.The British government responded that it would

Accepted Answer

The British government responded that they would negotiate with each of the 13 states separately, rather than agreeing to negotiate a new treaty with the United States as a whole. This response reflected the British desire to weaken the newly formed United States by sowing discord among the states and preventing them from presenting a united front in their negotiations with the British.

Question 12

Daniel Shays,a former army captain,led a mob in a rebellion against the Massachusetts government in order to

Accepted Answer

Daniel Shays led the rebellion in order to prevent foreclosures on farm lands. Shays and many farmers were struggling financially and faced losing their homes if they could not pay their debts, which led to the revolt.

Question 13

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia may never have taken place at all if not for a single event that occurred soon after the 1786 meeting of state delegates in Annapolis,Maryland.This event was

Accepted Answer

Shays's Rebellion, a armed uprising of farmers in Massachusetts in 1786-1787, highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the inability of the states to maintain order and protect property rights. This event led to calls for a stronger national government and eventually the convening of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.

Question 14

What was the ultimate goal of the radical participants in the Boston Tea Party?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What was the ultimate goal of the...

Question 15

In 1773,the British government granted a monopoly on the export of tea from Britain to the politically powerful East India Company,who sought to bypass the colonial merchants and sell the tea directly to the colonies.The merchants called on their radical adversaries for support,and the most dramatic result was the

Accepted Answer

The granting of a monopoly on tea exports led to the Boston Tea Party, where colonists disguised as Native Americans dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor in protest of the British government's actions.

Question 16

In the chain of events leading up to the American Revolution,the radical forces were permitted to expand their political influence because the colonial elites were split by

Accepted Answer

The British tax and trade policies, such as the Sugar Act and Stamp Act, created economic hardships for the colonists and led to widespread opposition. The colonial elites were split on how to respond to these policies, with some supporting protests and resistance while others favored more moderate approaches. This split allowed radical forces, such as the Sons of Liberty, to gain political influence and push for more extreme measures.

Question 17

The Declaration of Independence was remarkable for its assertion that there are certain unalienable rights including

Accepted Answer

The Declaration of Independence specifically lists "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as unalienable rights that are endowed by "their Creator" and cannot be taken away by any government.

Question 18

The colonists organized and participated in the Boston Tea Party of 1773 as a response to

Accepted Answer

The Boston Tea Party was a response to the British government's granting of a monopoly on the export of tea to the East India Company, which allowed them to sell tea directly to the colonies without paying import taxes. This threatened the livelihoods of colonial merchants and smugglers who had been importing tea illegally. The colonists saw this as a violation of their rights and organized the Boston Tea Party as a form of protest.

Question 19

The one positive result of the meeting of delegates from five states in Annapolis,Maryland,was a resolution calling for

Accepted Answer

The meeting in Annapolis was a precursor to the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia the following year. The positive result of the meeting was a resolution calling for a later meeting in Philadelphia to reform the Articles of Confederation. This led to the drafting of the new Constitution of the United States. Choices A, B, and D are not relevant to the Annapolis meeting, and choice C came later after the Constitutional Convention.

Question 20

Besides the United States under the Articles of Confederation,what is another example of a confederate system of government where the subunits of government retain sovereignty and virtually all government powers?

Accepted Answer

The United Nations is a confederation where member states retain their sovereignty and most powers, similar to a confederate system.

Quiz 2: The Founding and the Constitution