Deck 7: Democracy and Dissent: The Violence of Party Politics 1788–1800

Question 1

During the Adams administration,________.

A) Great Britain continued to pose problems for the nation
B) domestic problems occupied the president's full attention
C) France reacted negatively to the terms of Jay's Treaty
D) few Americans seemed concerned with foreign affairs
E) France became a closer ally thanks to the terms of Jay's Treaty

Answer 1

France reacted negatively to the terms of Jay's Treaty

Question 2

For many Americans,George Washington was ________.

A) a symbol of the new government
B) a routine, typical political leader
C) not a popular leader
D) a threat to proclaim himself king
E) a good general, but not necessarily a good politician

Answer 2

a symbol of the new government

Question 3

Members of the Federalist party ________.

A) advocated states' rights
B) supported the French Revolution
C) wanted Thomas Jefferson to be president
D) supported a strong national government
E) despised centralized economic planning

Answer 3

supported a strong national government

Question 4

By the end of Washington's first term of office,________.

A) political harmony had unified the cabinet
B) political squabbling had divided the government
C) political parties had not yet formed
D) the machinery of government had been brought to a standstill
E) politicians listened only to public opinion

Question 5

Creation of the Bank of the United States was based on the doctrine of ________.

A) strict construction
B) states' rights
C) implied powers
D) judicial review
E) checks and balances

Question 6

James Madison opposed Hamilton's proposal for the public debt because ________.

A) he feared Hamilton's growing political power
B) the powers of state government would be reduced
C) he believed only speculators would benefit
D) it did not foster the government of the Revolution
E) many soldiers had lost the old loan certificates that entitled them to payment

Question 7

The Report on Manufactures suggested ________.

A) low tariffs on imported goods
B) congressional taxes on industrial goods
C) protective tariffs
D) strict laissez faire
E) a fluctuating tariff schedule

Question 8

The Judiciary Act of 1789 ________.

A) was primarily the work of Oliver Ellsworth
B) set up a Supreme Court with one chief justice and five associate justices
C) defined the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
D) provided that the chief justice would be chosen by the Senate
E) established the power of judicial review

Question 9

Which of the following individuals was NOT a member of George Washington's first government?

A) Thomas Jefferson
B) James Madison
C) Edmund Randolph
D) Alexander Hamilton
E) Henry Knox

Question 10

The election of 1796 was complicated by ________.

A) changes in the nation's voting laws
B) interference from British diplomats
C) behind-the-scenes manipulations by Alexander Hamilton
D) Washington's refusal to stay out of politics
E) confusion over the differences between Federalists and Republicans

Question 11

In the early 1790s,British actions toward the United States indicated ________.

A) respect for the status of the new nation
B) a desire to recruit the United States as a close ally
C) disdain for American rights
D) a willingness to join the French in taking advantage of the new country
E) the need for American resources to feed and clothe British troops

Question 12

Jay's Treaty succeeded in ________.

A) getting British troops to withdraw from the northwest forts
B) opening New Orleans to U.S. commerce
C) pacifying Southerners who had lost slaves during the war
D) humiliating the French
E) calming Washington's anxieties

Question 13

During Washington's second term in office,________.

A) foreign affairs became a much more important focus
B) relations with Great Britain and France improved dramatically
C) Hamilton and Jefferson resolved their differences over domestic policy
D) Hamilton ceased to be a force in American politics
E) the European war unified American officials in support of France

Question 14

Which of the following statements about the Whiskey Rebellion is FALSE?

A) It took place in western Pennsylvania.
B) It lent credence to fears of political violence against the government.
C) It involved an attempt to prohibit the consumption of whiskey and other alcoholic beverages.
D) The Washington administration's reaction to it was excessive.
E) It increased Republican electoral strength along the frontier.

Question 15

Washington's Farewell Address ________.

A) warned against creating a strong military
B) brought harmony to the political system
C) supported the political ideology of Jefferson and Madison
D) advised against an alliance with France
E) wholeheartedly endorsed the two-party system

Question 16

The greatest challenge facing the first Washington administration was ________.

A) foreign affairs
B) waging war with Native Americans
C) setting the government's finances in order
D) territorial expansion
E) regulating interstate trade

Question 17

As a result of the Battle of Fallen Timbers,________.

A) Great Britain continued to dominate the western frontier
B) the United States withdrew from the western frontier
C) the Indians scored a decisive victory
D) the inadequacy of the American army was made evident
E) the British encouraged Native Americans to give up their land

Question 18

Thomas Jefferson felt it was important that the U.S.government ________.

A) foster strong ties with Great Britain
B) support business and industrial development
C) decrease the role agriculture played in the American economy
D) lean toward France in the event it clashed with Britain
E) expand the franchise

Question 19

Opposition to Hamilton's proposed national bank ________.

A) was based on "loose construction" of the Constitution
B) reflected the fears of private bankers
C) was justified because his plans so clearly favored a few "monied interests."
D) generally did not involve the general public
E) involved issues relating to Congress's constitutional powers

Question 20

Hamilton's Report on the Public Credit recommended ________.

A) the renunciation of all old government debts
B) that the federal government assume remaining state debts
C) that the states fund most government activities
D) that bankers be restricted in their dealings with the federal government
E) that the federal government offer its creditors 80 percent of the face value of its obligations

Question 21

Which of these was true of U.S.political leaders in the 1790s?

A) Many of those who had collaborated closely during the American Revolution found themselves bitter enemies.
B) Political leadership passed from those active in the American Revolution to a new generation of statesmen.
C) Friendships among those active in the American Revolution continued under Washington's two terms.
D) Differences that developed during the Revolution created the political parties that emerged under Washington.
E) While those who were prominent remained united, political parties emerged under the leadership of a new generation of leaders.

Question 22

How did Hamilton demonstrate his dedication in developing his plan for prosperity and security?

A) He consulted his friends and colleagues in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Virginia.
B) He surveyed and patiently listened to his political enemies, especially Jefferson and Madison.
C) He traveled to England and France, studying their economic institutions and industrial centers.
D) He traveled around the United States, even into the Western Territories, to gain a true sense of the nation's fiscal status.
E) He conducted a survey of political and economic leaders on the subject.

Question 23

How was Washington's election to the presidency different from that of every president since?

A) He was unanimously elected by the Electoral College.
B) He was elected by the public as there was no Electoral College yet.
C) He was not "elected" but rather appointed by Congress.
D) He is the only army general to become president.
E) He is the only president who wasn't born on American soil.

Question 24

According to the Kentucky Resolutions,________.

A) ultimate power always remained with the federal government
B) states had the right to nullify federal law under certain circumstances
C) the Sedition Act was worthy of enforcement by the states
D) Kentucky chose to remain neutral in the contest between Hamilton and Jefferson
E) the "general welfare" of the nation should be the guiding principle in state decisions

Question 25

Why did Washington view the Whiskey Rebellion as treason?

A) The rebellious farmers elicited the help of Native Americans, creating a quasi civil war.
B) He thought French agents had supported the protest.
C) Because Britain supplied the rebellious farmers with money and arms, Washington assumed that they were siding with the enemy.
D) Because France was having its own revolutionary war, Washington worried the violence would lead to civil war.
E) The rebellious farmers began to ship and sell their whiskey to France and England, breaking U.S. trade agreements.

Question 26

How were political parties formed in the United States?

A) Each congressman voted on possible party affiliations.
B) They were a simple continuation of Federalist and Antifederalist groups.
C) Opponents who had disagreed on economic policy split further regarding foreign alliances.
D) Political parties developed out of the personal followings of Jefferson and Hamilton.
E) Washington, seeing how divided the country was about slavery, proposed political parties as a way for people to disagree civilly.

Question 27

Why did Jeffersonians fear strong financial institutions?

A) Most were simple farmers who did not understand banking policy.
B) They resented Federalists, who tended to have more money.
C) They held firm religious beliefs about the sin of greed.
D) Most were anti-Semitic, believing that banks were controlled by Jewish interests.
E) They believed that banks were the root of corruption in the British government.

Question 28

What was Hamilton's impact on Jay's Treaty?

A) He counseled Jay on whom to see and what to say when he went to England.
B) He wrote the terms of the treaty, consolidating his and Madison's ideas.
C) He informed the French of the treaty, allowing them to attack England.
D) He set the terms of the treaty by secret communications with Britain.
E) He filibustered in Congress, stalling the ratification until the treaty expired.

Question 29

The Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution ________.

A) changed the process of electing the president and vice president
B) decreased presidential power
C) heightened the potential for further political conflict
D) stopped the African slave trade
E) dealt with the judicial power of the United States

Question 30

In 1798,the Federalists sponsored a military buildup with the intention of ________.

A) taking the French West Indies
B) suppressing internal political dissent
C) conquering Canada
D) pacifying the Indian tribes of the Ohio Valley
E) pumping federal dollars into a sagging economy

Question 31

Why did opponents criticize Hamilton's assumption program?

A) It rewarded states like Massachusetts, which had sloppy financial systems, for nonpayment of debt.
B) It proposed a lengthy and unrealistic policy of repaying the original holders of the debt.
C) Only the poor would profit from the program, disadvantaging the rich and creating larger economic issues.
D) The program was disproportionately favorable to the South.
E) The program could lead to the establishment of a monarchy.

Question 32

Which of the following would Alexander Hamilton have proposed?

A) strong diplomatic ties with France
B) the purchase of western lands
C) expanding the franchise
D) placing tighter controls on commerce
E) modeling the banking system on the German model

Question 33

In saying "We are all republicans; we are all federalists" Jefferson meant that _______.

A) Republicans and Federalist should be united against the Whigs
B) he hoped to make common cause with the Federalists
C) there were no real differences between these two parties
D) Americans still shared a common political ideology
E) the real threat was the Whig-Tory split

Question 34

As a result of the actions taken by President Adams in 1799,________.

A) he was overwhelmingly reelected in 1800
B) the United States resolved its differences with France
C) the Federalist Party remained the major party
D) France compensated the United States for ships taken
E) the French added even more restrictions on U.S. commerce

Question 35

Why had Washington's political alliance shifted by the end of his presidency?

A) Disillusioned by political factions, he created his own political party.
B) He regretted supporting England in the war, and began to support France.
C) He regretted supporting France in the war, and began to support England.
D) He shifted from neutrality to a closer alliance with the Federalists.
E) He shifted from neutrality to a closer alliance with the Republicans.

Question 36

Why did Spain agree to the terms of Pinckney's Treaty?

A) It mistook Jay's Treaty for an Anglo-American alliance.
B) It needed the additional sources of revenue.
C) It needed protection on its southwest borders.
D) The United States threatened direct military action.
E) It thought America and France had agreed to take Spain's North American land.

Question 37

Which of the following was NOT a Hamiltonian idea?

A) Private greed could be the source of public good.
B) The new government depended primarily on the wealthiest Americans.
C) France was the United States' most important ally.
D) A national bank was necessary for the country's economic health.
E) Anarchy was a greater threat than monarchy.

Question 38

Why didn't Washington veto Hamilton's bank bill?

A) He agreed with it wholeheartedly.
B) He didn't like it, but he knew it was best for the country.
C) Jefferson made a strong argument for it, and Hamilton argued weakly against it.
D) Hamilton made a strong argument for it, and Jefferson argued weakly against it.
E) The Supreme Court had already approved it.

Question 39

Each of the following is true of the election of 1800 EXCEPT ________.

A) Alexander Hamilton intrigued to keep his own party's candidate from winning
B) the Federalist Party was hopelessly split
C) the electoral college decided the election
D) Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson tied for president
E) it led to changes in the presidential electoral process

Question 40

Initially,why did Americans want to remain neutral when war broke out in Europe?

A) Neutrality seemed safest.
B) Most Americans believed only in nonviolent solutions to conflicts.
C) Most Americans didn't care about a war a whole ocean away.
D) Americans were tired of fighting as they had just finished the Revolution.
E) Both Britain and France were generous, powerful allies.

Question 41

In what sense was the election of 1800 a "peaceful revolution"?

A) The public marched in the streets, chanting and holding signs in support of their candidates.
B) There was only one candidate for president, so he won without political battle.
C) The House and the Senate disagreed about who should be president, so they created the Electoral College-a revolutionary but peaceful solution.
D) Although politicians passionately disagreed about who should be president, a new president was elected peacefully, in spite of electoral glitches.
E) Power passed quietly from Washington to Jefferson.

Question 42

Why did Jefferson and Madison oppose the Alien and Sedition Acts?

A) The acts deprived poor farmers of their voting and civil rights.
B) The acts expanded federal power.
C) Jefferson and Madison opposed all of Hamilton's acts on principle.
D) The acts didn't support a strong central government.
E) The acts essentially rewrote the Constitution without due process.

Question 43

How did Adams influence the United States' future land holdings?

A) He proposed a law in Congress to tax English imports at a high rate, generating enough income to buy the Southwest from Spain.
B) He banned political parties, cooling passionate debates so that the nation could focus on expansion.
C) He repaired relations with France and created a sense of trust so that the U.S. could eventually purchase the Louisiana Territory.
D) He gave the U.S. Army permission to clear Native Americans from the lands, using violence if necessary.
E) He appeased Britain with tax agreements and U.S. army assistance in the war against France, so Britain gave the U.S. the land that is now Montana.

Question 44

What threat did the Alien and Sedition Acts pose to individual liberties? What threat did the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions pose to the integrity of the Union? How do these issues relate to the balance between liberty and order?

Question 45

What was the role of foreign policy issues in the bitter political polarization of the late 1790s?

Question 46

Why did the Sedition Act distress many Americans?

A) It threatened their political right to disagree with and speak out against the government.
B) It gave the Federalists too much power and reduced the Republicans' power.
C) It suspended free elections, depriving all white males of their voting rights.
D) It expanded the powers of Congress, which meant bigger government.
E) It allowed libel convictions without a jury trial, affecting people's judicial rights.

Question 47

How does the financial-political climate of the late eighteenth century compare to today's climate?

A) The late eighteenth century was a simpler time; people were either farmers or professionals; few people discussed politics or financial systems.
B) Debate about politics and finances was more intense in the late eighteenth century; strife resulted as people established political and financial systems.
C) In the late eighteenth century, politics and finances were intertwined; today financial institutions are separate from the influence of political systems.
D) Both the financial and political climates of the late eighteenth century and today can be characterized as generally peaceful and focused on domestic affairs.
E) The political and financial climates of both times can be characterized as strife-filled, interdependent on each other, and heavily influenced by foreign affairs.

Question 48

How did the conflicting views of Hamilton and Jefferson give rise to our first political parties?

Question 49

How was John Adams's presidency made much more difficult?

A) He lacked experience with government.
B) Alexander Hamilton interfered and opposed him constantly.
C) Jefferson refused to cooperate with a Federalist president.
D) America continued to have problems with the British on the seas.
E) Adams could not communicate well with Jefferson.

Question 50

How did the XYZ Affair affect U.S.politics?

A) Adams declared war on France.
B) France suffered diplomatic humiliation at the hands of the U.S.
C) Hamilton resisted the idea of a strong army.
D) Adams and Jefferson reached a political impasse.
E) High Federalists used the tensions it created as an excuse for military expansion.

Question 51

Why did Congress pass the Naturalization Law?

A) to help immigrants assimilate into society
B) to allow the government to deport undesirable aliens
C) to allow the Federalists to maintain political control
D) to create a heterogeneous society for America
E) to keep out eastern European immigrants

Question 52

How did Washington's and Adam's cabinets compare to those of today?

A) They were much smaller, consisting of only three offices, whereas today's cabinet comprises dozens of secretaries and thousands of employees.
B) They were much larger; having to lay the groundwork for a new nation required more manpower than running a superpower today.
C) Their cabinets had less power; they acted only as advisors to the president and couldn't create any actual policies.
D) Their cabinet members, being from the same political party, accomplished more by cooperating better than today's members.
E) Their cabinets met less frequently as they were busy traveling about the country or Europe, whereas today's members stay mainly in Washington, D.C.

Question 53

How are the Quasi-War and the XYZ Affair related?

A) The XYZ Affair was the most significant "battle" in the Quasi-War between the U.S. and France.
B) The Quasi-War was one factor leading to the XYZ Affair.
C) They XYZ Affair and the Quasi-War are examples of European attacks on the United States.
D) The XYZ Affair ended the Quasi-War between the U.S. and France.
E) The XYZ Affair was a disagreement between England and the U.S., whereas the Quasi-War was a disagreement between France and the U.S.