Question 1

How did Anti-Federalists propose to limit the powers of the new federal government should the Constitution be ratified?

Accepted Answer

Anti-Federalists proposed to limit the powers of the new federal government by preserving a larger role for state militias in the country's defense. This was meant to ensure that power remained closer to the people and states rather than concentrated solely in the federal government.

Question 2

When a group of people aim to use the government to get what they want, oftentimes by trampling the rights of others, these groups are known as what?

Accepted Answer

The definition given in the question matches the definition of factions, which are groups of people who are united by a common interest, passion, or purpose and who use political power to advance their goals at the expense of others. The other choices in the question (Federalists, Nationalists, and racists) do not specifically refer to this definition.

Question 3

When a republic becomes so large and diverse, with so many factions vying for power that none will be able to take over the others, this is known as what kind of government?

Accepted Answer

An extended republic is a large and diverse form of government where power is dispersed among many factions and institutions, preventing any one group from dominating the others. This idea is central to the political philosophy of James Madison and was a key factor in the framing of the United States Constitution. The concept is based on the belief that a larger, more diverse society will naturally have a wider range of interests and perspectives, making it harder for any one group to monopolize power.

Question 4

Which of the following was of greater concern to the Anti-Federalists?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following was of greater...

Question 5

A Bill of Rights is designed to provide citizens with what?

Accepted Answer

A Bill of Rights is a list of rights and liberties that the government cannot take away, aimed to protect the citizens from abuse by the government. These rights include freedom of speech, religion, the press, the right to bear arms, and protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, among others.

Question 6

Federalists called for ______.

Accepted Answer

The Federalists were supporters of the new Constitution and advocated for a strong national government. They believed that a strong central government was necessary to maintain order and stability within the country.

Question 7

Which of the following would have been part of the argument in support of ratifying the proposed Constitution by the Federalists?

Accepted Answer

The Federalists argued that a strong, centralized government was necessary to protect individual rights and provide stability and security for the country. They believed that the increase in power of the federal government under the proposed Constitution would allow for the better protection of citizens' liberties.

Question 8

Based on James Madison's views, the primary driver of factionalization was what?

Accepted Answer

James Madison believed that the primary driver of factionalization was the inequality of wealth, as those with more wealth and property would have more influence and power, leading to divisions between the wealthy and the less wealthy.

Question 9

Which of the following would have been part of the argument in opposition to ratifying the proposed Constitution by the Anti-Federalists?

Accepted Answer

The Anti-Federalists argued that the proposed Constitution would decrease the power of state governments, which they believed would harm citizens' abilities to preserve their rights, as they favored stronger state governments to protect individual liberties.

Question 10

The suppression of the rights of the people by those holding the power is also called what?

Accepted Answer

Tyranny refers to the abuse of power by a ruler or government, particularly in the form of denying citizens their rights or imposing harsh and unjust laws or policies. It is a type of oppression and subjugation that involves the systematic violation of individual rights and freedoms. Racism, while also a form of oppression, specifically refers to discrimination based on a person's race or ethnicity.

Question 11

Which of the following was considered to be a danger to the republic in James Madison's view?

Accepted Answer

James Madison believed that factions (groups of people with a common interest who may work against the public good) were a danger to the republic. He believed that factions could lead to the oppression of minority groups and the pursuit of narrow self-interest instead of the common good. Madison argued in Federalist No. 10 that the best way to address this problem was through a large, diverse republic that would make it difficult for any one faction to dominate.

Question 12

The argument that the separation of powers between two different levels of government would prevent the dangers of factions would be most closely associated with which group's ideology?

Accepted Answer

The argument for separating the powers between the federal government and the state governments in order to prevent factions was a key argument put forth by the Federalists during the debates over the ratification of the US Constitution. The Federalists believed in a strong federal government with limited powers granted to the states, and the separation of powers was seen as a key mechanism for preventing any one group or interest from dominating the political system.

Question 13

Which of the following was of greater concern to the Federalists?

Accepted Answer

The Federalists were primarily concerned with protecting the interests of the wealthy elite and maintaining social order. They feared that poorer people would use their power to redistribute wealth, which would threaten the economic and social hierarchy. The other options were potential threats, but they did not align as closely with Federalist ideology and priorities.

Question 14

Which of the following describes a situation where a large number of citizens use their power to tramples the rights of smaller groups in a nation?

Accepted Answer

Tyranny of the majority is a situation where the majority group in a society uses its power to oppress or ignore the rights of minority groups. This can happen in a democratic system as well, and it is a form of mob rule where the majority imposes its will on others without regard for their rights or interests.

Question 15

In some ways, Federalists and Anti-Federalists were split along distinctions of ______.

Accepted Answer

The Federalists tended to be wealthier, better-educated elites who believed in a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists were more likely to be farmers or working-class individuals who feared centralized power and wanted to protect individual liberties. These differences in economic and educational status contributed to the split between the two groups.

Question 16

How did the Anti-Federalists attempt to keep people from supporting the new Constitution?

Accepted Answer

Anti-Federalists attempted to persuade people against supporting the new Constitution by arguing that citizens would have less checks on the power of the national government. They believed that the new government would be too powerful and could potentially undermine the rights and freedoms of individuals and states. They also argued that the Constitution did not provide enough protections for individual liberties, such as the right to a trial by jury and freedom of speech.

Question 17

Which of the following describes a situation where a small number of citizens tramples the rights of the larger population?

Accepted Answer

The phrase "tyranny of the minority" refers to a situation where a small group of people hold a disproportionate amount of power and use it to oppress or exploit the larger population. This is in contrast to the "tyranny of the majority," where a majority group uses their power to oppress a minority group. Factionalization refers to the presence of competing interest groups within a larger political system and a political coup refers to the sudden overthrow of a government by a small group of people, neither of which necessarily involves the trampling of rights.

Question 18

Who were the Federalist Papers meant to influence?

Accepted Answer

The Federalist Papers were written to influence citizens in contested states like New York, where there was debate over whether to ratify the newly proposed U.S. Constitution. The papers were meant to persuade these citizens of the necessity and benefits of the Constitution and the need for a strong, centralized federal government.

Question 19

The Federalist Papers were written with which objective in the minds of the authors?

Accepted Answer

The objective of the Federalist Papers was to calm the fears of the readers regarding the proposed Constitution. The authors were trying to explain the benefits of a strong central government and address concerns about the potential abuses of power. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the papers as a way to persuade citizens to support the new Constitution and ratify it.

Question 20

A small group of Americans who come together to pursue their own interests, even at the risk of harming other Americans' interests, could be referred to as what?

Accepted Answer

A faction is a small group of individuals who come together to pursue their own interests, often at the expense of the broader community. This term was widely used by the Founding Fathers, particularly James Madison, in Federalist No. 10 to describe the danger posed by groups who sought to advance their own interests over the general welfare of the country.

Quiz 2: The Constitution of the United States: a New Vision of Representative Government