Question 1

In keeping with the spirit, if not the actual wording of the Declaration of Independence's affirmation that  "All men are created equal," most states ____ property-holding requirements for voting.  
A) kept the same
B) reduced
C) raised
D) ignored
E) raised significantly

Accepted Answer

Most states reduced property-holding requirements for voting in order to extend suffrage to more white men, as property ownership was previously a common requirement for voting eligibility.

Question 2

The American Revolution was  
A) truly radical.
B) inconsequential in world history.
C) an example of accelerated evolution rather than outright revolution.
D) very much like the French revolution.
E) very much like the Russian revolution.

Accepted Answer

The American Revolution was not a complete overthrow of the government or social order, but rather an acceleration of changes that were already happening in colonial society. It did result in the establishment of a new government, but it was not as radical or violent as other revolutions like the French or Russian ones. It did have significant consequences for world history, especially in promoting democratic ideals and inspiring future movements for independence.

Question 3

The struggle for divorce between religion and government, in the post-revolutionary period, proved fiercest in  
A) Maryland.
B) Virginia.
C) Rhode Island.
D) Georgia.
E) Massachusetts.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

One reason that the United States avoided the frightful excesses of the French Revolution is that  
A) America declared martial law until the Constitution was enacted in 1789.
B) the American Revolution suddenly overturned the entire political framework.
C) cheap land was easily available and America had few landed aristocrats.
D) political democracy preceded economic democracy.
E) a strong sense of class consciousness already existed.

Accepted Answer

One reason that the United States avoided the excesses of the French Revolution is that cheap land was easily available and America had few landed aristocrats. The availability of land meant that more people had access to wealth and opportunities, which alleviated class tensions and prevented the formation of a large and discontented underclass that could have led to revolution. Additionally, the absence of a landed aristocracy meant that there was no clear-cut target for revolutionaries to aim at, further reducing the likelihood of violent upheaval.

Question 5

Early signs of the abolitionist movement can be seen in the  
A) Articles of Confederation.
B) Constitution.
C) emancipation of some slaves.
D) passage of laws allowing interracial marriage.
E) abolition of slavery in a few southern states.

Accepted Answer

The earliest signs of the abolitionist movement can be seen in the growing resistance of slaves, such as rebellions and runaway attempts, and in the actions of some individuals and groups who advocated for the emancipation of slaves. The first significant step towards emancipation was the abolition of the slave trade in 1808. The Emancipation Proclamation, which declared all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free, was issued by President Lincoln in 1863. Therefore, the best choice is C - emancipation of some slaves.

Question 6

As a means of ensuring that legislators stay in touch with the mood of the people, state constitutions  
A) were rewritten once every ten years.
B) were rewritten once every five years.
C) required yearly visits to the homes of their constituents.
D) stipulated that ordinary legislation could override the constitution.
E) required the annual election of legislators.

Accepted Answer

State constitutions required the annual election of legislators as a means of ensuring that they stay in touch with the mood of the people. This allowed for regular turnover in the Legislature and ensured that elected officials remained accountable to their constituents.

Question 7

The economic status of the average American at the end of the Revolutionary War was  
A) better than before the war.
B) probably worse than before the war.
C) about the same as before the war.
D) more closely tied to Britain than before the war.
E) more closely tied to France than before the war.

Accepted Answer

The Revolutionary War had a significant impact on the American economy. The war caused inflation, a shortage of goods, and a decrease in trade. The Continental Congress also borrowed heavily to finance the war, which led to massive debt and a depreciating currency. These factors likely resulted in a decline in the economic status of the average American.

Question 8

Identify the statement that is false.  
A) The American Revolution was not a revolution in the sense of a radical or total change.
B) The American Revolution did not suddenly and violently overturn the entire social and political framework.
C) During the American Revolution, people's lives were thrown in turmoil, they were unable to carry on day to day tasks and activities.
D) Some isolated communities were unaware that the American Revolution was even going on.
E) With the exodus of Loyalists, the emergence of a new Patriot elite was allowed to emerge.

Accepted Answer

Choices A, B, D, and E are all true statements about the American Revolution. Choice C, however, is false. While the American Revolution certainly caused disruption and upheaval in people's lives, it did not render them completely unable to carry on day to day tasks and activities. Additionally, the statement in Choice E does not necessarily imply that it is false, but it may not be the most accurate or complete statement about the consequences of the American Revolution.

Question 9

The world's first antislavery society was founded by  
A) Thomas Jefferson.
B) Quakers in Philadelphia.
C) Puritans in New England.
D) Catholics in Maryland.
E) the Congregational church.

Accepted Answer

The first antislavery society in the world was founded by Quakers in Philadelphia in 1775. The society was called the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage and was founded by a group of Quakers who were opposed to slavery on religious grounds.

Question 10

All of the following were factors in the fight for the separation of church and state except  
A) the Anglican Church was re-formed into the Protestant Episcopal Church.
B) The disestablishment of the Congregational Church occurred throughout New England.
C) Thomas Jefferson joined the effort.
D) reformers in Virginia secured the passage of that state's Statute for Religious Freedom.
E) there was resistance to completely disentangling the church from civic affairs in some parts of New England.

Accepted Answer

The disestablishment of the Congregational Church did not occur throughout New England; it remained established in some states like Massachusetts and Connecticut for some time after the American Revolution.

Question 11

As a result of the Revolution's emphasis on equality, all of the following were achieved except  
A) the reduction of property qualifications for voting by most states.
B) the growth of trade organizations for artisans and laborers.
C) the establishment of the world's first antislavery society.
D) full equality between women and men.
E) abolishing medieval inheritance laws.

Accepted Answer

While the Revolution did lead to advancements in women's rights, including the formation of women's education societies and increased visibility for female authors and political thinkers, full equality between women and men was not achieved at this time. Women continued to face significant legal and social barriers to their full participation in society.

Question 12

The Founding Fathers failed to eliminate slavery because  
A) they did not truly believe in democracy.
B) a fight over slavery might destroy national unity.
C) they were more concerned with securing equality for women.
D) the North, as its industry expanded, began to rely more heavily on slave labor.
E) economic conditions would not allow such a loss.

Accepted Answer

The Founding Fathers were aware that slavery was a deeply divisive issue and could potentially lead to the fragmentation of the new nation. As a result, they compromised and allowed for the continuation of slavery in the hopes of maintaining national unity.

Question 13

The economic drawbacks of political independence for the United States included all of the following except  
A) much of the coveted commerce of Great Britain remained reserved for loyal members of the British Empire.
B) American ships were now barred from British and British West Indies harbors.
C) fisheries were disrupted by increased competition.
D) bounties for ships' stores had abruptly ended.
E) the accompanying repeal of the Navigation Laws by Great Britain.

Accepted Answer

The repeal of the Navigation Laws by Great Britain actually had economic benefits for the United States, as it allowed for more open trade and competition. The other options all describe economic drawbacks, such as loss of trade opportunities, disrupted fisheries, and the end of bounties for ships' stores.

Question 14

All of the following are true statements about the status of blacks during the Revolutionary era except  
A) several northern states abolished slavery or provided for gradual emancipation.
B) a few Virginia masters freed their slaves.
C) no states south of Pennsylvania outlawed slavery.
D) many states passed laws that permitted blacks to marry and own land.
E) laws in the North and the South harshly discriminated against free and enslaved blacks.

Accepted Answer

All of the other statements are true.

Question 15

As written documents, the state constitutions functioned in all of the following ways except  
A) to represent a fundamental law superior to ordinary legislation.
B) as contracts that defined the powers of government.
C) as an accumulation of laws, customs and precedents.
D) to guarantee individual liberties, sometimes through a bill of rights.
E) to transform the colonies into becoming new states.

Accepted Answer

State constitutions did not accumulate laws, customs, and precedents, rather they were a fundamental law that defined the powers of government and guaranteed individual liberties.

Question 16

Adopted almost a decade before the federal constitution, the ____ constitution remains the longest-lived in the world.  
A) Massachusetts
B) Virginia
C) Maryland
D) Rhode Island
E) Connecticut

Accepted Answer

The answer of Adopted almost a decade before the federal...

Question 17

The Continental Congress in ____ called for the complete abolition of the slave trade, a summons to which most of the states responded positively.  
A) 1770
B) 1772
C) 1774
D) 1776
E) 1780

Accepted Answer

The Continental Congress in 1774 called for the complete abolition of the slave trade, which was later reaffirmed in the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Question 18

As a result of the Revolution, many state capitals were relocated westward  
A) because better roads now made this territory more easily accessible.
B) due to a fear of British capture.
C) because water routes were now opened to the interior regions.
D) to get them away from the haughty eastern seaports.
E) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The relocation of state capitals westward was primarily to move them away from the influence and dominance of the eastern seaports, which were seen as elitist and not representative of the broader population.

Question 19

Continental army officers attempting to form the Society of the Cincinnati  
A) were brought to trial for trying to sabotage the civil government.
B) were ridiculed for their lordly pretensions.
C) were trying to force the Congress to pay them their pensions.
D) reflected the Revolutionary War generation's spirit of equality.
E) represented the best of the officer corps.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Continental army officers attempting to form the...

Question 20

Which of these is NOT a true statement about women's roles after the Revolution?  
A) They continued to do traditional women's work.
B) Educated wives and women lost their status as cultivators of the virtues and moral education of their husbands, daughters, and sons.
C) The new ideology of republican motherhood elevated them as special keepers of the nation's conscience.
D) Women's political rights were tightly circumscribed and severely limited by most states.
E) The New Jersey Constitution of 1776 was one of the few state constitutions that extended the right to vote to women.

Accepted Answer

Educated wives and women did not lose their status as cultivators of the virtues and moral education of their husbands, daughters, and sons. This was actually emphasized during the era of Republican Motherhood.

Quiz 9: The Confederation and the Constitution, 1776-1790

In keeping with the spirit, if not the actual wording of the Declaration of Independence's affirmation that "All men are created equal," most states ____ property-holding requirements for voting.

The American Revolution was

The struggle for divorce between religion and government, in the post-revolutionary period, proved fiercest in

One reason that the United States avoided the frightful excesses of the French Revolution is that

Early signs of the abolitionist movement can be seen in the

As a means of ensuring that legislators stay in touch with the mood of the people, state constitutions

The economic status of the average American at the end of the Revolutionary War was

Identify the statement that is false.

The world's first antislavery society was founded by

All of the following were factors in the fight for the separation of church and state except

As a result of the Revolution's emphasis on equality, all of the following were achieved except

The Founding Fathers failed to eliminate slavery because

The economic drawbacks of political independence for the United States included all of the following except

All of the following are true statements about the status of blacks during the Revolutionary era except

As written documents, the state constitutions functioned in all of the following ways except

Adopted almost a decade before the federal constitution, the ____ constitution remains the longest-lived in the world.

The Continental Congress in ____ called for the complete abolition of the slave trade, a summons to which most of the states responded positively.

As a result of the Revolution, many state capitals were relocated westward

Continental army officers attempting to form the Society of the Cincinnati

Which of these is NOT a true statement about women's roles after the Revolution?