Question 1

Committees of correspondence were established in colonial America in order to encourage closer ties between Britain and the colonies.

Accepted Answer

Committees of correspondence were created by the American colonies to foster communication and coordination in opposition to British policies, not to encourage closer ties with Britain.

Question 2

Thomas Paine was an early leader of the Sons of Liberty.

Accepted Answer

Thomas Paine was not an early leader of the Sons of Liberty; he was an influential pamphleteer and author of "Common Sense," which advocated for American independence, but he was not directly involved with the Sons of Liberty, who were more focused on direct action against British policies prior to the American Revolution.

Question 3

The Intolerable Acts were imposed on the colonies to punish them for the Boston Tea Party.

Accepted Answer

The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were a series of punitive measures passed by the British Parliament in 1774 aimed at punishing the Massachusetts colonists for the Boston Tea Party.

Question 4

John Locke's political thought played a central role in the development of American political culture and institutions.

Accepted Answer

John Locke's ideas on natural rights, government by consent, and the right of rebellion against unjust rulers influenced the American Declaration of Independence and the broader framework of American political thought and institutions.

Question 5

The Intolerable Acts were known as the Coercive Acts in Britain.

Accepted Answer

The Intolerable Acts were a series of punitive measures passed by the British Parliament in 1774 aimed at quelling the rising unrest in the American Colonies. In Britain, these acts were referred to as the Coercive Acts, highlighting their intent to coerce the colonies back into obedience to British rule.

Question 6

The battles at Lexington and Concord marked the start of the Revolutionary War.

Accepted Answer

The battles at Lexington and Concord, which occurred on April 19, 1775, are considered the opening engagements of the American Revolutionary War.

Question 7

The Declaration of Independence builds on the assumption that individual rights are granted by the king but protected by the courts.

Accepted Answer

The Declaration of Independence asserts that individual rights are inherent and endowed by the Creator, not granted by the king, and that governments are established to protect these rights.

Question 8

The Declaration of Independence draws heavily from the political thought of Thomas Hobbes and Adam Smith.

Accepted Answer

The Declaration of Independence primarily reflects the political philosophy of John Locke, particularly his ideas on natural rights and government by consent, rather than the theories of Thomas Hobbes or Adam Smith.

Question 9

The Declaration of Independence can be read as an example of social contract theory.

Accepted Answer

The Declaration of Independence reflects social contract theory by stating that governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, and that when a government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.

Question 10

According to the Declaration of Independence, individual rights are granted by governments.

Accepted Answer

According to the Declaration of Independence, individual rights are considered to be unalienable and are endowed by the Creator, not granted by governments.

Question 11

Throughout the Revolutionary War, Washington's Continental Army enjoyed strong popular support among the people and was well-funded by the states.

Accepted Answer

The Continental Army often struggled with a lack of popular support, faced significant desertions, and suffered from poor funding and supply issues, as many states were reluctant or unable to contribute the necessary resources.

Question 12

Thomas Jefferson famously said that, "the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

Accepted Answer

This quote is attributed to Thomas Jefferson, found in a letter he wrote to William Stephens Smith in November 1787, expressing his views on the natural course of rebellion and the need for occasional upheaval to maintain the principles of liberty.

Question 13

The structure of government under the Articles of Confederation was largely a response to the colonists' opposition to the centralized power of the British government.

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation were designed to create a loose confederation of states with a weak central government, reflecting the colonists' desire to avoid the centralized power and tyranny they associated with British rule.

Question 14

Under the Articles of Confederation, there was no executive branch of government.

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation did not establish an executive branch, leaving the United States without a president or any equivalent position, as it focused on the powers of the states and the legislature.

Question 15

The only power conferred to the national government under the Articles of Confederation was the power to raise a military and conduct war.

Accepted Answer

Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government also had the power to enter into treaties with foreign nations, operate post offices, and coin money, among other powers, in addition to raising a military and conducting war.

Question 16

Shays's Rebellion demonstrated the political instability of the early American democracy.

Accepted Answer

Shays's Rebellion, which occurred from 1786 to 1787, highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the inability of the federal government to maintain order, thereby showcasing the political instability of the early American democracy.

Question 17

In writing the Constitution, the framers sought to balance the will of the common people against the will of government and business elites.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In writing the Constitution, the framers sought...

Question 18

An alternative explanation for the Constitutional Convention advanced in the text argues that the economic interests of business owners played a central role in the decision to develop a new Constitution.

Accepted Answer

Many historians and scholars argue that the economic interests of wealthy landowners and business people significantly influenced the push for a stronger central government, leading to the Constitutional Convention. They sought to protect their property rights and create a stable economic environment, which the Articles of Confederation failed to provide.

Question 19

In an attempt to seize control of the country, John Adams unsuccessfully attempted to have himself named the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention.

Accepted Answer

John Adams did not attempt to have himself named the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention because he was not in attendance; he was serving as the U.S. Minister to Great Britain at the time. George Washington was unanimously elected as the presiding officer.

Question 20

One of the main debates at the Constitutional Convention was the degree to which the new government would balance the competing demands for direct and representative democracy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One of the main debates at the...

Quiz 2: Early Governance and the Constitutional Framework