Don't Know Much About History: study questions

1) Discuss the significance of Thomas Jefferson's quote: "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing...God forbid that we should ever be twenty year without such a rebellion...The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

In this quote of Thomas Jefferson we can find a sort of irony because Thomas Jefferson is an important member of the government but says that’s acceptable if people go against the government. The adds that freedom is important but that people will always have to fight to keep it.

2) Why did Shay's Rebellion happen?

Shay’s Rebellion happened consequently the crisis pos-War. This was at most an economical crisis caused by inflation and the increasing of the taxes. The most of the times, farmers couldn’t pay those taxes so they lost their lends and gained a lot of debts. Another factor that leaded to the Rebellion was the fact that once back from the War the soldiers didn’t receive anything off all what had been promised them. All this causes made the spread of general discontent that exploded in the Rebellion.

3) The constitution is "a political creation, hammered together in a series of artfully negotiated compromises. Discuss these compromises.

The compromises are about the representation and the slavery. About the representation it was established that the number of representatives for each state would have been equal for each state in the upper house, the Senate, and proportional in the lower house, the House of Representatives. About the slavery it was established that they could vote but that their vote would be counted as 3/5.

4) What was the Virginia Plan?

The Virginia Plan said that there should be two chambers, an executive and a judiciary, both of them elected by legislature.

5) "No person held in service" was a euphemism for what?

This was an euphemism for slaves.

6) List the basic Powers and Checks of the three branches of the government.

·       Executive: President of United States - directing the government, commanding the armed forces, and vetoing laws; the Executive can checking the Legislative by voting laws

·       Legislative: the Congress – approving laws, originating bills and approving treaties; the Legislative can check the Executive by the veto.

·       Judicial: all the judges headed by the Supreme Court – judge people basing on Constitution principle; the Judicial can govern the other two power because can judge them, but is under the Constitution made by the other two powers.

7) Who wrote the Federalist Papers and why did they write them?
The federalist Paper was written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay. In it thy defended the new Constitution, explaining it.

8) Briefly outline the first ten amendments.

1.     Freedom of religion, peace, speech and press

2.     Right to form a militia and bear arms in a sovereign state

3.     Military protection

4.     Protection of Privacy

5.     Right to do process

6.     Discusses trial by jury and the rights of the accused, the confrontation clause, and right to a speedy and public trial and right to competent counsel.

7.     Civil trail by jury

8.     Prohibition excessive cruelty in punishments

9.     Protection of all the right that are not talked about in the constitution

10.   Discussion about the power of the state and of the common people

9) Who could wrote in the first election (what parts of the population)?

Only white, adult males who had lands.

10) How did Washington D.C. come be located on the banks of the Potomac?
The decision was a compromise made in a secret dinner between Jefferson Madison Hamilton.

11) What did Jay's Treaty do?

Jay’s Treaty was done with British to avoid to fight again against them.

12) What was the "Whiskey Rebellion" and how was it put down?

The Whiskey Rebellion was a rebellion in response of the increasing of the tax on whiskey, led by George Washington. It was put down because they had no people and it was pathetic.

13) Describe the election of 1800? How was it finally resolved?

The election was supposed to be between Jefferson and Adams, but that really was between Jefferson and Burr, who were in the same party. Hamilton convinced the House to vote to Jefferson.

14) Who was John Marshall?

He is a head judge and he made the Supreme Court how it is today.

15) Why did France sell its North America possessions (the Louisiana territory) to the U.S.?

Napoleon wanted to build a French emperor in Europe and U.S. but French didn’t have all the sources to keep their control in US while they fought against England in Europe. So they prefer to focus only on Europe and leave their lands in U.S.

16) What did Lewis and Clark do? Describe their journey?

They move from St. Luis to west with the achievement of expansion. Directions arrived to them from Jefferson. Their trip last three years.

17) How did Hamilton incur the wrath of Aaron Burr? Was he right in what he did? How did the ordeal end?

Hamilton used his political influence to avoid Burr to get the government of NY. He argued that Jefferson should win the election. In the end there was a duel between Hamilton and Burr and Hamilton died. He was right in supporting the part he considered best, but duel are not a civil way to solve conflicts, it’s just a waste of lives.

18) What was Jefferson's Embargo Act? Why was it unpopular and what was it suppose to do?
It was a law restricting American ships from engaging in foreign trade. It was unpopular because a lot of trade was done with Britain and other major powers, so it lowered the American economy and made it so a large part of their trade was shut down.

19) What did Tecumseh try and do?

He tried to unite the natives to fight against the whites.

20) Describe the Battle of Tippecanoe?
This battle was between American forces and Indian. Indian said to the Americans that they would fight if they didn’t have their lands back. The Americans wouldn’t ever give them back so started to fight. In the end American won but had a lot of casualties.

21) Most historians call the War of 1812 a draw. Why?

Because it doesn’t make a lot of sense, there wasn’t huge battles and in the end treaty everything was left how it was.

22) Describe the Battle of New Orleans.

The Battle of New Orleans was the final major battle in the war of 1812 where Americans, led by Andrew Jackson, defeated the British.

23) What did the Monroe Doctrine state?

The Monroe Doctrine stated that Americas were no longer open to European colonization and that America would be the only power in the west.

24) What was the Missouri Compromise?

The Missouri Compromise said that the northern states, except Missouri, wouldn’t have slavery, while the southern states, included Missouri, could.

25) How was the election of 1824 decided? Why was it called a "corrupt bargain"?

The election of 1824 was decided in the House of Representatives because there was no majority I the Electoral College.

26) List some of the labels attached to Andrew Jackson.
Slave owner, murderer, adulterer, orphan, frontiersman, horse racing man, Indian-fighter, war hero, land speculator.

27) Was Andrew Jackson an Indian hater? What did the natives call him? What "Indian Wars" did he fight in and what was the outcome? What was his native "policy" as President?

Andrew Jackson wasn’t an Indian hater but he wanted Indians lands. Indians called him “Long knife”. He fought Creek War where Americans won and removed from Creek an half of their lands. He fought against the Seminoles, which he also won, and Florida's land was sold cheap. He also fought in the war of 1812, which is now considered a draw. His 'policy' as president was to tell the Natives either assimilate, leave, or get killed.

28) How did Jackson come to symbolize the common people?

Because he was poor but with hard working became rich and powerful.