Federalism Questions
6AP US History
Federalism Questions
I. Answer the following questions as fully as possible. Use the Internet, The American Pageant, or other sources to find the answers. Also please list your sources for each question.
1. What were the major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation were replaced by the Constitution at the Constitutional Conference in May 1787. Members of the Conference saw to replace the Articles because it was weak. The articles did not effectively unify the nation with a central government. No centralized government would lead to conflicts within and between states. Also Constitution had direct taxation, which would be a source of money for the government. There was no strong foreign policy either.
2. What were some of the key elements of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was a very important law for the newly founded America. It gave all unclaimed land to the federal government. It allowed the government to establish territories, which could become states after the area achieves a population of 60,000. Territories could also establish governments when their population of free white men was 5,000. The law also made waterways like the Mississippi and St. Lawrence rivers free for travel for United States Citizens. Religious freedom, habeas corpus and bans on cruel and unusual punishment were established. The northern Territories were also declared free of slavery.
3. Why was Shay’s Rebellion such a dangerous situation for the new USA?
Shay’s Rebellion, an uprising of central and western Massachusetts farmers, started because the government did not pass laws that would forgive debt and print more money. The farmers needed this because the area was experiencing an economic crisis. Daniel Shays, a former member of the Continental Army led the cause. The cause was dangerous because so many people supported them. Citizens saw the rebels as the same as those
Federalism Questions
I. Answer the following questions as fully as possible. Use the Internet, The American Pageant, or other sources to find the answers. Also please list your sources for each question.
1. What were the major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation were replaced by the Constitution at the Constitutional Conference in May 1787. Members of the Conference saw to replace the Articles because it was weak. The articles did not effectively unify the nation with a central government. No centralized government would lead to conflicts within and between states. Also Constitution had direct taxation, which would be a source of money for the government. There was no strong foreign policy either.
2. What were some of the key elements of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was a very important law for the newly founded America. It gave all unclaimed land to the federal government. It allowed the government to establish territories, which could become states after the area achieves a population of 60,000. Territories could also establish governments when their population of free white men was 5,000. The law also made waterways like the Mississippi and St. Lawrence rivers free for travel for United States Citizens. Religious freedom, habeas corpus and bans on cruel and unusual punishment were established. The northern Territories were also declared free of slavery.
3. Why was Shay’s Rebellion such a dangerous situation for the new USA?
Shay’s Rebellion, an uprising of central and western Massachusetts farmers, started because the government did not pass laws that would forgive debt and print more money. The farmers needed this because the area was experiencing an economic crisis. Daniel Shays, a former member of the Continental Army led the cause. The cause was dangerous because so many people supported them. Citizens saw the rebels as the same as those