Big Idea Worksheet American Government Study Guide Chapter 2 – Origins of American Government

Section One: Our Political Beginnings (p 28-32)

The origins of the United States can be traced primarily to the ______, who settled in large numbers along the Atlantic Coast. (p 28)

These settlers brought with them expectations for a political system that included three main ideas: ______, ______, and ______. (p 28-29)

Please complete the following chart describing some landmark political documents. (p 29-30)

Document / History / Modern Relevance
Magna Carta
Petition of Right
Bill of Rights

All English colonies could be divided into three categories: ______were subject to the direct control of the King; ______were organized by a person to whom the King had granted large landholdings; ______were largely self-governing. Over time, most colonies moved into the category of ______. (p 30-32)

Please complete the following chart showing your knowledge of the English colonies. (p 30-32)

Colony / Date Founded / Facts About Government
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New York
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia

Section Two: The Coming of Independence (p 34-39)

By the mid-1700s, the relationship between Britain and the colonies had become somewhat ______. (p 35)

Britain was responsible for colonial ______and for ______, provided a uniform system of ______and a common ______. (p 35)

Little was taken from the colonies in ______, and the few regulations set by ______were largely ignored. (p 35)

Shortly after ______came to the throne in 1760, Britain dealt more firmly with the colonies. (p 35)

Many colonists objected to new taxes as “taxation without ______.” (p 35)

Colonists saw little need for British protection after the ______were defeated in 1763. (p 35)

Please describe the various efforts at inter-colonial cooperation by completing this chart. (p 35-37)

Effort / Date(s) / Participants / Outcome
New England Confederation
Albany
Plan
Stamp Act Congress
First Continental Congress

______provided a network for cooperation and exchange of information among the patriots. (p 36)

The ______occurred on December 16, 1773, when a group boarded ships in Boston harbor to protest against the British. (p 36)

The Battles of ______and ______started the war on April 19, 1775. (p 37)

The ______became the nation’s first national government and remained so for nearly five years. (p 37)

The ______was adopted on July 4, 1776. (p 38)

Identify the historical figures described in the chart below. (p 36-38)

Name / Role
Commander in Chief of the Continental Army
President of the Second Continental Congress
Patriot who started the Committees of Correspondence
Principal author of the Declaration of Independence

After independence, most of the states adopted written constitutions that shared several features: ______, ______, ______, ______, and ______. (p 38-39)

Section Three: The Critical Period (p 44-47)

On November 15, 1777 the Continental Congress approved a plan for government called the ______.(p 44)

This plan did not take effect until ______, the last of the 13 states to consent, approved it on March 1, 1781. (p 44)

As for government, a ______was the sole body created. (p 44)

It was ______, made up of delegates chosen ______by the states as their ______directed. (p 44)

Each state had ______, whatever its population or wealth. (p 44)

______and ______functions were handled by committees of the Congress. (p 44)

Congress could appoint one of its members as its ______each year. (p 45)

Please describe the Articles of Confederation by summarizing the following features of it. (p 45)

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
Powers of Congress / State Obligations / Weaknesses
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
6.______
7.______
8.______
9.______
10. / 1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
6.______
7.______/ 1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
6.______
7.______
8.______

The Revolutionary War finally ended on ______. (p 45)

America’s independence was confirmed by the Treaty of ______in 1783. (p 45)

List several ways in which the post-war union seemed ready to dissolve: (p 45-46) ______

______

The movement for a stronger government took concrete form in 1785 when ______and ______resolved some of their differences in a conference at ______. (p 46)

This meeting inspired a larger gathering of states at ______in 1786 that ultimately issued a call for all states to attend a convention at ______in 1787. This convention would produce the ______. (p 47)

Section Four: Creating the Constitution (p 48-54)

Every state but ______sent delegates to the Constitutional Convention. (p 48)

This group of delegates became known as the ______. (p 48)

Prominent leaders of the group: ______

Prominent leaders not included: ______

______was elected to serve as President of the Convention. (p 50)

______became the floor leader and most productive contributor. (p 50)

Though the convention had been called to revise the ______, the delegates resolved to replace them. (p 50)

Please describe the competing proposals contained in the table below. (p 51-52)

Virginia
Plan / New Jersey
Plan / Connecticut Compromise
Author / Roger Sherman
Number of Branches in Government
Number of Houses in the Legislature
Number of Legislative Representatives per State
Method of Selecting the Executive / Not Part of the Compromise
Number of Executive Officers / Not Part of the Compromise

Please describe the competing proposals and ultimate resolution of other Constitutional controversies. (p52-53)

Three-Fifths Compromise / Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise
Position of Southern States
Position of Northern States
Ultimate Compromise

Please list several sources of the Constitution: (p 53) ______

The Convention completed its work and delegates signed the final draft on ______, 1787, the anniversary of which is now celebrated as “Constitution Day.” (p 54)

Section Five: Ratifying the Constitution (p 56-58)

The Constitution was vigorously debated between two groups known as the ______and the ______. The first group supported the Constitution, while the second opposed it. (p 56)

Only ______states would be required to ratify the Constitution. (p 56)

The two most controversial features of the new Constitution were: (p 57)

1.  ______and

2.  ______.

Please summarize important points about the Ratification Debate. (p 56-57)

Federalists / Anti-Federalists
Prominent Members
Main Arguments

______was the first state to ratify the Constitution. (p 57)

______ratified on June 21, 1788, bringing the number of states who ratified to nine. (p 57)

New York’s ratification debate was particularly fierce, but also produced a group of essays known as ______. (p 58)

These essays were written by ______, ______, and ______. (p 58)

The value of these essays today is that they ______. (p 58)

______was chosen as the new capital city. (p 58)

______was elected to serve as the first president, and ______was elected to serve as his vice-president. (p 58)