Question Dissection – Part IV
US History/Napp Name: ______
Introduction to Review:
Some things just go together. Like
Or
A multiple-choice question also has parts that naturally go together.
In this review, I will present multiple-choice questions and answers. I will explain what the question is asking and provide its answer. I will also reveal why these two parts of the question must go together.
Yes, some things just naturally go together.
The Question Dissection:
A.Which Presidential action is an example of the unwritten constitution?
(1)appointing Justices to the Supreme Court
(2)granting pardons for Federal crimes
(3)submitting a treaty to the Senate for ratification
(4)consulting with the Cabinet
What the question is asking:
What is the unwritten constitution and what is an example of the unwritten constitution?
Answer:
The unwritten constitution refers to traditions and practices in American government that date back to the days of President George Washington. President George Washington established many precedents or examples that were followed by subsequent presidents. For example, President Washington established a cabinet. A cabinet is a group of advisors to help the president make decisions. President Washington also was president for two terms. These examples set by Washington are part of the unwritten constitution, traditions and practices in American government.
Thus, the answer must be 4.
B. Adherence to a strict interpretation of the Constitution would have prevented President Thomas Jefferson from
(1)making the Louisiana Purchase
(2)writing “State of the Union” messages
(3)receiving ambassadors
(4)commissioning military officers
What the question is asking?
What is a strict constructionist? What difficulty did President Jefferson confront because he was a strict constructionist even though he managed to modify or change his belief?
Strict Constructionists of the Constitution were those individuals who felt that the Constitution should be read literally and that the elastic clause should be used only for expanding the powers of Congress in cases where the expansion is absolutely necessary. Jefferson was a strict constructionist. He believed in following the written words of the Constitution very carefully. When the French offered to sell the Louisiana Territory, Jefferson had a problem. The Constitution had no words in it about a President buying land. But if the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory, it would gain full control of the Mississippi River, the port of New Orleans, and the Great Plains! It was just too good of a deal to turn down. Ultimately, Jefferson reasoned that a President could make a treaty and justified the Louisiana Purchase as treaty making.
Thus, the answer must be 1.
C. Which factor has made the strongest contribution to the development of religious freedom in the United States?
(1)Most citizens have shared the same religious beliefs.
(2)Religious groups have remained politically unified.
(3)School prayer has been ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court.
(4)Guarantees in the Constitution have encouraged religious expression and toleration.
What is the question asking?
Why are Americans free to choose and practice religions of their choosing as opposed to a state religion?
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
In other words, our minds are free. Congress cannot make a law that prevents us from believing what we choose to believe. This amendment is our freedom of conscience.
Thus, the answer is 4.
D. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, delegates from the small states most strongly supported the idea of
(1)establishing a strong national executive
(2)levying taxes on exports
(3)popular election of Senators
(4)equal representation for the states in the national legislature
What is the question asking?
What did representatives of small states want at the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
Americans vote for representatives. If representation in Congress is based only on population, then states with lots of people will always have more power in Congress than states with fewer people. Small states wanted equal representation. They wanted every state to have the same number of representatives in Congress. In the end, a compromise occurred. The Great Compromise or Connecticut Compromise resolved the conflict by creating a bicameral (two-house) Congress. In the House of Representatives, states would be represented according to the size of their population. In the Senate, each state would be represented by two Senators.
Thus, the answer is 4.
E. In which area did good harbors, abundant forests, rocky soil, and a short growing season most influence the colonial economy?
(1) Southern colonies
(2) Middle Atlantic region
(3) Northwest Territory
(4) New England colonies
What is the question asking?
Which region of the thirteen colonies had good ports for boats, lots of trees, rocky soil that was not very good for farming, and a short growing season?
In the thirteen colonies, there were three regions. These regions were New England, theMiddle colonies, and theSouthern colonies. New England had good harbors, abundant forests, rocky soil, and a short growing season. This determined the kinds of jobs people performed. There were lots of ship builders and fishermen in New England.
Thus, the answer is 4.
F. Farmers in the Ohio River valley gained the greatest economic benefit when the United States acquired the
(1) Oregon Territory
(2) Gadsden Purchase
(3) Louisiana Territory
(4) Mexican Cession
What is the question asking?
Where is the Ohio River valley and when did farmers in this valley benefit from the acquisition of more land for the United States?
The Ohio River joins the Mississippi River. Of course, this is the greatest clue. For when the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, it gained full control of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River flows to the port of New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. So, when the Louisiana Territory was purchased, farmers in the Ohio River Valley could send their crops down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River to the port of New Orleans and to the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, farmers could see their crops to many people thanks to the transportation these rivers provided.
Thus, the answer is 3.
G. Which geographic area was added to the United States by the Louisiana Purchase?
(1) Appalachian Mountains
(2) Columbia River valley
(3) Great Plains
(4) Piedmont Plateau
What is the question asking?
What was the Louisiana Purchase and what lands did the United States gain as a result of the Louisiana Purchase?
In 1803, France offered to sell the Louisiana Territory to the United States for $15 million. Although Jefferson, who had become the nation’s third President, was not sure if the Constitution allowed the federal government to buy territory, he went ahead with the purchase. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States. The territory included all the area between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. The territory included full control of the Mississippi River, the port of New Orleans, and the Great Plains. The Great Plains are grasslands for farming and herding.
Thus, the answer is 3.
H. The main reason Great Britain established the Proclamation Line of 1763 was to
(1) avoid conflicts between American colonists and Native American Indians
(2) make a profit by selling the land west of the Appalachian Mountains
(3) prevent American industrial development in the Ohio River valley
(4) allow Canada to control the Great LakesRegion
What is the question asking?
What was the Proclamation Line of 1763 and why was it established?
After the French and Indian War, many colonists began to migrate westward. This invasion of Native American Indian land by white settlers resulted in an uprising of several tribes. The British, who could not protect the frontier, and who wished to avoid further conflicts, issued the Proclamation Act of 1763. This forbade settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Thus, the correct answer is 1.
I. Acquiring New Orleans as part of the Louisiana Purchase was considered important to the development of the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys because the city
(1) provided protection from attacks by theSpanish
(2) provided migrant workers for river valley farms
(3) served as a port for American agricultural goods
(4) served as the cultural center for the nation
What is the question asking?
What is so special about New Orleans?
New Orleans is a port city. It connects the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. It allows farmers to sell their crops to many people since the river is a kind of highway, transporting goods.
Thus, the answer is 3.
J. The original settlements in the thirteen British colonies were all located
(1) east of the Appalachian Mountains
(2) along the Gulf Coast
(3) on the Great Plains
(4) west of the Mississippi River
What is the question asking?
Where were the thirteen colonies located?
The thirteen colonies were located on the eastern coast. This makes sense of course since the eastern coast is closer to Great Britain and the settlers were mostly from Great Britain. Of course, many settlers stayed on the east coast because there was an obstacle to moving west and that was the Appalachian Mountains. These mountains were difficult to cross and later on, the British – to avoid conflict with the Native American Indians – issued the Proclamation Line which forbade the colonists to move west of the mountains. However, in the early years, the mountains were just difficult to cross. So, this is where maps matter. Study a map of the U.S.A. to know the important geographic features of the nation. It will help you answer questions.
Thus, the answer is 1.
K. The British government’s use of writs of assistance against American merchants is one reason the Bill of Rights includes protection against
(1) cruel and unusual punishment
(2) self-incrimination
(3) excessive bail
(4) unreasonable search and seizure
What is the question asking?
What is a writ of assistance and why did colonists hate the writ of assistance and what did colonist do when independence was gained to make sure there would never be a writ of assistance again?
A writ of assistance was a general search warrant. That means that a British official could enter a colonist’s home and just search – search for anything. He did not even really need a reason. The colonists hated the writ of assistance. It made them feel like they were not even masters in their own homes. So, in the U.S. Constitution, the Fourth Amendment states:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Thus, the answer is 4.
L. Federalism is best defined as a principle of government that
(1) divides power between the central government and state governments
(2) includes a system of checks and balances
(3) allows the states to nullify national laws
(4) places the most power in the hands of the legislative branch
What is the question asking?
What is federalism?
Federalism is a system of sharing power between the national and state governments. The Federal (national) government deals with national matters and relations among the states, while state governments deal with matters within each state. Concurrent powers, such as the power to tax, are held by both the federal and state governments. Reserved powers are those held exclusively by state governments.
Thus, the answer is 1.
M. The Great Compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention resulted in the
(1) formation of the Supreme Court
(2) creation of a bicameral legislature
(3) development of a two-party system
(4) ban on the importation of enslaved Africans
What is the question asking?
What was the Great Compromise and what was created as a result of the Great Compromise?
Large and small states differed on the method of representation for the new legislature. The Great Compromise or Connecticut Compromise resolved the conflict by creating a bicameral (two-house) Congress. In the House of Representatives, states would be represented according to the size of their population. In the Senate, each state would be represented by two Senators.
Thus, the answer is 2.
N. Building support for the ratification of the United States Constitution was the purpose of the
(1) Farewell Address of George Washington
(2) Albany Plan of Union
(3) Mayflower Compact
(4) Federalist Papers
What is the question asking?
What document helped increase support for delegates’ approval of the Constitution?
Leading Federalists like Alexander Hamilton argued in favor of the Constitution in The Federalist Papers. They claimed a stronger government was needed to protect against rebellion or foreign attack and to regulate interstate trade. They also said that citizens should not fear the new government, since its power was divided among three separate branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.
Thus, the correct answer is 4.
O. Which statement about the electoral college system is accurate?
(1) The number of electoral votes a state receives is based on its geographic size.
(2) A candidate can be elected president without the majority of the popular vote.
(3) Presidential candidates are forced to campaign equally in every state.
(4) The total number of electoral votes has increased with each census.
What is the question asking?
What is the electoral college?
The members of the Constitutional Convention did not trust the people to elect the President directly. Instead, they turned selection of the President to electors who form the Electoral College. To become President, a candidate needs to win a majority of the Electoral College votes. The number of electors each state has is equal to the number of its Representatives in the House combined with the number of its Senators. The candidate with the most votes in a state wins all of the electors of that state. If no candidate wins a majority of the Electoral College (270), the election must be decided by a special vote in the House of Representatives. Thus, a candidate is elected president by a majority of electors and therefore the electoral vote may differ from the popular vote.
Thus, the correct answer is 2.
P. The main reason the Articles of Confederation were replaced as the basis of the United States government was that they
(1) lacked provision for a national congress
(2) declared that political protests wereunconstitutional
(3) placed too many restrictions on the activities of state governments
(4) failed to give the central government enough power to govern effectively
What is the question asking?
Why were the Articles of Confederation replaced? What did the Articles of Confederation lack?
An agreement known as the Articles of Confederation went into effect in 1781, while the Revolutionary War was still being fought. The confederation was a weak, loose association of independent states. Each state sent one representative to the Confederation Congress, where it had one vote. There was no national executive or court. A weakness of the Confederation Congress was that the Congress could not levy national taxes, regulate trade, or enforce its laws. Each state government was more powerful than the new national government.
Thus, the correct answer is 4.
Q. Which situation best illustrates the practice of lobbying?
(1) Congress decides to reduce the number of military bases in California.
(2) The federal government cancels a defense contract with a company in New York State.
(3) A senator from Pennsylvania and a senator from New Jersey agree to support each other’s bill in Congress.
(4) Several environmental groups try to persuade members of Congress to vote for the Clean Air Act.
What is the question asking?
What is lobbying and what is an example of lobbying?
Lobbying is seeking to influence a politician or public official on an issue.
Thus, the correct answer is 4.
R. One goal of Alexander Hamilton’s financial plan was the establishment of a
(1) stock exchange
(2) national sales tax
(3) federal income tax
(4) national bank
What is the question asking?
What did Alexander Hamilton believe was best financially for the country?
The new nation faced a large debt from the Revolutionary War. As Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton proposed a program to put the nation’s finances on a solid basis. He proposed that the federal government pay off the nation’s debts, pass a high tariff (tax on imported goods) to protect American industries, place a tax on whiskey, and create a national bank. Hamilton supported a strong government and loose construction of the Constitution. Hamilton’s supporters formed a political party known as the Federalists. The Federalists passed most of Hamilton’s plan in Congress, except for the protective tariff.
Thus, the answer is 4.
S. One accomplishment of the national government under the Articles of Confederation was the passage of legislation establishing
(1) a central banking system
(2) a process for admitting new states to theUnion
(3) the president’s right to put down rebellions
(4) the ability of Congress to tax the states effectively
What is the question asking?
What was an accomplishment of the Articles of Confederation?
An agreement known as the Articles of Confederation went into effect in 1781, while the Revolutionary War was still being fought. The confederation was a weak, loose association of independent states. Each state sent one representative to the Confederation Congress, where it had one vote. There was no national executive or court. A weakness of the Confederation Congress was that the Congress could not levy national taxes, regulate trade, or enforce its laws. But the Confederation Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance (1787), which provided a system for governing the western territories. Between 1803 and 1848, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin were admitted as states from the Northwest Territory. The purpose of the Ordinance was to establish orderly and equitable procedures for the settlement and political incorporation of the Northwest Territory – i.e., that part of the American frontier lying west of Pennsylvania, north of the Ohio River, east of the Mississippi River, and south of the Great Lakes; this is the area known today as the American Midwest.