AP Colonial / Constitution Review
What did the Proclamation of 1763 state & where was
the border line of it?
Forbid settlers to move beyond the Appalachian Mts
(borderline) to avoid conflicts with natives.
Why were the settlers angry about the Proclamation?
West = more land.
Lands the French lost to French and Indian War:
West Indies land, Canada, and Mississippi (but not New
Orleans) to Britain, due to Peace of Paris 1763.
What did the Declaratory Act say?
Parliament had right to pass laws for colonists.
How were the colonists represented in the Continental
Congress?
Equal representation
Battle of Saratoga 1777 & how was it a turning point?
British surrendered, allowed France to openly support the
colonists
Battle of Yorktown 1781 – American surrounded inland,
while the French stopped British supply fleets at shore, British
in the middle surrendered unconditionally; the last major
battles of Revolution
Where/when were the first shots of the war?
Lexington & Concord, April 1775
What fraction of the colonists were loyalists?
1/3
What did Common Sense do?
Argued for independence from British
Virginia Plan:
Bicameral legislatures, representatives based on population, 3
branches, strong executive
The 5 states that made up the Northwest territory
Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois
Give 2 responses to the Stamp Act
Stamp Act Congress, Non-importation Agreement
What was virtual representation?
Colonists were virtually represented in the Parliament even
though they were not there.
What did the non-importation agreement do?
To hurt British economy by not importing any British goods.
What action led to the Intolerable Acts?
Boston Tea Party
List all 5 of the Intolerable Acts:
1. Boston Port Act – closed Boston Port
2. Massachusetts Government Act – increased power of
the crown, democratic colonists only meet once a
year, took away colonists’ ability to appoint its own
members
3. Administration of Justice Act – allowed Britain to try
officers who are charged with capital crimes
4. Quarter Act – forced colonists to house British
soldiers during peace time
5. Quebec Act – enlarged Province of Quebec
boundaries, favored French Catholics
Which English philosopher influenced the Constitution?
John Locke
Military advantages:
Colonists – home field, guerilla tactics, support from France
British – formation, drills and harsh disciplines, organized
Military disadvantages:
Colonists – unorganized, no military deference
British – unfamiliar territory, limited supplies
Sons/Daughters of Liberty – led by organized elites to
control mobs and riots against the British; response to Stamp
and Tea Act
Olive Branch Petition – last conciliatory appeal to the king,
failed and rejected, started war
1st Continental Congress - passed Suffolk Resolves – tried
to fix relationship with the crown
2nd Continental Congress – Declaration of Independence,
American Revolutionary War
Treaty of Paris 1783 – 9/3/1863, ended American
Revolutionary War; returned lands lost to French and Indian
War back to French control; new boundaries for U.S.: South of
Canada, North of Florida, Atlantic to Mississippi River
(although not allowed to navigation until Pinckney’s Treaty)
Which 2 groups didn't benefit from the war?
Natives American and women
Women roles – Republican Motherhood = required to raise
good, educated citizens
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:
Could not levy taxes, raise army, issue money, negotiate
treaties, regulate interstate trade/commerce
What did the Northwest Ordinance do?
Allowed territory to become state if it has enough inhabitants
What is the 3/5s Compromise?
5 slaves = 3 free = representatives for House of Legislative
What events helped spark change in the Constitution?
Shay’s Rebellion
Who is the Father of the Constitution?
James Madison
Which reports of Hamilton's were accepted?
The debt, the mint, the currency
Which report of Hamilton wasn't accepted and why?
Manufacturing, because of the tariffs on imports
Bill of Rights 1791 – first 10 amendments, required so other
states would ratify the Constitution, model after English
What act established 6 judges for the Supreme Court?
Judiciary Act of 1789
Election of 1796 – Adams vs. Jefferson; Adams won
Election of 1800 – Adams vs. Jefferson; Alien & Sedition Acts
upset people, so Jefferson won; led to 12th Amendment =
distinctive choice between P/VP
Why was it known as the Revolution of 1800?
The first peaceful transference of different political factions;
last decision decided by Alexander Hamilton
What was the midnight appointment?
Last-minute judges appointed by John Adams when he knew
he wasn’t going to be re-elected; Federalists
 AP Colonial / Constitution Review
Constitution was adopted 1788
Massachusetts – oldest written constitution, served as model
for the rest of the states
Which country did the Federalists favor and why?
Britain, because of economy (trades)
Which country did the Republicans favor and why?
French, because they felt sympathy with their cause
North – economically mixed, wanted industrialized
South – agrarian, fear of industrialization
Washington’s Cabinet:
Alexander Hamilton – secretary of treasury
Thomas Jefferson – secretary of state
General Henry Knox – secretary of war
Edmund Randolph – attorney general
Executive Branch composition – President + cabinet
Judicial Branch composition – 1 chief justice, 5 associated
justices (Judiciary Act of 1789)
List 2 parts of the Great Compromise.
Combination of Virginia + New Jersey Plan, bicameral
legislature – House by population, Senate by equal
representatives, Congress had power to tax and regulate
trade
Why were the electoral colleges set up?
Fear of the mob
How many states were needed to ratify?
9 out of 13
1st state to ratify, 9th state to ratify, final state to
ratify
Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island
People who were for the Constitution, people who were
against it.
Federalists, Anti-federalists
Alien and Sedition Acts:
Alien - Placed obstacles on aliens: longer time to neutralize,
allowed president to deport aliens out of country
Sedition - Allowed government to arrest those who opposed
the government (especially Republicans)
3 authors to the Federalist Papers
John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison
2 Leaders of the Anti-federalists
Patrick Henry. Thomas Paine.
Annapolis Convention of 1786:
Only 12 delegates from 5 states represented – NY, NJ, PA, DE,
VA; called for a change in the Article of Confederation, but
didn’t have enough votes
New England had gradual emancipation
XYZ Affair – French demanded bribery before they would
negotiate
Quasi War – unofficial naval war between U.S. and France
Main arguments against ratification – fear of strong,
tyrannical center of powers, lack of Bill of Rights
Virginia (Madison) and Kentucky (Jefferson)
Resolutions – argued for Locke’s idea that federal
government formed by a “compact” or contract among states
 nullification: states laws allowed to override national laws
if they were considered unconstitutional
Washington’s Farewell Address – Asked to maintain
neutrality, warning of political factions
Albany Plan of 1754 – First attempted for colonial union
called by Benjamin Franklin; failed, rejected by everyone else
British Acts:
Need money to pay war debt (from French and Indian War)
 (1) Sugar Act of 1764 – eliminate illegal trades, enforced
duties on sugar  (2) more smugglers
 (3) Currency Act of 1764 – colonies forced to stop using
paper money & use gold/silver coins (species)  (4) colonists
stopped using currency
 (5) Mutiny Act of 1765 (aka Quartering Act) – ‘cos colonists
stopped using money, British forced them to house their
soldiers instead
 (6) New York Suspending Act – suspend NY assembly &
their right of self-government until they accept Mutiny Act
 (7) Stamp Act 1765 – first direct tax on colonist, tax on all
printed documents
John Dickinson’s Letters From a Farmer – discussed
about NY Suspending Act and made clear that the British’s
policies were wrong >> urged for united action against
Parliament
Tea Act – allowed Britain East India Company to sell tea to
colonies without navigation act >> refused by colonists >>
Boston Tea Party
Stamp Act Congress – met to discuss about the recently
passed Stamp Act of 1765, only had delegates from 9/13
states, Declaration of Rights and Grievous (only colonists
could tax colonists, trial by jury, Rights of Englishmen,
taxation without representation)
Critical Period (1781-1789) – period of Articles of
Confederation; economically bad; revolts/uprising
3 Major Successes of Articles of Confederation –
Ordinance of 1785, Northwest Ordinance, and states gave up
western land
Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794) – allowed American to
exert power over Indian over Northwestern lands
Montesquieu – separation of powers, eventually became the
basis of U.S. Constitution
Whiskey Rebellion – proved that the new government
(Federalist) was now capable of control the whole nation