Chapter 7 and 8 Test: Jefferson Short Responses 10/24/11

1. What does Jefferson deem the essential principles of government?

Jefferson deems the essential principles of government to be "equal and exact justice to all men", regardless of their religious or political preferences. Jefferson also deems "peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations", with no committed relation with any nation to be an essential principle. Jefferson also believes that the "support of the State governments" is crucial, but there should also be a "preservation of (a) general government". Jefferson also deems punishment for those who revolt, agreement with the majority's decision, a "well-disciplined militia", a healthy economy, a timely and thorough payment of debts, and a good way to communicate information to the general public.

2. Jefferson refers to the Constitution several times in his address.

Jefferson refers to the Constitution many times in his address. In the first paragraph, Jefferson says he will always seek advice from the other "high authorities provided by our Constitution". Jefferson also states that everyone should abide by the Constitution in order to unite as a nation "for the common good". Jefferson also mentions the "freedom of religion... of justice", and trial by jury, all of which are part of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution

3. What does this suggest about the way he will interpret it when making decisions?

This suggests that Jefferson will be very strict in following the Constitution in regard to all matters. Ironically, one of the biggest successes in Jefferson's presidency came when he wasn't such a pedantic in following the Constitution; the Louisiana Purchase.

1. Describe Jefferson's administrative issues.

Jefferson had some administrative issues. First, he was quite contradictory in his policies. Jefferson was a Democratic-Republican but continued many policies that were installed by the previous Federalist administrations. Jefferson also supported limits to a decentralized government, yet he gave individual merchants favored legislation. Jefferson also had to deal with problems in the Mediterranean. After reducing the Navy and Army's size, Jefferson had to re-bolster the Navy so it could be prepared to fight a war in the Mediterranean.

2. In what ways did Jefferson implement the new Republican policies? In what ways did he continue Federalist policies?

Jefferson supported an implemented Republican policies by passing legislation helping merchants. This reinforced the Republican ideal of a strictly limited central government. Jefferson continued to support Federalist policies by continuing the national bank and the tariffs. He also sided with a Federalist ideal of going to war with the North African nations. Usually, democratic-republicans dislike war because it costs too much money and expands the powers of the government.

3.The significance of the Marbury v. Madison 1803 was that it led to the "principle of judicial review". Judicial review is crucial to legislation because not only does it balance out the power between the three branches, but it also let's the Supreme Court rule legislation as unconstitutional.

1. Describe the events surrounding the American purchase of Louisiana. How did Jefferson justify the purchase constitutionally?

France needed more money to fight their wars in Europe so they sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States.  Also at the time, Jefferson had been pondering how to catalyze American expansion into the West even though the French were blocking their way. Jefferson had also already been planning a exploration team of the west for some time. Therefore, the Louisiana Purchase seemed like the perfect deal to get all of Jefferson’s goals accomplished. Jefferson used the implied powers clause to justify the purchase.

2. In what ways did the young nation ascertain exactly what it had purchased?

Jefferson sent an expedition team led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Jefferson wanted Lewis and Clark to come back with exquisitely detailed information on the natural environment (geology, river routes to the Pacific),and on the possibility of trade with the Indians. Lewis and Clark did not disappoint, as their “volumes of notes and maps” helped settlers with their travels westward.

3. Describe the events surrounding the Lewis and Clark expedition.

One of the events surrounding the Lewis and Clark Expedition was the First Barbary War, in which Americans fought the Muslim nations of North Africa because of trading and bribery issues. Also, the Burr Conspiracy occurred around this time. Native American relations were also growing tense, as Shawnee leaders, Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa, instigated a cultural renewal of indian traditions and began attacking American settlements on the Western Frontier.

4. Who was Aaron burr and what was his conspiracy? What were the results of his actions?

Aaron Burr was a wealthy New York politician and the vice president of the Jefferson administration. Burr’s public career had been previously ruined by his duel with Alexander Hamilton. Burr voyaged westward where he hatched a plan for invading Florida or Mexico. As a result, upon rumors of this conspiracy, Jefferson ordered Burr to be arrested on the charge of treason. Yet due to the lack of witnesses and the fact that Jefferson refused to hand over “subpoenaed documents”, Burr was exonerated.

5. American expansion resulted in conflict between white American and Indians

The real issues at the heart of the conflict were the cultural value differences of the two entities. Americans saw that the implementation of their values into Indian culture would prove good for the Indians. However, most Indians had no desire to adopt white practices and were content with their own way of life. Some Indian tribes, like the Cherokee, did do some cultural mixing, solely in hope that Americans would favor them more than other Indian tribes.

George Washington Powerpoint

https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AXh8bYs3ZiHqZGdjN2I4N3RfMTJjNzc0azljYw&hl=en_US

**Missing Responses** for American Revolution Short Responses HW Assignment (Original like: http://davidw294apush.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-response93011.html?showComment=1318463643249#c8792849731213339212 )

1. Which were the largest British colonies in 1760?
The largest British colonies were Massachusetts (New England) with 246,000 people, Pennsylvania (Middle Colonies) with 220,000 people, Virginia (Southern Colonies) with 346,000 people, Canada (formerly New France of the Canadian colonies) with 79,000 people, and Jamaica of the West Indies with 210,000.

2. How did the 13 American colonies compare in size to Britain's other New World possessions?
For the vast majority, American colonies had much more people than did colonies in Canada or the West Indies. Only a few colonies, like Georgia (6,000 people), lacked in size to colonies like Jamaica.

3. Why do you think 13 of the colonies would band together in 1776 and declare independence-and not more or fewer?
The fact that the 13 colonies were all near each other made it easier to spread the news and the atmosphere was just ready for war. Canadian colonies spoke different languages and therefore never got involved. Also, with the installation of the Quebec Acts, Canada was being treated rather fairly by Britain and thus had no motive to revolt. the West Indies were separated by hundreds of miles of ocean from the shore of the nearest American colony. Therefore they did not experience the same atmosphere of revolution as did the colonists along the east coast of the American continent. Also, the West Indies had a massive number of black slaves versus a much smaller number of white plantation owners. Therefore, by joining the war, the slaves would have rebelled against there owners (the British promised freedom to all slaves who rebelled against the American slave owners).

1. How many people lived in the colonies' three largest cities?
49,000 people lived in the colonies three largest cities, which were Philadelphia, Boston, and New York.

2. Why do you think the urban population was so low?
The colonies were mostly agricultural and rural at the time. Only the coastal cities heavily involved in trade experienced urbanization. Also, cities were centers of disease and unsanitary conditions.

1. What proportion of American colonists were of English descent in 1775?
48.7% of Americans were of British descent.

2. What were the largest non-English ethnic groups in the colonies?
20% of the American colonist population was African, largely due to the fact that the colonies mass-imported slaves from Africa.

3. Why do you think that the colonies were able to create relatively peaceful multicultural societies?
Besides the slaves, everybody that came to America were a bunch of misfits in their own societies. Therefore they came to America to escape religious or political prosecution. This common goal and background united them because the people all shared the same previous problem. Also the level of freedom was unmatched and thus created a healthy and generally happy environment.

1. How evenly was wealth distributed in the American colonies, in your view? Was it more evenly distributed in urban or rural areas?
The wealth was unevenly distributed throughout the colonies. In the North, wealthy traders and merchants hoarded most of the money, while in the south, plantation owners owned many times more many than others. Overall, the south was more unevenly distributed.

2. Was wealth growing more or less concentrated over time?
Wealth was growing more and more concentrated over time.

1. What were the largest religious denominations in the American colonies?
The largest religious denominations were Anglican with 289 churches total and Presbyterian with 233 churches total.

2. Which were the fastest growing?
The fastest were Baptist with an increase of more than 12,000 in 160 years and Methodist with an increase of 19,800 in the span of 160 years.

American Identity Thesis Statement Practice

David Wang
APUSH
10/3/11

DBQ Thesis

Two sharp cracks ripped through the air. As the smoke from the gun barrels

cleared, Bostonians gasped as their fellow colonists lie dead on the ground. This incident,

known as the Boston Massacre, had a chilling effect through the colonies. The Massacre,

along with numerous taxes and other burdens, led the American colonists to begin to

realize that only by standing together could they stop the British burdens. After Boston

trade was hindered by the British, colonies as far as South Carolina showed support for

the city by sending over much needed food and supplies. They developed a sense of unity

and experienced a feeling of a new identity. They were no longer British, but Americans.

And they were going to unite to defend those rights and liberties that made them

Americans from anyone, including the British.

Dipity URL

http://www.dipity.com/davidw294/Road-to-Revolution/

Articles of Confederation DBQ 9/8/11

            One of the greatest causes of post-American Revolution dilemmas came from the Articles of Confederation. The Articles created a giant sinkhole in the power of the central government and led to quarreling among the individual states. Also, not only did the Articles not unite the American people, it caused rebellions among the citizens against their governments. With all the turmoil the Articles caused, it is safe to say that they did not provide the United States with an effective government.

            From the beginning, problems emerged. The central government was given little power by the Articles. It could not regulate national commerce, therefore its taxing plans soon failed. This caused the debt to continue to pile up, as the government couldn’t garner enough money to pay it off. For example, in Document A, Rhode Island writes about how it can not agree with the Congress on the newly proposed tax on imported goods. This highlights an instance where Congress fails to impose a tax due to its lack of power. This lack of power is a direct result of the Articles not providing the central government with enough authority. Also in Document D, there is a tone of urgency and stress, as the letter tells John Jay to convince Britain to stop pressing them “…for the payment of debts contracted before the war.” This is because the Articles failed to grant the national government the ability to collect taxes; therefore America did not have the money to pay Britain. Congress, the most powerful body of Congress, was also slow and disorganized. In Document C, James Jones states that payment to soldiers will be slow because Congress is “…of so mixed a body.” Congress’s lack of power to tax and incompetence can be traced to the fact that the Articles were insufficient in granting the central government with effective power to operate.  States also bickered among each other over territory, some instances involving small armed clashes. In Document E, it is reasonable to say that the boundaries for each of the new western territories sometimes overlapped with each other. As a result, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was formed, partly to ensure peace between eastern and western states. The Northwest Ordinance is one of the few accomplishments of the central government under the power of the Articles. Yet, it does not compensate for the economic problems the country experienced at this time. During the 1180’s America underwent a depression. There was a monumental amount of national and state debt accumulated from the Revolution. There was also a lack of currency to be distributed, which caused much unrest among the citizens. The lack of power to create a national army was also of great concern. In Document D, John Jay is instructed to go to Britain and tell them to move out of the American territories that the US had rightfully won as a result of the Revolution. Britain initially did not give up its fort holdings in the Northwest and the US could not do anything about it because it had no national army, let alone the finances to make one, to urge Britain out.  The Articles also considerably restricted the government’s power over trade and foreign affairs. It was up to each state to regulate its foreign trading. Since each state acted independently, countries had difficulty trading with the US because each state had its own set of laws regarding foreign affairs. In Document B, it is evident that there is a lack of export value to Britain during trade, even though the population in the US is increasing. This can be noted as an outcome due to the lack of governmental control for what to produce and what to export. Each state minded its own business on trading, therefore they did not realize that they were in fact inhibiting the growth of America by not working together. Foreign affairs were also a burden with such a weak government. In Document F, Spain refused to give America the right to sail up and down the Mississippi River. Because Congress was so weak domestically, it could not win respect in foreign policy. Being the little fish in the big sea, Spain stepped all over America; it closed New Orleans to American commerce. Also, Congress lacked the necessary authority to negotiate treaties and such because that was mostly in the hands of the states. John Jay, the man sent to negotiate the right to use the Mississippi with Spain, did not accomplish this aspect and instead gave trading rights to merchants in the northeast. But, the northerners feared that opening the west would draw away too many people. Therefore they wanted the Mississippi to be closed down; a direct opposite of what the central government wanted as made evident of Document F, which implied that the goal of the central government was to win back navigating rights on the Mississippi. This closing of the Mississippi angered the southern states because they needed to use the Mississippi for trade. Thus, some states even considered breaking away. The lack of power from the central government to stop interstate arguing and keep the nation as a whole showed many that more power should be granted to the government to make not only foreign relations easier, but also domestic ones. The Articles of Confederation constricted the power of the central government to the point where it was very feeble.

            The failure of the government to unite the people under the Articles of Confederation was also evident. The disproportionate amount of power in Congress given to the smaller states by the Articles caused the bigger states to resent the smaller states. Due to the lack of currency and subsequent heavy taxes, rebellions and unrest among the people transpired. In Document C, James Jones writes about how there is much anxiety among the soldiers. They were unpaid and felt as if “…justice (was) not intended to be done to them…” The little money the soldiers did receive was worthless due to inflation. This led to the Newburgh Conspiracy, where officers in the Army discussed forcing the states to give up more power to the national government. This way, there would be a more organized approach to decrease the national debt and bring in the much desired paychecks to the soldiers. In Pennsylvania, the threat became so severe that soldiers forced Congress to move temporarily to Princeton, New Jersey. Possibly the biggest wake-up call to the Articles ineffectiveness came from Shay’s Rebellion. Shay’s Rebellion demonstrated how the central government needed more rights to create fairer taxes and to protect the people from those that were of threat. During the rebellion, wealthy merchants from the New England area had to invest in the creation of a militia to quell the rebellion because the central government did not have power over an army. Shay’s Rebellion exposed the government’s inability to handle a crisis. The Articles of Confederation evoked much vexation among the American people and once again revealed the ineptitude of the central government.

            All things considered, the Articles of Confederation did not provide the post-Revolution American government with enough power to successfully lead a country. Yet, Americans knew better than to keep the Articles. In 1786, the Annapolis Convention was held to make the necessary repairs to the Articles. The report generated from the meeting would serve as a template for debate at the Philadelphia Convention. As a result, one of the most important documents in American history was signed; the United States Constitution.  

Revolutionary War Timeline Graph (sorry I don't know why the graph is not vertical))

Blog Response:9/30/11

1. At the time, the American Revolution seemed justified. This is because the colonists landed without restriction to certain liberties such as westward expansion into Indian territory. They were also free of taxes and basically led a separate course of life from Britain. Thus, when the British taxed the colonists intervened and banned westward expansion, it appeared to the colonists that Britain was placing burdens on their lives and hindering their rights. But actually, Britain had the right to do this. It was, after all, the mother country. America was a British colony, therefore subject to British rule. Yet the colonists didn't see it that way. They saw the all the tax acts and the Proclamation Line as destroyers of their rights, the rights that they came here with. If Britain had laid out the taxes and rules before the colonies were settled, then the colonists would not have argued. One aspect that Britain could have done better was that they should have found a way to represent the colonies in Parliament better. This rightfully upset the colonies because there was no way someone hundreds of miles away could accurately make decisions on what is best for the colony without actually being there.

2. Primary Source Questions:

1) The quotations suggest that they fundamental causes of the Revolution were that Britain burdened with too many rules and taxes. Britain taxed the colonists often which annoyed them because it was something which they have never done before. Britain also took away their local governments and installed royal governors. Also, those colonists with holdings to the west of the Proclamation Line had their charters taken away. Britain also barely represented them in Parliament, saying that the colonists were virtually represented. Yet the colonists felt that this was unfair because nobody so far away could tell what the colonists needed without actually being in the colonies. 

2) In reading 4, the colonists stated that the constitution states that nobody should be taxed without their consent. Therefore, Britain taxing the colonies without their consent in Parliament is unjust. In reading 6, it states that representation for the colonies was impractical because it is such a tedious thing to do. The representative would have to travel back and forth from the colonies, a process that takes months. In that span of time, the situation in the colonies might change and the representative may report some false information. Article 8 states that some colonists wanted to separate from Britain not just because of tax reasons, but because of Britain's relationships with other nations. Thomas Paine writes that if the colonies were too involved with Britain, then enemies of Britain would also become enemies of the colonies, thus putting them in danger and making one less trading partner. Paine also talks about how Britain is an oppressive country, due to it having a king. Therefore, to maintain the freedom that each colonist came over here in search for, they would have to step up and rise against the British to protect this freedom.

3) No. Colonists in the North, typically around the Boston area, experienced tenser relations with the British. This can be attributed to the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Boston Port Act, Gaspee Affair, etc. Also, many British troops were around the Boston area, creating a constant British shadow on the colonists. In article 7, a Tory writes that it is New England's fault that everybody in the colonies is aroused against the British. Also, those from different social classes had different social ideas. The merchants and traders generally had a tougher time with the British because many tax acts directly concerned them. Also, the constant patrolling of the British Navy in the Atlantic caught many of them in the act of smuggling.

4) The colonists were not completely paranoid and exaggerated but on the other hand they weren't completely calm and careful. Yet at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. The colonists started out rather tax-free and were monitored by salutary neglect from Britain. Therefore when Britain started taxing them and taking away certain liberties, the colonists felt as if they were being cornered. The colonists felt as if the taxing and restricting would never end, therefore they rebelled. Also, the newer generations of Americans did not feel any loyalty to Britain because they never lived there. Therefore they could not recall any sense of duty to Britain when the taxes came on. The colonists were a little extreme at times, though. For example, the burning of the Gaspee was quite the act of violence. The commanding officer of the ship was even shot. Also, the depiction of the Boston Massacre was not very accurate. The most famous one showed a British officer directing British troops to fire into a crowd of unarmed Boston citizens. 

3. Impact of the Revolution

1) With the Revolution passed, many people began seeking these rights and liberties that they had fought so hard for. Women in particular began showing a voice. Yet, this was typically scorned upon and it would take about 300 years more until women were fully granted equal rights with men. In readings 1 and 2, Abigail Adams and her husband John Adams exchange letters regarding the social positions of males and females in society. Abigail makes it particularly clear that if women don't see some equality of rights, they are likely to rebel. They are citizens and therefore want representation of their gender in government and other positions. John responds in quite a sarcastic and unfair tone. Although Adams does acknowledge that women desire to see more equality, he goes on to say that they "know better than to repeal our masculine system", thereby stating that men are more dominant in society. Women at this time are still looked down upon and not considered equals to men.

2) Like women, slaves and human rights activists also chose this time after the Revolution to claim and define the rights for which they fought for. Quock Case states in reading 3 that ..."color, complexion, or shape of noses-features" having nothing to do with determining who has what rights and liberties. A person is born with certain rights and liberties and has them all protected by law and even God. Case implies that it is immoral for Christians to treat fellow human beings in such a way. He states that Heaven accepts them as all the same. Reading 4 talks about how the colonies should go about helping the slaves. Thomas Jefferson states that they "must make to them some retribution for the long course of injuries we have been committing on their population." He suggests creating a colony in Africa and helping them reconnect with their culture. Jefferson also suggests freeing the slaves and the newborns of slaves and allowing them to work until a certain age before deporting them. The attitude towards slavery has definitely changed, especially in the North (i.e. Massachusetts). Before the Revolution slaves were mostly looked down upon and treated badly. Even during the Revolution, slaves revolted against their owners to help the British and possibly gain their freedom. Even with this, the atmosphere toward slavery in the colony began to change. Now, the colonies are questioning whether slavery is justified and how they should help the slaves reach their freedom that they deserve.