Answer
The most likely reason for European success in conquering the Indian population is the Europeans' technological advantages and the introduction of diseases to which Native Americans had no immunity.
Key Concept
European expansion into the Western Hemisphere caused intense social/religious, political, and economic competition in Europe and the promotion of empire building. (KC-1.2.I)
Explanation
Europeans brought over diseases such as smallpox and measles, which devastated Native American populations who lacked immunity to these new illnesses. Additionally, European technological advancements in weaponry and military tactics gave them a significant advantage in conflicts.
Answer
Most archaeologists and historians believe that the first peoples who colonized the Americas came from Asia via the Bering Land Bridge.
Key Concept
The development and interaction of early agricultural, pastoral, and urban societies. (KC-1.1.I)
Explanation
During the last Ice Age, lower sea levels exposed a land bridge between Asia and North America, allowing the migration of peoples from Siberia into the Americas, where they spread and developed diverse cultures.
Answer
The effects of the Columbian Exchange on Native Americans included exposure to new diseases, which led to significant population decline, as well as changes in their agricultural practices and diets due to the introduction of new plants and animals.
Key Concept
The Columbian Exchange led to new ways of life for people in the Americas, Africa, and Europe. (KC-1.2.II)
Explanation
The Columbian Exchange refers to the transatlantic flow of goods and people, which included crops like maize, potatoes, and tomatoes from the Americas to Europe, and wheat, rice, and horses from Europe to the Americas. The exchange drastically altered the agriculture, diet, and way of life for Native Americans.
Answer
In founding the colony of Georgia, James Oglethorpe’s primary purpose was to create a buffer state to protect the Carolinas from Spanish Florida and to provide a place for the poor and indebted of England to start anew.
Key Concept
The British–American system of slavery developed out of the economic, demographic, and geographic characteristics of the British-controlled regions of the New World. (KC-2.1.III.C)
Explanation
Oglethorpe envisioned Georgia as a haven for debtors and the poor, as well as a strategic buffer against Spanish expansion from Florida. The colony initially banned slavery and limited landholdings to reduce the emergence of an aristocratic class.
Answer
The Puritans who settled New England hoped to achieve a "city upon a hill," a religious utopia that would serve as a model for Christianity and for reforming the Church of England.
Key Concept
Different European religious and ethnic groups migrated to the Americas, supporting themselves through a variety of economic activities and by forming distinct and increasingly complex societies. (KC-2.1.II)
Explanation
The Puritans sought to purify the Church of England and establish a society based on their religious principles. They believed their community would be an example for others to follow, reflecting their religious zeal and commitment to community values.
Answer
By the early 1700s, South Carolina’s most important staple crop was rice.
Key Concept
The growth of an Atlantic economy throughout the 18th century created a shared labor market and common culture among the British, Dutch, French, and Spanish colonies, with the British colonies participating in a broader Atlantic world economy. (KC-2.2.II)
Explanation
Rice cultivation in South Carolina was labor-intensive and relied heavily on the knowledge and labor of enslaved Africans, who were familiar with rice cultivation from their homelands. This crop became central to South Carolina's economy and its integration into the Atlantic trade system.
Answer
Native Americans played various roles in British imperial wars during the 18th century, often as allies or military forces for the British or French, depending on their interests and alliances.
Key Concept
The competition among the British, French, and American Indians for economic and political advantage in North America culminated in the Seven Years’ War (the French and Indian War), in which Britain defeated France and allied American Indians. (KC-2.2.III)
Explanation
Native American tribes sought to advance their interests by forming strategic alliances with European powers during imperial conflicts. Their participation could tip the balance in regional power struggles, as seen in the French and Indian War.
Answer
As slave society consolidated in the Chesapeake region, the legal, social, and economic standing of free blacks deteriorated, with many losing the right to vote, hold certain jobs, or testify against whites in court.
Key Concept
The British–American system of slavery developed out of the economic, demographic, and geographic characteristics of the British-controlled regions of the New World. (KC-2.1.III.C)
Explanation
As the institution of slavery became more entrenched, laws and social norms increasingly restricted the rights and freedoms of free blacks, reflecting the growing racialization of slavery and the desire of white society to maintain a strict racial hierarchy.
Answer
The task system was a labor system used on some plantations where enslaved people were assigned specific tasks to complete each day and had some autonomy once those tasks were completed.
Key Concept
The British–American system of slavery developed out of the economic, demographic, and geographic characteristics of the British-controlled regions of the New World. (KC-2.1.III.C)
Explanation
The task system was most common in rice-growing regions like South Carolina and Georgia. It allowed enslaved individuals a degree of control over their work pace and free time, unlike the gang system used elsewhere that required continuous labor under overseers.
Answer
The most famous Great Awakening revivalist minister was George Whitefield.
Key Concept
The presence of different European religious and ethnic groups contributed to a significant degree of pluralism and intellectual exchange, which was later enhanced by the First Great Awakening and the spread of European Enlightenment ideas. (KC-2.1.II.E)
Explanation
George Whitefield was a charismatic preacher whose dramatic sermons ignited the religious fervor of the Great Awakening across the colonies, leading to the spread of evangelicalism and challenging established religious and social norms.
Answer
Benjamin Franklin drafted the Albany Plan of Union (1754).
Key Concept
The competition among the British, French, and American Indians for economic and political advantage in North America culminated in the Seven Years’ War (the French and Indian War), in which Britain defeated France and allied American Indians. (KC-2.2.III)
Explanation
The Albany Plan of Union was proposed by Benjamin Franklin as a way to create a unified government for the Thirteen Colonies, primarily for defense against the French during the French and Indian War. It was not adopted but was a significant early attempt at colonial unity.
Answer
"Salutary neglect" refers to the British policy of allowing the colonies considerable freedom in economic matters and not enforcing parliamentary laws strictly, which allowed the colonies to flourish economically and develop a degree of self-governance.
Key Concept
Throughout the 18th century, various American Indian societies successfully resisted colonization through military alliances with colonizers and other American Indian nations, and by maintaining their political and cultural autonomy. (KC-2.2.IV)
Explanation
Salutary neglect contributed to the rise of self-government in the colonies and the development of American identity, as colonists became accustomed to a high level of autonomy, which they later sought to defend.
Answer
William Penn was a member of the Quaker religious group.
Key Concept
Different European religious and ethnic groups migrated to the Americas, supporting themselves through a variety of economic activities and by forming distinct and increasingly complex societies. (KC-2.1.II)
Explanation
William Penn, a Quaker, founded Pennsylvania as a haven for Quakers and other religious minorities, promoting religious tolerance and democratic principles in the colony's governance.
Answer
The Battle of Saratoga was a major turning point in the American Revolution and convinced the French to form an alliance with the American colonies.
Key Concept
The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideals inspired new experiments with different forms of government. (KC-3.2.I)
Explanation
The American victory at Saratoga in 1777 demonstrated the viability of the Continental Army and the potential for American success, leading France to enter the war as an ally of the United States, providing crucial military support.
Answer
The Battle of Trenton guaranteed that George Washington would remain in command of the Continental military forces.
Key Concept
The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideals inspired new experiments with different forms of government. (KC-3.2.I)
Explanation
The surprise attack and victory at Trenton on December 26, 1776, boosted morale and support for the Continental Army and solidified Washington's leadership position at a critical juncture in the war.
Answer
The relationship between the national government and the states is called federalism.
Key Concept
The Constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation as a blueprint for limited government. (KC-3.2.II)
Explanation
Federalism is the division of power between the national government and the state governments, as established by the Constitution. It reflects the founders' desire to balance power and prevent tyranny.
Answer
The primary issue in dispute in Daniel Shays’ rebellion was the economic hardship facing debt-ridden farmers, including high taxes and aggressive debt collection practices.
Key Concept
The Constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation as a blueprint for limited government. (KC-3.2.II)
Explanation
Shays' Rebellion highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, particularly the federal government's inability to maintain public order or support economic stability, leading to calls for a stronger central government.
Answer
Great Britain responded to the Boston Tea Party with the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, which were punitive measures intended to assert British authority and punish the colonists.
Key Concept
The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideals inspired new experiments with different forms of government. (KC-3.2.I)
Explanation
The Intolerable Acts included the closure of Boston Harbor, the alteration of the Massachusetts government, the allowance of British soldiers to be quartered in private homes, and the protection of officials accused of crimes from being tried in Massachusetts. These acts galvanized colonial opposition to British rule.
Answer
The significance of the Battle of Saratoga is that it was a turning point in the American Revolution, leading to French recognition and support of the American cause.
Key Concept
The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideals inspired new experiments with different forms of government. (KC-3.2.I)
Explanation
The American victory at Saratoga convinced France that the United States had a chance of winning the war, leading to the Franco-American Alliance of 1778, which provided the Americans with military aid and support.
Answer
A strength of the government under the Articles of Confederation was its ability to negotiate the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.
Key Concept
The Constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation as a blueprint for limited government. (KC-3.2.II)
Explanation
Despite its weaknesses, the government under the Articles of Confederation successfully managed foreign affairs during the war, culminating in the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
Answer
The Whiskey Rebellion ended when President George Washington led a militia force to the area and the rebels dispersed without any significant conflict.
Key Concept
The Constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation as a blueprint for limited government. (KC-3.2.II)
Explanation
Washington's response to the Whiskey Rebellion demonstrated the new national government's ability to suppress internal unrest and enforce federal laws, establishing federal authority over the states.
Answer
In the winter of 1776-1777, Washington won important victories that improved American morale at the battles of Trenton and Princeton.
Key Concept
The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideals inspired new experiments with different forms of government. (KC-3.2.I)
Explanation
These victories were crucial for the Continental Army's survival and morale, as they demonstrated the possibility of success against the British and inspired more men to join the cause.
Answer
The document that ended the War of 1812 was the Treaty of Ghent.
Key Concept
The United States began to develop a modern democracy and celebrated a new national culture, while Americans sought to define the nation’s democratic ideals and change their society and institutions to match them. (KC-4.1.I)
Explanation
The Treaty of Ghent, signed in December 1814, ended the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. It restored prewar boundaries but did not address the issues of impressment or neutral shipping rights that had contributed to the war.
Answer
The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, removed France as a colonial presence on the continent, and opened up vast tracts of land for future American expansion.
Key Concept
The new republic struggled with the transition from a colonial commercial economy to an independent agrarian republic, compounded by ongoing conflict with Native Americans and European powers. (KC-4.1.II)
Explanation
The purchase of Louisiana from France in 1803 provided the United States with control of the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans, both vital for western trade and expansion.
Answer
Tecumseh was a Shawnee leader who, along with his brother Tenskwatawa, sought to unite various Native American tribes in a confederation to resist the encroachment of American settlers on their lands.
Key Concept
The United States continued to face challenges at home and abroad, as new political parties emerged, regions developed distinct economies and cultures, and calls for reform abounded. (KC-4.2.II)
Explanation
Tecumseh's efforts to create a Native American confederation represented a significant resistance movement against U.S. expansion and the loss of Native American lands.
Answer
In the case McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court upheld the broad interpretation of the Constitution, specifically the implied powers of the federal government and the supremacy of federal laws over state laws.
Key Concept
The Constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation as a blueprint for limited government. (KC-3.2.II)
Explanation
The Supreme Court's decision in McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819 affirmed the constitutionality of the Second Bank of the United States and established the principle that states could not interfere with federal institutions within their borders.
Answer
Chief Justice John Marshall’s greatest impact on the United States was his establishment of the principle of judicial review and his contributions to the definition and strengthening of the federal government's power.
Key Concept
The Constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation as a blueprint for limited government. (KC-3.2.II)
Explanation
Through landmark Supreme Court cases such as Marbury v. Madison, Marshall's decisions laid the foundation for the judiciary's role in American government and the balance of power between the federal government and the states.
Answer
Jackson’s assertion in his veto message was that the Second Bank of the United States was unconstitutional, too powerful, and not accountable to the people.
Key Concept
The United States continued to face challenges at home and abroad, as new political parties emerged, regions developed distinct economies and cultures, and calls for reform abounded. (KC-4.2.II)
Explanation
President Andrew Jackson's veto of the recharter of the Second Bank of the United States in 1832 reflected his belief in a limited federal government and his support for the common man against what he perceived as elite institutions.
Answer