Chapter 5 and 6 Study Guide

CHAPTER FIVE
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

OBJECTIVES
A thorough study of chapter 5 should enable the student to understand

1. The historical debate concerning the nature if the American Revolution and the reasons for disagreement.
2. American war aims and the problems experienced by the revolutionary governments in carrying on a protracted war.
3. The aim of the Declaration of Independence, the reason for its issuance, and its influence throughout the world since 1776.
4. The indispensable contributions of George Washington to the successful outcome of the Revolution.
5. The diplomatic triumph for American negotiators embodied in the Treaty if Paris.
6. The impact of the Revolution on women, African Americans, Native Americans, and the other minorities.
7. The type of governments created by the new states and the important features in their governments.
8. The features of the Articles of Confederation and the reasons for its creation.
9. The problems faced the government under the Articles if Confederation and how they were addressed.
10. How American’s revolution, and the whole modern motion if revolution, was to a large degree a product of the ideas if Enlightenment,

MAIN THEMES

1. How the thirteen American colonies were able to win their independence from one of the most powerful nations on earth,
2. How the American Revolution was not only a war for independence, but a struggle to determine the nature of the nation being created.
3. How Americans attempted to apply revolutionary ideology to the building of the nation and to the remaking of society.
4. The problems that remained after, or were created by, the American Revolution.
5. The Americans Revolution was the first and in many ways the most influential of the Enlightenment-derived uprising against established orders.




CHAPTER SIX
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE NEW REPUBLIC

OBJECTIVES
A thorough study of chapter 6 should enable the student to understand

1. The groups that advocated a strong national government, and how they, probably a minority, were able to achieve their objective.
2. The origin of the Constitutional Convention, who the delegates were, how well they represented the people, and how they were able achieve a consensus.
3. The historical debate concerning the motives of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention.
4. Federalism and how the constitution is designed to work.
5. The importance of the Federalist Papers in the ratification struggle and their significance in the years since.
6. The effectiveness of George Washington’s solutions to the problems of the presidency, and how Washington, as its first occupant, affected the office and the nation.
7. The financial program of Alexander Hamilton and its contribution to the success of the new government.
8. The ways in which the weak new nation coped with international problems, and the importance of such events as Washington’s decision for neutrality and the “Quasi-war” with France.
9. The emergence of political parties, their political philosophies, and their influence through the election of 1800.

MAIN THEMES:
1. How and why the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation.
2. How differing views of what the nation should become led to the rise of America’s first political parties.
3. The way in which the new United States was able to establish itself as a nation in the eyes of foreign powers and of its own people.
4. The rise and fall of the Federalist Party.

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