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History of the Americas
Explore questions in the History of the Americas category that you can ask Sparky!
- A lobbyist really needs to get a bill passed quickly. Who are the two people he should try to influence most; who have the power to get things done in Congress?a. the majority leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the Houseb. the president pro tempore and the majority leader of the Senatec. the Speaker of the House and the vice president of the United States.d. the president pro tempore of the Senate and the vice president of the United States
- The Ninth and Tenth Amendment do which of the following?a. make the federal government the supreme law of the landb. make it much harder for the state and federal governments to do anythingc. please people who agree with Alexander Hamilton on the issue of government powerd. assure more power to the states and the people
- In general, freedom of speech and of the press means what?a. We can still punish most of what we consider to be unpatriotic.b. Government can tell newspapers not to publish offensive material.c. We have to put up with hearing a lot of things we disagree with.d. Hate groups are not entitled to say what they believe.
- Which of these would be the biggest challenge in the British fighting the war that has just broken out between them and their thirteen colonies?a. conducting a war that was thousands of miles from homeb. finding enough troops to fight against the Americansc. setting up enough factories to out-produce the Americans in supplies and weaponsd. training an army to fight using guerilla warfare
- Based on the early advantages and disadvantages in the war, which of these looked like the probable outcome of the fight?a. The skillful British roll over the listless Americans in a very quick war.b. The colonials find enough rocks and trees to hide behind that they destroy the British armed forces.c. The Continental Army, under the expert guidance of Washington, defeats the British in most major battles, forcing them out of the colonies.d. The Americans put up a spirited fight but succumb to the superior British army and navy.
- In 1775, what did the Second Continental Congress push for?a. an alliance with the Hessiansb. independence from the British Empirec. Britain to surrender immediatelyd. a peaceful resolution of difficulties with England
- Which of the following is a result of the Treaty of Paris or of the negotiations which led up to it?a. America and France were a little more suspicious of each other.b. France received portions of Canada for their help.c. The new United States extended all the way out to the Rocky Mountains.d. The states got to keep whatever they confiscated from Loyalists.
- According to a compromise made during the Constitutional Convention,a. the slave trade could be outlawed by Congress in twenty years.b. slaves and livestock would only be counted as three-fifths of a person.c. no new slaves could be brought into the country.d. slavery was abolished in the North.
- Which of these famous Revolutionaries attended the Constitutional Convention?a. Ben Franklinb. Samuel Adamsc. Patrick Henryd. Thomas Jefferson
- Those that believed in the principles of republicanism, would be most likely to do which of the following?a. Choose the candidate who has promised to fix the problems of his state.b. Be on the watch for anyone powerful trying to take away liberty.c. Insist on the supremacy of individual rights at all costs.d. Remove restrictions on businesses.
- Which branch of government decides what the Constitution means?
- Our society today more closely reflects the economic ideals of which leader?
- One day, every government in the world suddenly disappears. Many suspect that aliens were responsible. Others feel it was the work of disgruntled taxpayers. In any event, what should you do if you hope to keep your house?a. Wait for the authorities to tell you what you need to do.b. Make deals with your neighbors promising to help them protect their houses if they help you defend yours.c. Put a sign on your front lawn stating that this claim has already been taken.d. Hire a lawyer to make sure you have the strongest claim to that property.
- Which of the following is not true of the Constitutional system?
- In general, the first wave of state constitutions that came out of the American Revolution were examples of what?a. aristocracyb. obediencec. overreactiond. uniformity
- If someone said that America, unlike other countries, has had the same government for its entire history, what would you say?
- Which of these descriptions is most accurate of the ratification of the Constitution?a. The smaller states generally voted for it by large margins, but it usually passed in the large states by very small margins.b. The Federalist Papers provided essential arguments to persuade delegates to the convention in Pennsylvania to vote for the Constitution.c. Larger states generally favored the Constitution by large margins, while the smaller states weren't as decisive.d. The Continental Congress pressured many of the key states into adopting the document.
- The practices of the state governments during the Critical Period led many, like James Madison, to believe that perhaps the people didn't have enough of what?a. public virtueb. wealthc. tax revenuesd. representation
- Under the principles of republicanism, who was most responsible to make sure the government didn't take away liberty by exercising too much power?
- In the United States, if law-enforcement officials obtain evidence illegally, what can be done with that evidence?