The Louisiana Purchase Atlas 2

The Journals of Lewis and Clark Discussion Questions

1) Name three items gathered by the Lewis and Clark expedition that were sent to President Jefferson.

The Lewis and Clark expedition sent a variety of plants and animals to the President. Some of these were weasels, squirrels and antelopes. Items of clothing were also sent. 

2) Why do you think members of the Lewis and Clark expedition gathered these particular items? 

These items were not previously seen by the people living on the East side of the country. These were new discoveries for them for they had never seen these plants and animals before.

3) The Lewis and Clark expedition was considered a tremendous success. Based on your reading of this journal excerpt, why do you think this was so?

The Lewis and Clark expedition was able to gather such a large variety of different species. There were a lot of plants and animals that were sent back to the President. 

Atlas Project

'Dear Georgie'

Dear Confused in US of A,

I know it is hard to get over a break up, especially if you had been together for such a long time. I would say that it is not necessary for the two of you to stay friends with one another but to keep your distance and at the same time just stay friendly.  Now, I don't know the main reason for as to why the two of you broke up but remember, since the two of you are over, your ex's problems do not concern you anymore. Butting in on his/her business once more would lead to conflict once again and may even end worse than before. So, keep your distance, find someone else, and also try not to get too up close and personal with your former partner once again.

Sincerely,

Georgie

The Political Parties

The Democrats 

Major Leader: Barack Obama
Big /Key Issues: 
-Civil Rights
-Education
-Energy Independence
-Environment
-Health Care
-National Security
-Jobs and the Economy




The Republicans 

 Major Leader: Mitt Romney
Big/Key Issues:
-Economy
-National Defense
-Health Care
-Education
-Energy
-Courts

The Libertarians

 Major Leader: Geoffrey Neale
Big/Key Issues:
-Crime and Violence
-Environment
-Family Budget
-Gun Laws
-Immigration
-Taxes
-Privacy
-Immigration

The Green Party

Major Leader: Natalie Louise Bennett
Big/Key Issues:
-Feminism and Gender Equity
-Respect for Diversity
-Future Focus and Sustainability
-Ecological Wisdom

The Reform Party

Major Leader: David Collison
Big/Key Issues:
-Constitutional Rights
-Education
-Government and Ethics
-Energy Policy
-Foreign Policy
-National Security
-Social Issues






The Socialist Party

Major Leader: Greg Pason
Big/Key Issues:
-Freedom and Equality
-Full Employment
-Worker and Community Control
-Ecological Harmony
-Cultural Freedom

Washington Heads the New Government

Terms & Names

• Judiciary Act of 1789

Book Definition: This law provided for a Supreme Court consisting of a chief justice and five associate justices. It also set up 3 federal circuit courts and 13 federal district courts throughout the country. It allowed state court decisions to be appealed to a federal court when constitutional issues were raised.
Own Definition: This started the forming of the basic structure of the Supreme Court in order to tackle constitutional issues at that moment.

• Alexander Hamilton

Book Definition: Secretary of the treasury
Own Definition: He was chosen to handle financial funds and issues.

• Cabinet

Book Definition: The department heads that became the president's advisers.
Own Definition:  These people were specialized in specific departments and they helped the president make decisions concerning their department.

• Bank of the United States

Book Definition: Would issue paper money and handle tax receipts and other government funds.
Own Definition: Handled the financial areas of the country.

• Democratic Republican

Book Definition: Those who supported Jefferson's vision of strong state governments.
Own Definition: Who sided with Jefferson. He wanted there to be more power in the states government than the central government.

• Two-Party System

Book Definition: Two different parties.
Own Definition: Two parties that had totally different views from one another.

• Protective Tariff

Book Definition: An import tax on goods produced in Europe.
Own Definition: Goods produced in Europe and sent to the US were taxed.

• Excise Tax

Book Definition: A tax on a product's manufacture, sale, or distribution.
Own Definition: The protective tariff was formed in order to encourage production in the US but Hamilton decided to place a tax on the product's manufacture, sale, or distribution, which was not really in favor of the public.

War: Who Decides?

According to the Constitution, the President has the right to declare war. But, the Constitution also says that the Congress also plays a role in the deciding of a war. The Congress controls the federal funding, which means the Congress decides how much will be funded in a war, making the Congress 'the power of the purse'. 

After the Vietnam war, the lawmakers felt that that the president had too much control over war related affairs. The power was getting to the thinking of the presidents. So, the War Powers Act was established, which soon became law. The law says that after 90 days of military action, the president must terminate military force unless the Congress decides to continue on with the attack. 

In the last century, soldiers had to prepare and plan everything several months before the attack actually happened. Nowadays, technology has taken over. Missile and drones can be sent to places where the president thinks that the need of soldiers is unnecessary. The missiles are controlled over computers by people sitting a thousand miles or so away from the attack site. If no American soldiers are in danger of casualties then there is a higher chance that the Congress may not even object with the attack.

I do not think that the President was a coward nor was he indecisive to ask the Congress first before sending troops to Syria. The Congress play a role in the decision making of the war, they should act according to their role and decide with the President. This time, American troops are actually being sent to battle and funds are needed in order to support them. Since the Congress is a part of controlling the funds then they too should decide whether or not the troops should be sent. What the President did was not wrong. Being one person can actually make it difficult to decide such a big decision. 

I think that the Framers of the Constitution split the nations power because of fear that if one branch was given too much then it might overtake and control too much. The Legislative branch makes laws and the Executive branch carries out the laws. This way both branches can first confirm and state their opinions before making a bill or law official. I think that the system is kind of working. There is not one part that has too much power and also the publics opinions are also voiced, which the executive branch is to do.

Constitutional Convention Review

1.  What is a delegate?

A person or group of people chosen to represent a state.

2.  When and where did delegates go to discuss the new government of the United States?  

The delegate went to Philadelphia on May during the year 1787 to discuss the new government.

3 - 4.  

What state is pictured to the left? Virginia What is this state’s plan for a new federal government?  Decide to create a whole new government. They can tax the people and also regulate trade. The federal government can also veto state laws. There are three different branches of government and the legislator has two houses. Also the number of representatives were chosen by the population of each state.

What state is pictured to the left? New Jersey  What was this state’s plan for a new federal government?   Decide to reform the Articles of Confederation. Congress can tax and can also regulate trade. Three branches of government. One house in congress. Every state gets one vote.

5.  Considering the two plans above, how did the Constitutional Congress decide on the structure of the new federal government?  What was this plan called?  

The Legislative Branch will have two houses. The House of Representatives and The Senate. The House of Representatives is based on the population of each state and also every state can have two senators. Both of these also made laws. This new structure of the federal government is called The Great Compromise.

6.  The House of Representatives has Representation chosen based on the population of each state.

7.  The Senate is made up of two representatives from each state.

8.  How did the founding fathers decide about the representation of slaves in the new government? 

Since the founding fathers could not end slavery, they decided to make the slaves part of the population. They decided that one slave counted as 3/5's of a person. 5 slaves would equal 3 white men meaning that 3 slaves would equal 1 count in the population. 

Section 5.1 Vocabulary / Important Terms

Republic- A government in which citizens rule through their elected representatives. 

When the citizens choose who their leaders should be. 

Republicanism- The idea that governments should be based on the consent of the people.

The idea of starting a republic.

Articles of Confederation- Two levels of government shared fundamental powers.

Two different levels of powers could decide and have some power in making decisions.  

Confederation- Alliance

When the Articles of Confederation were approved, alliances began between the states. 

Land Ordinance of 1785- Plan for surveying the land.

When the colonists could not decide what to do with the land west of the Appalachian Mountains, they  surveyed it in order to decide.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787- Provided a procedure of dividing the land into territories. 

They finally decided to split up the land into different territories. 

Review Questions

Multiple Questions

1. Where was the first battle of the Revolution fought?

   - Bunker Hill

   - Yorktown

   - Lexington and Concord 

2. Which one of the Enlightment thinkers thought of all people are born with natural rights?

   - Voltaire 

   - John Locke

   - Thomas Hobbes 

3. Which one of the following did not want the Revolution to be successful?

   - Patriots

   - Loyalists

   - Minutemen  

4. Who won the French and Indian war?

   - The British

   - French

   - Native Americans

Short Answers

4. Why is the Battle if Saratoga such an important part of the American Revolution?

5. What was the Olive Branch Pertition about?

A Letter Home

Loyalist's Letter
Dear John,

I am writing to you to tell about the decision I have made on whether or not this land should become independent. I strongly believe that with all the great trade we have established here, it would be impractical to actually demolish this relationship we have established with the merchants. We are living a good life here. We have built prosperous lives here with our own hands and I strongly disagree with anyone who thinks otherwise. We must now expand and establish the British rule all over. These common people do not understand what oppurtunities His Majesty has provided to us. Anyone going against His Majesty is nothing but a traitor to the true British people!

Patriot's Letter

Dear Mother, 

I am worried. Things are not working for the betterment of the people living at the West coast. Militants raid our houses, taxes take what little money we have worked hard to obtain and also all is happening without a majority of us knowing about this. We are losing money by the day. We lose our pride, independence and freedom. Our rights to decide as a whole country are being abolished as we speak.  This Declaration of Independence will put an end to our misery for we people will not be under the rule of some man who chose himself to rule us, but by a man who we have ourselves have chosen to rule amongst us. Our lives are turning into chaos. I do not like the way His Majesty is controlling us without even being here. I am against this monarchy and now stand for a more free and independent country! 

Textbook Exerpt

     On the 19th of April 1775, colonists were hiding firemarms and gunpowder and were also preparing for an attack. When the British soldiers learmed of this secrest stash of weapons and ammunition, they moved in to claim them.      

     The colonists suddenly started to get into formation when they heard of the British that were moving towards a small town called Lexington to attack. The two opposites met but there is no evidence for as to who it was that fired first.

     A colonist would say it was the British and a British, a colonist. They both wanted to blame the other. But one thing is clear and that is when the shooting began, the colonists were the first to flee from the attack.

F&I Review

In 1754, George Washington lead troops towards Fort Duquesne that the French had built in order to control the Ohio. On the 28th of May, 1754 , George Washington's men surprise a group of French soldiers. Washington then counterattacks by building his own fort in Great Meadows, Fort Necessity. The small battles that formed around these two forts then lead to an official war. 

In 1755, the French and British were fighting to see who would take over the Ohio River Valley. For this battle, General Edward Braddock was in charge of leading the British army. George Washington followed along to observe how it is to be a soldier. Then suddenly, the French and Indians attacked. The British were not used to surprise attacks especially if they were carried out in the woods, so they were defeated quickly. General Braddock was also killed in this battle.

The British made a deal with the Indians that the colonists would stay towards the east of the Appalachian Mountains whilst the west would be left for the Indians. The Indians agreed and this left the French forces vulnerable. This lead to an easy victory by the British.

During the year 1759, General James Wolfe sails along with his army to the Capital city of the French, Quebec. There the part of the British army fired bombs up by the mountain by which the French were resting whilst the other half sneaked up into the mountains for a face-to-face surprise attack. The French were startled and hastily formed together an army of 5000 soldiers. The battle began and the British waited till the French reached 40 yards from their starting point before opening fire. The battle ended quickly and Britain had won.

The treaty marking the end of the seven year war was signed during 1763. The British started moving in to the conquered French territories but this meant that they were moving in to the land that was promised to the Indians. Infuriated, the Indians attacked the new settlers. Later during the same year, King George III declared the Proclamation of 1763. This proclamation stated that no english speaking settler would be allowed over to the west side of the Appalachian mountains. The Indians were happy but not the colonists. They wanted to expand, and so they did. King George III also raised taxes for the colonists stating that the seven year war took too much and since it was they who started it, had to pay.