SAT II US History : SAT Subject Test in United States History

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II US History

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : Representative Viewpoints In U.S. Political History From Pre Columbian To 1789

Which of the following men is correctly paired with his viewpoint?

Possible Answers:

Thomas Jefferson: believed in the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Bible

Benjamin Franklin: co-authored The Federalist Papers

James Madison: believed the United States should have a standing army

George Washington: believed in a strong national government and national bank

Alexander Hamilton: believed federal government should not absorb the debts of the states

Correct answer:

George Washington: believed in a strong national government and national bank

Explanation:

Here the information on George Washington is correct.  He strongly supported Alexander Hamilton in his creation of a national government and national bank.  

Thomas Jefferson rejected the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Bible, and argued for laws to protect religious freedom.

Benjamin Franklin did not write the Federalist Papers, which were written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton did believe the federal government should assume the war debts of the states, and as secretary of the Treasury pushed Congress to form a national bank for this purpose.

Finally, James Madison did not believe the US should have a standing army.  In fact, he feared that the United States would become an oppressive government if such a thing happened. 

Example Question #5 : Representative Viewpoints In U.S. Political History From Pre Columbian To 1789

Anti-Federalists most likely would have supported

Possible Answers:

The power of states to nullify Federal law

The creation of the National Bank

The response of the Federal government to the Whiskey Rebellion

The imposition of tariffs on all foreign goods

Anti-Federalists would have supported none of those mentioned

Correct answer:

The power of states to nullify Federal law

Explanation:

Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the United States Constitution on the grounds that it gave too much power to the Federal government, did not include a Bill of Rights providing for individual liberty, and took too much power away from the states. As a result of this knowledge, we can reasonably conclude that Anti-Federalists would have objected to the creation of a National Bank and to the imposition of tariffs, because both of these measures strengthened the power of the Federal government. In addition, Anti-Federalists would have objected to George Washington calling in the militia to deal with the Whiskey Rebellion; however, they would have approved of the idea of nullification, as it represents a clear improvement to the power of states to resist Federal authority. 

Example Question #3 : Representative Viewpoints In U.S. Political History From Pre Columbian To 1789

According to the Connecticut Compromise              .

Possible Answers:

Maine was to be admitted to the Union as a free state and Alabama was to be admitted to the Union as a slave state

Congress would be divided into a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation for each state in the upper house 

Slavery was to be outlawed above the Missouri line, except in the proposed state of Missouri, and legal below the Missouri line

Congress would be divided into a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the upper house and equal representation in the lower house

Slaves would count for three-fifths a person when appropriating representation 

Correct answer:

Congress would be divided into a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation for each state in the upper house 

Explanation:

The Connecticut Compromise was proposed, in 1787, as a solution to a disagreement between the larger and smaller states as to how representation should be appropriated in the newly formed United States. The smaller states desired that representation should be equal for all states, regardless of population size. The larger states desired that representation should be proportional to population. As a compromise the Union enacted a bicameral legislature whereby the lower house (House of Representatives) was to have proportional representation and the upper house (Senate) was to have equal representation for all states. The agreement persists to this day. 

Example Question #6 : Representative Viewpoints In U.S. Political History From Pre Columbian To 1789

In order to vote in the Plymouth Colony, under the Mayflower Compact, an individual had to be                       .

Possible Answers:

white and male

white, male, and a land owner

white, male, a land owner, and a member of the church 

white

white, male, a land owner, a member of the church, and married

Correct answer:

white, male, a land owner, and a member of the church 

Explanation:

The Mayflower Compact was signed by some of the original settlers of the Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, in 1620. Having been bound for Virginia, their ship was forced to change direction by a violent storm, ending up in Massachusetts. The Pilgrims took this as a sign from God that this place was where they were to make their new community. They signed the Mayflower Compact shortly after arriving and dictated that the government of this new territory would adhere to majority rule of the members of the church (despite the fact that slightly less than half of the people on board were Pilgrims). In order to vote, an individual needed to be white and male, own land, and be a recognized member of the church community.

Example Question #733 : Sat Subject Test In United States History

In Pontiac’s Rebellion                       .

Possible Answers:

Native American forces attacked colonial settlements, but ultimately conceded British sovereignty 

indentured servants and slaves rose up against the land owning classes, but were ultimately defeated

Native American forces attacked colonial settlements and refused to concede British sovereignty 

indentured servants and slaves rose up against the land owning classes and affected massive social and economic change

None of these answers illustrate what happened in Pontiac’s Rebellion

Correct answer:

Native American forces attacked colonial settlements, but ultimately conceded British sovereignty 

Explanation:

Pontiac’s Rebellion, also called Pontiac’s War, was launched following the culmination of the Seven Years' War in 1763. It was waged between Native Americans and British settlers. Native Americans from the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley were the primary aggressors, at least directly, in the conflict. They attacked colonial settlements throughout the region, reaching as far as Central Pennsylvania. Eventually, the Native American alliance began to fracture and the full might of the British Empire was directed at the conflict. The combination of these two factors caused the Native people to accept a peaceful resolution and to concede ultimate British sovereignty over their lands.

Example Question #731 : Sat Subject Test In United States History

The New Jersey Plan primarily favored                     .

Possible Answers:

farmers and day laborers

big states

wealthy land owners

merchants and bankers

small states

Correct answer:

small states

Explanation:

The New Jersey Plan was one of two plans put forward at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The other was the Virginia plan. The Virginia plan called for two houses of Congress, both elected with proportional representation. This plan would place the majority of influence in the hands of the more populated states. The New Jersey Plan was an attempt by the smaller states to counter this proposal. It argued that representation should be left how it had been under the Articles of Confederation—namely that each state, regardless of size, get an equal share of representation. The controversy was eventually solved by the Great Compromise, which created a bicameral legislature. The upper house was to follow the New Jersey Plan, the lower house the Virginia Plan. 

Example Question #732 : Sat Subject Test In United States History

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was organized to amend __________.

Possible Answers:

The Northwest Ordinance 

The United States Constitution

The Treaty of Paris

The Bill of Rights

The Articles of Confederation 

Correct answer:

The Articles of Confederation 

Explanation:

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was convened originally with the intention of amending the decidedly unworkable Articles of Confederation. Several incidents since the break with Britain had demonstrated that the Articles were too loose and weak of a governing body to adequately manage the affairs of a young, large and growing nation. Many politicians, most notably James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, argued for the abandonment of the Articles of Confederation and the creation of a new government and constitution.

Example Question #733 : Sat Subject Test In United States History

Which of these early political figures did not write essays supporting the ratification of the Constitution under the pseudonym Publius

Possible Answers:

Alexander Hamilton 

James Madison 

John Jay

They all contributed

Thomas Jefferson 

Correct answer:

Thomas Jefferson 

Explanation:

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay wrote a series of eighty-five articles arguing in favor of ratification of the Constitution. All three wished to remain anonymous, writing under the pseudonym Publius, but the identities were discovered after their deaths. The collection of their work is called The Federalist Papers. 

Example Question #394 : U.S. Political History

The main difference between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan was that __________.

Possible Answers:

the Virginia Plan gave suffrage to all male citizens, whereas the New Jersey Plan only granted suffrage to land owning citizens.

the Virginia Plan called for a legislature that was based on state population and the New Jersey Plan called for a legislature in which each state had a single vote.

the Virginia Plan would allow slavery in every new state, whereas the New Jersey Plan would prohibit slavery in every new northern state.

the Virginia Plan delegated the task of presidential selection to congress, but the New Jersey Plan gave that power to the people.

the Virginia Plan gave more federal aid to farmers than to merchants and artisans, while the New Jersey Plan favored merchants and artisans over farmers.

Correct answer:

the Virginia Plan called for a legislature that was based on state population and the New Jersey Plan called for a legislature in which each state had a single vote.

Explanation:

The Virginia Plan was written by James Madison, a Virginia farmowner himself. In it, a lot of the legislative power was give to the southern, farming states. This was done through population based apportionment, the southern states where larger both in size and population, so they would very easily control Congress.

In response, William Patterson penned the New Jersey Plan, in which each state got a single vote in Congress.

These plans were resolved by the Great Compromise penned by Roger Sherman. The Great Compromise, or Connecticut Plan, called for a bicameral legislature with a population based House of Representatives, and a Senate in which each state had equal representation.

Example Question #401 : U.S. Political History

The framers of the Constitution would have agreed, for the most part, with which of the following statements?

Possible Answers:

The legislative branch should have ultimate control over the direction of the government.

The inherent goodness and intelligence of people means that few electoral obstacles should be placed in their way.

Political parties are divisive and dangerous to the preservation of liberty and the Union.

The framers would have agreed with all these statements.

The institution of slavery should be disbanded, as it goes against the democratic ideals of the Union.

Correct answer:

Political parties are divisive and dangerous to the preservation of liberty and the Union.

Explanation:

It must first be stated that it is hard to generalize about the opinions of the framers, however almost exclusively they believed that the existence of political parties would be detrimental to the growth of freedom and liberty in the Union. George Washington spoke out against political parties when he stepped down from power; Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote extensively against political parties in The Federalist Papers.

The framers generally felt that the common man was unprepared for ultimate control of government, so they allowed for a group of electors to dilute the democratic process. In addition, whilst many framers abhorred the immorality of slavery, many others were slave holders themselves and actively sought to protect the institution, at least for the remainder of their lifetimes. Finally, the framers believed that no single branch (executive, legislative or judicial) should have complete control over the government and sought to institute a system of checks and balances to prevent this.

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