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Here are a few more tips on answering multiple-choice history questions:

Here are a few more tips on answering multiple-choice history questions:

#First determine the general time period of the question.  Was it before the Revolutionary War, or after?  Was it before the Civil War, or later?  If possible, eliminate any answers from the wrong time period.

#First determine the general time period of the question.  Was it before the Revolutionary War, or after?  Was it before the Civil War, or later?  If possible, eliminate answers that have a time period different from the question.

#Next determine who was president, simply as a landmark for recalling other events.  Was there a war going on?  If it was before there were any presidents (i.e., during colonial times), what else was going on?

#Next determine who was president, simply as a landmark for recalling other events.  Was there a war going on?  If it was before there were any presidents (i.e., during colonial times), what else was going on?

#Just as you use landmarks for finding your way to a location, use easy-to-recall events to find your "way around" history.  If you know when the Constitutional Convention was (1787), then it becomes easier to estimate when George Washington first became president (elected in late 1788, and sworn into office in early 1789).

#Just as you use landmarks for finding your way to a location, use easy-to-recall events to find your "way around" history.  If you know when the Constitutional Convention was (1787), then it becomes easier to estimate when George Washington first became president (he could only be elected president after the Constitution was ratified by the ninth state in June 1788).

After 1788, the easiest "landmark" for each period is the president.  That does not mean he is the most important person, but being able to identify the president is an easy way to organize the important events.  '''I should be able to name any date and you should be able to say who was president.'''  Or, if you prefer, you can organize events around the numerous wars, but that may not be as easy because there were long periods in American history without ''any'' wars.

After 1788, the easiest "landmark" for each period is the president.  That does not mean he is the most important person, but being able to identify the president is an easy way to organize the important events.  '''I should be able to name any date and you should be able to say who was president.'''  Or, if you prefer, you can organize events around the numerous wars, but that may not be as easy because there were long periods in American history without ''any'' wars.

Let's try it now:  1798: who was president?<ref>John Adams.</ref>1793?<ref>George Washington.</ref>  1790?<ref>Also George Washington.</ref>

Let's try it now:  1798: who was president?<ref>Answer: John Adams was the president in 1798.</ref>1793?<ref>George Washington.</ref>  1790?<ref>Also George Washington.</ref>

Throughout the late 1700s and all of the 1800s the federal or national government raised money for its operations primarily through tariffs, which are taxes on imports.  When a foreign country sent goods to be sold in the United States, our federal government would impose a tariff (tax) on those goods.  The more goods that were imported, the more revenue there would be from the tariffs.  Tariffs were ultimately replaced by the income tax on individuals as the primary means for supporting our government, because President Woodrow Wilson thought tariffs caused conflicts and wars between nations.

Throughout the late 1700s and all of the 1800s the federal or national government raised money for its operations primarily through tariffs, which are taxes on imports.  When a foreign country sent goods to be sold in the United States, our federal government would impose a tariff (tax) on those goods.  The more goods that were imported, the more revenue there would be from the tariffs.  Tariffs were ultimately replaced by the income tax on individuals as the primary means for supporting our government, because President Woodrow Wilson thought tariffs caused conflicts and wars between nations.

In 1800, when the Federalist Party leader John Adams was President, the Democratic-Republican Party ran Thomas Jefferson (who had founded the party) against Adams in the upcoming presidential election.

In 1800, when the Federalist Party leader John Adams was President, the Democratic-Republican Party ran Thomas Jefferson (who had founded the party) against Adams in the upcoming presidential election.

This presidential election of 1800 became known as the "[[Revolution of 1800]]," because it was the first '''''peaceful''''' change in power due to an election in modern history: the group in power, the Federalist Party, was defeated by a group not in power, the Democratic-Republican Party.  The Democratic-Republican candidates, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, were victorious over the incumbent (Federalist) John Adams.<ref>Thomas Jefferson had been John Adams' Vice President, which seems odd today.</ref>  The victory by Jefferson and Burr against Adams was a victory for limited government and a "strict constructionist" interpretation and implementation of the Constitution.

This presidential election of 1800 became known as the "[[Revolution of 1800]]," because it was the first '''''peaceful''''' change in power due to an election in modern history: the group in power, the Federalist Party, was defeated by a group not in power, the Democratic-Republican Party.  The Democratic-Republican candidates, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, were victorious over the incumbent (Federalist) John Adams.<ref>Thomas Jefferson had been John Adams' Vice President, which seems odd today because Adams and Jefferson were political opponents of each other.</ref>  The victory by Jefferson and Burr against Adams was a victory for limited government and a "strict constructionist" interpretation and implementation of the Constitution.

At the time, the Electoral College voted for both President and Vice President.  Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr, each received 73 electoral votes.  It made sense that everyone who voted for Jefferson would also vote for his running mate, since both were with the same political party, the Democratic-Republicans.  But the inability of this early election system to resolve this "tie" reflected a flaw in the Constitution in how Presidents and Vice Presidents were chosen. This was fixed by the [[12th Amendment]], but before that was ratified, the House of Representatives had to resolve the tie between Jefferson and Burr.

At the time, the Electoral College voted for both President and Vice President.  Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr, each received 73 electoral votes.  It made sense that everyone who voted for Jefferson would also vote for his running mate, since both were with the same political party, the Democratic-Republicans.  But the inability of this early election system to resolve this "tie" reflected a flaw in the Constitution in how Presidents and Vice Presidents were chosen. This was fixed by the [[12th Amendment]], but before that was ratified, the House of Representatives had to resolve the tie between Jefferson and Burr.

'''Debate:  Was this "Louisiana Purchase" an improper exercise of power?'''

'''Debate:  Was this "Louisiana Purchase" an improper exercise of power?'''

The Senate approved this "Louisiana Purchase" by a vote of 24-7, ratifying it by more than the 2/3rds required by the Constitution to approve treaties.  Then, in 1804, Jefferson arranged for Meriwether Lewis, who was his secretary, to explore the territory west of Mississippi acquired in this Louisiana Purchase.  Lewis chose William Clark, a soldier, as his assistant and their joint effort became known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806).<ref>Later, in 1809, Lewis was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds and it remains a mystery to this day whether he was murdered; President Clinton refused a request to exhume his body to aid a modern investigation.</ref>  This expedition took about two years to complete, as the explorers traveled all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back.

The Senate approved this "Louisiana Purchase" by a vote of 24-7, ratifying it by more than the 2/3rds required by the Constitution to approve treaties.  Then, in 1804, Jefferson arranged for Meriwether Lewis, who was his secretary, to explore the territory west of Mississippi acquired in this Louisiana Purchase.  Lewis chose William Clark, a soldier, as his assistant and their joint effort became known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806).<ref>Later, in 1809, Lewis was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds and it remains a mystery to this day whether he was murdered; requests by his descendants to exhume Lewis's body to investigate whether he was murdered have been repeatedly denied by the executive branch of the federal government, which owns the national park where Lewis is buried.</ref>  This expedition took about two years to complete, as the explorers traveled all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back.

In 1812, Louisiana because the first state admitted to the United States from this new territory.  Much later, in 1828, the Supreme Court held that the power of the federal government to govern new territories implicitly included the initial power to acquire new territories first.<ref>''American Insurance Co v. Canter'' (1 Peters 511).</ref>

In 1812, Louisiana because the first state admitted to the United States from this new territory.  Much later, in 1828, the Supreme Court held that the power of the federal government to govern new territories implicitly included the initial power to acquire new territories first.<ref>''American Insurance Co v. Canter'' (1 Peters 511).</ref>

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[[Category:American History lectures]]

[[Category:American History lectures]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:American History Lecture 04}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:American History Lecture 04}}