Name _______________________________________ Mod ________

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION DBQ

This question is based on the accompanying documents. It is designed to test your ability to
work with historical documents. Some of these documents have been edited for the purposes
of the question. As you analyze the documents, take into account the source of each
document and any point of view that may be presented in the document.

Essay Directions: Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several

Historical Context: The Articles of Confederation, which were ratified in 1781, provided the first
form of a national government in the United States. In 1787, a convention was called to revise
the Articles. The convention developed an en-tirely new form of government as outlined in the
Constitution, which sought to address the weaknesses of the Articles. The Preamble of the
Constitution states the following goals for the new system of government: "in Order to form a
more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our
Posterity."

Task: Using the information from the documents and your knowledge of social studies,
write an essay in which you:

Articles of Confederation a poor

new Constitution.
Part A Short-Answer Questions

Directions: Analyze the documents and answer the short-answer questions that follow
each document in the space provided.

Document 1

…We are fast verging to anarchy and confusion! How melancholy [sad] is the reflection, that in
so short a space, we should have made such large strides towards fulfilling the prediction of
our transatlantic foe [enemy]! "leave them to themselves, and their government will soon
dissolve." Will not the wise and good strive hard to avert [prevent] this evil?...What stronger
evidence can be given of the want of energy in our governments than these disorders [Shays’
Rebellion]? If there exists not a power to check them, what security has a man for life, liberty,
or property?
Source: George Washington’s letter to James Madison, November 5, 1786

1. According to Washington, what is needed to prevent an uprising like Shays’ Rebellion?

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Document 2

2a. Based on this cartoon, identify two problems with the Articles of Confederation. [1]

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There are more questions for Document 2 on the next page

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2c. What idea is the cartoonist expressing when he titled this political cartoon “Rough
Sailing Ahead”? [2]

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Document 3

3a. According to the reading above would Speaker A consider himself to be a Federalist or
an Antifederalist? [1]

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3b. According to the reading above would Speaker B consider himself to be a Federalist or
an Antifederalist? [1]

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Document 4

4a. According to the graph, list the two states which would most likely support representation
in the new Congress based on population. [1]

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4b. According to the graph, list the two states which would most likely support representation
in the new Congress based on equal representation. [1]

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Document 5

“The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by
the People of the several States…Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among
the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective
numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free Persons, including
those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all
other Persons…
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen
by the Legislature thereof, for six Years…”
Source: Article I of the U.S. Constitution

5a. What is the source of the document? [1]

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5b. According to the document, how is representation in the House of Representatives and the
Senate determined? [2]

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5c. What was the name of the compromise, detailed in passage above, that established the way
in which slaves would be counted toward representation in the House of Representatives? [1]

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Document 6

6a. What constitutional compromise is illustrated in the chart above? [1]

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6b. How did the Great Compromise settle the problem of representation in Congress which was
created by sectional-ism amongst the states? [1]

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Document 7

On April 30, 1789, George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United
States. The new United States Constitution had already been ratified, yet the future of the new
country was still at risk. Many of the founding fathers were demanding a "bill of rights" which
would protect the people from the government. This bill of rights was to be added to the
Constitution to guarantee individual liberties and to make sure that the new government would
not treat citizens like the old colonial government of Great Britain did. The two large states of
Virginia and New York had yet to ratify the Constitution and demanded that a bill of rights be
added to the Constitution before they would ratify the document. Two groups opposed each
other, the Federalists who wanted a strong government and no bill of rights, and the Anti-
Federalists who wanted more power for the states and a bill of rights. To reach an agreement
which would allow all the states to ratify the new Constitution, James Madison promised to add
a bill of rights to the Constitution.
The Constitution Webquest www.yourhistorysite.com

7a. Which group of founders was in favor of adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution? [1]

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7b. What were the two main reasons that this group wanted a Bill of Rights added to
the Constitution? [2]

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THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
DBQ
Essay Directions: Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several
paragraphs, and a conclusion. Use evidence from all the documents to support your essay.
Support your response with relevant facts, examples, and details. Include additional
outside information.

Historical Context: The Articles of Confederation, which were ratified in 1781, provided the
first form of a national government in the United States. In 1787, a convention was called to
revise the Articles. The convention developed an en-tirely new form of government as outlined
in the Constitution, which sought to address the weaknesses of the Articles. The Preamble of the
Constitution states the following goals for the new system of government: "in Order to form a
more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our
Posterity."

Task: Using the information from the documents and your knowledge of social studies, write
an essay in which you:
two most important problems which made the Articles of Confederation a
poor form of government.

two differences between the Federalists and Antifederalists in their views about the
new Constitution.

Guidelines:
In your essay, be sure to
• Address all aspects of the Task by accurately analyzing and interpreting at least four documents
• Incorporate information from the documents in the body of the essay
• Incorporate relevant outside information
• Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details
• Use a logical and clear plan of organization
• Introduce the theme by establishing a framework that is beyond a simple restatement of the
Task or Historical Con-text and conclude with a summation of the theme