Apush Dbq Research Paper

The last quarter of the nineteenth century brought a slow but perceptible change in American foreign policy. Discuss how that change developed down through the end of the Spanish-American War. Then trace the development of American foreign policy though the administrations of Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson (to 1917). What assumptions and objectives lay behind their decisions? How did their foreign policies differ in focus?

How effective were these responses? How did they change the role of the federal government?

The Constitution that was created had a strong central government and weaker state governments. Under the Constitution, Congress was given the power to levy taxes, regulate trade between the states, raise an army, control interstate commerce, and more. A three-branch government was established in which a judicial branch handled disputes in a federal court system, a President headed an executive branch, and a legislative branch. Conversely, the anti-federalists believed in weak central and strong state governments, as the way it was in The Articles of Confederation and believed in strict adherence to the writings of the constitution.

Instead, they decided that it would be better to draft a new document that would establish a new type of government. Many agreed to this new government, especially James Madison, author of the Virginia Plan and the Federalist Papers. To Madison, as addressed in Federalist No. 51 (Document I) the new government must give more power to the federal level, but also be able to check its “ambitions”. From this came the system of checks and balances, and a separation of powers. This new government was described in the Constitution of the United States of America. The federal government had three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. Nevertheless, they still gave some power to the states. The Framers also added a Bill of Rights to dissuade Antifederalists that the new government gave too much power to the national government. This Bill of Rights protected American many civil liberties such as freedom of speech and assembly; right to bear arms and a fair trial; as well as freedom of religion. Pre-Revolution, England had imposed its religion on the colonies, however, after the war, states began to guarantee freedom of worship as evidenced by the “Statutes at Large of Virginia, 1786” (Document D). Therefore, the American Revolution fundamentally changed American politics by eliminating monarchy and embracing democracy.

“From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an effective government.” This statement is quite bold considering that the Articles lasted only eight years. In some ways this form of government was effective and in some ways it was not. It did provide the newly formed American colonies with the means to govern themselves in the manner that they wished to be governed and set the rules for operations of the United States government. On the other hand, it was ineffective because there was no president or executive agencies or judiciary, nor was there a tax base or even a way to pay off state and national debts from war years. They could also be called ineffective because of their limited scope and the

In 1787, a few years after the British recognized American independency, the Revolution in France was beginning to unravel. France was desperately in need of financial assistance; it lacked a National Bank and National Treasury system. France had supported the American colonists in the American Revolution, and also gave financial support in the War of Austrian Succession, and the Seven Years War. A combination of the financial support given in these wars, maintaining their military, and the fact that France spent more then it collected in taxes each year, resulted in a substantial debt crisis for France.

George Washington, The first U.S. president, created a cabinet in 1789. A cabinet is a different use of government. New York the brand new government acted fast to make the nation's financial structure increase. The government assumed that the revolutionary war debt the states and the government. The debts paid for a program through new taxes and tariffs. The tax on whiskey was a revolt that the tariffs and taxes led it to, the president got a army and suppressed the tax on whiskey revolt. After that the government adopted the Bill of rights as the ten amendments for the constitution. The federal judiciary was established by the judiciary act of 1789. The Judiciary act of 1789 also establish the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court began to be

Over the past several decades, there have been great tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union which continue into what is known today as Russia. Suspicions and tensions between these two countries increased greatly during and directly after World War II, particularly between 1941 and 1949.

The end of the French and Indian war in 1763, led to a large amount of conflict between the American colonists and the British Parliament.   The French and Indian war began in 1754 between Britain and France.  These two large countries were battling for land control in America.  

The United States of America divided by different beliefs and ideas in 1861. Therefore, states were demanding to split up America because of the vast different beliefs. The southern states of The United States formed “Confederate States” because of the desire of central power and state’s rights. They believed that the northern states were trying to take away southern values and society (Blight, p.43). The Confederate states consisted of South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, and Louisiana.

George Washington called for a convention in late May 1787; in order speak about the nation 's political and economical problems and revise the Articles. Delegates from eleven out of the thirteen states attended this convention. They decided on a government consisting of three branches: legislative (Congress), executive (the President), and judicial (Supreme Court). These branches were under the checks-and-balances in order to maintain balance in powers and to prevent tyranny in the country. The Great Compromise solved the issue that arose between the delegates that believed the separation of powers into three different branches would ensure that the United States would not become another monarchy.

Currently America honors those murdered by the Nazis with museums, monuments, and even a remembrance day. However during the Holocaust, under the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, America was reluctant to save the Jews from Europe. Six million Jews were systematically murdered through mass shootings, gas chambers, and in death marches. We might expect that as a model democracy, America would have made a great effort to rescue these Jews but that was sadly not what occurred. Due to America’s tradition of isolationism and a singular focus on achieving military victory, Roosevelt's attention to Jewish refugees in Europe during World War II can most accurately be characterized as a mix of missed opportunities and limited achievements.

When the government first achieved independence from England there were thirteen individual governments. They had an agreement called the Articles of Confederation that specified how each would interact with the others and manage the states. Despite the ratification by every state the agreement soon became problematic. What ensued was the meeting of state delegates, known as the Constitutional Convention, who planned to revise the problems. As a result the U.S. Constitution was fashioned to take its place. The idea was to ultimately federalize the States. That means each State remains an individual government but also agrees to be part of a Union. Thus created a federal government that would handle those things that are best controlled by a central government, which acts on behalf of the many States. An example would be the Navy and Army. The Federal Government has the right to raise and maintain a full time standing military. The Federal government is not limited to just the enumerated powers granted to Congress. It was also arranged that the national government would have powers not specifically stated in the Constitution, called implied powers. Although popular

The new country had to have a congress so they set up 3 departments in the executive branch.The first congress had to decide how to set up the nation’s court system. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established a federal court system with 13 district courts and 3 circuit courts to serve the nation. Then the bill of rights was made so the people had rights. In 1790 Hamilton proposed the government pay off millions of dollars in debt to countries and to individual American citizens. Congress agreed to pay the other nations their

After the problems with the Articles of Confederation, the leaders met to try to revise the document.  The members debated and created the Constitution after many debates between several groups like the northern states and the southern states.  There were several developments under the new Constitution. First, George Washington was elected as the President. Also, three branches of government was formed. The legislative branch could raise money and regulate trade. The executive branch was the president and his cabinet. Some duties of this office were to make treaties and oversee the navy and military forces.  The judicial system which was to oversee the laws in the country.