The Federalist essays were originally written principally to influence ratification debates in which state?

Answer: New York Hamilton, Madison, and Jay published the essays as "Publius" in New York newspapers in 1787-88, targeting that state's closely divided ratifying convention. Georgia and New Hampshire ratified relatively easily; Rhode Island refused to call a convention until 1790.

The Great Compromise resolved which central dispute among the framers?

Answer: Representation in Congress between large and small states Roger Sherman's compromise paired population-based House representation (favoring large states) with equal Senate representation (favoring small states).

Madison's central claim in this passage is that:

Answer: A large extended republic will best dilute and check the dangers of factions Federalist 10 argues that an "extended republic" multiplies interests so no single faction can easily dominate, controlling rather than eliminating faction. Madison did not advocate direct democracy, a ban on parties, or a property qualification in this essay.

AP US History · Topic 3.8

The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification Practice

Part of Period 3: 1754–1800.

Practice questions

Want a predicted score for the whole AP USH exam? Take the 20-question diagnostic and Lumi will plan the rest.

Take diagnosticarrow_forward Practice all 3.8

Sample questions

5 of 14 — sign in to practice the rest with adaptive difficulty and mastery tracking.

Sample 1difficulty 2/5
$"Among the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction... By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion." — James Madison, Federalist No. 10, 1787$
$The Federalist essays were originally written principally to influence ratification debates in which state?$
- A
  $New Hampshire$
- B
  $Georgia$
- C
  $Rhode Island$
- D
  $New York$
  check_circle
Why
$Hamilton, Madison, and Jay published the essays as "Publius" in New York newspapers in 1787-88, targeting that state's closely divided ratifying convention. Georgia and New Hampshire ratified relatively easily; Rhode Island refused to call a convention until 1790.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward
Sample 2difficulty 3/5
$The Great Compromise resolved which central dispute among the framers?$
- A
  $Whether the executive should be a single person or a council$
- B
  $How to count enslaved persons for taxation purposes$
- C
  $Whether to allow slavery in the new federal capital$
- D
  $Representation in Congress between large and small states$
  check_circle
Why
$Roger Sherman's compromise paired population-based House representation (favoring large states) with equal Senate representation (favoring small states).$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward
Sample 3difficulty 3/5
$"Among the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction... By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion." — James Madison, Federalist No. 10, 1787$
$Madison's central claim in this passage is that:$
- A
  $A large extended republic will best dilute and check the dangers of factions$
  check_circle
- B
  $Direct democracy is the only legitimate form of self-government$
- C
  $Only property-holding citizens should be permitted to vote$
- D
  $Political parties should be banned by constitutional amendment$
Why
$Federalist 10 argues that an "extended republic" multiplies interests so no single faction can easily dominate, controlling rather than eliminating faction. Madison did not advocate direct democracy, a ban on parties, or a property qualification in this essay.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward
Sample 4difficulty 3/5
$"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to controul the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to controul itself." — James Madison, Federalist No. 51 (1788)$
$Madison's argument was written principally to address which concern of skeptical state convention delegates?$
- A
  $Quaker demands for explicit constitutional protections of conscience$
- B
  $Western settlers' insistence on free navigation of the Mississippi$
- C
  $Anti-Federalist fears that a stronger national government would become tyrannical$
  check_circle
- D
  $Loyalist objections that the new government broke continuity with the British crown$
Why
$The Federalist Papers were written to persuade ratification skeptics — chiefly Anti-Federalists worried about national tyranny — that the Constitution's internal checks would restrain power. Loyalist, Quaker, and Mississippi-navigation concerns were peripheral or addressed elsewhere.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward
Sample 5difficulty 3/5
$The Federalist Papers$
- A
  $Were religious tracts urging Christian unity behind the proposed Constitution$
- B
  $Were British government documents defending Parliament's authority over America$
- C
  $Were essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay urging ratification of the Constitution$
  check_circle
- D
  $Were essays opposing ratification and warning against centralized federal power$
Why
$Published in NY newspapers under "Publius"; remain key interpretive sources for the Constitution.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward

Predict my AP scorearrow_forward