AQA
A-level
A-level
HISTORY
7042/2G
Component 2G The Birth of the USA, 1760–1801
Version: 1.0 Final
IB/M/Jun23/E9
... [Show More] 7042/2G
A-level
HISTORY
Component 2G The Birth of the USA, 1760–1801
Friday 9 June 2023 Afternoon Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7042/2G.
• Answer three questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer two questions.
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
• You are advised to spend about:
– 1 hour on Question 01 from Section A
– 45 minutes on each of the two questions answered from Section B.
2
IB/M/Jun23/7042/2G
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From a personal letter to George Mason, a Virginian plantation owner, from
Richard Henry Lee, President of Congress, 1784/85, 15 May 1787.
It has given me pleasure to be informed that General Washington and you, George, have
gone to the Convention. We may now hope that advantageous changes from the failure
of the Articles of Confederation will take place in our Federal Constitution. But I fear that
the demand to give Congress more power and the cause of the present discontent is
more because of vicious evil minds than actual mistakes in the present Constitution
under the Articles of Confederation.
The current complaints about the present Constitution seem to be that Congress cannot
raise money for debt payments, or for supporting the Federal Government. They cannot
make treaties of commerce unless we grant unlimited power in regulating trade. I am
concerned by the fraudulent purposes and risky plans to give Congress more power.
I think, sir, that if the right to print money is given to Congress this will cause alarm in the
national mind, weaken state governments and lead to conflicts among the people
opposed to such a strong Federal Government.
5
10
Source B
From an official letter to the President of Congress, sent by George Washington,
17 September 1787.
It is unrealistic that the Constitution could enable the Federal Government to secure the
rights and provide for the interests and safety of all states. Therefore, some states must
give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest. The scale of the sacrifice of each state
must depend on each situation and circumstance. It is always difficult to draw the line
between those rights which must be surrendered, and those which may be retained.
The difficulty has been increased by the differences among the states in their situation,
habits, and particular interests. That the Constitution will meet the full approval of every
state cannot be expected. But each state will doubtless acknowledge that had only their
interests been granted, the consequences might have been disagreeable or injurious to
others. Thus, with few exceptions, we hope and believe that the Constitution may
promote the lasting welfare of our country. Our most passionate wish is to secure our
country’s freedom and happiness.
5
10
3
IB/M/Jun23/7042/2G Turn over ►
Source C
From a speech to the Virginia Ratifying Convention, by Patrick Henry of Virginia, June
1788.
Does the Constitution say, ‘We, the States?’ Has an agreement been made between the
States? If one had, this would represent a national unity between the States. The
question therefore is on the expression, ‘We, the People’, instead of, ‘We, the States of
America’.
The plan in the Constitution is as extreme as anything that separated us from
Great Britain. I need not take much trouble to show that the principles of this plan are
unwise and harmful. In this system our rights and privileges are endangered, and the
power and liberty of our States will be surrendered. This system will make insecure, if
not remove, the rights of conscience, trial by jury, our free press, all our freedoms and
charters, and threaten our human rights and privileges.
It is said that eight States have adopted this plan. I declare that even if twelve of the
thirteen States adopted it, I would reject it, for maintaining the liberty of the States ought
to be the direct purpose of our Constitution.
5
10
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the ratification of the
US Constitution. [Show Less]