The Early National Period in United States history spans from 1789 to 1849, covering key events after the American Revolution like the presidencies of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. This era saw the young nation grapple with issues around growth, unity, democracy, and identity.
In this article, we have compiled 51 riddles about major people, events, ideas, and documents from the Early National Period. Test your knowledge of this important time by seeing if you can solve these brainteasers! Scroll down to view the riddles and reveals.
Riddles
People
1. This Founding Father authored the Declaration of Independence: Thomas Jefferson
2. This president acquired the Louisiana Territory from France: Thomas Jefferson
3. This early abolitionist published The North Star newspaper: Frederick Douglass
4. This woman advocated for more rights and better education for women: Abigail Adams
5. This Shawnee leader resisted American expansion: Tecumseh
6. This president was known as the “Little Magician” for his short stature: Martin Van Buren
Events
7. This 1799-1800 conflict between the U.S. and France nearly escalated to war: Quasi-War
8. This 1812 war between the U.S. and Britain ended in a stalemate: War of 1812
9. This forced relocation in 1838 moved 15,000 Cherokee people : Trail of Tears
10. This 1848 event triggered the California Gold Rush: Finding gold at Sutter’s Mill
11. This Missouri-based religious sect migrated westward in the 1840s: Mormons
Ideas and Movements
12. This “market” revolution changed U.S. society in the early 1800s: Transportation, technology, and communication advancements
13. This period saw resurgence in female involvement in religious matters: Second Great Awakening
14. This innovative farming system used crop rotation and fertilization methods: Crop rotation
15. This movement aimed to limit or prohibit alcohol consumption: Temperance movement
16. This push resulted in more rights and opportunities for working-class White males: Universal white male suffrage
Places
17. This major port city would host California’s constitutional convention in 1849: Monterey
18. This state was admitted as free state through Missouri Compromise: Maine
19. This key Union victory took place near Baltimore in 1814: Battle of Fort McHenry
20. This Midwest territory requested statehood as a free state in 1846: Iowa
21. This location represents Ohio Valley frontier life in the Early Republic: Harpers Ferry
Documents
22. This ruling asserted judicial review power for the Supreme Court: Marbury v. Madison
23. This doctrine opposed European colonization in the Western Hemisphere: Monroe Doctrine
24. This act set different limits on voting rights for Black and White males: Fifteenth Amendment
25. This agreement settled U.S.-Britain border disputes over Oregon Territory: Oregon Treaty
26. This treaty ceded Florida to the U.S. in 1819: Adams-Onís Treaty
More Riddles
27. I hosted the Hartford Convention to discuss Constitutional issues: Connecticut
28. I was a Founding Father and second President of the U.S. from Massachusetts: John Adams
29. My rebellion protested whiskey taxes in Western Pennsylvania: Whiskey Rebellion
30. My biography describes rising from slavery to international activist: Frederick Douglass
31. We passed the Alien & Sedition Acts cracking down on immigrants and dissent: Federalist Congress
32. I explored the West for major river and land routes for commerce Lewis and Clark Expedition
33. I hosted French Huguenot immigrants seeking religious freedom: Charleston, South Carolina
34. My ruling forced state compliance with Supreme Court decisions Cohens v. Virginia
35. My pamphlet urged abolition of slavery on moral grounds: David Walker’s Appeal
36. I gave Blacks the right to vote with the word “male” excluded: Fifteenth Amendment
37. My early expeditions mapped the American West frequently with Native guides Stephen Long Expedition
38. We represented White working-class interests like universal white male suffrage Workingmen’s parties
39. My case denied Native claims of sovereignty over tribal lands Johnson v. M’Intosh
40. My novel criticized industrialization with shocking plot twists The Coquette by Hannah Foster
41. My oratory skills for the Union were rising as senator from Illinois Abraham Lincoln
42. My agricultural tools like the steel plow helped Northern farm efficiency John Deere
43. My ruling denied states the power to tax federal entities McCulloch v. Maryland
44. My activism sparked regulation of the Lowell textile mills in Massachusetts Lowell Mill Girls
45. My revolt was an antebellum slave rebellion crushed with tough reprisals Nat Turner’s rebellion
46. My act bolstered infrastructure linking East Coast cities and Midwest settlements American System
47. My novel portrayed the immorality of slavery and promoted abolition Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher
48. My Department managed internal improvements like roads linking Eastern cities James Monroe Administration
49. My ruling strengthened power of judicial review and central government Gibbons v. Ogden
50. My steel sickle aided Midwest wheat harvests requiring less labor Cyrus McCormick
51. My activism sparked the first women’s rights convention in American history Lucretia Mott
Conclusion
There you have them – 51 challenging riddles testing your knowledge of major people, events, ideas, documents, and factors from the early years of American history post-Revolution! From influential leaders like Frederick Douglass and Abigail Adams to pivotal developments like the Market Revolution and key Supreme Court cases, understanding this dynamic period provides critical insight into how the United States came to be.
How did you do with these Early National Period brainteasers? Scroll back up to check your answers and take in some facts. Hopefully you discovered some new intriguing details from this formative era through these interactive riddles. American history is complex but also captivating when explored from creative angles and perspectives.
