Question 1

The original Constitution prevented a constitutional amendment banning the slave trade until 1808.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Which one of the following concepts reflects the need to balance the principle of self-government against the rights of specific groups?

Accepted Answer

A)  providing for both civil liberties and civil rights 
B)  protecting small states from powerful large states 
C)  creating a legislative government while allowing for executive leadership 
D)  providing for majority rule while protecting minority rights 
A)  providing for both civil liberties and civil rights 
B)  protecting small states from powerful large states 
C)  creating a legislative government while allowing for executive leadership 
D)  providing for majority rule while protecting minority rights

Question 3

What kind of government exists when the interests of the people are represented through their elected leaders?

Accepted Answer

A)  monarchy 
B)  tyranny 
C)  republic 
D)  oligarchy 
A)  monarchy 
B)  tyranny 
C)  republic 
D)  oligarchy

Question 4

Why did the Connecticut delegation play a pivotal role in the Constitutional Convention?

Accepted Answer

A)  Connecticut was one of the most populated states. 
B)  Connecticut was in a position to appeal to both large and small states. 
C)  Connecticut was one of the least populated states. 
D)  Connecticut's delegation was led by the prominent Benjamin Franklin. 
A)  Connecticut was one of the most populated states. 
B)  Connecticut was in a position to appeal to both large and small states. 
C)  Connecticut was one of the least populated states. 
D)  Connecticut's delegation was led by the prominent Benjamin Franklin.

Question 5

According to some legal scholars, why is the "living document" argument problematic for interpreting the Constitution today?

Accepted Answer

A)  Ignoring the framers' intent can allow for arbitrary law based on the individual preferences and biases of judges. 
B)  The framers could not have envisioned the complex public policy issues of today, and an eighteenth-century document cannot adequately address contemporary societal problems. 
C)  Congress, not the Supreme Court, should have the right to determine the meaning of the Constitution. 
D)  The framers did not provide a means to amend the Constitution, so they did not want the structure of government to change over time. 
A)  Ignoring the framers' intent can allow for arbitrary law based on the individual preferences and biases of judges. 
B)  The framers could not have envisioned the complex public policy issues of today, and an eighteenth-century document cannot adequately address contemporary societal problems. 
C)  Congress, not the Supreme Court, should have the right to determine the meaning of the Constitution. 
D)  The framers did not provide a means to amend the Constitution, so they did not want the structure of government to change over time.

Question 6

To deal with the problem of factions, James Madison proposed

Accepted Answer

A)  controlling them through checks and balances. 
B)  controlling them by prohibiting citizens from taking certain actions. 
C)  reducing factions by encouraging citizens to have the same interests. 
D)  eliminating factions through limits on individual liberties. 
A)  controlling them through checks and balances. 
B)  controlling them by prohibiting citizens from taking certain actions. 
C)  reducing factions by encouraging citizens to have the same interests. 
D)  eliminating factions through limits on individual liberties.

Question 7

For James Madison, the problem associated with a tyranny of the majority was that

Accepted Answer

A)  large factions might capture control of the government and ignore the rights of those in the minority. 
B)  the representative legislative branch would exercise too much power over the presidency. 
C)  regional majorities would become entrenched and prevent government from working for the common good. 
D)  the president would have too much power over the legislative agenda. 
A)  large factions might capture control of the government and ignore the rights of those in the minority. 
B)  the representative legislative branch would exercise too much power over the presidency. 
C)  regional majorities would become entrenched and prevent government from working for the common good. 
D)  the president would have too much power over the legislative agenda.

Question 8

More than ________ amendments have been proposed in U.S. history.

Accepted Answer

A)  300 
B)  3,000 
C)  10,000 
D)  100,000 
A)  300 
B)  3,000 
C)  10,000 
D)  100,000

Question 9

Who wrote The Federalist Papers?

Accepted Answer

A)  James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and John Jay 
B)  John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton 
C)  Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Thomas Jefferson 
D)  James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay 
A)  James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and John Jay 
B)  John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton 
C)  Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Thomas Jefferson 
D)  James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay

Question 10

How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  11 out of 13 
B)  10 out of 13 
C)  7 out of 13 
D)  9 out of 13 
A)  11 out of 13 
B)  10 out of 13 
C)  7 out of 13 
D)  9 out of 13

Question 11

At the time of the ratification of the Constitution, what were its strengths? What were its weaknesses? What were the consequences of those strengths and weaknesses for future generations of Americans? Does the Constitution in the contemporary era still reflect those strengths and weaknesses?

Accepted Answer

The strengths of the Constitution at the

Question 12

________ resulted in the creation of a bicameral Congress.

Accepted Answer

A)  The Great Compromise 
B)  The Three-Fifths Compromise 
C)  The Virginia Plan 
D)  The New Jersey Plan 
A)  The Great Compromise 
B)  The Three-Fifths Compromise 
C)  The Virginia Plan 
D)  The New Jersey Plan

Question 13

Who is largely responsible for the creation of judicial review in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A)  James Madison 
B)  Thomas Jefferson 
C)  John Marshall 
D)  Andrew Jackson 
A)  James Madison 
B)  Thomas Jefferson 
C)  John Marshall 
D)  Andrew Jackson

Question 14

According to James Madison, the way to control majority tyranny was through checks and balances and federalism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Which one of the following events exposed discontent with the new government and led to the Constitutional Convention?

Accepted Answer

A)  Shays's Rebellion 
B)  the publication of Common Sense 
C)  the Declaration of Independence 
D)  Washington's election as president 
A)  Shays's Rebellion 
B)  the publication of Common Sense 
C)  the Declaration of Independence 
D)  Washington's election as president

Question 16

In the context of economics in America in the eighteenth century,

Accepted Answer

A)  there were no class differences whatsoever. 
B)  the North was largely agricultural while manufacturing was prominent in the South. 
C)  southerners favored free trade. 
D)  northerners favored free trade. 
A)  there were no class differences whatsoever. 
B)  the North was largely agricultural while manufacturing was prominent in the South. 
C)  southerners favored free trade. 
D)  northerners favored free trade.

Question 17

Under the Articles of Confederation,

Accepted Answer

A)  the president was very weak. 
B)  the national government and the states could both make treaties and coin money. 
C)  Congress had the power to regulate interstate commerce. 
D)  the House had more power than the Senate. 
A)  the president was very weak. 
B)  the national government and the states could both make treaties and coin money. 
C)  Congress had the power to regulate interstate commerce. 
D)  the House had more power than the Senate.

Question 18

The most important initial decision of the framers was to create a bicameral Congress.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

What happened in the 1800 presidential election?

Accepted Answer

The framers did not envision the develop

Question 20

Ambiguity in the Constitution has historically promoted conflict in American politics.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

The original Constitution prevented a constitutional amendment banning the slave trade until 1808.

Which one of the following concepts reflects the need to balance the principle of self-government against the rights of specific groups?

What kind of government exists when the interests of the people are represented through their elected leaders?

Why did the Connecticut delegation play a pivotal role in the Constitutional Convention?

According to some legal scholars, why is the "living document" argument problematic for interpreting the Constitution today?

To deal with the problem of factions, James Madison proposed

For James Madison, the problem associated with a tyranny of the majority was that

More than ________ amendments have been proposed in U.S. history.

Who wrote The Federalist Papers?

How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution?

At the time of the ratification of the Constitution, what were its strengths? What were its weaknesses? What were the consequences of those strengths and weaknesses for future generations of Americans? Does the Constitution in the contemporary era still reflect those strengths and weaknesses?

________ resulted in the creation of a bicameral Congress.

Who is largely responsible for the creation of judicial review in the United States?

According to James Madison, the way to control majority tyranny was through checks and balances and federalism.

Which one of the following events exposed discontent with the new government and led to the Constitutional Convention?

In the context of economics in America in the eighteenth century,

Under the Articles of Confederation,

The most important initial decision of the framers was to create a bicameral Congress.

What happened in the 1800 presidential election?

Ambiguity in the Constitution has historically promoted conflict in American politics.

Understanding American Politics

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion and the Media

Political Parties

Elections

Interest Groups

Congress

The Presidency

The Bureaucracy

The Courts

Economic and Social Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters

Exam 2: The Constitution and the Founding

The original Constitution prevented a constitutional amendment banning the slave trade until 1808.

Which one of the following concepts reflects the need to balance the principle of self-government against the rights of specific groups?

What kind of government exists when the interests of the people are represented through their elected leaders?

Why did the Connecticut delegation play a pivotal role in the Constitutional Convention?

According to some legal scholars, why is the "living document" argument problematic for interpreting the Constitution today?

To deal with the problem of factions, James Madison proposed

For James Madison, the problem associated with a tyranny of the majority was that

More than ________ amendments have been proposed in U.S. history.

Who wrote The Federalist Papers?

How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution?

At the time of the ratification of the Constitution, what were its strengths? What were its weaknesses? What were the consequences of those strengths and weaknesses for future generations of Americans? Does the Constitution in the contemporary era still reflect those strengths and weaknesses?

________ resulted in the creation of a bicameral Congress.

Who is largely responsible for the creation of judicial review in the United States?

According to James Madison, the way to control majority tyranny was through checks and balances and federalism.

Which one of the following events exposed discontent with the new government and led to the Constitutional Convention?

In the context of economics in America in the eighteenth century,

Under the Articles of Confederation,

The most important initial decision of the framers was to create a bicameral Congress.

What happened in the 1800 presidential election?

Ambiguity in the Constitution has historically promoted conflict in American politics.

Understanding American Politics

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion and the Media

Political Parties

Elections

Interest Groups

Congress

The Presidency

The Bureaucracy

The Courts

Economic and Social Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters