Exam 2: The Founding and the Constitution

In allocating the number of representatives for each chamber of the national legislature, the Virginia Plan called for which of the following?

Which of the following best describes the concept of popular sovereignty?

In which of the following did Madison declare that a federal system allows the states the ability to counter "ambitious encroachments of the federal government"?

Under the Articles of Confederation the number of votes for each state in the Continental Congress was determined by __________.

Which of the following would best describe a federal system of government?​

The Stamp Act required payment of a tax on all ___________________.

The purpose of the Declaratory Act was to _________________.

For the purpose of determining representation in the new Congress the slave-holding southern states ____________.

The Constitution was originally ratified as a document that did not contain a Bill of Rights. While amending the Constitution to provide for an enumeration of these rights was essential to ratification, many of the drafters of the document originally argued that it was not a necessary component, and indeed should not be part, of the Constitution. Describe how the federal government (from the standpoint of each of the three branches) might operate in the absence of a Bill of Rights. Explain your views on whether the Bill of Rights is an essential aspect of the Constitution.

In 1776, delegates to the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft a document that would state their list of grievances and articulate their intention to seek independence. List the writers of the Declaration of Independence, and name the primary writer and the reasons for (and objections to) his prominence. Discuss the philosophies and theories embodied in this revolutionary document.

Until the mid-1700s, the 13 colonies often had diverse histories and economies, which provided ___________.

In which of the following did Hamilton attack the Articles of Confederation based on the impossibility of governing if each state is essentially sovereign?

The Tea Act (1773) was passed in order to ______________.

Describe the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances. How have they evolved? How have they been incorporated into the Constitution? Do you think the views expressed in Federalist 10 and Federalist 51 have been satisfied with the current design and function of government?

The U.S. Constitution was created through much compromise. Discuss some of the important compromises that developed during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. How did these compromises impact our structure of government and its daily functions? Do you see this same type of compromise in the daily operations of government?

Hamilton argues that the executive must be a single person to achieve "energy," which is a "leading character in the definition of good government" in ______________.

States were invited to attend the Annapolis Convention in September 1786 in order to discuss _______.

Even though very few delegates agreed on all aspects of the new constitution, on which of the following principles did most agree?​

The core principles of the Virginia Plan were __________________.

Thomas Paine is credited with irrevocably turning the tide of popular support toward the cause of American independence with publication of his 1776 booklet entitled ____________.