Question 1

The Great Compromise led to the

Accepted Answer

A)  legalization of slavery. 
B)  creation of a bicameral Congress. 
C)  creation of the Supreme Court. 
D)  peaceful conclusion of Shays's Rebellion. 
E)  abolition of the slave trade. 
A)  legalization of slavery. 
B)  creation of a bicameral Congress. 
C)  creation of the Supreme Court. 
D)  peaceful conclusion of Shays's Rebellion. 
E)  abolition of the slave trade. B

Question 2

The framers of the Constitution intended to create a presidency capable of

Accepted Answer

A)  completely dominating Congress. 
B)  withstanding excessive popular pressure by making it subject to indirect election through the electoral college. 
C)  spending money with little interference from any other branch of government. 
D)  regulating all forms of commerce. 
E)  declaring war on any country that posed a threat to American national security. 
A)  completely dominating Congress. 
B)  withstanding excessive popular pressure by making it subject to indirect election through the electoral college. 
C)  spending money with little interference from any other branch of government. 
D)  regulating all forms of commerce. 
E)  declaring war on any country that posed a threat to American national security. B

Question 3

The idea of a "living constitution" means

Accepted Answer

A)  the Constitution should be continually amended to keep up with the times. 
B)  the judiciary can shape the interpretation of the Constitution in line with contemporary problems and values. 
C)  each generation must design its own constitution. 
D)  only an unwritten constitution can grow with a people. 
E)  the president can make changes to the Constitution after each election. 
A)  the Constitution should be continually amended to keep up with the times. 
B)  the judiciary can shape the interpretation of the Constitution in line with contemporary problems and values. 
C)  each generation must design its own constitution. 
D)  only an unwritten constitution can grow with a people. 
E)  the president can make changes to the Constitution after each election. B

Question 4

The Constitution is very difficult to change by amendment.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

The three branches of government created by the Constitution are

Accepted Answer

A)  constitutional, elected, and appointed. 
B)  executive, legislative, and judicial. 
C)  federal, state, and local. 
D)  military, courts, and bureaucracy. 
E)  economic, political, and social. 
A)  constitutional, elected, and appointed. 
B)  executive, legislative, and judicial. 
C)  federal, state, and local. 
D)  military, courts, and bureaucracy. 
E)  economic, political, and social.

Question 6

Who defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre?

Accepted Answer

A)  Thomas Jefferson 
B)  Samuel Adams 
C)  John Adams 
D)  John Hancock 
E)  George Washington 
A)  Thomas Jefferson 
B)  Samuel Adams 
C)  John Adams 
D)  John Hancock 
E)  George Washington

Question 7

Under the United States' first constitution

Accepted Answer

A)  there was no president. 
B)  the president was more powerful than Congress. 
C)  the Senate was the most powerful political institution. 
D)  the president was directly appointed by the state legislatures. 
E)  the Supreme Court was the most powerful political institution. 
A)  there was no president. 
B)  the president was more powerful than Congress. 
C)  the Senate was the most powerful political institution. 
D)  the president was directly appointed by the state legislatures. 
E)  the Supreme Court was the most powerful political institution.

Question 8

How was the power in Congress divided under the Articles of Confederation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Each state had an equal vote. 
B)  Each state's votes were proportionate to its population. 
C)  The states were not formally represented in Congress. 
D)  Each state's power depended on its geographic size. 
E)  Each state's power depended on its economic wealth. 
A)  Each state had an equal vote. 
B)  Each state's votes were proportionate to its population. 
C)  The states were not formally represented in Congress. 
D)  Each state's power depended on its geographic size. 
E)  Each state's power depended on its economic wealth.

Question 9

According to the text, the writing of the Constitution demonstrates the

Accepted Answer

A)  marriage of interests and principles. 
B)  triumph of self-interest over the common good. 
C)  epitome of civic virtue. 
D)  rupture with the past. 
E)  triumph of the common good over self-interest 
A)  marriage of interests and principles. 
B)  triumph of self-interest over the common good. 
C)  epitome of civic virtue. 
D)  rupture with the past. 
E)  triumph of the common good over self-interest

Question 10

What was the most common form of taxation during the colonial era?

Accepted Answer

A)  income tax 
B)  taxes on commercial products and activities 
C)  animal head tax 
D)  taxes for use of governmental services and lands 
E)  taxes on private property 
A)  income tax 
B)  taxes on commercial products and activities 
C)  animal head tax 
D)  taxes for use of governmental services and lands 
E)  taxes on private property

Question 11

Under the Articles of Confederation, the relationship between the states and the federal government can best be compared to

Accepted Answer

A)  the United Nations' relationship with member states. 
B)  a state government's relationship with counties. 
C)  a state government's relationship with cities. 
D)  the Soviet Union's relationship with member republics. 
E)  the United States' relationship with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. 
A)  the United Nations' relationship with member states. 
B)  a state government's relationship with counties. 
C)  a state government's relationship with cities. 
D)  the Soviet Union's relationship with member republics. 
E)  the United States' relationship with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Question 12

The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government and a loose alliance of nearly independent states.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

During the Philadelphia Convention, in order to win concessions from large states, representatives from smaller states like Delaware threatened to

Accepted Answer

A)  boycott goods from large states. 
B)  ban travel across their borders. 
C)  form alliances with foreign nations. 
D)  go to war with the large states. 
E)  create their own independent country. 
A)  boycott goods from large states. 
B)  ban travel across their borders. 
C)  form alliances with foreign nations. 
D)  go to war with the large states. 
E)  create their own independent country.

Question 14

Successful amendments to the Constitution

Accepted Answer

A)  are usually responses to particular topical problems. 
B)  are most commonly concerned with the structure or composition of the government. 
C)  have often been used to restrict the rights of citizens. 
D)  have typically had little effect on the actual workings of the government. 
E)  have been those designed to promote economic equality. 
A)  are usually responses to particular topical problems. 
B)  are most commonly concerned with the structure or composition of the government. 
C)  have often been used to restrict the rights of citizens. 
D)  have typically had little effect on the actual workings of the government. 
E)  have been those designed to promote economic equality.

Question 15

The essential dilemma of a limited government raised by the ratification debates is

Accepted Answer

A)  a government too weak to do harm also cannot do good. 
B)  power sharing is inherently unstable and too often violent. 
C)  a government of expressed powers will slip into an oligarchy. 
D)  government may promote civil virtue only at the expense of national power. 
E)  a government of limited powers will be unable to protect national security. 
A)  a government too weak to do harm also cannot do good. 
B)  power sharing is inherently unstable and too often violent. 
C)  a government of expressed powers will slip into an oligarchy. 
D)  government may promote civil virtue only at the expense of national power. 
E)  a government of limited powers will be unable to protect national security.

Question 16

Who were the writers of the Federalist Papers?

Accepted Answer

A)  James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton 
B)  John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson 
C)  George Washington, Samuel Adams, and William Paterson 
D)  Charles Beard, Daniel Shays, and Paul Revere 
E)  James Madison, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson 
A)  James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton 
B)  John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson 
C)  George Washington, Samuel Adams, and William Paterson 
D)  Charles Beard, Daniel Shays, and Paul Revere 
E)  James Madison, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson

Question 17

One reason for the Constitution's longevity is that

Accepted Answer

A)  it did not confer permanent advantage on any one set of economic or social forces. 
B)  it immediately outlawed slavery once ratified. 
C)  it immediately granted universal suffrage once ratified. 
D)  it gave the public the opportunity to directly vote on all laws. 
E)  it has been successfully amended by citizens thousands of times. 
A)  it did not confer permanent advantage on any one set of economic or social forces. 
B)  it immediately outlawed slavery once ratified. 
C)  it immediately granted universal suffrage once ratified. 
D)  it gave the public the opportunity to directly vote on all laws. 
E)  it has been successfully amended by citizens thousands of times.

Question 18

Which statement about government under the Articles of Confederation is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  The armed forces of the United States consisted of state militias. 
B)  The central government could not prevent states from economically discriminating against one another. 
C)  There was no president under the Articles of Confederation. 
D)  Members of Congress had significant independence from their states. 
E)  Each state, regardless of size, had only one vote in Congress. 
A)  The armed forces of the United States consisted of state militias. 
B)  The central government could not prevent states from economically discriminating against one another. 
C)  There was no president under the Articles of Confederation. 
D)  Members of Congress had significant independence from their states. 
E)  Each state, regardless of size, had only one vote in Congress.

Question 19

The framers employed the separation of powers and federalism in order to

Accepted Answer

A)  prevent the new government from abusing its power. 
B)  end the slave trade. 
C)  create a replica of the British political system. 
D)  maximize popular sovereignty. 
E)  promote economic equality among all citizens. 
A)  prevent the new government from abusing its power. 
B)  end the slave trade. 
C)  create a replica of the British political system. 
D)  maximize popular sovereignty. 
E)  promote economic equality among all citizens.

Question 20

The process of ratifying the Constitution generated extensive debates. Why did the Antifederalists object to the Constitution? What were the rejoinders of the Federalists? In your opinion, who had the better arguments and why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The process of ratifying the Constitution generated...

Exam 2: The Founding and the Constitution

The Great Compromise led to the

The framers of the Constitution intended to create a presidency capable of

The idea of a "living constitution" means

The Constitution is very difficult to change by amendment.

The three branches of government created by the Constitution are

Who defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre?

Under the United States' first constitution

How was the power in Congress divided under the Articles of Confederation?

According to the text, the writing of the Constitution demonstrates the

What was the most common form of taxation during the colonial era?

Under the Articles of Confederation, the relationship between the states and the federal government can best be compared to

The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government and a loose alliance of nearly independent states.

During the Philadelphia Convention, in order to win concessions from large states, representatives from smaller states like Delaware threatened to

Successful amendments to the Constitution

The essential dilemma of a limited government raised by the ratification debates is

Who were the writers of the Federalist Papers?

One reason for the Constitution's longevity is that

Which statement about government under the Articles of Confederation is false?

The framers employed the separation of powers and federalism in order to

The process of ratifying the Constitution generated extensive debates. Why did the Antifederalists object to the Constitution? What were the rejoinders of the Federalists? In your opinion, who had the better arguments and why?

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