Deck 2: The Constitution

Question 1

In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament:

A) passed new laws designed to give the colonists in Boston more right to govern themselves.
B) repealed the Stampact and allowed greater representation for the colonists in the parliament.
C) closed Boston Harbor and placed the government of Massachusetts under direct British control.
D) imposed additional taxes on glass, paint, and lead that was imported by the colonists in Boston.
E) wrote the Articles of Confederation to limit the freedom of American colonists.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The colonists began using the word American to describe themselves:

A) after writing the Articles of Confederation.
B) when the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
C) after adopting the Declaration of Independence.
D) after the conclusion of the Seven Years' War.
E) when the British Parliament refused to repeal the Stampact.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The Pilgrims drew up the Mayflower Compact because:

A) it established the western boundary of the Connecticut colony.
B) they agreed that no form of governmental authority was necessary for the colony.
C) they were essentially atheists who established the compact to protect their interests.
D) they settled in an area outside the territory assigned to the Virginia Company.
E) it established that the British Crown would function as an absolute monarch for the colony.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is a reason that contributed to the resentment felt by British colonists in America toward their motherland after the Seven Years' War?

A) Many colonists were held prisoners in Britain under false allegations of treason during the Seven Years' war.
B) The colonists felt that the British did not give them due credits for the victory in the Seven Years' War.
C) The British Parliament refused to allow the colonists to trade with other countries after the Seven Years' war.
D) The colonists were denied British citizenshipafter the Seven Years' war.
E) The British government used American colonists as slaves in Britain after the Seven Years' war.

Question 5

The framers of the Constitution brought with them _____ when they met in Philadelphia in 1787.

A) their hands-on political experience
B) the Bill of Rights
C) the principle of separation of powers
D) their Darwinian views on politics
E) the wealth acquired during the colonial era

Question 6

After the British victory in the Seven Years' War, the:

A) relationship between the American colonists and the British greatly improved.
B) British government began imposing taxes on the American colonists.
C) American colonists began to enjoy more independence from British control.
D) American colonists convened for the First Continental Congress on September 5, 1774, to discuss an alliance with the French.
E) American colonists strategized for a war against the Native Americans.

Question 7

The first time a majority of American colonists joined together to oppose British rule was during:

A) the Second Continental Congress.
B) Shays' Rebellion .
C) the Boston Tea Party.
D) the First Continental Congress.
E) the Stampact Congress.

Question 8

Which of the following is true of the Mayflower Compact?

A) It served as a draft of America's first national constitution.
B) It declared British colonists' independence from their home country.
C) It was a petition to the British Crown to remove taxation.
D) It was essentially a bill of rights which became the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
E) It was written by the Protestant Pilgrims who went on to settle in the New World.

Question 9

In the context of the colonists' participation in colonial governments, which of the following statements is true?

A) They became familiar with the practical problems of governing.
B) They did not pay taxes to support the costs incurred by the British government.
C) They were represented in the British Parliament.
D) They resented the Sugar Act more than the Stampact.
E) They were unable to establish their own constitutions even after their independence from Britain.

Question 10

Which of the following statements is true about the Stampact?

A) It imposed a tax on all paper imported into the American colonies.
B) It was the second direct tax that the British Parliament imposed on the colonists.
C) It was a document prepared by colonial delegates outlining their perceived rights and grievances against the British rule.
D) It required that packaged sugar should have the stamp of the British crown.
E) It required that all legal documents use specially embossed paper that was to be purchased from the government.

Question 11

The First Continental Congress:

A) called for a continued boycott of British goods .
B) had all thirteen colonies participate in it.
C) immediately assumed the powers of a central government.
D) named George Washington as the commander in chief of the army.
E) declared that the militiamen who had gathered around Boston were a full army.

Question 12

Which of the following is true of the Second Continental Congress?

A) It intended to reach a peaceful settlement with the British Parliament.
B) It intended to impose taxes on Native Americans.
C) It decided that the colonies should send a petition to King George III to explain their grievances.
D) It named Thomas Jefferson as its commander in chief.
E) It was convened with the primary intention of declaring war on Britain.

Question 13

Following Paine's publication of Common Sense , the Second Continental Congress:

A) suggested that all colonies establish state governments separate from Britain .
B) voted for free trade at all American ports with all countries including Britain .
C) immediately accepted the resolution for independence proposed by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.
D) appointed Paine as the commander in chief of its army.
E) decided to declare war on Britain.

Question 14

Which of the following was a result of the Sugar Act of 1764?

A) The British government started exercising more direct control over colonial trade.
B) Representatives of the American colonies prepared a declaration of rights and grievances, which they sent to King George III.
C) The British Parliament closed Boston Harbor and placed the government of Massachusetts under direct British control.
D) Colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians dumped almost 350 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor.
E) Some colonists proposed a boycott of certain British imports.

Question 15

The _____, which was written more than two hundred years ago, continues to be the supreme law of the land.

A) Constitution
B) Madisonian Model
C) Mayflower Compact
D) Second Treatise of Government
E) Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Question 16

In the context of the Continental Congress, which of the following is true of the committees of "safety" or "observation"?

A) They were formed after the battles at Lexington and Concord.
B) They conducted paramedical training for the colonists' army.
C) They were responsible for propagating a sense of loyalty to the British Crown among the colonists.
D) They were formed as a result of the Second Continental Congress .
E) They reported to the press the names of those who violated the boycott against Britain.

Question 17

Which of the following is true of the pamphlet Common Sense ?

A) It was an Anti-Federalist essay which argued that the Constitution would lead the nation to tyranny.
B) It expressed the desire to acquire a strong central government.
C) It was a pamphlet that reflected the Hobbesian views on world politics.
D) It argued that America could be economically self-sufficient and does not need its British connection.
E) It helped re-establish loyalty to the British monarch.

Question 18

Which of the following was an argument by James Otis, Jr. against the Stampact?

A) The British government was discriminating against its own people and violating the Magna Carta by imposing the Stampact.
B) It was only fair that the British government taxed the aboriginals of America and not the settlers who hailed from England.
C) The colonists were not represented in the British Parliament and so could not be taxed.
D) The colonists were solely responsible for Britain's victory in the Seven Years' War and it was only fair that they were exempted from taxes.
E) The colonists were contributing to British expansion and so should not be taxed.

Question 19

Which of the following is true of t he Fundamental Orders of Connecticut?

A) It set up the western boundary of the Connecticut colony.
B) It consisted of the first ten amendments to the Constitution which codified the inalienable rights.
C) It proposed that Connecticut's laws should be made by the British Crown and not the settlers in the New World.
D) It called for the civil laws to be made by an assembly of elected representatives from each town.
E) It provided the basic architectural layout for Connecticut.

Question 20

The earliest colonial legislature in America was the _____.

A) Virginia House of Burgesses
B) Assembly of Freemen
C) Massachusetts House of Representatives
D) Connecticut House of Representatives
E) House of Delegates

Question 21

In the context of the American government under the Articles of Confederation, the Committee of States:

A) consisted of one delegate from each state, appointed by Congress.
B) needed the approval of at least nine states to exercise most powers.
C) had no executive authority.
D) was formed by Congress to manage general affairs under the direction of Congress.
E) needed the consent of all states to amend the Articles.

Question 22

Which of the following is a crisis America faced after the Revolutionary War ended?

A) The nation was prevented from entering into agreements with foreign powers.
B) The nation suffered the loss of many lives due to an epidemic.
C) The nation drastically reduced the printing of money.
D) The nation was prevented from importing sugar from Britain.
E) The nation was suffering from a serious economic depression .

Question 23

Which of the following was proposed in the New Jersey Plan?

A) The legislature would create a national court system.
B) A state's population would determine its number of representatives in Congress.
C) A bicameral legislature would have two chambers that represented the states equally.
D) The Acts of Congress would be the supreme law of the land.
E) The state laws would overrule Acts of Congress in matters of conflict between states.

Question 24

Which of the following is true of a confederation?

A) States are governed centrally so that they can progress in a unified direction.
B) It is a party convention held at the local level that elects delegates to conventions at the national level.
C) The member states let the central government undertake most state activities.
D) It is an involuntary association of states which are annexed by the most powerful state.
E) The member states typically govern most state affairs as they see fit.

Question 25

The _____ established a national form of government following the American Revolution.

A) Articles of Confederation
B) Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
C) Declaration of Independence
D) Mayflower Compact
E) Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges

Question 26

Which of the following is true of Shays' Rebellion?

A) It was an indication to American political leaders that the national government was too discriminating.
B) It was one of the series of disruptions which indicated the need for a strong central government.
C) It was a protest against the imposition of a tax on all sugar imported into the American colonies.
D) It was a catalyst for the Boston Tea Party in rebellion of the Stampact.
E) It was an indication of the dependence of American colonists on the British Crown.

Question 27

Which of the following is true of the provisions of the Articles of Confederation?

A) The Congress of the Confederation was a unicameral assembly of representatives.
B) Civil officers could be elected by the public to manage general affairs.
C) States were deprived of their independent political authority.
D) The Congress of the Confederation needed the consent of at least five states to amend the Articles.
E) Each state could send only one representative to Congress.

Question 28

Within a year of signing the _____, the new nation was suffering from a serious economic depression.

A) Mayflower Compact
B) Treaty of Versailles
C) Treaty of Paris
D) Declaration of Independence
E) Magna Carta

Question 29

The Great Compromise at the Constitutional Convention:

A) guaranteed freedom of speech to Americans of all races.
B) resolved the small-state and large-state controversy by giving something to both sides.
C) resolved the issue of slavery.
D) guaranteed land for Native Americans.
E) agreed on the establishment of a unicameral legislature that equally represented the states.

Question 30

The Philadelphia meeting, which became the Constitutional Convention, was called for the sole and express purpose of:

A) revising the Articles of Confederation.
B) drafting the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.
C) revising the Mayflower Compact.
D) electing a president.
E) reviewing the provisions in the Great Compromise.

Question 31

Nationalist ideologies differed from those of republicans in that nationalists:

A) had an antiauthoritarian, localist impulse.
B) opposed government interference in the lives of citizens.
C) favored an effective central authority.
D) opposed any form of government that resembled monarchy.
E) were suspicious of national authority as represented by the Continental Congress.

Question 32

Which of the following proposals was part of the Virginia Plan?

A) A unicameral legislature with states' representations based on their population
B) A national executive branch, elected by a bicameral legislature
C) A state court system, created by the legislature
D) A committee of states based on their participation in the Constitutional Convention
E) A federal court judge elected by the people

Question 33

The delegates of the _____ wrote a new constitution, the U.S. Constitution that established a federal form of government.

A) Nominating Convention
B) Boston Tea Party
C) Second Continental Congress
D) Constitutional Convention
E) First Continental Congress

Question 34

Which of the following statements is true about the Declaration of Independence?

A) It served as a draft of America's first national constitution.
B) It empowered state governments to write their own constitutions.
C) It was written by the Pilgrims to serve as a social contract.
D) It was issued by the British Government to grant freedom to its American colonies.
E) It elevated the dispute between Britain and the American colonies to a universal level.

Question 35

Which of the following is a consequence of Shays' Rebellion?

A) Banks started refusing to issue new loans.
B) States started printing their own money at dizzying rates, leading to inflation.
C) Similar protests, emphasizing the need of a strong national government, started in many areas.
D) It led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence .
E) States increasingly taxed each other's imports and at times even prevented trade altogether.

Question 36

For the most part, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were _____.

A) representative of the population as a whole
B) from the best-educated and wealthiest classes
C) members of the Anti-Federalist group
D) ordinary farmers and merchants
E) Native Americans

Question 37

The Articles of Confederation provided that:

A) each state could send two to seven representatives to the congress.
B) the Congress of the Confederation could force the states to meet military quotas.
C) a bicameral Congress of the Confederation would act as the central governing body.
D) each state, no matter what its size, had two votes.
E) a powerful central government would be formed based on the system of monarchy.

Question 38

In the context of the Articles of Confederation, the Congress of the Confederation:

A) could not enter into treaties and alliances.
B) did not have the power to enforce its laws.
C) could not settle disputes among different states.
D) had no power to declare war on any country.
E) had no power to establish the armed forces.

Question 39

The _____ was adopted on July 4, 1776 and most of the document was written by Thomas Jefferson.

A) Mayflower Compact
B) Bill of Rights
C) Declaration of Independence
D) Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
E) Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges

Question 40

As the American colonies transformed themselves into sovereign states, republican sentiment was so strong in many of them that the _____ became all-powerful.

A) legislatures
B) courts
C) executive branches
D) state governments
E) bureaucracies

Question 41

As opposed to their opponents, which of the following is an advantage the Federalists had in the debate over the ratification of the Constitution?

A) They assumed a positive name, leaving their opposition with a negative label.
B) They favored the bill of rights more strongly than their opponents.
C) They had the support of ordinary farmers and merchants.
D) They wrote brilliantly, attacking nearly every clause of the new constitution document.
E) They stood for the status quo, which gave them the support of the working class.

Question 42

Kayla, a counsellor at a government rehabilitation center, refused to pay a fine for violating a traffic rule. She claimed that she had the right to drive as she pleased because she worked for the government. However, according to the principle of _____, Kayla was obligated to pay the fine.

A) representative government
B) federalism
C) liberty
D) separation of powers
E) rule of law

Question 43

Which of the following is one of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation that was addressed by making the president the commander in chief of the army and navy and of the state militias when called into national service?

A) Lack of regulation of interstate commerce
B) Inability of the Congress to force the states to meet military quotas
C) Lack of an independent executive authority
D) Absence of a judiciary that was independent of the state courts
E) Lack of voting powers of the common people to choose their president

Question 44

A bill is introduced by Congress that proposes the use of electronic surveillance in the homes of all citizens. However, the president of the U.S. rejects the bill and returns it to the legislature for reconsideration on the grounds of the bill violating the Bill of Rights. Which of the following concepts is illustrated in this scenario?

A) Federalism
B) Formal anarchy
C) Partisanship
D) Veto power
E) Absolute authority

Question 45

In an attempt to negotiate with the Anti-Federalists during the Constitutional ratification, the Federalists promised to:

A) establish a federal court system once the Constitution was ratified.
B) add a bill of rights to the Constitution under the new government.
C) guarantee voting rights for women and slaves to ensure complete representation.
D) appoint Anti-Federalists to important positions in the government.
E) minimize the powers of the judicial branch of government to ensure privileges to aristocrats.

Question 46

According to the U.S. Constitution, the judiciary has the sole power to appoint federal judges.

Question 47

_____ emphasizes "effective government" rather than "limited government."

A) The parliamentary system
B) The concept of the separation of power
C) Federalism
D) The concept of checks and balances
E) The concept of the veto power

Question 48

In the context of the issues regarding slavery, which of the following statements is true about the settlement that was reached at the Constitutional Convention?

A) The South won fifty years of unrestricted slave trade by agreeing to its prohibition thereafter.
B) Slaves were not considered as part of a state's population.
C) Slaves who had fled to the northern states had to be returned to their owners.
D) Domestic slave trading was banned immediately after the Convention.
E) Slaves who had escaped to England were considered free.

Question 49

The battle over the ratification of the Constitution was fought chiefly by two opposing groups, _____.

A) the Nationalists and the Federalists
B) the Republicans and the Conservatives
C) the Anti-Federalists and the Confederates
D) the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists
E) the Conservatives and the Libertarians

Question 50

The Constitution incorporated the principle of _____ as the solution to the debate over whether the national government or the states should have ultimate sovereignty.

A) popular sovereignty
B) rule of law
C) limited government
D) federalism
E) partisanship

Question 51

The "traditional" amendment ratification method involves:

A) a three-fourths vote in the Senate in favor of the proposed amendment.
B) a three-fourths vote in the House of Representatives requesting Congress to call a national convention.
C) a two-thirds vote in the Senate and in the House of Representatives in favor of the amendment.
D) a vote by two-thirds of the state legislatures requesting Congress to call a national convention.
E) a vote by three-fourths of the state legislatures in favor of the proposed amendment.

Question 52

The Mayflower Compact is the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution that lists the freedoms-such as the freedoms of speech, press, and religion-that a citizen enjoys and that cannot be infringed on by the government.

Question 53

All the amendments to the Constitution have been proposed by:

A) a vote by one-third of the state legislatures.
B) a vote by three-fourths of the state legislatures.
C) a two-thirds vote in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
D) a three-fourths vote in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
E) a three-fourths vote in the House of Representatives.

Question 54

The Sugar Act passed by the British Parliament required all the American colonies to use the specially packaged sugar that was sold by the East India Company.

Question 55

Implicitly, the principle of limited government in the U.S. Constitution rests on the concept of the rule of law .

Question 56

The Madisonian Model of government is based on the principle of _____.

A) separation of powers
B) representative government
C) rule of law
D) taxation without representation
E) the Great Compromise

Question 57

At the Constitutional Convention, in exchange for a ban on export taxes, the South agreed to let Congress have the power to _____.

A) impose import taxes
B) regulate voting rights
C) appoint an independent executive
D) ban slavery
E) regulate interstate commerce

Question 58

In the context of the three-fifths compromise, the delegates from the northern states:

A) did not want slaves to be counted as part of the population.
B) wanted a legislature with two separate chambers.
C) did not want southern states to have any representation in the upper house.
D) wanted each state to have only one vote.
E) did not want to trade with the southern states.

Question 59

The Constitution gave the national government significant powers, including the power to coin money.

Question 60

Which of the following was a fear expressed by the new Constitution's critics?

A) Americans would consider themselves superior to other nations and declare war unreasonably.
B) The rights of the wealthy upper classes would not be protected because of the principle of equality before law.
C) A republican form of government would not work in a nation the size of the United States.
D) A slave rebellion would ensue because the problem of slavery in the northern states was unresolved despite widespread disapproval.
E) Extensive individual freedom in the hands of the common people would lead to chaos.

Question 61

Describe the four possible ways for an amendment to be added to the Constitution.

Question 62

The _________ was America's first written constitution, which was adopted in 1639.

A) Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges
B) Articles of Confederation
C) Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
D) New Jersey Plan

Question 63

_________ are appointed for life but may be impeached and removed from office by Congress for misconduct.

A) Federal court judges
B) Members of the House of Representatives
C) Members of the Senate
D) Civil officers

Question 64

In the context of the history of the American government, explain the structure and benefits of colonial legislatures.

Question 65

The _________ settled states' claims to many of the western lands and established a basic pattern for the government of new territories.

A) Madisonian Model
B) Mayflower Compact
C) Northwest Ordinance
D) Stampact

Question 66

Discuss how the system of checks and balances in the Constitutional framework ensures that no one group or branch of government can exercise exclusive control.

Question 67

Summarize the Constitution's principles of limited government and federalism.

Question 68

The _________ consists of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

A) Bill of Rights
B) Mayflower Compact
C) Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges
D) Declaration of Independence

Question 69

In the context of checks and balances among the branches of government, _________ can override presidential vetoes.

A) Congress
B) the Parliament
C) the Supreme Court
D) voters

Question 70

In the _________, the congress called for a continued boycott of British goods and required each colony to establish an army.

A) Annapolis Meeting
B) Philadelphia Convention
C) First Continental Congress
D) Second Continental Congress

Question 71

In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament passed the _________ in 1774.

A) Bill of Rights
B) Mayflower Compact
C) Coercive Acts
D) Articles of Confederation

Question 72

Discuss the necessity and significance of the Mayflower Compact.

Question 73

The French and Indian War that began in 1756 in Europe is called _________.

A) Shays' Rebellion
B) the Whiskey Rebellion
C) Tecumseh's War
D) the Seven Years' War

Question 74

The _________ pioneered the popular election of a governor and judges.

A) Bill of Rights
B) Mayflower Compact
C) Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges
D) Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Question 75

The Madisonian Model of government was devised to _________.

A) create a unicameral legislature
B) give the judiciary supreme power
C) promote controlling factions
D) implement separation of powers