Deck 2: The Constitution

Question 1

After the British victory in the Seven Years' War: 

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

Answer 1

B

Question 2

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

A) Many colonists were held prisoners in Britain under false allegations of treason during the war. 
B) The British attributed their victory in the Seven Years' War solely to their own effort. 
C) The British Parliament refused to allow the colonists to trade with other countries. 
D) The colonists were not being given enough protection by the British government. 
E) The British government used American colonists as slaves in Britain.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

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 Stamp Act.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is true of the 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. 
D) It called for the civil laws to be made by an assembly of representatives from each town. 
E) It provided the basic architectural layout for Connecticut.

Question 5

In the context of the First 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 6

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

A) The British government was discriminating against its own people and violating the Magna Carta. 
B) It was only fair that the British government paid to support the expenses of the American colonists. 
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. 
E) The colonists were contributing to British expansion and so should not be taxed.

Question 7

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

A) passed new laws designed to give the colonists more right to govern themselves. 
B) repealed the Stamp Act 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. 
E) wrote the Articles of Confederation to limit the freedom of American colonists.

Question 8

The earliest colonial legislature in America was established in _____.

A) Virginia 
B) Georgia 
C) Massachusetts 
D) Connecticut 
E) Pennsylvania

Question 9

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 10

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 11

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

A) Second Continental Congress. 
B) Declaration of Independence. 
C) Boston Tea Party. 
D) First Continental Congress. 
E) Stamp Act Congress.

Question 12

The principle of limited government in the U.S.constitution implicitly rests on the concept of popular sovereignty.

Question 13

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 Pilgrims who were a group of Protestants.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true about the Stamp Act of 1765? 

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. 
D) It imposed the use of sugar which was specially packaged with a stamp of the East India Company. 
E) It imposed the use of specially embossed paper that was to be purchased from the government.

Question 15

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

Question 16

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

Question 17

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 18

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

A) their hands-on political experience 
B) the Mayflower Compact 
C) the principle of separation of powers 
D) their Darwinian views on politics 
E) the authority given by the British Crown

Question 19

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 establish America's independence from Great Britain. 
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 to declare war on Britain.

Question 20

Which of the following is true of Paine's 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 reestablish loyalty to the British monarch.

Question 21

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

A) Nominating Convention 
B) Constitutional Committee 
C) Second Continental Congress 
D) Constitutional Convention 
E) First Continental Congress

Question 22

Nationalist ideologies differed from those of republicans in that nationalists: 

A) had an anti-authoritarian, 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 23

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 24

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

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

Question 25

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 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 the first of a 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 Stamp Act. 
E) It was an indication of the dependence of American colonists on the British Crown.

Question 27

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) The process of change was catalyzed by similar protests in many areas. 
D) The government imprisoned poor farmers who could not pay their debts. 
E) States increasingly taxed each other's imports and at times even prevented trade altogether.

Question 28

As the 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) national government 
E) bureaucracies

Question 29

The Articles of Confederation provided that: 

A) each state could send two to seven representatives to 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 in Congress. 
E) a powerful central government would be formed to oversee the confederation of states.

Question 30

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) of Native American origin.

Question 31

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 central civil committee appointed by the House of Representatives 
D) A committee of states based on participation in the Constitutional Convention 
E) A federal court judge appointed by the president

Question 32

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 33

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

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

Question 34

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) provided guidelines for the separation of powers among the government's branches.

Question 35

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 36

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 37

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 Pilgrims to serve as a social contract. 
D) It was issued by the British Government to grant freedom to its American colonies. 
E) It announced the freedom of the American colonies from British rule.

Question 38

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) was convened to declare war on Britain.

Question 39

Which of the following is a weakness of the Congress of the Confederation? 

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

Question 40

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 unicameral legislature would have one chamber 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.

Question 41

The _________ pioneered the popular election of a governor and judges.A.Bill of RightsB.Mayflower CompactC.Pennsylvania Charter of PrivilegesD.Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Question 42

To win over 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 as on priority 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 43

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 44

The _____ is a constitutional form of government that emphasizes "effective government" rather than "limited government." 

A) parliamentary system 
B) constitutional monarchy 
C) totalitarian dictatorship 
D) presidential system 
E) plutocratic system

Question 45

The _________ consists of the first ten amendments to the U.S.Constitution.A.Bill of RightsB.Mayflower CompactC.Pennsylvania Charter of PrivilegesD.Declaration of Independence

Question 46

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 47

The Madisonian Model of government was devised to _________.A.create a unicameral legislatureB.give the judiciary supreme powerC.promote controlling factionsD.implement separation of powers

Question 48

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 49

The _________ was America's first written constitution,which was adopted in 1639.A.Pennsylvania Charter of PrivilegesB.Articles of ConfederationC.Fundamental Orders of ConnecticutD.New Jersey Plan

Question 50

Kayla,a government rehabilitation center counsellor,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 51

In the context of the issues regarding slave importation,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 the northern states were considered free.

Question 52

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 53

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 being in violation of 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) Effective government

Question 54

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 55

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 56

One of the reasons there are so few amendments to the Constitution is that _________.A.the original Constitution has reasonably withstood the test of timeB.the framers made the formal amendment process difficultC.amendments were initially prohibited in the ConstitutionD.amendments which have been proposed have been few and far between

Question 57

Which of the following was a fear expressed by the 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 was unresolved despite widespread disapproval. 
E) Extensive individual freedom being guaranteed to the common people would lead to chaos.

Question 58

All the amendments to the Constitution have been proposed by: 

A) a vote by two-thirds 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 59

As opposed to the Anti-Federalists,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 the Anti-Federalists. 
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 60

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) Lack of capability of the Congress to force the states to meet military quotas 
C) Lack of an independent executive authority 
D) Lack of a judiciary that was independent of the state courts 
E) Lack of voting powers of the common people to choose their president

Question 61

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

Question 62

Discuss the necessity and significance of the Mayflower Compact.

Question 63

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

Question 64

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

Question 65

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.