Deck 2: The Founding and the Constitution

Question 1

Which of the following was not discussed as a purpose of government in the Constitution's preamble?

A) to promote justice
B) to maintain peace at home
C) to guarantee an equal distribution of wealth for all citizens
D) to defend the nation from foreign foes
E) to secure the "blessings of liberty"

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The Articles of Confederation were adopted in

A) 1763.
B) 1768.
C) 1777.
D) 1787.
E) 1791.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The Stamp Act was a

A) tax on commerce.
B) prohibition on all unofficial mail.
C) law permitting the Crown to open mail.
D) prohibition on alcohol.
E) tax on sugar,molasses,and other commodities.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Why was the Declaration of Independence a remarkable political statement for its time?

A) It convinced southern states to abolish slavery.
B) It persuaded the British government to give back all of the tax revenue it collected from the colonies.
C) It ended the Revolutionary War by offering a compromise with the British government.
D) It helped unify colonial groups that were divided along economic,regional,and philosophical lines by identifying shared problems,grievances,and principles.
E) It changed the distribution of power between the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

Question 5

Why was the Declaration of Independence a remarkable philosophical statement for its time?

A) It asserted that slavery was a "morally unjust" institution that should be outlawed.
B) It asserted that there were "unalienable rights" that could not be abridged by governments.
C) It asserted that laissez-faire capitalism would be the "supreme law of the land" in America.
D) It asserted that America was "first and foremost,a Christian nation."
E) It asserted that efforts by European powers to colonize lands in North and South America would be viewed as an act of aggression by the United States.

Question 6

What led the British to raise taxes on the American colonists during the 1760s?

A) the French and Indian Wars
B) the cost of war against Napoleon in Europe
C) the expenses incurred in colonizing South Africa
D) the extensive roads and canals built by the British in North America
E) the desire to penalize the colonists for their actions during the Boston Tea Party

Question 7

Who was not appointed to help draft the Declaration of Independence?

A) Thomas Jefferson
B) Benjamin Franklin
C) John Adams
D) George Washington
E) Robert Livingston

Question 8

Who orchestrated the Boston Tea Party?

A) John Adams
B) Samuel Adams
C) Samuel Lipton
D) Alexander Hamilton
E) Paul Revere

Question 9

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

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 10

The first written constitution for the United States was called

A) the Magna Carta.
B) the Bill of Rights.
C) the Articles of Confederation.
D) the Constitution.
E) the Declaration of Independence.

Question 11

Who defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre?

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

Question 12

The Boston Tea Party resulted in all of the following except

A) the closure of Boston Harbor by the British.
B) the restrictions of colonists' movement to the west.
C) a change in colonial government.
D) the Boston Massacre.
E) the removal of accused persons to Britain for trial.

Question 13

Under the United States' first constitution

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 14

A ______ is a system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for powers expressly delegated to a national government.

A) republic
B) confederation
C) democracy
D) bicameral state
E) unitary state

Question 15

As a constitution,the Articles of Confederation were concerned primarily with

A) creating a national government that had significant power and authority.
B) creating a federal form of government.
C) creating a form of government in which the states were largely subservient to the national government.
D) limiting the powers of the central government.
E) creating a strong and unified national armed forces.

Question 16

Colonial protesters of the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act rallied around what famous political slogan?

A) "No taxation without representation"
B) "Give me liberty or give me death"
C) "Remember the Alamo"
D) "A house divided against itself cannot stand"
E) "Don't tread on me"

Question 17

According to the text,which sector of society did not have interests that were important to colonial politics?

A) New England merchants
B) small farmers
C) slaves
D) Royalists loyal to Britain
E) southern planters

Question 18

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

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 19

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

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 20

The events that led to the Revolutionary War were triggered by which of the following?

A) The British raised revenue by increasing the tax rate of the colonies.
B) The British had established suspicious alliances with Indian tribes during the French and Indian Wars.
C) American separatists assassinated King George II.
D) Protestant fundamentalists in New England were attempting to establish a theocracy.
E) The British were attempting to end slavery in the colonies.

Question 21

According to historian Charles Beard,the framers of the Constitution were most concerned with

A) establishing principles of good government.
B) pursuing military glory and imperialism.
C) promoting their economic interests.
D) creating a religious community.
E) creating a form of government that maximized popular sovereignty.

Question 22

Shays's Rebellion was significant because it

A) convinced many observers that the government of the Confederation had become dangerously inefficient and indecisive.
B) led to the admission of Vermont into the Union.
C) led to the abolition of slavery.
D) convinced Congress to approve the Louisiana Purchase.
E) led to the start of the Civil War.

Question 23

What did the New Jersey Plan propose for Congress?

A) Representation would be equal for each state.
B) Representation would be appointed according to population.
C) Representation would be proportionate to the share of taxes paid by each state to the federal government.
D) The powers of Congress would check those of state legislatures.
E) Representatives to Congress would be appointed by the state legislatures.

Question 24

Which of the following was a ramification of the Three-Fifths Compromise?

A) It allowed for a political agreement between the North and the South.
B) It exacerbated conflicts between merchants and planters.
C) It allowed for a political agreement between large states and small states.
D) It permanently outlawed the slave trade.
E) It temporarily outlawed slavery.

Question 25

A conference held to analyze perceived flaws in the Articles of Confederation was called the

A) Annapolis Convention.
B) New York Delegation.
C) Boston Massacre.
D) Philadelphia Story.
E) Shays's Rebellion.

Question 26

Which of the following statements best describes the motivations of the Founders in writing the Constitution?

A) The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system consistent with the dominant philosophical and moral principles of the day while also promoting commerce and protecting private property from radical state legislatures.
B) The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that would lead to their own personal enrichment.
C) The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system of direct democracy that maximized popular sovereignty.
D) The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that concentrated authority in one branch of government.
E) The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that ended slavery.

Question 27

How did the colonists' victory in the Revolutionary War change the balance of political power in the new states?

A) Royal land,office,and patent holders became the controlling force in many state legislatures,and pre-Revolutionary radicals were significantly weakened.
B) Royal land,office,and patent holders were significantly weakened,and pre-Revolutionary radicals became the controlling forces in many state legislatures.
C) Royal land,office,and patent holders became the controlling force in many state legislatures,and Native Americans were placed in positions of power in the federal government.
D) Royal land,office,and patent holders became the controlling force in many state legislatures,and women were placed in positions of power in the federal government.
E) Royal land,office,and patent holders were significantly weakened,and Native Americans were placed in positions of power in the federal government.

Question 28

The 1787 convention to draft a new constitution was held in

A) Boston.
B) New York City.
C) Philadelphia.
D) Washington,D.C.
E)Charlottesville,Virginia.

Question 29

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

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 30

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

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 31

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

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 32

Which was the only state not to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention?

A) Rhode Island
B) Massachusetts
C) Virginia
D) Connecticut
E) New York

Question 33

The Three-fifths Compromise

A) determined that three out of every five slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation.
B) determined the ratio between free states and slave states.
C) created a bicameral legislature.
D) declared that the states would pay three-fifths of the Revolutionary War debt and the federal government would pay the rest.
E) determined that all American citizens would pay three-fifths of their income to the federal government in taxes every year.

Question 34

During the Philadelphia Convention,the New Jersey Plan was supported by

A) less populous states.
B) slaveholding states.
C) free states.
D) urban states.
E) southern states.

Question 35

Under the Articles of Confederation,it was left to the ______ to execute the laws passed by Congress.

A) states
B) chief executive
C) courts
D) bureaucracy
E) president

Question 36

What was the purpose of the Annapolis Convention?

A) to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
B) to plot the revolt known as Shays's Rebellion
C) to write the Declaration of Independence
D) to draft a new Bill of Rights
E) to vote on ratifying the Articles of Confederation

Question 37

The Virginia Plan of the Constitutional Convention proposed a system of representation in the national legislature that was based upon

A) equal representation between the states.
B) the concept of universal suffrage.
C) the population of each state or the proportion of each state's revenue contribution,or both.
D) the geographical size of a state.
E) the strength of each state's militia.

Question 38

Shays's Rebellion was an attempt to

A) prevent the state of Massachusetts from foreclosing on the lands of debt-ridden farmers.
B) invade New England by Loyalists from Canada.
C) overthrow the federal government under the Articles of Confederation.
D) bring a Georgian slave revolt to Virginia.
E) force the British government to rescind the Tea Act.

Question 39

The issue of representation,which threatened to wreck the entire Constitutional Convention,was resolved by the Great Compromise,also called the

A) New Jersey Plan.
B) Connecticut Compromise.
C) Pennsylvania Compromise.
D) Delaware Deal.
E) Virginia Plan.

Question 40

At the Constitutional Convention,the plan to create a Congress where representation was distributed according to population was called the

A) Virginia Plan.
B) Adams Proposal.
C) New Hampshire Suggestion.
D) Washington Doctrine.
E) New Jersey Plan.

Question 41

Which of the following was not a tool used by the Founders to prevent the dangers of "excessive democracy"?

A) checks and balances
B) staggered terms in office
C) bicameralism
D) indirect election
E) senatorial courtesy

Question 42

The three branches of government created by the Constitution are

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 43

Which of the following possesses the sole power to create revenue bills?

A) the House of Representatives
B) the Senate
C) the president
D) the Office of Management and Budget
E) the Treasury Department

Question 44

Bicameralism is a constitutional principle that means the

A) division of national government into two branches.
B) division of the powers of the executive branch between two individuals: the president and the vice president.
C) division of the powers of the executive branch between two individuals: the head of state and the head of government.
D) division of Congress into two chambers.
E) division of the federal court system into two levels: the Supreme Court and the appellate courts.

Question 45

Only one-third of the Senate is up for re-election during any single election year because the framers believed that

A) too many elections would be difficult for the states to run.
B) the voters should not have to make too many decisions during any single election.
C) this was the only way to protect the Senate against radical changes.
D) the state legislatures would conspire with each other to elect a Senate dominated by a single party.
E) this would make members of the Senate more responsive to the preferences of their constituents.

Question 46

James Madison believed that in the Constitutional Convention the greatest conflict of interests was between

A) large states and small states.
B) northern states and southern states.
C) the wealthy and the poor.
D) Catholics and Protestants.
E) farmers and merchants.

Question 47

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

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.

Question 48

Which of the following statements about the House and the Senate is false?

A) The Senate has the power to ratify treaties while the House does not.
B) The Senate has the power to approve presidential appointments while the House does not.
C) The House has the power to overturn a president's veto while the Senate does not.
D) The House has the power to originate revenue bills while the Senate does not.
E) Members of the House have two-year terms while Senators have six-year terms.

Question 49

In order to signify that the enumerated powers were meant to be a source of strength to the national government and not a limitation on it,the Founders

A) added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution.
B) included provisions for direct democracy in the Constitution.
C) included the full faith and credit clause in the Constitution.
D) included the elastic clause in the Constitution.
E) made it difficult to amend the Constitution.

Question 50

How did the Founders attempt to reassure citizens that their views would be represented in the new government created by the Constitution?

A) By allowing citizens to vote directly on all laws enacted by the federal government.
B) By making the Constitution very easy to amend.
C) By requiring the direct election of senators,members of the House,and the president.
D) By giving the federal judiciary the power of judicial review.
E) By defining the new government's most important powers,such as collecting taxes,borrowing money,and regulating commerce,as belonging to Congress.

Question 51

The ability of the president to veto a bill passed by Congress is a good example of what principle of limited government?

A) separation of powers
B) federalism
C) checks and balances
D) civil liberties
E) majority rule,minority rights

Question 52

Which of the following was designed by the framers to be an office directly elected by the people?

A) member of the House of Representatives
B) senator
C) president
D) federal court judge
E) vice president

Question 53

The framers of the Constitution attempted to create a government that could do all of the following except

A) promote commerce.
B) protect private property from radical state legislatures.
C) limit excessive democracy.
D) restrict the power of the central government.
E) lead to the eventual inclusion of nonwhites in political life.

Question 54

The decision to give the national government control over commerce and finance was motivated primarily by the framers' desire to

A) end slavery in the United States.
B) eliminate state and local governments.
C) promote economic development and protect property from radical state legislatures.
D) build international alliances.
E) guarantee economic equality for all citizens.

Question 55

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

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 56

Which of the following was a way the framers tried to make the Senate a check against excessive democracy?

A) The Senate has staggered terms of office.
B) Senators have shorter terms than members of the House of Representatives.
C) Senators were directly elected by the people.
D) Senators are the only officials immune from impeachment.
E) Only the Senate has the power to create revenue bills.

Question 57

Which of the following powers are not explicitly given to Congress by the Constitution?

A) to borrow money
B) to declare war
C) to maintain an army and a navy
D) to regulate commerce
E) to abolish state boundaries

Question 58

What is the term length of a member of the House of Representatives?

A) one year
B) two years
C) three years
D) four years
E) six years

Question 59

The electoral college is

A) an expression of direct democracy.
B) designed to select the president.
C) established in the Bill of Rights.
D) a school attended by all members of Congress.
E) the federal organization that oversees the operation of all elections held in the United States.

Question 60

The Great Compromise led to the

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.

Question 61

Whose "political gospel" inspired the framers to adopt the concept of the separation of powers?

A) Aristotle
B) Voltaire
C) Machiavelli
D) Montesquieu
E) Hobbes

Question 62

Who were the writers of the Federalist Papers?

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 63

Why was the decision to assign jurisdiction over controversies between citizens of different states to the Supreme Court significant?

A) It meant that the federal judiciary,rather than the state courts,would ultimately become the primary venue for resolving disputes.
B) It meant that the state courts,rather than the federal judiciary,would ultimately become the primary venue for resolving disputes.
C) It meant that courts at both the state and federal level would become irrelevant to the operating of the American political system.
D) It meant that the federal courts would not be allowed to use the power of judicial review on cases involving economic disputes.
E) It meant that the state courts would be allowed to use the power of judicial review on cases involving economic disputes.

Question 64

Why did the delegates at the Philadelphia Convention turn down the idea of including a list of citizens' rights in the Constitution?

A) They believed that protecting citizens' rights was not an important responsibility for government.
B) They believed that such a list would limit economic development.
C) They believed that since the federal government was already limited to its expressed powers,further protection of citizens was not needed.
D) They believed that citizens should vote directly on which rights should be protected.
E) They believed that such a list would make government too weak to protect national security.

Question 65

During the ratification debates,who were the Antifederalists?

A) those who opposed the new Constitution because they wanted a weaker central government
B) those who opposed the Constitution because it did not create a strong enough central government
C) those who opposed the Constitution because it did not provide women with the right to vote
D) those who supported the Constitution
E) those who believed that the United States should enter into a confederation with Britain and Canada

Question 66

The system of shared powers,divided between a central government and the states,is called

A) the electoral college.
B) federalism.
C) statism.
D) checks and balances.
E) the separation of powers.

Question 67

In the national debate over ratification of the new Constitution,the Federalists

A) supported a return to the Articles of Confederation.
B) opposed the Constitution and preferred decentralized government.
C) supported the Constitution and preferred a strong national government.
D) supported a return to British rule.
E) refused to support the Constitution unless a Bill of Rights was added.

Question 68

Compared with the Articles of Confederation,federalism under the Constitution has led to

A) greater centralization of power.
B) increased state autonomy.
C) the establishment of unitary government.
D) more local autonomy,at the expense of the states.
E) a weaker national military.

Question 69

The principle of giving each branch of government its own constituency is what Montesquieu calls a

A) tyranny.
B) democracy.
C) mixed regime.
D) republic.
E) system of federalism.

Question 70

On the subject of representation,Antifederalists wanted

A) representative bodies that resembled those represented to the highest degree.
B) representatives to exercise independent judgment and wisdom.
C) representatives who would reflect commercial interests.
D) as few representatives as possible.
E) representatives who were significantly more educated and wealthier than the majority of the public.

Question 71

The Federalists believed that the most apparent source of tyranny was

A) the king of Great Britain.
B) the popular majority.
C) the northern merchants.
D) George Washington.
E) the landowning elite.

Question 72

Which constitutional principle of the United States has been most frequently imitated by other nations?

A) bicameralism
B) federalism
C) lifetime tenure for judges
D) written constitutions
E) the electoral college

Question 73

What is the term length of a federal judge?

A) two years
B) four years
C) six years
D) ten years
E) barring impeachment,life

Question 74

The Antifederalists argued that the powers of government should be limited by

A) providing Congress with a larger grant of powers.
B) decreasing the powers of the executive branch,especially those of the vice president.
C) both confining the powers of the federal government to certain narrowly defined areas and adding a bill of rights to the Constitution.
D) creating an internal system of checks and controls within government.
E) preventing government from collecting revenue through taxation.

Question 75

Each of the following was an Antifederalist except

A) Patrick Henry.
B) John Jay.
C) George Mason.
D) Richard Henry Lee.
E) Elbridge Gerry.

Question 76

The Federalists believed that the powers of government could be limited by

A) providing Congress with larger grant powers.
B) decreasing the powers of the executive branch,especially those of the vice president.
C) confining the powers of the federal government to certain narrowly defined areas and by adding a bill of rights to the Constitution.
D) creating an internal system of checks and controls within government.
E) preventing government from collecting revenue through taxation.

Question 77

All of the following are constitutional powers of the president except the power to

A) officially recognize other nations.
B) grant pardons.
C) veto bills.
D) regulate commerce between the states.
E) convene Congress in special session.

Question 78

Judicial review is the power of

A) the courts to decide on the constitutionality of actions taken by the other branches of government.
B) Congress to review the decisions of the federal courts.
C) the president to appoint judges to the federal courts.
D) the states to review the constitutionality of federal actions and laws.
E) the courts to review and edit pieces of legislation before they are voted on in Congress.

Question 79

Brutus and Federal Farmer are two pseudonyms used by the

A) Federalists.
B) Antifederalists.
C) Publius.
D) Monarchists.
E) Constitutionalists.

Question 80

Alexander Hamilton argued that the chief executive office should possess

A) popularity.
B) judgment.
C) energy.
D) gravitas.
E) integrity.