Deck 2: The Founding and the Constitution

Question 1

The series of regulatory measures passed by England in the decade between 1763 and 1774 was for the purpose of __________.

A) paying war debt that England had accumulated as a result of the French and Indian Wars
B) upsetting the colonists and promoting revolution
C) punishing colonists for showing revolutionary tendencies
D) creating a United States of America that would operate under a common set of rules
E) creating a united defense in the colonies to protect against threats from other nations

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In the years immediately preceding the American Revolution and the creation of our Constitution, the king and the Parliament of England ______________.

A) had never considered the possibility of revolutionary fervor in the colonies
B) feared that the colonies would attempt to overthrow their governments and had the resources and the capability to do so
C) feared that other European powers would attempt to encroach on their American holdings far more than they feared any form of colonial uprising
D) entered into agreements with other European powers to share the resources of their colonial holdings in exchange for shared protection
E) actually sought to sell the colonies

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The First Continental Congress​ ________.

A) ​did not advocate outright independence from England
B) ​encouraged the colonial militias to arm themselves
C) was formed ​in protest to the series of legislation passed by Parliament
D) began to collect and store weapons
E) ​All of these choices are correct.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

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

A) newspapers
B) pamphlets
C) commercial and legal documents
D) almanacs
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 5

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

A) increase export duties on tea
B) raise revenue in the colonies to form a colonial defense
C) provide an alternative source of revenue for England after the repeal of the Stamp Act
D) help the British East India Company and allow it to sell its tea directly in the colonies
E) promote drinking tea, in an attempt to establish prohibition of alcohol in the colonies

Question 6

Under the Articles of Confederation, the office of a chief executive as president of the United States _________.

A) had limited powers
B) did not exist
C) was very much unrestrained in its given powers
D) was also the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army
E) was held by a committee of three appointed individuals

Question 7

Which of the following was not part of the colonial government?

A) royal governors
B) governor's council
C) colonial general assembly
D) colonial archbishop
E) both governor's council and colonial general assembly

Question 8

The Sugar Act and the Stamp Act were passed by Parliament for the specific purpose of raising money in the colonies for the Crown. However, their political significance was that they _________________.

A) created sugar as a vital staple of all colonists by making it much less expensive for the average household
B) opened the debate by the colonists on the issue of taxation without representation
C) emphasized the fact that the colonies were sovereign and independent of England
D) unified England's alliances with sugar-producing Caribbean island colonies
E) created a trade alliance between the American colonies and the Caribbean nations that also produced and exported sugar

Question 9

In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress prepared the Declaration of Rights and Grievances​. This document ______.

A) ​established the United States of America as a sovereign and independent country
B) ​acknowledged colonial allegiance to the Crown
C) ​declared independence of the colonies from England
D) ​expressed support of the Declaratory Act
E) ​appointed colonial representatives to the English House of Commons

Question 10

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson reiterated John Locke's theory of social contract that ______.

A) the power of the king was supreme, as he was born with a God-given right to rule over society
B) whenever government fails in its duty to secure rights, the people have the right to "alter" or "abolish" it
C) The King and Parliament were the provider of rights to the colonial citizens
D) citizens are naturally born into an unequal state
E) Parliament rightly held veto power over the Continental Congress

Question 11

On behalf of the Continental Congress, the actual wording of the Declaration of Independence was written by ______.

A) Thomas Jefferson
B) John Adams
C) Benjamin Franklin
D) George Washington
E) King George III

Question 12

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

A) a strong national unity built upon diversity
B) a unique political environment in which one state's weaknesses were supported by the strengths of another state
C) an environment that was free of jealousies among states
D) little incentive for them to join together to meet shared goals
E) common ground upon which to build consensus

Question 13

The purpose of the Declaratory Act was to _________________.

A) declare the king as the head of the Church of England
B) clarify England's position on the state of British rule over the colonies
C) establish an archbishop in the colonies, in order to maintain the Anglican faith as the official faith within the colonies
D) create additional forms of revenues for England
E) None of these choices is correct.

Question 14

Prior to creation of our current constitutional structure in the 1770s, the 13 colonial governments ___________.

A) were recognized as independent, sovereign entities by other world powers
B) mirrored those of England during the same period, including an elected House of Commons
C) had governors who were elected by the qualified voters
D) were completely subordinate to a powerful central government
E) did not exist

Question 15

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 ____________.

A) War and Peace
B) Of Mice and Men
C) The Pilgrim's Progress
D) Common Sense
E) On Liberty

Question 16

The Declaration of Independence lists examples of "inalienable rights" as _____________.

A) the right of all persons to vote
B) life and due process
C) freedom from the rule of kings
D) life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
E) democracy and peace

Question 17

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

A) the population of the state
B) a pro-rated formula that took into account population and taxes paid
C) the method of one vote for each state delegation regardless of population
D) a system whereby northern states had two votes whereas southern states had one vote
E) the president

Question 18

Which of the following was not a weakness of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?

A) the ability to create a nationwide postal service
B) the lack of authority to raise troops
C) the inability to enforce laws
D) the ability of states to independently negotiate with foreign powers
E) the inability of Congress to raise an army by its own power

Question 19

The wording in the Declaration of Independence drew heavily upon John Locke's theories of ______________.

A) natural rights and social contract
B) royal prerogative
C) anarchy and self-actualization
D) religion as a counterweight to reason
E) self-fulfillment

Question 20

Following France's defeat in the French and Indian Wars, the Treaty of Paris in 1763 settled the dispute by _____.

A) ceding all lands west of the Appalachian Mountains to Spain, except for New Orleans that was ceded to England
B) forcing France to accept and pay all debts to the new territories that were gained by England
C) declaring a total truce and leaving all territories in the hands of those who held them prior to the war
D) awarding to England territories between the Arctic Circle and the Gulf of Mexico, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River
E) equally distributing all territories in North America between the nations of France and England

Question 21

The Articles of Confederation ___________________.

A) depended on voluntary contributions from the states
B) required a unanimous vote for amendment
C) gave each state delegation one vote
D) created a "league of friendship" among sovereign and independent states
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 22

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

A) that the president should determine the number of representatives
B) that the same number of representatives from each state serves lifetime appointments
C) that the number of representatives in each chamber should be based on the population of the state
D) that the courts should determine the number of representatives
E) that each state should receive one vote regardless of the delegation size

Question 23

When the call went out to all 13 state governments seeking their attendance at the Annapolis Convention in September 1786, how many states sent delegations?

A) none
B) two
C) five
D) ten
E) all thirteen

Question 24

For which of the following purposes did Congress originally call for the Philadelphia Convention?

A) to abolish the Articles of Confederation
B) to draft amendments to the Articles of Confederation
C) to return the young nation to a monarchy
D) to elect the president of the United States
E) to declare war on Canada

Question 25

Unlike our current constitution, the Articles of Confederation could be amended ____________.

A) only with the unanimous consent of the states
B) by an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the state legislatures
C) only after abolishing the original document and rewriting it
D) at any time with assent of at least two state legislatures
E) only upon the collapse of the government

Question 26

In opposition to the recommendations of the Virginia delegates during the Constitutional Convention, the New Jersey Plan advocated a single-chamber legislature with ___________________.

A) equal representation among the states regardless of population
B) slaves counting as three-fifths of a whole person
C) the Supreme Court determining the number of representatives from each state
D) no executive branch
E) lifelong appointments for representatives

Question 27

The core principles of the Virginia Plan were __________________.

A) a separation of powers model of government with a strong bicameral legislature
B) a unicameral legislature with representation by population
C) strong state governments and popular election of Supreme Court justices
D) the ideal of one state having one vote and the addition of four new states
E) economic and political features that replicated the European nation-state model

Question 28

A Founding Father who refused to attend the Constitutional Convention was __________.

A) Benjamin Franklin
B) Thomas Jefferson
C) Alexander Hamilton
D) James Madison
E) Patrick Henry

Question 29

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

A) abolishing the Articles of Confederation
B) strengthening the national government's authority in interstate commerce
C) declaring independence from England and King George III
D) declaring war on England
E) election of the first president of the United States

Question 30

Which of the 13 original states was so opposed to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 that it refused to send a delegate, so the U.S. Constitution was written without its participation?

A) New York
B) Virginia
C) Pennsylvania
D) Rhode Island
E) California

Question 31

The Great Compromise provided for a ___________________.

A) bicameral legislature with one house elected by the people and a second house selected by the first
B) unicameral legislature with the members selected by each state legislature
C) unicameral legislature elected by the people
D) bicameral legislature elected by the people
E) bicameral legislature with one house elected by the people and the second house chosen by state legislatures

Question 32

According to the authors, the delegates at the Philadelphia Convention were united by which of the following concerns?

A) Foreign trade had suffered as a consequence of poor relations with other countries.
B) The economic radicalism of Shays's Rebellion might spread in the absence of a stronger central government.
C) The national government had been ill-equipped to provide citizens with protection from Native Americans.
D) The national government was powerless to address the postwar economic depression.
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 33

The New Jersey Plan provided for a ___________________________.

A) bicameral legislature with one house elected by the people and a second house selected by the first
B) unicameral legislature with the members selected by each state legislature
C) unicameral legislature elected by the people
D) bicameral legislature elected by the people
E) bicameral legislature with one house elected by the people and the second house chosen by state legislatures

Question 34

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

A) were opposed to any enumeration of slaves
B) wanted to count each slave as a whole person
C) refused to ratify the new constitution if slavery was acknowledged
D) demanded extra representation to protect them from slave uprisings
E) wanted additional representation to protect their interests from northern intrusion

Question 35

The Great Compromise, (or the Connecticut Compromise) of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 created a two-chamber legislature with _______________.

A) equal representation in both chambers from each state
B) representation in both chambers determined by population of the state
C) representation in one chamber determined by population of the state and in the other chamber by equal representation
D) one chamber that had effective powers and the second chamber that acted as a figurehead for nobility
E) each state determining the number of representatives that it will send

Question 36

The Virginia Plan provided for a ______________________.

A) bicameral legislature with one chamber elected by the people and a second chamber selected by the first chamber
B) unicameral legislature with the members selected by each state legislature
C) unicameral legislature with members elected by the people
D) bicameral legislature with members of both chambers elected by the people
E) bicameral legislature with one chamber elected by the people and the second chamber chosen by state legislatures

Question 37

What was the significance of Shays's Rebellion in Massachusetts in early 1787?

A) The federal government should not have an arsenal.
B) The Revolutionary War did not end all hostile actions in the new colonies.
C) Daniel Shays was a powerful military leader who was well organized.
D) A weak and unresponsive federal government carried with it the danger of violence and disorder.
E) Whiskey would prove problematic for the new nation.

Question 38

​By the time Congress called for the Annapolis Convention in 1786, it had become clear that which of the following was a problem under the Articles of Confederation?

A) ​Congress lacked the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, making it difficult to obtain commercial concessions from other nations.
B) ​Quarrels among states disrupted interstate commerce and travel.
C) ​Changing the articles of Confederation required a unanimous agreement of the states.
D) ​All of these choices are correct.
E) ​None of these choices are correct.

Question 39

The result of the Annapolis Convention in September 1786 was _____________.

A) a call to all 13 states to attend a convention in Philadelphia the following May
B) a set of proposals to be voted on by Congress
C) the formation of the Supreme Court
D) the solidification of George Washington's power as president of the United States
E) a new location for the federal government

Question 40

Concerning slavery, the new U.S. Constitution _____________________.

A) allowed it in southern states but outlawed it in northern states
B) has an entire article dealing with the maintenance and regulation of the institution
C) upheld it as an important and legitimate institution in the United States
D) said nothing about either preserving or outlawing slavery
E) called for its abolition throughout the United States

Question 41

With the original Constitution completed on September 17, 1787, how many states were needed to ratify the new governmental structure in order for it to become operative?

A) zero
B) three
C) six
D) nine
E) thirteen

Question 42

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

A) Federalist No. 15
B) Federalist No. 46
C) Federalist No. 51
D) Federalist No. 70
E) Federalist No. 78

Question 43

The U.S. Constitution allows some powers while denying others. Such explicitly stated powers are referred to as ____.

A) constitutionally mandated powers
B) amended powers
C) natural rights
D) enumerated powers
E) inherent powers

Question 44

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

A) ​A national government with authority, independent of the states, to coin money; and state governments with authority, independent of the national government, to conduct elections.
B) ​A national government that has granted to states the ability to make local decisions.
C) ​A national government that has received authority from sovereign, independent states, to conduct foreign policy.
D) ​An absolute lack of any governmental institutions within society.
E) ​None of these choices is correct.

Question 45

At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the Federalists ____________.

A) strongly objected to ratification and enactment of the new constitution
B) were opposed to a strong central government
C) were in favor of a strong central government and for ratification of the new constitution
D) favored states' rights and were opposed to any form of national government
E) favored a central government only if the states were given veto powers over the central government

Question 46

What was the practical purpose for publication of The Federalist essays in 1788?

A) to allow an avenue for posting opposing political viewpoints
B) to act as a political party platform for the Federalist party
C) to explain and defend the new Constitution and to urge its ratification
D) to expose the immorality inherent in eighteenth-century society
E) to advocate for James Madison's campaign for president

Question 47

What is the purpose of the governmental system of "checks and balances"?

A) to prevent the president from over-using his power of veto
B) to help prevent one faction from easily dominating all of government
C) to allow for multiple branches of government to have the same power
D) to provide voters with the power to "recall" elected officials
E) None of these choices is correct.

Question 48

A very important aspect of the American constitutional arrangement, which distributes powers between two levels of government (state and federal), is called ________________.

A) sovereignty
B) enumeration
C) ratification
D) compromise
E) federalism

Question 49

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 ______________.

A) Federalist No. 15
B) Federalist No. 46
C) Federalist No. 51
D) Federalist No. 70
E) Federalist No. 78

Question 50

"Separation of powers" is an application of the political philosophy of _____________.

A) Hobbes
B) Montesquieu
C) de Tocqueville
D) Rousseau
E) Locke

Question 51

According to the authors, the Federalists had a tactical advantage due to which of the following rules governing ratification?

A) requirement that ratification require approval of nine states (not unanimous consent)
B) requirement that ratification take place through special state conventions
C) requirement that ratification decisions be made during the winter
D) requirement prohibiting disclosure of day-to-day proceedings in the Constitutional Convention
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 52

Which of the following statements is not true?

A) Federalism divides powers between two levels of government: the state (that deals with local concerns) and the federal government (that deals with national concerns).
B) The Framers of the Constitution drafted the Constitution to expand the powers of the national government from what they had been under the Articles of Confederation.
C) The Constitution is the result of compromise between competing interests.
D) The final draft of the new constitution was the product of all 13 states participating in the Philadelphia Convention.
E) Some of the Framers believed that the Constitution should be flexible to meet the varying challenges time would create.

Question 53

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"?

A) Federalist No. 15
B) Federalist No. 46
C) Federalist No. 51
D) Federalist No. 70
E) Federalist No. 78

Question 54

As evidenced in James Madison's Federalist No. 10, many of the writers of the Constitution were cautious regarding ______________.

A) the right of people to vote because they tended to rely on emotion rather than rationality
B) factions, by which he meant groups of people motivated by a common economic and/or political interest
C) the office of president
D) the ability of the people to amend the Constitution and thus, in Madison's opinion, to undermine its authority
E) state powers

Question 55

In which of the following did Madison explain that the many different parts of the government and its "multiplicity of interests" would reduce the chance of a majority coalition oppressing citizens?

A) Federalist No. 15
B) Federalist No. 46
C) Federalist No. 51
D) Federalist No. 70
E) Federalist No. 78

Question 56

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

A) ​popular sovereignty
B) ​separation of powers
C) ​checks and balances
D) ​All of these choices are correct.
E) None of these choices is correct.

Question 57

The underlying concept of the principle of separation of powers is that ___________________.

A) all three branches of government are equally powerful
B) when legislative, judicial, and executive power are not exercised by the same institution, power cannot be so easily abused
C) the people are responsible to elect the representatives in all three branches of government, including the judicial branch
D) one branch has a veto power over the other branches
E) the people's power to elect representatives is separate and different from that of the branches of the government

Question 58

Which of the following is a check by the legislative branch on the powers of the executive branch?

A) Congress may rule that a presidential action is unconstitutional.
B) The Supreme Court may veto presidential orders.
C) The Supreme Court recommends legislation to the judicial branch that is assured to pass constitutional muster.
D) The president may veto a law passed by the legislative branch.
E) The senate must consent to all presidential appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Question 59

Which of the following statements best describes the Three-Fifths Compromise?

A) A three-fifths majority would be necessary to amend the constitution.
B) A three-fifths majority would be necessary to appoint members of the Supreme Court.
C) For every five "free states" there would be three "slave states."
D) Five slaves would count as the equivalent of three "free persons" for purposes of taxes and representation.
E) An agreement reached by three-fifths of the states to revoke the Articles of Confederation and install the Constitution.

Question 60

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

A) The people are tightly controlled by the government.
B) The president is the ultimate governmental power.
C) Congress is supreme
D) Government is based on the consent of "we the people."
E) The Supreme Court is subordinate to no other agency or group.

Question 61

Hamilton argues that the judiciary is the weakest branch of the government in _________.

A) Federalist No. 15
B) Federalist No. 46
C) Federalist No. 51
D) Federalist No. 70
E) Federalist No. 78

Question 62

According to the authors, why did the writers of the Constitution create such a difficult amendment process?

A) They distrusted people to be active in the political process.
B) They wanted to protect the Constitution from short-lived or temporary passions.
C) They did not want any person or institution to tamper with their original work.
D) They assumed a new constitution would be written about once each generation.
E) They distrusted the motives and abuses of powers by state governments.

Question 63

The most effective complaint raised by the Anti-Federalists against the proposed Constitution in 1788 was _______.

A) the inability of the states to tax the federal government
B) its lack of state power to raise an army
C) its lack of a bill of rights to protect individuals against abuses by the government
D) the creation of the office of president
E) the retention of too much power at the state level

Question 64

Under which interpretation method would the Court give the federal government considerable implied powers to regulate the economy?

A) Loose Construction
B) Textualism
C) Strict Construction
D) Originalism
E) Fixed Construction

Question 65

The concept of strict construction requires that the Constitution __________________.

A) may be changed by the formal amendment process and not by discretionary Congressional actions or judicial rulings
B) remain a flexible and fluid document that changes with the times
C) may be modified only by rulings of the Supreme Court
D) remain true to the intent of the writers of the Constitution and that it remain rigid and without any amendments
E) should be modified as popular opinion changes

Question 66

Which of the following is not true concerning the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution?

A) The Bill of Rights was added as the first amendments to the Constitution after it was ratified by the states.
B) Several prominent members of the Constitutional Convention, such as James Madison, originally opposed the Bill of Rights.
C) Most states already had existing constitutions that enumerated the rights of the individual.
D) The Bill of Rights was a prominent element of the new Constitution and it was written into the document early in the process.
E) Several states at first refused to ratify the new Constitution because of its lack of a Bill of Rights.

Question 67

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.

Question 68

Compare and contrast the rhetoric of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist movements. Who made up the body of each group? What did they think about the proposed Constitution? What were some of the primary arguments on each side?

Question 69

The 1819 Supreme Court ruling in McCulloch v. Maryland seemed like a minor issue, but the ruling had a long-lasting impact. What was the primary impact of this ruling?

A) A national bank was unconstitutional.
B) The state of Maryland had every right under the Constitution to tax the federal government's property.
C) In some cases certain powers that are not explicitly given to the government in the Constitution may be considered "necessary and proper" and thus are legitimate under the concept of the "living Constitution."
D) Congress acted improperly in creating the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
E) In ruling on matters involving the Constitution, the Supreme Court must adopt a "strict constructionist" approach and not read anything into the Constitution that is not explicitly stated.

Question 70

Hamilton expressed the view that the executive must be a single person in order to realize "energy," which "is a leading character of good government." Analyze the experience of the United States under the Articles of Confederation, as compared to the experience of the United States under the current Constitution, to show whether or not events supported Hamilton's position.

Question 71

What is the difference between enumerated and implied powers? How do these different concepts of political power impact the balance of power within the federal system of governance? Provide some examples.

Question 72

Americans, especially legal scholars, view the U.S. Constitution in different ways. Discuss the differences between the theories of strict constructionism versus the living constitution.

Question 73

What has been the most common method used to amend the U.S. Constitution?

A) a three-fifths vote in both chambers of Congress
B) simple majority of the voters of the United States
C) approval from two-thirds of the state legislatures and the signature of the president
D) voter approval and the ruling of the Supreme Court on its constitutionality
E) two-thirds vote of both chambers of Congress, then ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures

Question 74

Describe the ways in which Madison's view that a "multiplicity of interests" could significantly reduce the possibility of a majority emerging to oppress individual rights. Explain the reasons both in favor of and opposed to his analysis.

Question 75

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?

Question 76

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?

Question 77

Describe the theory of separation of powers and how the Constitution achieves this principle. Explain how each of the institutions plays a role in the process. Upon review of the Constitutional design, does any one institution appear the strongest or weakest branch of government? Explain why.

Question 78

Including the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution has __________ Amendments.

A) twelve
B) one
C) ten
D) twenty-seven
E) fifty-three

Question 79

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.