Deck 2: The Constitution

Question 1

What is the name given to the rights that are inherent in all human beings and not dependent on government?

A)natural rights
B)positive rights
C)intrinsic laws
D)Constitutional law

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The U.S.Constitution was adopted in response to the weaknesses of which document?

A)Declaration of the Rights of Man
B)Magna Carta
C)the Declaration of Independence
D)the Articles of Confederation

Answer 2

D

Question 3

What did the Connecticut Compromise help to establish?

A)the Senate and the House of Representatives
B)the federalist system
C)an independent judiciary
D)universal male suffrage

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Burning the flag is generally considered to be __________ that is protected by the Constitution.

A)free speech
B)a private action
C)a form of due process
D)a commercial act

Question 5

In what year was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?

A)1776
B)1781
C)1786
D)1791

Question 6

Which of the following debated and drafted the Declaration of Independence?

A)the Common Sense Committee
B)the Continental Congress
C)the Committees of Correspondence
D)the Constitutional Convention

Question 7

At the Constitutional Convention,the delegates agreed that __________ of slaves would be counted for determining population for representation in the House of Representatives.

A)one-third
B)three-fifths
C)two-thirds
D)four-fifths

Question 8

In what year was the U.S.Constitution ratified?

A)1776
B)1788
C)1791
D)1797

Question 9

The colonists rebelled against the imposition by the British government of which of the following?

A)taxes
B)a military draft
C)curfews
D)religious laws

Question 10

How many amendments have been made to the Constitution since its ratification?

A)10
B)15
C)27
D)36

Question 11

In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed?

A)1776
B)1787
C)1789
D)1805

Question 12

Which branch of government is responsible for passing laws?

A)bureaucratic
B)judicial
C)executive
D)legislative

Question 13

How many constitutions or governing documents have the United States had in its history?

A)one
B)two
C)three
D)four

Question 14

While working on the Constitution,what aspect of the new government most concerned James Madison?

A)foreign affairs
B)slavery
C)elitist control
D)tyranny of the majority

Question 15

Who was the author of the Declaration of Independence?

A)James Madison
B)Thomas Paine
C)Thomas Jefferson
D)George Washington

Question 16

Who of the following generally favored a stronger national government and supported the proposed U.S.Constitution?

A)Daniel Shays
B)Federalists
C)Anti-Federalists
D)Constitutionalists

Question 17

The Constitution limits the government's ability to suspend writs of habeas corpus.What does this protect individuals against?

A)free speech infringement
B)taxation of private property
C)unlawful detention
D)infringement of religious freedom

Question 18

Which of the following philosophers greatly influenced the colonists' views on the role of government?

A)Daniel Shays
B)John Locke
C)John Boehner
D)Gramm Rudman

Question 19

In Federalist 10,who wrote,"The most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property"?

A)Alexander Hamilton
B)Thomas Jefferson
C)John Jay
D)James Madison

Question 20

Which of the following is a form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws?

A)republic
B)monarchy
C)theocracy
D)oligarchy

Question 21

Which of the following concepts most directly helps to make American government legitimate?

A)the right to bear arms
B)the divine right
C)consent of the governed
D)executive privilege

Question 22

Which of the following is a reason for the separation of powers?

A)to ensure the power of the executive
B)to promote the general welfare
C)to prevent tyranny by any one branch
D)to prevent gridlock in government

Question 23

Under the Constitution,the president is elected by which of the following?

A)King Caucus
B)People's Plebiscite
C)electoral college
D)direct popular election

Question 24

Which of the following specifies the procedure for amending the Constitution?

A)Article I
B)Article III
C)Article V
D)Article VI

Question 25

Which of the following was part of both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution?

A)a congress
B)the presidency
C)the federal judiciary
D)the right of taxation by the federal government

Question 26

__________ was/were most likely to support a strong state government and a weak national government.

A)Whigs
B)Anti-Masons
C)The Federalists
D)The Anti-Federalists

Question 27

John Locke's belief that government derives its authority from the people influenced the Declaration of Independence,which says,"Governments are instituted among men,deriving their just powers from __________."

A)the consent of the governed
B)the right to revolt
C)the divine right of kings
D)government itself

Question 28

What was the subject of the Connecticut Compromise?

A)the legality of slavery
B)the form and membership of the legislative branch
D)the number of Supreme Court justices
E)the form of the executive branch

Question 29

Which of the following was a problem under the Articles of Confederation?

A)The national government was too strong compared to the states.
B)Amendments were too easy to ratify.
C)Congress imposed excessive taxes.
D)Congress lacked the authority to regulate commerce.

Question 30

How did the Constitution differ from the Articles of Confederation?

A)The Constitution was based on democratic principles;the Articles of Confederation was based on tyrannical principles.
B)The Constitution contained strong protections for individual rights;the Articles of Confederation contained strong protections for collective rights.
C)The Constitution created a stronger national government than did the Articles of Confederation.
D)The Constitution contained stronger safeguards for states' rights than did the Articles of Confederation.

Question 31

__________ was a protest by Massachusetts farmers to stop foreclosures by state courts.

A)Whiskey Rebellion
B)Boston Tea Party
C)Marbury v.Madison
D)Shays's Rebellion

Question 32

Which constitutional plan called for representation in Congress to be based on state population?

A)Republican Plan
B)Democratic Plan
C)Virginia Plan
D)New Jersey Plan

Question 33

Which of the following accurately describes the Constitutional Convention?

A)The delegates spent more of their time trying to figure out how to revise the Articles of Confederation.
B)Many of the delegates were economic elites.
C)The Convention was free of significant disagreement.
D)The Convention lasted only one week.

Question 34

What is the feature of the Constitution that allows each branch of government to limit the power of the other branches?

A)weights and measures
B)checks and balances
C)oversight and influence
D)privileges and immunities

Question 35

The Federalists preferred __________ than did the Anti-Federalists.

A)stronger state governments
B)a stronger national government
C)stronger protections of individual liberties
D)shorter terms of office

Question 36

What type of legislature did the United States have under the Articles of Confederation?

A)a single chamber with membership based on a state's population
B)a single chamber with each state receiving equal power
C)a single chamber whose members were appointed by the president
D)two chambers

Question 37

How is eligibility for voting determined under the Constitution?

A)Congress determines eligibility.
B)States determine eligibility.
C)Counties determine eligibility.
D)The Constitution establishes universal suffrage.

Question 38

How is a constitutional amendment ratified?

A)either by a majority of state legislatures or by special state conventions in a majority of the states
B)either by three-fourths of state legislatures or by special state conventions in three-fourths of the states
C)either by a majority of state governors or by a majority of the U.S.Senate
D)either by three-fourths of state governors or by three-fourths of the U.S.Senate

Question 39

Which of the following most directly protects individuals' civil liberties?

A)Second Treatise of Civil Government
B)The Federalist Papers
C)the Bill of Rights
D)the Declaration of Independence

Question 40

Which of the following urged for the colonies to become independent from Britain?

A)Common Sense
B)Revolution
C)Federalist 10
D)Our American Cousin

Question 41

The meaning of the Constitution can change through __________.

A)judicial interpretation
B)national referendum
C)congressional inaction
D)natural law

Question 42

Which of the following were most likely to oppose the proposed Constitution?

A)lawyers
B)merchants
C)small farmers
D)large landowners

Question 43

Which of the following is a method for proposing constitutional amendments?

A)by a majority of voting-age citizens
B)by a majority of state governors
C)by a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress
D)by a two-thirds vote in a special election called for the purpose of voting on the amendment

Question 44

What was a fear of the Anti-Federalists during the Constitutional Convention and subsequent debate?

A)that a weak national government would undermine the survival of the United States
B)that a strong national government would infringe on the rights of the states
C)that a powerful judiciary would restrict freedom of religion
D)that powerful state governments would infringe on individual liberties

Question 45

The Constitution prohibits having __________ qualifications for holding public office.

A)residency
B)competency
C)religious
D)citizenship

Question 46

Which of the following was written to encourage passage of the Constitution and remains a compelling source for determining the intent of the Framers?

A)the Declaration of Independence
B)The Federalist Papers
C)Common Sense
D)Two Treatises on Government