Deck 2: The Constitution

Question 1

In a modern democracy, a __________ sets forth the basic rules and procedures for how the people shall be governed, including the powers and structure of the government, as well as the rights retained by the people.

A) charter
B) constitution
C) bill
D) treaty
E) legislature

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Britain repealed the Stamp Act in 1766 and replaced it with the __________, which then imposed taxes on various imports.

A) Stamp Act II
B) Coercive Acts
C) Townshend Acts
D) Intolerable Acts
E) Currency Acts

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Due to the fear of a powerful central government, the Articles of Confederation emphasized _______ over order.

A) the right of secession
B) the power of the people
C) freedom from national authority
D) a strong central government
E) strong civil liberties

Answer 3

C

Question 4

John Locke suggests people have certain natural (or inalienable) rights that government cannot take away, including the right to life, liberty, and property. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson substituted "__________" in place of "property."

A) order
B) just compensation
C) national security
D) the pursuit of happiness
E) interstate commerce

Question 5

Who wrote the influential pamphlet Common Sense , which called for independence from Britain?

A) Samuel Adams
B) Patrick Henry
C) Thomas Paine
D) Edmund Burke
E) John Hancock

Question 6

The Declaration of Independence listed grievances against __________, including the suspension of popularly elected colonial legislatures, taxing without representation, and trials without juries.

A) King George II
B) King George III
C) Queen Elizabeth
D) George Washington
E) Thomas Jefferson

Question 7

The __________established a tax on virtually all forms of paper used by the colonists.

A) Sugar Act of 1764
B) Paper Act of 1764
C) Stamp Act of 1765
D) Tea Tax Act of 1789
E) Sedition Acts

Question 8

Benjamin Franklin proposed a congress in order for the colonist to present a more unified front. This congress met in 1774 and is called

A) the U.S. Congress.
B) the diet.
C) Bundestag.
D) Parliament.
E) the First Continental Congress.

Question 9

Led by Samuel Adams, the Massachusetts legislature issued a letter declaration that the Townshend Acts were unconstitutional because they violated which principle?

A) "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"
B) "life, liberty, and property"
C) "no taxation without liberty, peace, and prosperity"
D) "no taxation without representation"
E) none of these

Question 10

As opposed to the American colonists who allowed greater participation and representation to free adult males, the British took a more ________ view.

A) expansive
B) limited
C) expressive
D) public
E) reactionary

Question 11

Who said "Give me liberty or give me death"?

A) Samuel Adams
B) George Washington
C) Patrick Henry
D) John Hancock
E) Edmund Burke

Question 12

As tensions rose, the colonists continued to resist the Townshend Acts through boycotting. The British responded by doing all of the following EXCEPT

A) dissolving the Massachusetts legislature.
B) seizing a ship owned by John Hancock.
C) conscripting colonists into the British military.
D) firing on a threatening crowd.
E) sending troops to occupy Boston.

Question 13

By the late eighteenth century, British subjects believed that the British constitution guaranteed them certain rights, including the right to be tried by a jury of their peers and

A) the right to free speech.
B) the right to free assembly.
C) the right to keep and bear arms.
D) the right to religious freedom.
E) the right not to be taxed without their consent.

Question 14

__________ acted as the common government of the states between 1775 and 1781.

A) The First Continental Congress
B) The Second Continental Congress
C) Parliament
D) The U. S. Supreme Court
E) George Washington

Question 15

In response to the Stamp Act the colonists reacted angrily by doing all of the following EXCEPT

A) dumping tea into Boston Harbor.
B) forming trade associations.
C) organizing boycotts.
D) publishing pamphlets.
E) rioting against Stamp Act collectors.

Question 16

The Declaration of Independence

A) declared the right of the people to alter or abolish government.
B) declared the colonies' independence from Britain.
C) contained a stirring call for equality and human rights.
D) contained a stirring call for public participation in government.
E) did all of these.

Question 17

The Coercive Acts

A) gave the royal governor the right to select the upper house of the Massachusetts legislature.
B) set forth a long list of items that could be exported only to Great Britain.
C) established a tax on virtually all forms of paper used by the colonists.
D) gave the royal governor the right to search private homes.
E) did all of these.

Question 18

A _______ is the fundamental law undergirding the structure of government.

A) parliament
B) social contract
C) constitution
D) congress
E) federal system

Question 19

The United States of America was formally established under which document?

A) Magna Carta
B) Declaration of Independence
C) Articles of Confederation
D) Constitution of the United States
E) All of these

Question 20

Unlike most modern constitutions, the British constitution is comprised of _______ that developed over time.

A) a single document
B) a series of decrees by the monarch
C) several philosophical texts
D) a series of judicial decrees
E) a series of documents

Question 21

Which of the following was among the list of Congressional powers?

A) the authority to tax to provide for the general welfare
B) the authority to regulate commerce among the states and with foreign nations
C) the authority to borrow money
D) the authority to declare war, raise armies, and maintain a navy
E) all of these

Question 22

Under the new Constitution, Congress was not granted general legislative power, but rather, __________ powers, that is, an explicit list of powers in which it could engage.

A) absolute
B) enumerated
C) inherent
D) implied
E) necessary

Question 23

The limited scope of power afforded to Congress under the Articles of Confederation included all but which of the following?

A) Each state had one vote in Congress.
B) No national judiciary existed.
C) Congress needed consent from 9 of the 13 states to pass any legislation.
D) A single state such as Rhode Island could block the passage of an amendment.
E) Congress did not have the power to regulate Indian affairs.

Question 24

Under the Virginia Plan, each legislative chamber would have representation proportional to the population of the states, meaning that

A) the smaller the population, the more representation a state would have.
B) each state would have equal representation regardless of size.
C) each state would vie for representation in open national elections.
D) the larger the population, the more representation a state would have.
E) none of these statements are true.

Question 25

The ________ Plan proposed a strong central government that could act without the states acting as intermediaries, a two-chamber legislative branch, a national executive, a national judiciary, and a council of revision.

A) Madison
B) New Jersey
C) Virginia
D) Hamilton
E) Rhode Island

Question 26

Under the _______, states were granted extra representation based on the number of slaves they held.

A) slavery population clause
B) equal population compromise
C) three-fifths compromise
D) five-eighths compromise
E) census clause

Question 27

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was granted powers that were _______ in scope and authority.

A) narrow
B) broad
C) enumerated
D) powerful
E) all-encompassing

Question 28

__________ helped convince the states that, in addition to the Articles' other problems, neither the federal nor the state governments could maintain order.

A) The Boston Tea Party
B) Shays's Rebellion
C) The Boston Massacre
D) Bloody Thursday
E) The Farmers Rebellion

Question 29

Under the Connecticut Compromise,

A) the House of Representatives would be proportional to population, but the Senate would represent each state equally.
B) the Senate would be proportional to population, but the House of Representatives would represent each state equally.
C) the House of Representatives and the Senate would have equal representation.
D) the House of Representatives and the Senate would have proportional representation.
E) Connecticut would be considered a state.

Question 30

The ______ Plan would have strengthened the Articles by allowing Congress the authority to regulate commerce, create a national executive chosen by the legislature, and create a national judiciary chosen by the executive.

A) Virginia
B) Washington
C) Delaware
D) Hamilton
E) New Jersey

Question 31

Slavery existed in every state EXCEPT

A) Connecticut.
B) Massachusetts.
C) New Jersey.
D) New York.
E) Tennessee.

Question 32

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress had full authority over

A) foreign affairs.
B) military affairs.
C) Indian affairs.
D) boundary and other disputes between the states.
E) all of these.

Question 33

Among the enumerated powers granted to Congress under the Constitution, the ____________ powers were missing from the Articles.

A) tax and spend
B) tax and commerce
C) commerce and Indian affairs
D) general welfare and tax
E) declare war and make peace

Question 34

Under the New Jersey Plan, each state would have equal representation, meaning that

A) regardless of population, each state would have an equal say in Congress.
B) states with larger populations would have a larger say in Congress.
C) states with smaller populations would have less of a say in Congress.
D) states with a higher population of slaves would have a larger say in Congress.
E) none of these statements are true.

Question 35

The Constitution explicitly limits state authority from all of the following EXCEPT

A) collecting taxes.
B) making treaties with foreign nations.
C) coining money.
D) creating bills of attainder.
E) creating ex post facto laws.

Question 36

Some of the issues that confronted the delegates to the Philadelphia convention included several areas of compromise, including

A) large state versus small state representation.
B) the power to make international treaties.
C) the power to regulate interstate commerce.
D) the ability to legislate the slavery.
E) all of these.

Question 37

A Revolutionary War hero and several thousand distressed farmers forced courts to close and threatened federal arsenals in what became known as

A) the Boston Tea Party.
B) the Boston Massacre.
C) Shays' Rebellion.
D) Bloody Thursday.
E) the Farmers Rebellion.

Question 38

Under the Virginia Plan, __________ would have final approval over all legislative acts.

A) a council of revision
B) a council of governors
C) a national executive
D) a national judiciary
E) Parliament

Question 39

Which was the only state to decline the invitation to all thirteen states to meet in Philadelphia to consider revising the Articles of Confederation?

A) Delaware
B) Massachusetts
C) New York
D) North Carolina
E) Rhode Island

Question 40

Congress did not receive the authority to veto state laws, but the Constitution declared that

A) states can nullify national laws.
B) state and national laws would have equal standing.
C) national law would be supreme.
D) state law would be supreme.
E) two-thirds of the states could veto national law.

Question 41

The Constitution established a bicameral Congress, which means that

A) it is popularly elected.
B) all members are elected every two years.
C) it consists of two chambers.
D) all hearings are opened to the public.
E) all hearings are closed to the public.

Question 42

The sole power of impeachment belongs to

A) the House of Representatives.
B) the Senate.
C) the Supreme Court.
D) the Council of Impeachers.
E) the states.

Question 43

According to James Madison, __________ is (are) the primary means of ensuring that government is responsive to the wishes of the people.

A) the president
B) factions
C) elections
D) the Supreme Court
E) Congress

Question 44

In 1961, the __________ gave residents of the District of Colombia the right to vote in presidential elections.

A) Kennedy decision
B) Twenty-Sixth Amendment
C) Nineteenth Amendment
D) Twenty-Third Amendment
E) United States v. Nixon decision

Question 45

The Framers did not trust the people, so they created which two important gates against popular influence?

A) the selection of judges and the election of the Senate
B) the election of the House and the selection of ambassadors
C) the election of the president and the election of the House
D) the election of the president and the election of the Senate
E) none of these

Question 46

Not all northern delegates at the Convention opposed slavery, but those who were __________ wanted an immediate ban on importing slaves from Africa, prohibitions against the expansion of slavery into the western territories, and the adoption of a plan for the gradual freeing of slaves.

A) abolitionists
B) absolutists
C) prohibitionists
D) secessionists
E) all of these

Question 47

The Constitution vests all judicial authority of the United States in one ____________ and other inferior courts.

A) Appeals Court
B) Court of Recusal
C) Supreme Court
D) District Court
E) Constitutional Court

Question 48

Constitutional amendments have increased access to government in all of these ways EXCEPT

A) ensuring equal rights for all regardless of race or gender.
B) ensuring voting rights for women.
C) allowing for the direct election of senators.
D) ensuring equal protection under the law.
E) abolishing slavery.

Question 49

All powers not granted to Congress remain with the states, as made explicit in the __________ Amendment to the Constitution.

A) Fourth
B) Sixth
C) Ninth
D) Tenth
E) Thirteenth

Question 50

Which amendments are referred to as the Civil War Amendments?

A) Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Amendments
B) Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments
C) Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Amendments
D) Nineteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-First Amendments
E) Twenty-First, Twenty-Second, and Twenty-Third Amendments

Question 51

The president appoints federal judges with the advice and consent of the

A) House of Representatives.
B) Senate.
C) people.
D) state legislatures
E) judiciary.

Question 52

By the time the state ratifying conventions started meeting, two distinct camps had formed: those who supported the Constitution called __________, and those who opposed the Constitution, who became known as __________.

A) Nationalists; Secessionists
B) Nationalists; Abolitionists
C) Federalists; Antifederalists
D) Federalists; Secessionists
E) Federalists; Abolitionists

Question 53

Who initially chose the manner for selecting the electors from each state?

A) governor
B) state legislature
C) president
D) House of Representatives
E) Senate

Question 54

The Constitution provides the president with a general grant of ___________ and certain specific powers.

A) legislative powers
B) executive powers
C) judicial powers
D) war powers
E) police powers

Question 55

One way to amend the Constitution allows __________ of the states to request a national constitutional convention that can propose amendments that go into effect when approved by __________ of the states.

A) two-thirds; three-fourths
B) three-fourths; two-thirds
C) two-thirds; all
D) three-fourths; all
E) all; three-fourths

Question 56

In the historical case Marbury v. Madison , the Supreme Court first exercised its authority to strike down laws passed by Congress, which is known as

A) basic law.
B) advisory opinion.
C) judicial oversight.
D) stare decisis.
E) judicial review.

Question 57

Rather than directly electing the president through a popular vote, the Constitution created the ________, in which the president is indirectly chosen by electors.

A) College of the Cardinals
B) Proportional Representation
C) Electoral Council
D) Council of Representatives
E) Electoral College

Question 58

The indirect election of senators was intended to serve as a check on

A) state legislatures.
B) the Senate.
C) popular will.
D) the president.
E) all of these.

Question 59

The Senate has the sole authority to

A) try cases of impeachment.
B) ratify treaties.
C) confirm executive branch appointments.
D) confirm judicial branch appointments.
E) do all of these.

Question 60

Federal judges are appointed for a term of "good behavior," which means that they hold their seats

A) for a term of six years.
B) at the pleasure of the president.
C) for a term of twenty years.
D) for life.
E) for none of these.

Question 61

What is the significance of judicial review?

Question 62

What is the purpose of checks and balances?

Question 63

Explain the reason(s) why Congress was prohibited from stopping the slave trade until 1808.

Question 64

Define republic .

Question 65

Compare the U.S. and British constitutional systems in regards to direct and indirect gateways for popular involvement.

Question 66

Explain the implied powers of Congress and where they gain authority in the Constitution .

Question 67

Explain the controversy over proportional versus equal representation at the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

Question 68

Why does the Constitution divide and separate powers?

Question 69

Discuss why the Constitution did not originally contain a Bill of Rights.

Question 70

Explain the key concepts in the Declaration of Independence.

Question 71

Explain how amendments get proposed and ratified.

Question 72

Why did the Constitutional Convention delegates establish three branches of government?

Question 73

Explain the Electoral College.

Question 74

Explain the influence of John Locke's ideas on the Declaration of Independence.

Question 75

Why didn't the Articles of Confederation work as a governing document?

Question 76

Characterize the Federalists and Antifederalists.

Question 77

How did the Constitution set explicit limits on state authority?

Question 78

Discuss the issues in Marbury v. Madison and the power that the Supreme Court used in making its decision.

Question 79

List the major rights protected by the Civil War Amendments.

Question 80

Characterize the delegates to the Constitutional Convention.