Deck 2: The Constitution of the United States: a New Vision of Representative Government

Question 1

Under the Virginia Plan, how was state representation distributed?

A) Each state received one vote.
B) Representation was based on wealth of states.
C) Representation would be proportionally based on population.
D) Representation would be based on land size of each state.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Under the New Jersey Plan, how was state representation set to be distributed?

A) Each state received one vote.
B) Representation was based on wealth of states.
C) Representation would be proportionally based on population.
D) Representation would be based on land size of each state.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

When the Articles of Confederation were in place, who had the power to declare war and conduct foreign policy?

A) the president
B) the vice president
C) the confederal government
D) the Senate

Answer 3

C

Question 4

How did the Continental Congress pay for the Continental Army during the war?

A) They taxed the states.
B) They taxed businesses.
C) They borrowed money from Europe.
D) They printed their own money.

Question 5

The Riot Act of 1786 gave sheriffs and other officials what privilege?

A) freedom to jail rioters without formal charges
B) freedom from prosecution for killing rioters
C) freedom from prosecution for confiscating rioters property
D) freedom to use any means necessary to disband a riot

Question 6

Under the Great Compromise, how was state representation set to be distributed?

A) Representation would be proportionally based on population in the House of Representatives.
B) Representation would be based on land size of each state in the Senate.
C) Representation was based on wealth of states in the House of Representatives.
D) Representation would be proportionally based on population in the Senate.

Question 7

Which of the following members of the Philadelphia Convention acted as the official reporter?

A) Patrick Henry
B) George Washington
C) Benjamin Franklin
D) James Madison

Question 8

Any document that defines and creates a group of people politically, sets out the fundamental principles of governance, and creates the rules and institutions that the people choose to self-govern can be referred to as what?

A) a constitution
B) a Bill of Rights
C) a democratic declaration
D) the Federalist Papers

Question 9

Changing or amending the Articles of Confederation required what?

A) the approval of the president
B) the approval of the Senate
C) the approval of all 13 states
D) the approval by the majority of popular vote

Question 10

As the Philadelphia Convention began, the participants were most concerned with which issues?

A) the national debt and state representation
B) powers of the national government and taxation laws
C) state representation and the immorality of slavery
D) state representation and the powers of the national government

Question 11

What kind of government is formed by representatives of the people?

A) democracies
B) republics
C) socialist republics
D) communist democracy

Question 12

Which of the following helped calm some of the fears smaller states had during the creation of the Articles of Confederation?

A) Taxes were determined by population, not land size.
B) Each state received equal representation in the new government.
C) The articles provided a path for smaller states to gain more land.
D) The articles guaranteed added protection from the British during the war.

Question 13

Which of the following was a major contributor to Shays' Rebellion?

A) economic crisis brought on by the Revolutionary War
B) deflation of the paper money printed by the government
C) taxation without representation in the Confederal Congress
D) increased tensions over state's rights

Question 14

The original Confederal Congress was described as unicameral. What does this mean?

A) The congress only had one session.
B) The congress only had one camera.
C) The congress only had one member.
D) The congress only had one chamber.

Question 15

Which of the following documents created a union of sovereign states that depended on the states' cooperation for survival?

A) Declaration of Independence
B) Federalist Papers
C) Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
D) Bill of Rights

Question 16

The Articles of Confederation prohibited the confederal government from which of the following?

A) taxing the citizens
B) forcing states to comply with policies
C) allowing representatives to serve unlimited terms
D) solving land disputes

Question 17

Which of the following contributed to the difficulties the confederal government faced?

A) States contributed little or no support toward the unified government effort.
B) Taxation was limited, and the budget constraints hindered the effectiveness of the government.
C) The high debt incurred from borrowing from European nations during the war limited the national budget.
D) The land disputes between many states prevented productivity during congressional meetings.

Question 18

The Articles of Confederation provided states with protection against land disputes by giving which entity the power to approve or deny disputed territory claims?

A) the Confederal Government
B) the Senate
C) the Continental Congress
D) the Union

Question 19

Which of the following was the confederal government, under the Articles of Confederation, allowed to do?

A) tax the citizens and businesses
B) force states to carry out its policies and procedures
C) force representatives to continue serving
D) place limits on how long members could serve

Question 20

How many chambers did the original Confederal Congress contain?

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

Question 21

How is the president of the United States elected?

A) Congress elects the president.
B) The president is elected by popular vote.
C) The Electoral College elects the president.
D) The Supreme Court elects the president.

Question 22

The concept of "checks and balances" within the federal government revolves around what idea?
a. the separation of powers between the three branches of government
b. the distribution of wealth between the states
c. the balancing of federal and state budgets
d. the separation of powers between the House and Senate

Question 23

What is the function of the executive branch of government?

A) to make laws
B) to carry out laws
C) to hear and decide cases of law
D) to make and carry out laws

Question 24

How are the votes within the Electoral College divided?

A) Each state receives an equal number of votes.
B) Each state receives an elector for each member of the House from their state.
C) Each state receives two electors for each member of the Senate from their state.
D) Each state receives a number of electors based on a lottery system each election year.

Question 25

Which of the following helped expand Congress' power over national policy?

A) the taxation clause in the Articles written by the Constitutional Convention
B) the commerce clause in the Articles written by the Constitutional Convention
C) the necessary and proper clause in the Articles written by the Constitutional Convention
D) the education clause in the Articles written by the Constitutional Convention

Question 26

Which of the following guaranteed that each state would recognize and accept other states' contracts and legal proceedings?

A) the Commerce Clause
B) the Education Clause
C) the Full Faith and Credit Clause
D) the Financial Clause

Question 27

What is the function of the legislative branch of government?

A) to make laws
B) to carry out laws
C) to hear and decide cases of law
D) to make and carry out laws

Question 28

Which of the following delegates was elected president of the Constitutional Convention?

A) Patrick Henry
B) George Washington
C) Benjamin Franklin
D) James Madison

Question 29

Once a person has been nominated for a seat on the Supreme Court, how are they confirmed for the seat?

A) The president must confirm the nominee.
B) The House of Representatives must confirm the nominee.
C) Congress must confirm the nominee.
D) The Supreme Court must confirm the nominee.

Question 30

How does a person get nominated for a seat on the Supreme Court?

A) They must be nominated by a member of the House of Representatives.
B) They must be nominated by the president.
C) They must be nominated by a current Supreme Court justice.
D) They must be nominated by a member of the Senate.

Question 31

Which of the following still leads to debates today over the power and limits of Congress?

A) the commerce clause within the Articles established by the Constitutional Convention
B) the education clause within the Bill of Rights established by James Madison
C) the taxation clause within the Eighth Amendment established by Benjamin Franklin
D) the financial clause within the tax code established by Thomas Jefferson

Question 32

From James Madison's perspective, who had the supreme power in the United States?

A) the Senate
B) the people
C) the House of Representatives
D) the Supreme Court

Question 33

Alexander Hamilton proposed which of the following?

A) a weak president who would serve for unlimited one-year terms
B) a strong president who would serve for a single term of four years
C) a weak president who would serve for up to 10 years
D) a strong president who would serve for life

Question 34

Who has the power to declare war in the United States?

A) The people must vote to go to war.
B) The president has the power to declare war.
C) The Supreme Court must declare war.
D) Congress has the authority to declare war.

Question 35

Which of the following was not a power given to the new Congress by the Constitutional Convention?

A) to borrow money
B) to collect taxes
C) to regulate commerce with foreign nations
D) to enforce new laws regarding printing money

Question 36

If the president of the United States disagrees with a law passed by Congress, what action can be taken?

A) The president can remove legislators from Congress.
B) The president can pass a law superseding the law passed by Congress.
C) The president can veto the law passed by Congress.
D) The president can refuse to recognize the law.

Question 37

What does judicial review give the judicial branch of government the authority to do?

A) oversee the actions of state and local courts
B) propose new laws for consideration by Congress
C) determine if a law, part of a law, or an act of government is in violation of the Constitution
D) conduct trials in cases involving a violation of federal or state law

Question 38

What are the requirements for Congress to override a presidential veto?

A) two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives
B) two-thirds majority in the Senate
C) two-thirds majority in the House and Senate
D) a unanimous vote must be reached to override the presidential veto

Question 39

What is the function of the judicial branch of government?

A) to make laws
B) to carry out laws
C) to hear and decide cases of law
D) to make and carry out laws

Question 40

Under the Great Compromise, each state would be allowed ______ representatives in the Senate.

A) two
B) four
C) six
D) nine

Question 41

Which of the following is a plausible explanation for slavery not being strictly outlawed in the Constitution?

A) Protections or slavery were upheld by a log roll of votes from northern states in return for strong commercial policies.
B) Slavery was viewed as a moral issue and was not seen as pertinent to the Convention's cause.
C) Slavery had already been abolished by most states so the Convention did not see the need.
D) Most of the delegates felt as though slavery would be replaced within the decade by itself.

Question 42

How many lasting changes has the Constitution undergone since the creation of the Bill of Rights?

A) 15
B) 16
C) 17
D) 18

Question 43

In order to amend the Constitution, which of the following must occur?

A) The proposed amendment must have passage by two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.
B) The proposed amendment must have unanimous passage by states in a national convention.
C) The amendment must be ratified by a majority vote in two-thirds of the state legislatures.
D) The amendment must be ratified by conventions in two-thirds of the states.

Question 44

Under the newly written Constitution, what rights were slaves given?

A) Slaves were given the right to freedom if they could escape their slave-owning state.
B) Slaves were not given any rights and were viewed as property.
C) Slaves were given the right to vote after 20 years of servitude, with their masters' approval.
D) Slaves were given the right to buy themselves into freedom after a state-determined number of years.

Question 45

How many amendments have been formally ratified since the creation of the Constitution?

A) 27
B) 29
C) 32
D) 37

Question 46

While the Articles of Confederation required all 13 states to ratify an amendment, how was the new Constitution designed to be ratified?

A) Only half of the states were needed to ratify the new Constitution.
B) The new Constitution was meant to be ratified by popular vote.
C) Three-fourths of the states were needed to ratify the new Constitution.
D) Only nine out of 13 states were needed to ratify the new Constitution.

Question 47

How were opponents of the proposed new Constitution labeled?

A) Anti-Federalists
B) Federalists
C) Nationalists
D) Republicans

Question 48

Why did the general public believe the delegates fully supported the new Constitution?

A) Benjamin Franklin sent out a press release in support of the document on behalf of the Convention.
B) James Madison published a paper stating the support of all delegates of the new Constitution.
C) All but three delegates signed the document, which gave the impression they supported the document.
D) George Washington went on a public-speaking tour in support of the Constitution on behalf of the delegates.

Question 49

How were slaves counted, for population purposes, under the Constitution?

A) Each slave counted as one-half of a person.
B) Each slave counted as two-thirds of a person.
C) Each slave counted as three-fifths of a person.
D) Each slave counted as three-fourths of a person.

Question 50

Based on the compromises made during the Constitutional Convention, any runaway slave that was caught would see what punishment?

A) They would be jailed, and a family member would have to pay for their release.
B) They were hanged at a public execution site in front of local slaves as a deterrent.
C) They were returned to their owner, regardless of the laws of individual states.
D) They would be forbidden from ever being able to buy their freedom in the future.

Question 51

Which of the following must take place in an attempt to officially amend the Constitution?

A) The proposed amendment must have unanimous passage in both the House and Senate.
B) The proposed amendment must have unanimous passage by states in a national convention.
C) The amendment must be ratified by a majority vote in three-fourths of the state legislatures.
D) The amendment must be ratified by conventions in two-thirds of the states.

Question 52

How did Federalists attempt to ensure the ratification of the new Constitution?

A) They bribed state Senators to vote against the ratification of the new Constitution.
B) They bribed local legislators to vote against the ratification of the new Constitution.
C) They raised fears that England would start another war to regain control of the United States.
D) They raised fears regarding the economic challenges the citizens currently faced and the threat of anarchy.

Question 53

Many of the supporters for the new Constitution were also what?

A) wealthy merchants
B) northern abolitionists
C) rural citizens
D) small farmers

Question 54

Many of the opponents of the new Constitution were also what?

A) wealthy merchants who needed to continue trade
B) northern abolitionists who despised slavery
C) rural citizens who mistrusted powerful elites
D) elitists with strong British ties

Question 55

Which of the following could have contributed to slavery not being outlawed by the original drafting of the Constitution?

A) Many of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention were slave owners.
B) Slavery was viewed as a moral issue and was not seen as pertinent to the Convention's cause.
C) Slavery had already been abolished by most states so the Convention did not see the need.
D) Most of the delegates felt as though slavery would be replaced within the decade by itself.

Question 56

How did Federalists attempt to ensure the ratification of the new Constitution?

A) They bribed state Senators to vote against the ratification of the new Constitution.
B) They bribed local legislators to vote against the ratification of the new Constitution.
C) They used celebrity endorsements from George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.
D) They raised fears in the minds of the people by claiming they would lose many of their rights.

Question 57

Although the term slave was not directly used in the Constitution, how were enslaved persons described in the document?

A) They were referred to as "other persons."
B) They were referred to as "personal property."
C) They were referred to as "personhood property."
D) They were referred to as "indentured servants."

Question 58

How were supporters of the proposed new Constitution labeled?

A) Anti-Federalists
B) Federalists
C) Nationalists
D) Republicans

Question 59

How did slaves affect the drafting of the Constitution?

A) Slavery was prohibited by the original drafting of the Constitution.
B) Slaves were treated as three-fifths of a person and boosted the South's power in the House.
C) Slaves were treated as three-fifths of a person and boosted the South's power in the Senate.
D) Slavery was viewed as a morality point and not discussed during the drafting of the Constitution.

Question 60

What is another name for the process by which a change can be made to the Constitution of the United States of America?

A) an amendment
B) an addition
C) a bill
D) a law

Question 61

How did Anti-Federalists propose to limit the powers of the new federal government should the Constitution be ratified?

A) allow the Supreme Court to hear any cases they deemed necessary
B) allow the president to have unlimited power regarding military affairs
C) allow the president to have unlimited power regarding foreign affairs
D) preserve a larger role for state militias in the country's defense

Question 62

When a group of people aim to use the government to get what they want, oftentimes by trampling the rights of others, these groups are known as what?

A) factions
B) Federalists
C) Nationalists
D) racists

Question 63

When a republic becomes so large and diverse, with so many factions vying for power that none will be able to take over the others, this is known as what kind of government?

A) an extended republic
B) an expansive republic
C) a practical democracy
D) a commonwealth

Question 64

Which of the following was of greater concern to the Anti-Federalists?

A) factionalization
B) a political coup
C) tyranny of the minority
D) tyranny of the majority

Question 65

A Bill of Rights is designed to provide citizens with what?

A) the right to be billed for goods and services
B) a list of rights and liberties that the government cannot take away
C) the right of the will of the people to impeach an elected official
D) a basis for the people's right to supersede states' rights in judicial proceedings

Question 66

Federalists called for ______.

A) supporting the new Constitution and a strong national government
B) including a Bill of Rights and a strong state government
C) strong restrictions on branches of government
D) controls against the tyranny of the minority

Question 67

Which of the following would have been part of the argument in support of ratifying the proposed Constitution by the Federalists?

A) The increase in power of the federal government would help citizens preserve their rights.
B) The decrease in power of the federal government would help citizens preserve their rights.
C) The increase in power of the states' governments would help citizens preserve their rights.
D) The decrease in power of the states' governments would help citizens preserve their rights.

Question 68

Based on James Madison's views, the primary driver of factionalization was what?

A) where a citizen lived
B) where a citizen worked
C) the inequality of wealth
D) the inequality of health

Question 69

Which of the following would have been part of the argument in opposition to ratifying the proposed Constitution by the Anti-Federalists?

A) The increase in power of the federal government would help citizens preserve their rights.
B) The decrease in power of the federal government would harms citizens' abilities to preserve their rights.
C) The increase in power of the states' governments would help citizens preserve their rights.
D) The decrease in power of the states' governments would harms citizens' abilities to preserve their rights.

Question 70

The suppression of the rights of the people by those holding the power is also called what?

A) tyranny
B) oppression
C) subjugation
D) racism

Question 71

Which of the following was considered to be a danger to the republic in James Madison's view?

A) Nationalists
B) Anti-Federalists
C) factions
D) Federalists

Question 72

The argument that the separation of powers between two different levels of government would prevent the dangers of factions would be most closely associated with which group's ideology?

A) Federalists
B) Anti-Federalists
C) Nationalists
D) Democrats

Question 73

Which of the following was of greater concern to the Federalists?

A) the threat of slaves revolting against their masters
B) the threat of poorer people using their power to redistribute wealth
C) the threat of the wealthy elite taking control of the government
D) the threat of invasion by foreign nations and attacks by Native Americans

Question 74

Which of the following describes a situation where a large number of citizens use their power to tramples the rights of smaller groups in a nation?

A) factionalization
B) a political coup
C) tyranny of the minority
D) tyranny of the majority

Question 75

In some ways, Federalists and Anti-Federalists were split along distinctions of ______.

A) class
B) religion
C) age
D) education

Question 76

How did the Anti-Federalists attempt to keep people from supporting the new Constitution?

A) They argued that the new Congress would not be able to tax the people.
B) They argued that the new government would be less powerful than the current government.
C) They argued that citizens would have less checks on the power of the national government.
D) They argued that states under the new government would be stronger than they were under current laws.

Question 77

Which of the following describes a situation where a small number of citizens tramples the rights of the larger population?

A) factionalization
B) a political coup
C) tyranny of the minority
D) tyranny of the majority

Question 78

Who were the Federalist Papers meant to influence?

A) citizens in contested states like New York
B) citizens in contested states like Georgia
C) citizens in opposing states like South Carolina
D) citizens in opposing states like Pennsylvania

Question 79

The Federalist Papers were written with which objective in the minds of the authors?

A) The authors were trying to instill fears into the minds of the readers regarding the proposed constitution.
B) The authors were trying to calm the fears of the readers regarding the proposed Constitution.
C) The authors were trying to encourage readers to vote out all current legislators from office.
D) The authors were trying to discourage readers from removing all current legislators from office in the next election.

Question 80

A small group of Americans who come together to pursue their own interests, even at the risk of harming other Americans' interests, could be referred to as what?

A) a political party
B) a faction
C) an interest group
D) a Federalist group