Deck 2: The Constitution

Question 1

Which central issues fueled the American Revolution?

A) Colonial autonomy and monarchical rule
B) Monarchical autonomy and autocratic freedom
C) British freedom and colonial rule
D) Colonial government and autocratic freedom

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In 1764, Parliament passed the _______, which constituted a significant tariff on the import of foreign goods and raw materials, thus introducing additional financial strain on some colonists.

A) Declaratory Act
B) Quartering Act
C) Sugar Act
D) Stamp Act

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which Parliamentary act was the first to impose a direct tax on the colonists?

A) Declaratory Act
B) Quartering Act
C) Sugar Act
D) Stamp Act

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In addition to boycotting goods made in Britain and arguing that Parliament could not levy taxes, the Stamp Act Congress of 1765

A) denounced taxation without representation.
B) demanded revolution.
C) refused to engage in commerce between colonies.
D) All of the above

Question 5

After repealing the Stamp Act in 1766, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, which stated that

A) Parliament had supremacy over the colonies.
B) the king had supremacy over the colonies.
C) the Church of England had supremacy over the colonies.
D) All of the above

Question 6

To protest the Tea Act in 1773, colonists disguised as _______ boarded ships in Boston Harbor and threw tea chests overboard.

A) runaway slaves
B) American Indians
C) British royals
D) women

Question 7

Parliament responded to the protest of the Boston Tea Party by revoking the Massachusetts colonial charter, closing Boston Harbor, and

A) renaming the colony.
B) legalizing the housing of British troops in unoccupied buildings.
C) forcing all Massachusetts land owners to relinquish title to their land.
D) All of the above

Question 8

In what year did the First Continental Congress meet in Philadelphia?

A) 1758
B) 1769
C) 1774
D) 1776

Question 9

What justification did the First Continental Congress provide for declaring the illegitimacy of the Coercive Acts?

A) The colonies only owed allegiance to Parliament, not to the king.
B) The colonies owed allegiance to the king and to Parliament.
C) The colonies only owed allegiance to the king, not to Parliament.
D) The colonies owed allegiance to no one.

Question 10

Which of the following is true?

A) The American Revolution began before the Declaration of Independence.
B) The American Revolution began in Massachusetts.
C) Both of the above
D) Neither of the above

Question 11

The colonists believed they were being treated unfairly by Britain because of

A) taxation without representation.
B) removal of power from the colonial governments.
C) lack of colonial governing power.
D) All of the above

Question 12

The new government's language of equality and inclusion extended to

A) women.
B) American Indians.
C) African slaves.
D) None of the above

Question 13

Given that those who were not men, were not White, and did not own property were not intended to enjoy full inclusion in the new government system, which of the following founding values was the least genuinely put into practice?

A) Freedom
B) Equality
C) Opportunity
D) Independence

Question 14

At the time of the founding of the new nation, Britain had what form of government?

A) Direct democracy
B) Unitary form of government
C) State-based form of government
D) Central form of government

Question 15

A _______ is defined as a system in which states and other governmental units are completely controlled by and under the authority of a central government.

A) direct democracy
B) unitary form of government
C) state-based form of government
D) central form of government

Question 16

What is a confederation?

A) A system in which states and other governmental units are completely controlled by and under the authority of a central government
B) A system in which states and other governmental units organize a weak central government while maintaining ultimate power for themselves
C) A system in which there is only a central government
D) A system in which states and other governmental units relinquish all political power, and no economic power, to the central government

Question 17

Which of the following is not retained by the states in a confederation?

A) Power
B) Independence
C) Loyalty to a central government
D) Sovereignty

Question 18

After the Declaration of Independence, who chaired the committee to create a plan for the structure of the new government?

A) James Madison
B) Patrick Henry
C) George Washington
D) John Dickinson

Question 19

The first U.S. government was based on the

A) U. S. Constitution.
B) Articles of Confederation.
C) Second Continental Congress.
D) Bill of Rights.

Question 20

The last state to adopt the Articles of Confederation was

A) Maryland.
B) Virginia.
C) South Carolina.
D) Massachusetts.

Question 21

The creation of a weak central government under the Articles of Confederation was a logical step for the new nation given that the colonists

A) knew nothing of political philosophy.
B) did not think government was useful.
C) had rebelled against overbearing religious dogma.
D) had rebelled against the absolutism of the British government.

Question 22

The Articles of Confederation established a _______, in which the legislative body consisted of only one house.

A) government with three branches
B) government run solely through Congress
C) bicameral form of government
D) unicameral form of government

Question 23

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress did not have which of the following?

A) Power to declare war
B) Power to enact taxes
C) Power to coin money
D) Power to make treaties

Question 24

Which of the following helped to expose the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

A) Bacon's Rebellion
B) Revere's Rebellion
C) Shays' Rebellion
D) None of the above

Question 25

When did Congress call a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation?

A) April 1786
B) February 1787
C) December 1787
D) June 1788

Question 26

The Articles of Confederation failed because of

A) a lack of will among the states to maintain alliances.
B) the inability of the government to make decisions.
C) the inability of the government to declare war and make peace.
D) the inability of the government to force the people or states to pay taxes.

Question 27

How many Framers of the Constitution were there?

A) 13
B) 27
C) 44
D) 55

Question 28

In constructing a new Constitution, the Framers attempted to balance the authority of

A) the central government and the authority of the states.
B) monarch and the authority of the legislature.
C) the rich and the authority of the poor.
D) government and the authority of religion.

Question 29

The delegates of the Constitutional Convention created a new governmental system with state powers, national government powers, and

A) parliamentary powers.
B) individual powers.
C) concurrent powers for the states and national government.
D) concurrent powers for religious and governmental authorities.

Question 30

The Framers of the Constitution represented the majority population of the new nation on what dimension?

A) Wealth
B) Race
C) Education
D) Social position

Question 31

Which of the following was not one of the procedural decisions that were quickly made at the Constitutional Convention?

A) Encouraging input from members outside of the Convention
B) Holding secret sessions
C) Choosing George Washington to preside over the sessions
D) None of the above

Question 32

A bicameral legislature consists of

A) no chambers.
B) 1 chamber.
C) 2 chambers.
D) 3 chambers.

Question 33

Which of the following plans proposed a system of government with a strong central government with three branches and a legislature with proportional representation?

A) Virginia Plan
B) Rhode Island Plan
C) New Jersey Plan
D) Massachusetts Plan

Question 34

Which of the following plans proposed a system of government that maintained a confederation with a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state?

A) Virginia Plan
B) Rhode Island Plan
C) New Jersey Plan
D) Massachusetts Plan

Question 35

Who put forth the plan known as the Connecticut (or Great) Compromise?

A) James Madison
B) John Dickinson
C) Thomas Jefferson
D) Roger Sherman

Question 36

Initially, each state received equal representation in the Senate and one House seat per

A) 10,000 persons.
B) 50,000 persons.
C) 30,000 persons.
D) 20,000 persons.

Question 37

The Great Compromise included provisions for a bicameral legislature, equal representation in the Senate, and

A) two heads of the executive branch.
B) a powerful judiciary.
C) equal representation in the House.
D) proportional representation in the House.

Question 38

The key factor that led to success during the Constitutional Convention was the

A) insistence on choosing one state's established plans.
B) ability to compromise.
C) deep, theoretical agreement among the Founders.
D) ability to consult with members of state legislators who were not at the Convention.

Question 39

If slaveholding states considered slaves property, not people, why did they want slaves counted as free persons within the census?

A) They wanted to count Blacks in slaveholding states in the same way Blacks were counted in nonslaveholding states for the sake of equality.
B) These states were confused about the outcome of counting slaves as full persons.
C) This would provide these states with a greater number of seats in the House of Representatives.
D) They did not want to appear unfair in how they developed the Constitution.

Question 40

Who did not want slaves to be counted in the census?

A) Delegates from nonslaveholding states.
B) Delegates from small states.
C) Delegates from large states.
D) Delegates from slaveholding states.

Question 41

Which compromise resolved the issue of how to count slaves for representational purposes?

A) Two-Thirds Compromise
B) Three-Fifths Compromise
C) New Jersey Compromise
D) Virginia Compromise

Question 42

Which of the following was a direct effect of the Three-Fifths Compromise?

A) Slaveholding states had significantly more representation in the House than they would have if slaves were not counted.
B) Small states had significantly more representation in the House than they would have if slaves were not counted.
C) All non-White individuals in the United States were counted as three-fifths of a person for representation purposes.
D) None of the above

Question 43

Which group was in favor of the ratification of the Constitution?

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

Question 44

For the Constitution to become the basis for a new national government after the Continental Congress, _______ of the states had to ratify it.

A) all
B) one-half
C) two-thirds
D) three-fourths

Question 45

Which of the following was not an Anti-Federalist?

A) James Madison
B) Patrick Henry
C) Sam Adams
D) George Mason

Question 46

Why were the Anti-Federalists opposed to the Constitution?

A) It lacked a bill of rights.
B) They feared a consolidated government.
C) They opposed unlimited taxing power.
D) All of the above

Question 47

Which was the first state to ratify the Constitution?

A) Virginia
B) Massachusetts
C) Delaware
D) Rhode Island

Question 48

When did the new government officially take office?

A) June 1787
B) January 1789
C) April 1792
D) April 1793

Question 49

Of the 12 amendments the first Congress sent to the states based on the state-ratifying conventions, how many were ratified?

A) 5
B) 7
C) 10
D) 12

Question 50

The first 10 amendments of the Constitution are known as the

A) law of the land.
B) Bill of Rights.
C) Articles of Confederation.
D) Anti-Federalist Papers.

Question 51

Which group particularly pushed for the Bill of Rights?

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

Question 52

Which of the following areas fundamentally separate the Articles of Confederation from the Constitution?

A) National supremacy
B) Executive branch
C) Judicial branch
D) All of the above

Question 53

What is the main point of the supremacy clause?

A) It establishes that the Constitution and the laws of the United States are the law of the land and supreme to all laws passed by the state and local governments.
B) It establishes that the Articles of Confederation and the laws of the United States are the law of the land and supreme to all laws passed by the state and local governments.
C) It establishes that the laws of the state and local governments are the law of the land and supreme to all laws passed by the national governments.
D) It establishes that the national, state, and local governments have equal amounts of power.

Question 54

The Constitution grants _______ enumerated powers to the legislative branch.

A) 7
B) 17
C) 27
D) 37

Question 55

What are enumerated powers?

A) Powers of the federal government that are inferred from the powers expressly stated in the Constitution
B) Powers of the federal government specifically stated in the Constitution
C) Powers of the state governments that are inferred from the powers expressly stated in the Constitution
D) Powers of the state governments specifically stated in the Constitution

Question 56

What are implied powers?

A) Powers of the federal government that are inferred from the powers expressly stated in the Constitution
B) Powers of the federal government specifically stated in the Constitution
C) Powers of the state governments that are inferred from the powers expressly stated in the Constitution
D) Powers of the state governments specifically stated in the Constitution

Question 57

The ability of Congress to exercise implied powers comes from which part of the Constitution?

A) Article 3, Section 4
B) Article 1, Section 8
C) Article 2, Section 2
D) Article 4, Section 1

Question 58

Which of the following is not one of the enumerated powers for the regulation of commerce enjoyed by the legislative branch?

A) Regulation of interstate and foreign commerce
B) Power to establish bankruptcy laws
C) Power to raise and support armies
D) Power to coin money

Question 59

The existence of the U.S. Army is an example of Congress's

A) enumerated powers.
B) implied powers.
C) stated powers.
D) legislative powers.

Question 60

The existence of the Internal Revenue Service is an example of Congress's

A) enumerated powers.
B) implied powers.
C) stated powers.
D) legislative powers.

Question 61

What was the Framers' solution to the Articles of Confederation problem of enforcing Congress's laws and decisions?

A) Creation of the legislative branch
B) Creation of the executive branch
C) Creation of the judicial branch
D) None of the above

Question 62

Which clause gives Congress the authority to make essential and appropriate laws to carry out its enumerated responsibilities?

A) Necessary and proper clause
B) Supremacy clause
C) Due process clause
D) Equal protection clause

Question 63

The necessary and proper clause is also known as the

A) elastic clause.
B) subtle clause.
C) supremacy clause.
D) adaptability clause.

Question 64

Which Supreme Court ruling resulted in a broad interpretation of the necessary and proper clause?

A) (1819)
B) Barron v. Baltimore (1833)
C) Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
D) Hurtado v. California (1884)

Question 65

Why did the Framers believe the U.S. Constitution needed an executive branch?

A) They thought it would be useful to have an authority figure that was more like a monarch.
B) They realized it was important for the necessary and proper clause.
C) They wanted to ensure that the laws were faithfully executed.
D) They wanted to try a new governmental approach.

Question 66

The decision to have a president was a compromise between which two plans?

A) Massachusetts and Connecticut
B) Virginia and New Jersey
C) South Carolina and Massachusetts
D) Virginia and Maryland

Question 67

Why did the Framers need to include a judicial branch in the U.S. Constitution?

A) State courts could not understand federal laws.
B) State courts were not being informed of new federal laws.
C) Courts were enforcing laws equally across all states.
D) Courts were enforcing laws to differing degrees and in different ways across the states.

Question 68

The judicial branch is based on what article of the Constitution?

A) Article 1, Section 1
B) Article 2, Section 1
C) Article 3, Section 1
D) Article 4, Section 1

Question 69

Which of the following is not accurate?

A) The U. S. Supreme Court has final authority over all lower courts.
B) The U. S. Supreme Court is the only part of the federal judiciary.
C) Congress may create lower-level national courts.
D) All of the above

Question 70

To amend the Constitution, how many of the states must ratify the proposed amendment?

A) All
B) One-half
C) Two-thirds
D) Three-fourths

Question 71

Under the Constitution, the amendment ratification process

A) is difficult and allows a small minority of states to veto any changes.
B) allows one state to veto any changes.
C) is easy in that it does not take a majority of states to veto any changes.
D) allows two states to veto any changes.

Question 72

Since the Bill of Rights was ratified, Congress has amended the Constitution _______ times.

A) 13
B) 17
C) 23
D) 27

Question 73

Which amendment provided a right to a public trial?

A) Sixth
B) Seventh
C) Eighth
D) Ninth

Question 74

Which amendment gave the states any powers not delegated to the federal government?

A) Third
B) Seventh
C) Ninth
D) Tenth

Question 75

Many of the amendments have worked to break down the direct political effects of which theoretical tradition?

A) Classical liberalism
B) Classical republicanism
C) Inegalitarianism
D) Democracy

Question 76

Which of the following was an attempt by the Framers to ensure a balance of power within the various levels of government?

A) Separation of powers
B) Varying office terms
C) Electoral College
D) All of the above

Question 77

How many proposals for amendments to the Constitution have there been since the founding?

A) Around 100
B) Around 1,000
C) Around 10,000
D) Around 100,000

Question 78

There are _______ electors in the Electoral College.

A) 435
B) 438
C) 535
D) 538

Question 79

The number of electors in the Electoral College corresponds to the total number of seats in the

A) House of Representatives.
B) Senate.
C) House of Representatives and the Senate.
D) House of Representatives and the Senate, plus 3 for D. C.

Question 80

Because of the Electoral College, a candidate for president can win

A) the most populous states, but still lose the election.
B) the popular vote, but still lose the election.
C) more states, but still lose the election.
D) All of the above