Deck 2: From Colonialism to Constitutionalism

Question 1

The Virginia Plan envisioned

A)a single-house national legislature based on the population of each state.
B)state representation in a unicameral legislature based on equal representation.
C)a single house in which all states would be represented equally.
D)a strong central government composed of legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
E)a weak national government with a unicameral legislative branch and no power to tax.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Colonist __________ wrote the famous pamphlet __________, which is credited with turning the tide of public opinion in favor of a formal break with England.

A)Benjamin Franklin, Common Decency
B)James Madison, Revolutionary Sense
C)Thomas Jefferson, Common Independence
D)Thomas Paine, Common Sense
E)Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Papers

Answer 2

D

Question 3

What was the primary purpose of the First Continental Congress?

A)to establish an international identity
B)to adopt the Declaration of Independence
C)to coordinate a joint response to the actions of the British
D)to coordinate a colonial response to England's declaration of war
E)to set new tax rates in the colonies in response to a request from Parliament.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The Magna Charta and the English Bill of Rights both:

A)promoted equality and expanded rights.
B)expanded Parliament's power at the expense of the American colonists.
C)imposed additional taxes and responsibilities upon English subjects.
D)altered the procedures for electing new members of Parliament.
E)restricted the colonies from forming their own governments.

Question 5

What was the single most important decision made at the Philadelphia Convention?

A)to amend the Articles of Confederation
B)to reject independence and seek assistance from other countries
C)to reject a monarchy, replacing it with a nationally elected president and vice president
D)to nullify the Articles of Confederation and write a new constitution
E)to adopt the Articles of Confederation and form a new government.

Question 6

Daniel Shays was a(an)

A)farmer and Revolutionary War veteran.
B)anarchist opposed to the establishment of any government.
C)merchant who supported stronger anti-trust laws.
D)delegate to the Second Constitutional Convention.
E)traitor and secret supporter of Parliament and the King.

Question 7

The Connecticut Compromise prevented the collapse of the Constitutional Convention by resolving which fundamental conflict between the Virginia and New Jersey Plans?

A)the conflict between members who wanted a strong federal government and those wanting strong states' rights
B)the deep political division between James Madison and Alexander Hamilton
C)the disagreement among members about representation in the national legislature
D)the problem between those who favored a bill of rights and those who opposed it
E)the problem of trade between northern states and southern states

Question 8

One of the prominent features of the New Jersey Plan was

A)a single-house national legislature based on the population of each state.
B)state representation in a bicameral Congress based on the population of each state.
C)a single house in which all states would be represented equally.
D)a national government composed of legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
E)establishing judicial review for the judicial branch.

Question 9

The skirmish between British soldiers and Massachusetts minutemen at Lexington in 1775 catalyzed what important meeting?

A)the Second Continental Congress
B)the Constitutional Convention
C)the First Continental Congress
D)the New England Confederation
E)the Washington Convention

Question 10

Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan in an effort to

A)create friction between the colonies and British rulers.
B)find a way for colonies to cooperate with their British rulers.
C)devise a secession plan for Albany leaders.
D)devise a secession plan for the colonies.
E)end slavery in the colonies.

Question 11

What is the importance of the fraction three-fifths when discussing the compromises made between states during the Philadelphia Convention?

A)A slave would be worth three-fifths of a full vote for purposes of allocating seats in the House of Representatives.
B)Congress would need a three-fifths majority to overturn a presidential veto.
C)A candidate would need three-fifths of the popular vote to be elected president.
D)A three-fifths majority of the delegates would be needed to approve the Constitution.
E)A president could be impeached with three-fifths majorities in each house of Congress.

Question 12

The inability of the central government to tax individuals and the lack of power to regulate commerce rendered the __________ ineffective.

A)American Revolution
B)Articles of Confederation
C)Virginia Plan
D)United Colonies
E)Albany Plan of Union

Question 13

What was the main purpose of the "committees of correspondence"?

A)to plan secret attacks on British soldiers
B)to organize the first battles of the revolution
C)to have a forum for colonists to voice dissent
D)to establish a network of communication between the colonies
E)to improve communication between the colonists and Parliament.

Question 14

Which one of the following best explains why the Articles of Confederation purposely created a weak national government?

A)the Articles were based on a theory of state sovereignty.
B)the Articles were intended to not offend Parliament and King George III.
C)the Articles separated power into three distinct branches: executive, legislative, judicial.
D)the Articles were actually intended to create a very powerful central government.
E)the Articles intended for a strong executive branch but weak judicial and legislative branches.

Question 15

What two primary factors led to the calling of a constitutional convention?

A)economic distress and centralized national power
B)centralized national power and inflation
C)oppression by the British government and inflation
D)economic distress and the inability of the new government to deal with problems
E)the presence of British soldiers in the colonies and economic distress

Question 16

Which amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery?

A)Eighth
B)Thirteenth
C)Fourteenth
D)Twenty-first
E)Twelfth

Question 17

With the passage of the Sugar Act, Parliament ignored a fundamental freedom extended to English citizens and to colonists until that point.What fundamental right was ignored?

A)Taxes could only be imposed on citizens by popular election.
B)Taxes could only be imposed on citizens by elected representatives with the king's consent.
C)Taxes could only be imposed on citizens by elected representatives.
D)Taxes could only be imposed on citizens by the king.
E)taxes could be imposed by anyone in government for any reason.

Question 18

The English Bill of Rights of 1689

A)established the right of freedom of speech.
B)guaranteed the right to trial by jury.
C)bound the nobility to respect the authority of the king.
D)bound the king to respect the rights of the nobles.
E)established a right to habeas corpus.

Question 19

While colonists agreed that Parliament could make some laws for them, they claimed that Parliament did not have the

A)power to pray without citizens' blessing.
B)power to tax without citizens' consent.
C)power to tax without citizens' setting the tax rate.
D)power to make laws without citizens' taxes being collected.
E)power to regulate trade between colonies.

Question 20

Shays's Rebellion came about because

A)the federal government was imposing unfair taxes on farmers.
B)the tariffs on trade between states was becoming too steep.
C)laborers felt they were not being paid well enough.
D)Massachusetts was taxing its citizens too heavily.
E)Parliament imposed new taxes without the colonists' consent.

Question 21

How many amendments proposed by Congress since the Civil War have been ratified by the states?

A)10
B)only half
C)75
D)almost all
E)one

Question 22

Which of the following statements regarding The Federalist Papers is TRUE?

A)They have played a central role in American constitutional history.
B)Although they shaped debate at the time they were published, they are of little importance today.
C)They were never more than historical curiosities.
D)They were not important at the time they were published, but have gained importance since then.
E)Many of their arguments were rejected when the Constitution was ratified.

Question 23

The most recent amendment dealt with

A)the voting right for 18-year-olds.
B)presidential succession.
C)salary increases for members of Congress.
D)voting in presidential elections for Washington, D.C.
E)term limits for members of Congress.

Question 24

Separation of the three branches of government, legislative, judicial, and executive, was secured by the

A)judicial review.
B)U.S.Constitution.
C)Bill of Rights.
D)Federalist Papers.
E)Articles of Confederation.

Question 25

The American Revolution began on April 19, 1775.

Question 26

The inclusion of a Bill of Rights in the U.S.Constitution was the direct result of the

A)demands of the Antifederalists.
B)foresight of George Washington.
C)demands of the state governments.
D)interpretation of the Constitution by the first Supreme Court.
E)Shays's Rebellion.

Question 27

President Bill Clinton was impeached by

A)the House of Representatives.
B)the Senate.
C)Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
D)his cabinet.
E)the Supreme Court.

Question 28

The main principles in the national supremacy clause of the Constitution (Article VI) were originally proposed by the

A)New Jersey Plan.
B)Articles of Confederation.
C)Albany Plan.
D)members of Congress.
E)Virginia Plan

Question 29

Who was a leading spokesman for the Antifederalists?

A)James Madison
B)John Jay
C)George Mason
D)Alexander Hamilton
E)Daniel Shays

Question 30

What principle holds that the U.S.Constitution and all federal laws and treaties are superior to conflicting provisions of state constitutions and laws?

A)federalism
B)national supremacy
C)popular sovereignty
D)separation of powers
E)checks and balances

Question 31

What is the main argument of Federalist 51?

A)Separation of powers and checks and balances are necessary.
B)Factions undermine popular sovereignty and threaten governments.
C)A Bill of Rights was not necessary in the Constitution.
D)The executive should be chosen directly by the people, not legislatures.
E)A unicameral legislature is more democratic than bicameralism.

Question 32

Popular sovereignty implies that the final source of legal authority rests with the

A)president.
B)state governments.
C)federal government.
D)people.
E)political parties.

Question 33

Amending the Constitution is a two-stage process of

A)referendum and initiative.
B)advice and consent.
C)checks and balances.
D)proposal and ratification.
E)initiative and review.

Question 34

The 1787 convention delegates decided that the proposed Constitution would be ratified when approved by

A)seven of the states.
B)nine of the states.
C)twelve of the states.
D)all of the states.
E)any three states.

Question 35

The president has the power to negotiate treaties with foreign nations but such agreements on behalf of the United States must be approved by

A)a two-thirds vote of each house of the Congress.
B)a majority vote of the House of Representatives.
C)a two-thirds vote of the U.S.Senate.
D)a majority of the president's cabinet.
E)two-thirds of the states.

Question 36

What is the main purpose of checks and balances?

A)to limit the power of government by making each branch dependent on the others
B)to limit the power of government by dividing it along geographic lines
C)to hold each branch of government accountable to the voters
D)to prevent one branch of government from interfering in the affairs of another branch
E)to create and implement obstacles to efficient governmental decision-making

Question 37

The power of courts to declare legislative action unconstitutional is called

A)federalism.
B)judicial review.
C)checks and balances.
D)separation of powers.
E) judicial pre-emption.

Question 38

Which of the following devices used to restrain the power of government is NOT expressly stated in the Constitution?

A)judicial review
B)federalism
C)checks and balances
D)separation of powers
E)impeachment

Question 39

Federal judges are assigned to life tenure in order to

A)free them from public opinion.
B)give more power to the political parties.
C)handle the increasing workload of federal cases.
D)ensure that minorities and women are adequately represented.
E)save money in the federal budget.

Question 40

The Antifederalist arguments are important because they

A)articulate the core principles of American constitutional theory.
B)support the notion of the "divine right of kings."
C)articulate the inherent dangers of a centralized government.
D)argue that the colonies should maintain strong ties to the British government.
E)argue in favor of strong armed forces.

Question 41

The two steps required to amend the Constitution are proposal and ratification.

Question 42

For over 200 years, the U.S.Constitution has served as the basic instrument of government for the United States.

Question 43

The theory of state sovereignty was the impetus behind the writing of the U.S.Constitution.

Question 44

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention hailed from and represented the nation's middle classes.

Question 45

Under the Electoral College system, the number of electors is equal to the total number of representatives in the House of Representatives.

Question 46

The Senate is given the sole power to impeach but the House alone has the authority to convict and remove the accused person.

Question 47

The Supreme Court's power of judicial review extends not only to the actions of the United States Congress and the president, but also to acts of the state governments.

Question 48

The Federalist Papers argued in favor of a weak national government.

Question 49

The Connecticut Compromise was a proposal that called for the number of representatives in the House to be determined by population and giving each state equal representation in the Senate.

Question 50

The doctrine of popular sovereignty makes American federalism possible.

Question 51

The main purpose of checks and balances is to limit the power of government by making each branch dependent on the other.

Question 52

The American Legal System is based on English Common Law.

Question 53

Federalism is a system for organizing government that is based on a geographic division of power.

Question 54

A constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery was not ratified until after the Civil War.

Question 55

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.

Question 56

Shays's Rebellion lasted for five years and ended with the death of Daniel Shays at the hands of one of his officers.

Question 57

The Articles of Confederation created a strong national government with the power to tax.

Question 58

The New Jersey Plan included a proposal that a national government, consisting of a supreme legislative branch, executive branch, and judiciary branch, ought to be established.

Question 59

At the Constitutional Convention, sessions were open to the public.

Question 60

According to the Magna Charta, the King was bound by the law and had to respect the rights of his subjects.

Question 61

Assess the development of the Constitution over the past 200 years.In what ways does it fulfill the framers' intent, and in what ways may it differ from their intent?

Question 62

Identify the most important debates at the Constitutional Convention and explain the ways in which they were resolved.

Question 63

Assess the impact of the colonial and revolutionary experience on the structure of the U.S.Constitution. In what ways might the Constitution be viewed as a product of the historical struggle against British colonialism?

Question 64

Compare and contrast the assumptions the Federalists and Anti-Federalists held about government and political power.

Question 65

In what ways are the U.S.Constitution and the Articles of Confederation similar? How are they different?

Question 66

Specially-elected ratifying conventions in each of the states have been used to ratify only the Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S.Constitution.