Deck 2: The Constitution and the Founding

Question 1

Attendees at the Constitutional Convention chose the electoral college as a means of selecting a president because it helped tie the executive branch to the legislative branch.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

One of the central debates that took place during the Constitutional Convention was whether to make the national government stronger than the state governments,with the Antifederalists in favor of a stronger national government while the Federalists favored stronger state governments.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In order to break the deadlock between large and small states at the Constitutional Convention,Virginia,as one of the largest states,proposed the Great Compromise,which guaranteed that large states would hold more power in the constitutional balance by having membership in both houses of Congress based on population.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The Constitution did NOT outlaw slavery because none of the framers objected to the practice.

Question 5

Our separation of powers system works by distributing some powers to individual branches,having the branches share others,and then giving each branch some power over the others.

Question 6

In contrast to the Articles of Confederation,the Constitution places a strong emphasis on limiting governing power.

Question 7

According to James Madison,factions must be set against each other to control majority tyranny.This is the same theory that applies to interest group competition in today's political environment.

Question 8

The Tea Party movement supports political candidates who endorse a return to the Constitution's founding principles.

Question 9

Among the president's powers are the ability to recognize representatives from other countries,the responsibility for executing the law,and the power to pass the federal budget.

Question 10

The Bill of Rights is a list of limits on the control that the federal government has over state governments.

Question 11

A national convention has been used most often when ratifying a constitutional amendment.

Question 12

The framers believed that protecting the natural rights of citizens would be accomplished through a government that relied on the "consent of the governed."

Question 13

The Constitution was based on the framers' political interests as much as it was based on their ideals.

Question 14

The judicial branch received far less attention from the framers than the legislative and executive branches did.This branch was not truly an equal partner in the government until after the decision in McCulloch v.Maryland bestowed the power of judicial review on the Supreme Court.

Question 15

One of the main reasons that the framers adopted the infamous Three-fifths Compromise over the citizenship of slaves is that northern states feared that southern states would gain more political prominence in the House of Representatives if slaves were counted as citizens.

Question 16

The Constitution accomplishes the following tasks: it sets up our basic rules of governance,limits government actions against citizens,and provides for specific individual rights.

Question 17

Despite seeking a stronger national government,the framers of the Constitution still believed in the need to limit the national government through the separation of powers.

Question 18

Debates at the Constitutional Convention inevitably centered on how to distribute power among the branches of the government.

Question 19

A separation of powers system creates different branches of government with completely independent realms of power.

Question 20

Due to the lack of feudalism in the United States,most Americans owned small farms or worked as middle-class artisans and craftsmen,which led to economic equality influencing the debate at the Constitutional Convention.

Question 21

The authors of the Federalist Papers included:

A) James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and John Jay
B) John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton
C) Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Thomas Jefferson
D) Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson
E) James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay

Question 22

How did the Articles of Confederation swing too far in the direction of limited government?

A) The Articles of Confederation included an executive and judicial branch, but no legislative branch.
B) The Articles of Confederation included a legislative and executive branch, but no judicial branch.
C) The Articles of Confederation gave all power to the states with no federal government.
D) All federal power was given to a Congress, where each state had one vote.
E) All federal power was given to the executive branch, where each state had one vote.

Question 23

Which of the following issues spurred the states to organize the Annapolis Convention?

A) prosecution of debts incurred by war veterans
B) the dispute between the United States and Spain over territorial borders
C) an inability of the national government to raise funds with taxes or tariffs
D) war debts owed to foreign governments
E) the need for the national government to regulate commerce between the states

Question 24

What three principles stated in the Declaration of Independence were generally agreed upon by the Constitution's framers?

A) natural rights, equality, and government accountability only to God
B) equality, self-rule, and natural rights
C) equality, an end to all forms of taxation, and divine right
D) self-rule, an end to all forms of taxation, and natural rights
E) natural rights, the right to rebellion for transient causes, and popular democracy

Question 25

The Constitution was created in a context of:

A) quarrels among the states and the growing perception of the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation
B) relative peace and tranquility
C) mild dissatisfaction with the Declaration of Independence
D) clear goals held by every American after the Revolutionary War
E) agreement among the states about forming a national government

Question 26

In a republican democracy,legitimacy is based on the idea that:

A) people have natural rights that government must protect
B) citizens should have equal political rights
C) elected leaders exercise power by consent of the governed
D) states have more power than the national government
E) states can veto the actions of the federal government

Question 27

Which of the following was part of the national government formed under the Articles of Confederation?

A) the power to regulate commerce between states
B) the power of the people to elect their representatives directly
C) an independent executive branch
D) special panels of judges to resolve disputes between states
E) a bicameral Congress

Question 28

The Articles of Confederation failed because:

A) the document did not adequately address demands for limited government
B) Americans rebelled against any document that supported a monarchy
C) the document accorded elected national leaders too much power
D) it placed too many limits on governmental power
E) the states failed to ratify the document

Question 29

Which of the following events played a prominent role in highlighting the need for the Annapolis Convention?

A) Shays's Rebellion
B) the publication of Common Sense
C) the Revolutionary War
D) the Declaration of Independence
E) boundary disputes with foreign nations

Question 30

One of the most significant economic differences among the framers of the Constitution was:

A) based on wealth, with debates arising between the rich and the poor
B) grounded in regional differences, with the South favoring free trade and the North preferring government-managed trade
C) based on labor differences, with debates arising between the interests of factory workers and the interests of farmers
D) about conflicts that cut across states, such as debtors' interests versus creditors' interests
E) based on whether or not to create an income tax for citizens

Question 31

A(n)_________ is a form of government that involves popular control of government by the people through elected officials.

A) aristocracy
B) republican democracy
C) monarchy
D) oligarchy
E) dictatorship

Question 32

Those colonists who remained supportive of the British monarchy during the Revolutionary War were called:

A) Tories
B) Republicans
C) Monarchists
D) Whigs
E) Democrats

Question 33

Which of the following best describes the Constitution?

A) It is specific, and thus its meaning is rarely debatable.
B) It provides for a strong executive with limitless powers during times of war.
C) The document once shaped every aspect of national politics, but has been weakened in recent years.
D) It establishes guiding principles for government and gives ultimate power to the people through direct democracy.
E) It provides the basic rules for government and citizens with certain rights and liberties.

Question 34

To deal with the problem of factions,James Madison proposed:

A) controlling them through a separation of powers
B) controlling them by prohibiting citizens from taking certain actions
C) reducing factions by encouraging citizens to have the same interests
D) eliminating factions through limits on individual liberties
E) eliminating factions through limits on state governments

Question 35

Which of the following was a key part of the government formed under the Articles of Confederation?

A) direct election of members of Congress by the people
B) a federal court system
C) shared powers between the national and state governments
D) the electoral college
E) a strong national government

Question 36

What important lesson did the success of the Tea Party movement in the 2010 midterm elections offer?

A) There is no national consensus on the question of how to interpret the Constitution and the framers' intent.
B) There is only one way to interpret the Constitution.
C) Most people have a pretty strong grasp of the basics of the Constitution.
D) Constitutional issues are rarely complex.
E) Constitutional issues are easily resolved.

Question 37

Which of the following is the main argument behind the Tea Party movement?

A) The Federal Reserve should have expanded powers to regulate the economy.
B) The expansion of the federal government through such programs as Social Security and Medicare is unconstitutional.
C) Presidents have been granted too much power by the Constitution.
D) The Supreme Court should be more proactive in striking down unconstitutional legislation.
E) Taxes should only be used to fund the military.

Question 38

The main reaction to the failure of the Articles of Confederation was to:

A) focus on resolving debates between the state governments
B) rein in the power of the national government
C) encourage stronger state governments
D) make the national government stronger
E) eliminate the state governments

Question 39

Which influential thinker's writings led many of the Constitution's framers to reject monarchy as a method of self-rule?

A) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
B) Thomas Paine
C) Edmund Burke
D) Thomas Hobbes
E) John Stuart Mill

Question 40

The Federalists generally:

A) supported making both national and state governments much stronger than they were under the Articles of Confederation
B) supported increasing the authority of the national government
C) were suspicious of a strong national government
D) preferred a monarchy to a presidency
E) wanted to eliminate the national legislature

Question 41

Why did the framers settle on a single,as opposed to a three-person,executive?

A) They could not agree on three individuals to be the first to serve in the designated positions.
B) They feared that three individuals would not provide a unified voice for the government
C) They realized that one person would act more decisively, yet still be constrained by checks and balances.
D) The president would not have the power of the veto.
E) The president would not play a significant role in the legislative process.

Question 42

The Antifederalists:

A) generally favored relatively strong state governments
B) did not want a stronger national government than that which existed under the Articles of Confederation
C) were those colonists who continued supporting the British Crown during the Revolutionary War
D) wanted a stronger national government, even if it came at the expense of state power
E) generally favored relatively weak state governments

Question 43

For James Madison,the problem associated with a tyranny of the majority was that:

A) large factions might capture control of the government and ignore the rights of those in the minority
B) large groups of voters might grab power by circumventing elections
C) the representative legislative branch would exercise too much power over the presidency
D) regional majorities would become entrenched and prevent government from working for the common good
E) the president would have too much power over the legislative agenda

Question 44

The size principle refers to:

A) the underlying logic of representing all states equally in the Senate but not in the House
B) a natural limit on majority tyranny where a large, diverse public would be more divided than unified
C) the unified interests of a small group of self-interested citizens
D) the unified interests of a large group of self-interested citizens
E) achieving the largest majority possible in an election outcome

Question 45

Which of the following concepts reflects the need to balance the principle of self-government against the rights of specific groups?

A) providing for both civil liberties and civil rights
B) protecting small states from powerful large states
C) creating a legislative government while allowing for executive leadership
D) providing for majority rule while protecting minority rights
E) providing for minority rule while protecting majority rights

Question 46

A form of government in which the leader is chosen by the legislature is called:

A) a separation of powers system
B) a presidential system
C) a legislative system
D) a parliamentary system
E) a democratic system

Question 47

How did the framers design the Constitution to protect minority rights?

A) the double protection of separation of powers and checks and balances to protect against majority tyranny
B) allowing majority tyranny to occur to protect the rights of the many
C) through the creation of political parties
D) through the creation of interest groups
E) through a system of direct democracy

Question 48

What were the two parts of the double protection that James Madison believed would protect against minority and majority tyranny?

A) self-rule and federalism
B) federalism and separation of powers
C) separation of powers and self-rule
D) separation of powers and a free press
E) federalism and a free press

Question 49

Which of the following was NOT an idea discussed by John Locke?

A) natural rights
B) property rights
C) checks and balances
D) self-rule through elections
E) the need for rule by a strong monarch

Question 50

A faction is a group of ________ that seek to control government power to ________.

A) minority interests; protect themselves from everyone else
B) majority interests; promote the public good
C) minority interests; promote the public good
D) minority or majority interests; pursue their own interests
E) minority or majority interests; promote the public good

Question 51

What do the authors call the biggest technical error of the Constitution?

A) It accords electors two votes.
B) It fails to give the president the right to introduce legislation.
C) It does not better define judicial review.
D) It created the electoral college.
E) It upholds the provisions of the Three-fifths Compromise.

Question 52

The multiple conflicts at the Constitutional Convention required the delegates to engage in a great degree of political compromise.This implies that the framers of the Constitution:

A) were not guided by ideals
B) had to hold firm to their principles in order to create the best possible form of government
C) had to focus on what they could reasonably accomplish
D) were constantly engaged in political manipulation
E) were divided by partisan differences

Question 53

Which of the following concepts best describes the problems associated with the Articles of Confederation?

A) separation of powers
B) tyranny of the minority
C) tyranny of the majority
D) pluralism
E) checks and balances

Question 54

The agreement that led to the legislature having two houses is called the:

A) Great Compromise
B) Three-fifths Compromise
C) Missouri Compromise
D) Virginia Plan
E) New Jersey Plan

Question 55

Which of the following was implemented in order to protect minorities from majority tyranny?

A) a stronger presidency than under the Articles of Confederation
B) separation of powers between three branches of government
C) a representative democracy
D) a parliamentary system of governance
E) a direct democracy

Question 56

People who share a common political interest are best known as:

A) Federalists
B) self-governed
C) a faction
D) Antifederalists
E) loyalists

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT a reason that the framers of the Constitution chose the electoral college as the method for selecting the president?

A) It was a system that had worked well in other democracies.
B) The different parties to the conflict could all claim victory to some degree.
C) It was the only potential method that was widely acceptable.
D) It incorporated the role of state legislatures in the selection of a president.
E) The president would not be seen as an agent of Congress.

Question 58

The separation of powers in U.S.government refers to:

A) the division of governing authority between states and the national government
B) the limits on the kind of authority government can exercise over individual citizens
C) the division of governing authority among the presidency, the Congress, and the Supreme Court
D) the division of governing authority between the House of Representatives and the Senate
E) the protections for citizens' rights found in the Bill of Rights

Question 59

Despite significant agreement on the need for a ________ national government,there was serious division about ________.

A) weaker; how much stronger state governments should be
B) weaker; how much weaker the federal government should be
C) stronger; how much stronger the federal government should be
D) stronger; how much stronger state governments should be
E) stronger; how much weaker state governments should be

Question 60

According to your text,which of the following ideas did not figure prominently in the debate among the framers of the Constitution?

A) self-rule
B) political equality
C) natural rights
D) property rights
E) republicanism

Question 61

Which of the following powers are NOT exclusive to the legislative branch?

A) the "power of the purse"
B) the ability to send troops into armed conflict
C) the ability to raise an army
D) the ability to declare war
E) the ability to coin money

Question 62

The concept of shared powers means that:

A) the legislative and executive branches have equal powers in some areas
B) no branch has exclusive control in some realms of government action
C) the branches can exercise the same powers
D) no branch has exclusive power
E) the judicial branch has more power than the legislative and executive branches

Question 63

Which of the following slavery issues was dealt with via vote trading?

A) counting slaves in determining state population
B) importing slaves from other nations and dealing with runaway slaves
C) counting slaves in determining taxation
D) determining which states would be allowed to maintain slavery
E) banning the slave trade

Question 64

Which part of government was considered the weakest because it did not have "power of the purse or sword"?

A) state governments
B) legislative branch
C) executive branch
D) judicial branch
E) local governments

Question 65

Which of the following concepts applies most directly to the balance of power between state and national governments?

A) parliamentary system
B) bicameralism
C) separation of powers
D) supremacy clause
E) checks and balances

Question 66

The clearest example of shared powers is:

A) the war powers held by the president and Congress
B) the ability to pass budget laws shared by the president and Congress
C) the power, held by both the Supreme Court and the president, to interpret the constitutionality of laws
D) Congress passing a bill and the president signing it into law
E) the president vetoing legislation and the Congress overriding the veto

Question 67

While the ________ can make decisions about how to use armed forces,only the ________ can make decisions about funding such actions.

A) president; House of Representatives
B) Congress; House of Representatives
C) president; Congress
D) Congress; president
E) House of Representatives; Senate

Question 68

Which of the following was NOT a principal concern the Antifederalists had about the Constitution prior to ratification?

A) the transfer of state powers to the national government
B) the lack of civil liberty guarantees
C) the role of the president
D) the bicameral legislature
E) fear that the national government would become tyrannical

Question 69

While ________ powers are not held exclusively by any branch of government,________ powers are those that one branch can exercise over the other.

A) negative; shared
B) shared; negative
C) negative; exclusive
D) shared; exclusive
E) exclusive; shared

Question 70

Which of the following was NOT a tactic used by the Federalists to refute Antifederalist claims during the ratification debate?

A) They pointed out that Antifederalists had no plan of their own.
B) They engaged in a one-sided propaganda campaign.
C) They agreed to support a Bill of Rights in the new Congress.
D) They agreed to public debates with the Antifederalists.
E) They gained the upper hand in the debate by claiming the term federalist.

Question 71

How did the delegates at the Constitutional Convention compromise on the issue of slavery?

A) vote trading among large and small states to end the slave trade by 1800
B) vote trading among northern and southern states to provide higher taxes for southern plantation owners
C) vote trading among northern and southern states on the number of representatives in the Senate
D) vote trading among northern and southern states on the issues of runaway slaves, congressional regulation of commerce and taxation of imports, and extending the ban on the slave trade to 1808
E) vote trading among northern and southern states to give Congress the power to determine when to end slavery

Question 72

How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution?

A) eleven out of thirteen
B) ten out of thirteen
C) thirteen out of thirteen
D) seven out of thirteen
E) nine out of thirteen

Question 73

Which branch of government has the longest and most specific list of powers?

A) legislative
B) executive
C) judicial
D) All of the branches have comparable lists of powers.
E) The legislative and executive branches have equal powers.

Question 74

Which article of the Constitution describes the procedures for ratification?

A) Article VII
B) Article VI
C) Article I
D) Article III
E) Article II

Question 75

The separation of powers works through a system of checks and balances in which:

A) Congress has the least power and the presidency has the most power
B) the national and state governments share power with each other
C) the president and Congress share power
D) all three branches share some powers but not others
E) the presidency has the least power and Congress has the most

Question 76

Which of the following was designed to address Antifederalist concerns about the absence of limits on national governing power?

A) Three-fifths Compromise
B) separation of powers
C) Great Compromise
D) Ninth Amendment
E) Tenth Amendment

Question 77

Which of the following is an exclusive power of the legislative branch?

A) the ability to implement laws
B) judicial review
C) the power to declare war
D) veto power
E) the power to issue pardons

Question 78

The Three-fifths Compromise referred to:

A) counting each slave as three-fifths of a person for purposes of taxation
B) allowing three slave states into the Union for every five nonslave states allowed to enter
C) counting large states as equal to small states in the Senate, but not the House
D) counting each slave as three-fifths of a person when determining state population
E) the requirement that three-fifths of the states must approve a constitutional amendment

Question 79

The elastic clause refers to:

A) the power of Congress to make laws necessary for executing its members' enumerated powers
B) the broad delegation of executive power given to the president
C) the list of flexible powers given to Congress in Article I of the Constitution
D) the ability of Congress to regulate economic exchange between the states
E) the president's power as commander in chief

Question 80

Slave states wanted slaves counted for the purposes of ________,but did not want slaves counted when it came to the issue of ________.

A) representation; determining taxes
B) determining taxes; tariffs
C) determining taxes; representation
D) tariffs; determining taxes
E) tariffs; representation