Question 1

Shays's Rebellion was a response to

Accepted Answer

Shays's Rebellion was primarily a response to economic difficulties and the perceived lack of responsiveness of the Massachusetts state government to the needs of its citizens, particularly the farmers and war veterans facing debt and high taxes.

Question 2

What happened to those who participated in Shays's Rebellion?

Accepted Answer

Participants in Shays's Rebellion were initially sentenced to death, but most were pardoned by the government afterwards. This act of clemency was part of efforts to restore peace and order.

Question 3

In an effort to deal with the economic crisis of the 1780s, many state governments passed _____ laws, which postponed foreclosures.

Accepted Answer

Stay laws were enacted by several state governments during the economic crisis of the 1780s to postpone foreclosures, providing temporary relief to debtors.

Question 4

Particularly after 1776, the ranks of the Continental Army were filled primarily with

Accepted Answer

The answer of Particularly after 1776, the ranks of the...

Question 5

One of the main objectives of those who participated in the Constitutional Convention was to

Accepted Answer

The Constitutional Convention aimed to create a system of government that balanced the need for liberty with the need for stability, ensuring that neither aspect would undermine the other. This balance was crucial for the formation of a sustainable and effective government.

Question 6

The Constitutional Convention met in May of _____ for the purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.

Accepted Answer

The Constitutional Convention met in May of 1787 with the initial purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation, but it eventually led to the drafting of a new Constitution.

Question 7

At the Constitutional Convention, the New Jersey Plan was proposed by

Accepted Answer

The New Jersey Plan was proposed by William Paterson as a counterproposal to the Virginia Plan, focusing on a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of size or population.

Question 8

The New Jersey Plan

Accepted Answer

The New Jersey Plan, proposed during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, advocated for equal representation of all states in the national legislature, regardless of the state's population. This was in contrast to the Virginia Plan, which proposed representation based on population.

Question 9

At the Constitutional Convention, the Virginia Plan was proposed by

Accepted Answer

The answer of At the Constitutional Convention, the Virginia Plan...

Question 10

Which of the following was NOT a feature of the Virginia Plan at the Constitutional Convention?

Accepted Answer

The Virginia Plan proposed a single executive, not a multi-person executive council.

Question 11

The Virginia Plan was supported primarily by

Accepted Answer

The Virginia Plan proposed a new federal constitution that would give sovereignty to the central government and feature a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population. This made it more appealing to larger states, which would have more influence under this plan compared to smaller states.

Question 12

The most significant difference(s) between the Virginia and New Jersey Plans centered on the

Accepted Answer

The Virginia and New Jersey Plans differed in three main ways: the distribution of seats in the national legislature, the nature and composition of the national executive, and the relative balance of power between the national and state governments.

Question 13

The Great Compromise was presented to the Constitutional Convention by

Accepted Answer

Roger Sherman played a key role in presenting the Great Compromise, which helped resolve disputes between large and small states during the Constitutional Convention.

Question 14

One of the main debates at the Constitutional Convention centered on the nature of representation in the national legislature. What were the two competing approaches to representation in this debate?

Accepted Answer

The debate was between the Virginia Plan, which favored representation based on population (citizen-based), and the New Jersey Plan, which favored equal representation for each state (state-based).

Question 15

The three-fifths compromise came about because delegates from

Accepted Answer

The three-fifths compromise was a result of Southern states like Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia wanting slaves to be counted in population totals for representation purposes, while Northern states opposed this. The compromise counted each slave as three-fifths of a person for both representation and taxation.

Question 16

The three-fifths compromise

Accepted Answer

The three-fifths compromise was an agreement during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention that counted each slave as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of taxation and representation in Congress.

Question 17

Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution prohibited Congress from

Accepted Answer

Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution included a clause that prevented Congress from prohibiting the importation of slaves before 1808, effectively delaying any action to end the slave trade for 20 years after the Constitution was ratified.

Question 18

Article VI of the Constitution outlines what important principle in American government?

Accepted Answer

Article VI includes the Supremacy Clause, which establishes the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties as the supreme law of the land, thus affirming the supremacy of the national government.

Question 19

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the respective roles of each branch of government?

Accepted Answer

The legislature (Congress in the United States) is responsible for making laws. The executive branch, headed by the President, carries these laws into force by implementing and administering them. The judicial branch, consisting of the courts, resolves disputes over the law's interpretation and application, ensuring they are in line with the Constitution.

Question 20

A system of government in which political power and functions are divided among different layers of government, such as the national government and the states, is referred to as a(n) _____ system.

Accepted Answer

A federal system divides powers between different levels of government, typically national and state or provincial governments, allowing each level to have some degree of autonomy.

Quiz 2: Early Governance and the Constitutional Framework