Question 1

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution after it was already ratified.

Accepted Answer

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution through the process of amendments after the Constitution was ratified by nine states in 1788.

Question 2

Which one of the following best describes the context in which the Constitution was created?

Accepted Answer

The context in which the Constitution was created was fairly chaotic. The country was facing economic and social problems, and the Articles of Confederation weren't effectively addressing them. Shay's Rebellion was also a demonstration of the need for a stronger national government.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

The president has the power to propose a budget but it is ultimately up to Congress to pass it. The president also has the power to recognize representatives from other countries, but this is not one of their formal powers listed in the Constitution. Finally, the president does have the responsibility for executing the law.

Question 4

The framers of the Constitution ultimately endorsed John Locke's ideas about having a strong executive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The framers of the Constitution ultimately endorsed...

Question 5

The original Constitution prevented a constitutional amendment banning the slave trade until 1808.

Accepted Answer

The original Constitution included a provision known as the "Slave Trade Clause" which prevented Congress from banning the importation of slaves until 1808. This provision was included to appease Southern states who relied on the slave trade for their economy.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

The Bill of Rights is a list of limits on the power of the federal government over individual citizens, not state governments. It was added to the Constitution in order to protect the rights of individuals from a potentially overreaching federal government.

Question 7

________ occurred after the Revolutionary War was over.

Accepted Answer

Shays's Rebellion occurred in 1786-1787, several years after the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783. The other options all occurred prior to or during the war.

Question 8

The Virginia Plan guaranteed that large states would hold more power in the constitutional balance by having membership in both houses of Congress based on population.

Accepted Answer

The Virginia Plan called for representation in both houses of Congress based on population, which would give larger states more power in the legislative branch.

Question 9

America's relative economic equality compared to Europe did NOT influence the context of debates at the Constitutional Convention.

Accepted Answer

America's relative economic equality compared to Europe did influence the context of debates at the Constitutional Convention, as it shaped the framers' views on representation and governance.

Question 10

The Constitution created a stronger national government than the one that existed under the Articles of Confederation.

Accepted Answer

The Constitution created a federal system with a stronger national government, including the power to tax, regulate commerce, and maintain a standing army. Under the Articles of Confederation, the individual states had more power and the national government was weak and ineffective.

Question 11

The Constitution places more limits on government power than do the Articles of Confederation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Constitution places more limits on government...

Question 12

How did the Articles of Confederation limit government?

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation limited government by giving federal power only to the legislative branch, where each state had one vote. This meant that the federal government had little power to enforce laws or regulate commerce, as it required unanimous agreement among the states to make any significant decisions or changes. The lack of a strong centralized government also made it difficult for the United States to function as a unified nation, particularly when it came to dealing with international conflicts or trade negotiations.

Question 13

During the ratification debate, Antifederalists such as James Madison favored a stronger national government while Federalists favored stronger state governments.

Accepted Answer

This statement is incorrect. Antifederalists favored stronger state governments while Federalists favored a stronger national government.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

The framers of the Constitution believed that protecting the natural rights of citizens could be best achieved through a government that was based on the consent of the governed. This is reflected in the idea of popular sovereignty, which holds that the people ultimately hold the power in a democratic society. The Constitution outlines a system of checks and balances that is meant to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful and infringing on the rights of citizens. The Bill of Rights, which was added to the Constitution soon after its ratification, further codifies and protects individual rights.

Question 15

James Madison was mostly concerned about tyranny of minority factions.

Accepted Answer

James Madison was mostly concerned about tyranny of the majority factions. He believed that the majority could abuse their power and oppress the minority, which is why he advocated for a system of checks and balances to prevent this from happening.

Question 16

The Constitution sets up our basic rules of governance, limits government actions against citizens, and provides for specific individual rights.

Accepted Answer

The Constitution outlines the structure of the government, defines the powers and limitations of each branch, and protects individual rights through amendments such as the Bill of Rights.

Question 17

The Supreme Court justices gained the power of judicial review in Article III of the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Supreme Court justices gained the power...

Question 18

There are 27 amendments to the U.S.Constitution out of more than 10,000 proposed in Congress in U.S.history.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Since the ratification of the Constitution, there have been more than 11,000 proposed amendments, but only 27 have been added to the Constitution.

Question 19

The Antifederalists pushed for the inclusion of the national supremacy clause.

Accepted Answer

The Antifederalists were actually against the national supremacy clause, which they saw as a dangerous assertion of federal power over the states. It was the Federalists who argued for its inclusion in the Constitution.

Question 20

Which one of the following statements about the Articles of Confederation is accurate?

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation were submitted to the states for ratification in 1777 and were ratified by all 13 states by 1781. The other statements are inaccurate as the executive branch was not powerful under the Articles of Confederation, the legislative branch had limited power and the document placed too few limits on governmental power.

Quiz 2: The Constitution and the Founding