Question 1

The three branches of government created by the Constitution are

Accepted Answer

A) constitutional, elected, and appointed. 
B) executive, legislative, and judicial. 
C) federal, state, and local. 
D) military, courts, and bureaucracy. 
A) constitutional, elected, and appointed. 
B) executive, legislative, and judicial. 
C) federal, state, and local. 
D) military, courts, and bureaucracy. B

Question 2

According to Article II of the U.S.Constitution, the president has the power to

Accepted Answer

A) officially recognize other nations. 
B) overrule federal judges. 
C) regulate commerce in the states. 
D) convene Congress in special session. 
A) officially recognize other nations. 
B) overrule federal judges. 
C) regulate commerce in the states. 
D) convene Congress in special session. A

Question 3

Describe and analyze the conflicts and compromises that occurred during the drafting of the Constitution.What was the main source of conflict between large and small states, and how did the Great Compromise resolve it? What was the nature of the conflict regarding slavery during the Philadelphia convention? How did the Three-Fifths Compromise address this conflict?

Accepted Answer

There are four components to this question:
a.Conflict between large and small states: Large and small states were divided over representation.The Virginia Plan framework that called for representation in the national legislature based on the population of each state was supported by large states.The New Jersey Plan framework that called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population was supported by small states.
b.The Great Compromise: Under this compromise, in the House of Representatives, representatives would be apportioned according to the population in each state.This was what delegates from the large states had sought.But in the Senate, each state would have equal representation regardless of its size.
c.Slavery: Whatever they thought of slavery, most delegates from the northern states opposed counting slaves in the distribution of congressional seats.Southern delegates stated that they would never enter the Union if slaves were not counted as part of the basis for representation.
d.Three-Fifths Compromise: Northerners and southerners eventually reached agreement through the Three-Fifths Compromise.The seats in the House of Representatives would be apportioned according to a "population" in which five slaves would count as three free persons.The slaves would not be allowed to vote, of course, but the number of representatives would be apportioned accordingly.

Question 4

Colonial protesters of the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act rallied around which slogan?

Accepted Answer

A) "No taxation without representation." 
B) "Give me liberty or give me death." 
C) "A house divided against itself cannot stand." 
D) "Don't tread on me." 
A) "No taxation without representation." 
B) "Give me liberty or give me death." 
C) "A house divided against itself cannot stand." 
D) "Don't tread on me."

Question 5

Which two constitutional provisions have been at the heart of constitutional struggles between federal and state powers throughout American history?

Accepted Answer

A) the preamble and the elastic clause 
B) the Eighteenth Amendment and the Twentieth Amendment 
C) the Eighteenth Amendment and the Twenty-Fifth Amendment 
D) the elastic clause and the Tenth Amendment 
A) the preamble and the elastic clause 
B) the Eighteenth Amendment and the Twentieth Amendment 
C) the Eighteenth Amendment and the Twenty-Fifth Amendment 
D) the elastic clause and the Tenth Amendment

Question 6

Which of the following statements best summarizes the Federalists' view on representation?

Accepted Answer

A) Citizens are too apathetic and uninformed to be given the right to vote, and good representation can only come from entrusting enlightened members of the aristocracy to make decisions. 
B) Representative democracy can never provide good representation for its citizens, and direct democracy is the best way to achieve popular sovereignty. 
C) Representatives must be "a true picture of the people" in order to provide good representation, and this can only be achieved in small, relatively homogeneous republics. 
D) Representatives need not be a "true picture of the people," and the best system of representation allows citizens to elect individuals possessing ability, experience, and talent superior to their own. 
A) Citizens are too apathetic and uninformed to be given the right to vote, and good representation can only come from entrusting enlightened members of the aristocracy to make decisions. 
B) Representative democracy can never provide good representation for its citizens, and direct democracy is the best way to achieve popular sovereignty. 
C) Representatives must be "a true picture of the people" in order to provide good representation, and this can only be achieved in small, relatively homogeneous republics. 
D) Representatives need not be a "true picture of the people," and the best system of representation allows citizens to elect individuals possessing ability, experience, and talent superior to their own.

Question 7

What was the MOST common form of taxation during the colonial era?

Accepted Answer

A) the income tax 
B) tariffs, duties, and taxes on commerce 
C) the animal head tax 
D) taxes for use of governmental services and lands 
A) the income tax 
B) tariffs, duties, and taxes on commerce 
C) the animal head tax 
D) taxes for use of governmental services and lands

Question 8

Antifederalists bitterly attacked which two parts of the Constitution as unlimited and dangerous grants of power to the national government?

Accepted Answer

A) the Tenth Amendment and the elastic clause 
B) the Ninth Amendment and the supremacy clause 
C) the supremacy clause and the elastic clause 
D) the Tenth Amendment and the supremacy clause 
A) the Tenth Amendment and the elastic clause 
B) the Ninth Amendment and the supremacy clause 
C) the supremacy clause and the elastic clause 
D) the Tenth Amendment and the supremacy clause

Question 9

Which of the following statements about national defense under the Articles of Confederation is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) Congress was given the power to declare war. 
B) Congress was given the power to make treaties and form alliances with other countries. 
C) The nation's armed forces were composed entirely of state militias. 
D) The president served as commander in chief of the nation's armed forces. 
A) Congress was given the power to declare war. 
B) Congress was given the power to make treaties and form alliances with other countries. 
C) The nation's armed forces were composed entirely of state militias. 
D) The president served as commander in chief of the nation's armed forces.

Question 10

The Articles of Confederation were concerned primarily with

Accepted Answer

A) creating a unitary form of government. 
B) creating a federal form of government. 
C) creating a government in which the states were largely subservient to the national government. 
D) limiting the powers of the central government. 
A) creating a unitary form of government. 
B) creating a federal form of government. 
C) creating a government in which the states were largely subservient to the national government. 
D) limiting the powers of the central government.

Question 11

Which of the following was NOT one of the reprisals enacted by the British in response to the Boston Tea Party?

Accepted Answer

A) restricting movement of the colonists to the West 
B) removing accused persons from the colonies to Britain for trial 
C) granting the East India Company the power to sell tea directly in the colonies instead of working through the colonial merchants 
D) closing the Boston port to commerce 
A) restricting movement of the colonists to the West 
B) removing accused persons from the colonies to Britain for trial 
C) granting the East India Company the power to sell tea directly in the colonies instead of working through the colonial merchants 
D) closing the Boston port to commerce

Question 12

Antifederalists were sharply critical of the structure of the Senate, the executive, and the federal judiciary under the Constitution because they

Accepted Answer

A) wanted a system of direct democracy instead of a system of representative democracy. 
B) worried these undemocratic institutions would lead those in power to tyrannize the public. 
C) preferred a government with a unicameral legislature, a multimember executive council, and no federal judiciary. 
D) feared the government would become too deadlocked to pass any meaningful laws by the system of separation of powers and checks and balances. 
A) wanted a system of direct democracy instead of a system of representative democracy. 
B) worried these undemocratic institutions would lead those in power to tyrannize the public. 
C) preferred a government with a unicameral legislature, a multimember executive council, and no federal judiciary. 
D) feared the government would become too deadlocked to pass any meaningful laws by the system of separation of powers and checks and balances.

Question 13

The idea of the "living Constitution" means that

Accepted Answer

A) the Constitution should be continually amended to keep up with the times. 
B) the judiciary can shape the interpretation of the Constitution in line with contemporary problems and values. 
C) each generation must design its own Constitution. 
D) the president can make changes to the Constitution after each election. 
A) the Constitution should be continually amended to keep up with the times. 
B) the judiciary can shape the interpretation of the Constitution in line with contemporary problems and values. 
C) each generation must design its own Constitution. 
D) the president can make changes to the Constitution after each election.

Question 14

The 1787 convention to draft a new constitution was held in

Accepted Answer

A) New York City. 
B) Philadelphia. 
C) Washington, D.C. 
D) Richmond, Virginia. 
A) New York City. 
B) Philadelphia. 
C) Washington, D.C. 
D) Richmond, Virginia.

Question 15

Which state did NOT send delegates to the convention at Philadelphia?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

The Constitution expressly grants Congress the power to

Accepted Answer

A) appoint judges. 
B) receive ambassadors. 
C) regulate interstate commerce. 
D) abolish state boundaries. 
A) appoint judges. 
B) receive ambassadors. 
C) regulate interstate commerce. 
D) abolish state boundaries.

Question 17

During the Philadelphia convention, the New Jersey Plan was supported by ________ states.

Accepted Answer

A) less-populous 
B) slaveholding 
C) free 
D) southern 
A) less-populous 
B) slaveholding 
C) free 
D) southern

Question 18

Although ________ delegates attended the Philadelphia convention in 1787, only ________ delegates ended up signing the newly drafted Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A) 25; 10 
B) 55; 39 
C) 75; 44 
D) 435; 100 
A) 25; 10 
B) 55; 39 
C) 75; 44 
D) 435; 100

Question 19

The Boston Massacre occurred when

Accepted Answer

A) five British soldiers were killed by an angry mob of colonists protesting outside of the seat of the colonial government in Boston. 
B) five colonists were killed by British soldiers outside of the seat of the colonial government in Boston. 
C) 50 colonists were killed by British soldiers outside of the seat of the colonial government in Boston. 
D) 50 British soldiers were killed by an angry mob of colonists protesting outside of the seat of the colonial government in Boston. 
A) five British soldiers were killed by an angry mob of colonists protesting outside of the seat of the colonial government in Boston. 
B) five colonists were killed by British soldiers outside of the seat of the colonial government in Boston. 
C) 50 colonists were killed by British soldiers outside of the seat of the colonial government in Boston. 
D) 50 British soldiers were killed by an angry mob of colonists protesting outside of the seat of the colonial government in Boston.

Question 20

The weakness of the national government under the Articles of Confederation became concerning to southern planters and New England merchants when

Accepted Answer

A) a flu pandemic killed over 10,000 Americans in the spring of 1784. 
B) a series of slave revolts swept through the southern states and overthrew a number of local governments in the summer of 1783. 
C) "radical" forces representing small farmers, artisans, and shopkeepers began to exert control over a number of state governments. 
D) royal land-, office-, and patent holders began to exert control over a number of state governments. 
A) a flu pandemic killed over 10,000 Americans in the spring of 1784. 
B) a series of slave revolts swept through the southern states and overthrew a number of local governments in the summer of 1783. 
C) "radical" forces representing small farmers, artisans, and shopkeepers began to exert control over a number of state governments. 
D) royal land-, office-, and patent holders began to exert control over a number of state governments.

The three branches of government created by the Constitution are

According to Article II of the U.S.Constitution, the president has the power to

Colonial protesters of the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act rallied around which slogan?

Which two constitutional provisions have been at the heart of constitutional struggles between federal and state powers throughout American history?

Which of the following statements best summarizes the Federalists' view on representation?

What was the MOST common form of taxation during the colonial era?

Antifederalists bitterly attacked which two parts of the Constitution as unlimited and dangerous grants of power to the national government?

Which of the following statements about national defense under the Articles of Confederation is FALSE?

The Articles of Confederation were concerned primarily with

Which of the following was NOT one of the reprisals enacted by the British in response to the Boston Tea Party?

Antifederalists were sharply critical of the structure of the Senate, the executive, and the federal judiciary under the Constitution because they

The idea of the "living Constitution" means that

The 1787 convention to draft a new constitution was held in

Which state did NOT send delegates to the convention at Philadelphia?

The Constitution expressly grants Congress the power to

During the Philadelphia convention, the New Jersey Plan was supported by ________ states.

Although delegates attended the Philadelphia convention in 1787, only delegates ended up signing the newly drafted Constitution.

The Boston Massacre occurred when

The weakness of the national government under the Articles of Confederation became concerning to southern planters and New England merchants when

American Political Culture

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters

Exam 2: The Founding and the Constitution

The three branches of government created by the Constitution are

According to Article II of the U.S.Constitution, the president has the power to

Colonial protesters of the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act rallied around which slogan?

Which two constitutional provisions have been at the heart of constitutional struggles between federal and state powers throughout American history?

Which of the following statements best summarizes the Federalists' view on representation?

What was the MOST common form of taxation during the colonial era?

Antifederalists bitterly attacked which two parts of the Constitution as unlimited and dangerous grants of power to the national government?

Which of the following statements about national defense under the Articles of Confederation is FALSE?

The Articles of Confederation were concerned primarily with

Which of the following was NOT one of the reprisals enacted by the British in response to the Boston Tea Party?

Antifederalists were sharply critical of the structure of the Senate, the executive, and the federal judiciary under the Constitution because they

The idea of the "living Constitution" means that

The 1787 convention to draft a new constitution was held in

Which state did NOT send delegates to the convention at Philadelphia?

The Constitution expressly grants Congress the power to

During the Philadelphia convention, the New Jersey Plan was supported by ________ states.

Although ________ delegates attended the Philadelphia convention in 1787, only ________ delegates ended up signing the newly drafted Constitution.

The Boston Massacre occurred when

The weakness of the national government under the Articles of Confederation became concerning to southern planters and New England merchants when

American Political Culture

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters

Although delegates attended the Philadelphia convention in 1787, only delegates ended up signing the newly drafted Constitution.