A Time to Review – The Revolution and the Constitution [Part I]
US History/Napp Name: ______
- Which two key principles of government are included in the Declaration of Independence?
(2) universal suffrage and judicial independence
(3) direct democracy and equality for women
(4) consent of the governed and natural rights
- …We the General Assembly of Virginia do enact, that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious Worship place or Ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened [burdened] in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise [way] diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.…
The principle expressed in this proposed law wasalso contained in the
(1) Zenger case decision
(2) Albany Plan of Union
(3) First amendment
(4) Alien and Sedition Acts
3. The Declaration of Independence contains
(1) a proposal for reuniting the colonies and
England
(2) a statement of grievances against the King ofEngland
(3) a request for a treaty between the colonies andSpain
(4) a plan for organizing the western territories
8. Base your answer to question on the excerptsfrom the United States Constitution below and onyour knowledge of social studies.
The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shallnot be suspended, unless when in cases ofrebellion or invasion the public safety mayrequire it.
— Article I, Section 9
… and no warrants shall issue, but upon probablecause, supported by oath or affirmation, andparticularly describing the place to be searched,and the persons or things to be seized.
— Amendment IV
Which basic constitutional concept is illustratedby each of these provisions?
(1) balancing individual liberty and the need fororder in society
(2) dividing power between the Senate and theHouse of Representatives
(3) guaranteeing equal treatment of minoritygroups
(4) providing flexibility to meet changing needsthrough the elastic clause
9. Critics of the Articles of Confederation arguedthat it
(1) imposed unfair taxes on the states
(2) used a draft to raise a national army
(3) provided a strong system of federal courts
(4) placed too much power in the hands of thestates
10. Which constitutional principle best protects thepublic from abuse by one branch of government?
(1) equality
(2) federalism
(3) executive privilege
(4) checks and balances
15. “… Article 6. There shall be neither slavery norinvoluntary servitude in the said territory,otherwise than in the punishment of crimeswhereof the party shall have been duly convicted:Provided, always, That any person escaping intothe same, from whom labor or service is lawfullyclaimed in any one of the original States, suchfugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyedto the person claiming his or her labor or serviceas aforesaid.…”
~ Northwest Ordinance, 1787
Based on this excerpt from the Northwest
Ordinance, which statement is a validconclusion?
(1) The issue of slavery was largely ignoredbefore the Civil War.
(2) Abolitionists had gained control of the
Constitutional Convention.
(3) Slavery was legally banned in the NorthwestTerritory.
(4) Enslaved persons had constitutionallyprotected civil rights.
16. • A bicameral legislature is created in whichstates have equal representation in the Senate,but representation in the House depends onpopulation.
• An enslaved person is counted as three-fifths ofone person for purposes of both representationand taxation.
These two statements describe
(1) grievances included in the Declaration of
Independence
(2) provisions found in the Articles of Confederation
(3) compromises reached at the ConstitutionalConvention
(4) amendments included in the Bill of Rights
Base your answers to questions 22 and 23 on thespeakers’ statements below and on your knowledge ofsocial studies.
Speaker A: As it stands now, the Constitution doesnot protect civil liberties.
Speaker B: The system of checks and balances willcontrol any abuse of power by a branchof government.
Speaker C: The demands of the majority willoverwhelm the minority.
Speaker D: The amendment process will allow theConstitution to be changed when theneed arises.
22. How was the concern of Speaker A resolved?
(1) adoption of the elastic clause
(2) establishment of the House of Representatives
(3) creation of the federal court system
(4) addition of the Bill of Rights
23. Which two speakers support the ratification ofthe Constitution?
(1) A and D (3) B and D
(2) A and C (4) B and C
24. The writings of John Locke, Jean-JacquesRousseau, and Baron de Montesquieu aresignificant in United States history because they
(1) opposed the use of slave labor in the
Americas
(2) supported the absolute right of the king toimpose taxes
(3) encouraged the formation of political partiesand political machines
(4) influenced the authors of the Declaration ofIndependence and the Constitution
29. The establishment of the president’s cabinet aspart of the United States government was theresult of a
(1) law passed by Congress
(2) constitutional amendment
(3) precedent started by George Washington
(4) ruling of the United States Supreme Court
30. Which protection in the Bill of Rights is mostdirectly related to the 1735 trial of John PeterZenger?
(1) freedom of the press
(2) right to bear arms
(3) ban on unreasonable searches
(4) freedom from double jeopardy
31. The right of habeas corpus establishes theprinciple that
(1) people accused of a crime have a right to alawyer
(2) all punishments for crimes should be
reasonable
(3) a person should not be forced to be a witnessagainst himself
(4) no person should be held in custody unlesscharged with a crime
32. American colonists showed their opposition tothe British taxation and trade restrictions of the1760s primarily by
(1) supporting the French against the British
(2) boycotting products from Great Britain
(3) overthrowing the royal governors in most ofthe colonies
(4) purchasing additional products from NativeAmerican Indian tribes
33. At the Constitutional Convention, the delegatesagreed that Congress should have the power to
(1) declare laws unconstitutional
(2) levy and collect taxes
(3) select the president
(4) eliminate slavery in the states
38. Why did the authors of the Articles ofConfederation create a weak central government?
(1) They lacked an understanding of stateproblems.
(2) They anticipated the threat of foreigninvasion.
(3) They relied on advice from royal governors.
(4) They feared the kind of rule experiencedunder the British monarchy.
39. Which statement most accurately explains why the institution of slavery was continued under the original Constitution of the United States?
(1) The early factory system relied on the labor of slaves.
(2) The majority of American families owned several slaves.
(3) Slave rebellions made most whites oppose freedom for African Americans.
(4) Southern states would not agree to a constitution that banned slavery.
40. The elastic clause of the United States
Constitution gives Congress the power to
(1) “Make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces…”
(2) “Regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes…”
(3) “Lay and collect taxes, duties, imports and excises…”
(4) “Make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers…”
41. Which concept found in the United StatesConstitution was a belief held by the social contractphilosophers of the Enlightenment period?
(1) presidential cabinet
(2) judicial review
(3) limited monarchy
(4) sovereignty of the people /
- Which major issue was debated at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and contributed directly to the start of the Civil War?
(2) setting of qualifications for federal office
holders
(3) length of presidential term of office
(4) balance of power between the states and thenational government
- The United States and New York Stateconstitutions establish republican forms ofgovernment because each provides for
(2) elected representatives
(3) control over the money supply
(4) a system of implied powers
- What was the primary objection of theAntifederalists to ratification of the Constitution?
(2) They believed the rights of the people werenot protected.
(3) They feared a weak central government.
(4) They wanted to give more power to theexecutive branch.
- According to the Constitution, the president isrequired to
(2) establish income tax rates
(3) review Supreme Court decisions
(4) raise money for political parties
11. The Great Compromise enabled delegates at theConstitutional Convention (1787) to
(1) establish the principle of popular sovereigntyin the territories
(2) give Congress the exclusive right to declarewar if the nation is attacked
(3) protect the interests of states with small
populations and states with large populations
(4) provide for the indirect election of the
president through the electoral college
12. Which presidential action is an example of theuse of the unwritten constitution?
(1) signing a law passed by Congress
(2) calling a meeting of the cabinet
(3) ordering the navy to patrol the Persian Gulf
(4) nominating a federal court judge
13. The major benefit of having the elastic clause inthe United States Constitution is that it
(1) allows the government to respond to
changing conditions
(2) protects the rights of racial minorities
(3) prevents one branch of government from
becoming too powerful
(4) establishes a postal service
14. Many critics of the electoral college system pointout that it
(1) penalizes the states with the smallest
population
(2) encourages the formation of minor politicalparties
(3) grants too much influence to the United
States Senate
(4) might not select the candidate with the
largest number of popular votes
17. Which document is most closely associated withJohn Locke’s social contract theory of government?
(1) Albany Plan of Union
(2) Declaration of Independence
(3) Treaty of Paris (1783)
(4) Sedition Act of 1798
18. The writers of the Constitution corrected aneconomic weakness under the Articles of
Confederation when they
(1) granted Congress the power to levy and
collect taxes
(2) created an executive branch headed by thepresident
(3) granted the president the authority to
negotiate treaties
(4) created a two-house legislature
19. Which headline illustrates the use of theunwritten constitution?
(1) “Washington Establishes a Cabinet”
(2) “House Votes to Impeach Andrew Johnson”
(3) “Senate Rejects the Treaty of Versailles”
(4) “President Nominates John Roberts for SupremeCourt”
20. A strict interpretation versus a loose interpretation of the Constitution was most evident inthe debate over the
(1) creation of the Bank of the United States in1791
(2) decision to declare war on Great Britain in1812
(3) annexation of Florida in 1821
(4) issuance of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823
21. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established amodel for later settlement by providing for the
(1) legal expansion of slavery
(2) creation of national parks
(3) distribution of free land to war veterans
(4) process for territories to become states
25. The primary purpose of the Articles of
Confederation was to
(1) provide revenues for the national government
(2) establish the basic framework of the national government
(3) give the national government the power to regulate interstate commerce
(4) guarantee a bill of rights to protect citizens from the national government
26. Which presidential action is an example of theuse of the unwritten constitution?
(1) holding a cabinet meeting at the White House
(2) submitting a treaty to the Senate for
ratification
(3) nominating an ambassador to France
(4) vetoing a bill passed by Congress
27. Which statement most accurately describesfederalism?
(1) The judicial branch of government has morepower than the other two branches.
(2) The president and vice president divideexecutive power.
(3) Power is divided between the nationalgovernment and the states.
(4) Power is shared between the two houses ofCongress.
28. What is a principle of government that is stated inthe Preamble to the United States Constitution?
(1) Federal laws must be subject to state approval.
(2) The power of government comes from thepeople.
(3) The right to bear arms shall not be infringed.
(4) All men and women are created equal.
34. Which idea guided the development of the Articles of Confederation?
(1) A strong central government would threaten the rights of the people.
(2) All the people should be granted the right to vote.
(3) Most power should rest with the judicial branch.
(4) Only the central government would have the power to levy taxes.
35. “…The accumulation of all powers, legislative,executive, and judiciary, in the same hands,whether of one, a few, or many, and whetherhereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justlybe pronounced the very definition of tyranny….”
~ James Madison
Which feature of the United States Constitutionwas included to address the concern expressed byJames Madison?
(1) electoral college
(2) checks and balances
(3) Bill of Rights
(4) amendment process
36. In the 1700s, the triangular trade led directly to the
(1) middle colonies’ role as the chief importers ofagricultural products
(2) rapid industrialization of the southern
colonies
(3) decline of the New England economy
(4) increased importation of enslaved Africans tothe Western Hemisphere
37. Which economic policy was based on the ideathat the American colonies existed primarily toprovide economic benefits for Great Britain?
(1) mercantilism
(2) socialism
(3) free trade
(4) laissez-faire capitalism
42. Which action is an example of the system ofchecks and balances?
(1) An individual pays both a state and a federalincome tax.
(2) New York State requires at least 180 schooldays per year.
(3) The House of Representatives votes to expelone of its members.
(4) The Senate approves a president’s nominee tothe Supreme Court.
43. What is one feature of the political systemcreated by the original Constitution of the UnitedStates?
(1) guaranteeing equal legal rights to all persons
(2) requiring the federal government to maintaina balanced budget
(3) dividing powers between the national andstate governments
(4) granting more power to the executive branchthan to the other branches of government
44. The Three-fifths Compromise was included inthe Constitution to resolve a conflict over the
(1) counting of enslaved persons in relation totaxation and representation
(2) reimbursement of plantation owners for
runaway slaves
(3) number of votes needed to approve a treaty inthe Senate
(4) number of states needed to ratify a proposedamendment
45. To avoid having too much power concentrated inone branch of government, the framers of theConstitution established
(1) a bicameral national legislature
(2) division of power among different levels ofgovernment
(3) the system of two political parties
(4) the system of checks and balances
46. Which statement regarding the United StatesCongress is best supported by the information inthis cartoon?
(1) Congress must meet at least once every year.
(2) Members of the House of Representativesmust be chosen every two years.
(3) Each house of Congress must publish ajournal of its proceedings.
(4) Representation in the House of Representativesis based on state population.
47. The main criticism of the Articles ofConfederation was that they failed to
(1) Allow for the admission of new states
(2) Limit the powers of the president
(3) Provide adequate powers for the centralgovernment
(4) Prevent the development of military rule
48. Court decisions in the trial of John Peter Zenger(1735) and the case of New York Times Co. v.United States (1971) strengthened
(1) Freedom of religion
(2) Freedom of the press
(3) Due process rights
(4) The right to counsel
Word Bank:Federalism, Elastic Clause, Northwest Ordinance, Great Compromise, Constitution, John Locke, Checks and Balances, Articles of Confederation, John Peter Zenger, Three-Fifths Compromise, Limits, Strict Constructionists, Loose Constructionists
1-______was a printer and journalist whose famous acquittal in a libel suit (1735) established the first important victory for freedom of the press in the English colonies of North America. On November 5, 1733, he published his first issue of the New York Weekly Journal – the political organ of a group of residents who opposed the policies of the colonial governor William Cosby. Although many of the articles were contributed by his more learned colleagues, he was still legally responsible for their content as publisher. His brilliant defense attorney, Andrew Hamilton, argued that the jury itself was competent to decide the truth of Zenger’s printed statements.
2-In mid-1776, a committee headed by Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. It was formally adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. The Declaration explained why the colonists had declared independence from Britain. Its main ideas were taken from the “Social Contract” theory of ______. According to this individual, people form a government to protect their natural rights. If the government fails to protect its citizens and instead oppresses them, the citizens have a right to overthrow the government and create a new one.
3-An agreement known as the ______went into effect in 1781, while the Revolutionary War was still being fought. The confederation was a weak, loose association of independent states. Each state sent one representative to the Confederation Congress, where it had one vote. There was no national executive or court. A weakness of the Confederation Congress was that the Congress could not levy national taxes, regulate trade, or enforce its laws. Each state government was more powerful than the new national government.
4-The Confederation Congress passed the ______(1787), which provided a system for governing the western territories. Between 1803 and 1848, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin were admitted as states from the Northwest Territory. The purpose of the Ordinance was to establish orderly and equitable procedures for the settlement and political incorporation of the Northwest Territory – i.e., that part of the American frontier lying west of Pennsylvania, north of the Ohio River, east of the Mississippi River, and south of the Great Lakes; this is the area known today as the American Midwest
5-Delegates from twelve states met in Philadelphia in 1787. They quickly decided to abandon the Articles of Confederation and to write a new ______(a document outlining the basic form and rules of government). The delegates at the Constitutional Convention agreed on the need for a strong central government with a national executive, legislature, and judiciary.
6-Large and small states differed on the method of representation for the new legislature. The ______or Connecticut Compromise resolved the conflict by creating a bicameral (two-house) Congress. In the House of Representatives, states would be represented according to the size of their population. In the Senate, each state would be represented by two Senators.
7-Delegates from the South wanted to count slaves as part of a state’s population, to increase their number of representatives in the House of Representatives. It was agreed that three-fifths of the slave population in a state would be counted for the purposes of representation and taxation. The ______was adopted by the Convention. It was also decided that the method for counting the population would be a census taken every ten years.