Question 1

Why might the delegates to the Constitutional Convention have rejected a motion to include a bill of rights in the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)   The delegates thought rights should be guaranteed to the states, not to individual citizens.
B)   The delegates thought that the federal government was already limited to its expressed powers, so a bill of rights was unnecessary.
C)   The delegates were pressed for time and considered setting up a basic governmental framework to be vastly more important.
D)   A bill of rights would have required granting equal rights to women, which the delegates found to be politically unsavory.E) None of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 2

Three of the Constitution's framers-James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay-wrote, under the pseudonym "Publius," a series of essays in favor of the new document in order to:

Accepted Answer

A)   provide a practical guide to the new Constitution for the country's voters.
B)   warn the public about some of the excesses of the new document, something they could not do under their real names.
C)   let the leaders of foreign countries know that the young republic was getting its house in order, and was open for safe investment.
D)   defend the Constitution's principles and help dispel the fears that the new government would be tyrannical.E) All of the above
F) A) and D)

Question 3

Although the national Constitution seems to limit federal power by its suggestion that any powers not explicitly given to the national government were denied it, the framers nonetheless gave the national government a broad grant of power through:

Accepted Answer

A)   the principle of judicial review, which gave the judicial branch the final word in interpretation over the Constitution.
B)   the necessary and proper clause, which asserted that Congress could pass any law it deemed needed to carry out its enumerated powers.
C)   the reserved powers clause, which gave the federal government all powers not explicitly given to states.
D)   giving the president enough powers to ensure that "energy in the executive" could overcome problems created by the separation of powers.E) B) and D)
F) A) and D)

Question 4

The Constitution grants the president the unconditional power to accept ambassadors from other countries.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

The Antifederalists, a group of elites in the postrevolutionary era who opposed the new Constitution, argued in favor of a bill of rights.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

A legislative assembly, such as Congress, that is divided into two chambers (or houses)  is best described as:

Accepted Answer

A)   a mixed regime.
B)   unicameral.
C)   a mixed legislature.
D)   bicameral.E) B) and D)
F) C) and D)

Question 7

The Constitution's Article VI asserts that the national government's laws, and all treaties between the United States and foreign countries, come before those adopted by any state.This has come to be known as the:

Accepted Answer

A)   supremacy clause.
B)   privilege and immunities clause.
C)   full faith and credit clause.
D)   necessary and proper clause.E) B) and C)
F) A) and B)

Question 8

The presidential veto power over legislation, the power of the Senate to approve presidential appointments, and judicial review over acts of Congress and presidential actions are examples of the American political system's principle of:

Accepted Answer

A)   federalism.
B)   checks and balances.
C)   separation of powers.
D)   separated institutions sharing powers.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 9

Some of the framers wanted an executive council, as opposed to a single chief executive of the sort they eventually settled upon, to avoid the evils that many associated with a monarch.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

The Declaration of Independence was remarkable for its assertion of the idea that governments could not deprive citizens of the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," because this was an era when:

Accepted Answer

A)   most elites considered property rights more important than happiness.
B)   most monarchs considered themselves to be rulers by divine right.
C)   only the most radical elements within colonial society agreed with this idea.
D)   nearly all colonial elites, including Declaration writer Thomas Jefferson, owned slaves.E) B) and C)
F) None of the above

Question 11

The division of power, created by the Constitution, between a strong central government and sovereign state governments, is known as:

Accepted Answer

A)   checking and balancing.
B)   federalism.
C)   the separation of powers.
D)   bicameralism.E) A) and B)
F) B) and D)

Question 12

During the winter of 1786-1787, John Adams of Massachusetts was sent to negotiate a new treaty with the British to cover disputes left over from the war.The British government responded that it would:

Accepted Answer

A)   not negotiate, and demanded immediate payment.
B)   require that the young country first agree to renegotiate terms of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War.
C)   negotiate with each of the 13 states independently.
D)   require war reparations before signing any new treaty.E) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 13

The Three-Fifths Compromise gave the South an advantage in the Electoral College.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

The Eighteenth Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol, and the Twenty-First Amendment, which repealed that prohibition, were unusual among constitutional amendments in that ____________________.

Accepted Answer

A)   they dealt with social policy issues
B)   they dealt with taxation
C)   they imposed limitations on state government power
D)   they were passed through a national conventionE) B) and C)
F) A) and C)

Question 15

List and describe the various sectors of colonial society, and explain the role of each during the events leading up to the American Revolution and writing of the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

These were the sectors of colonial socie...

Question 16

Explain the process for amending the Constitution and use specific examples to discuss the types of amendments that have actually been ratified.

Accepted Answer

There are four pathways to amending the ...

Question 17

To give federal judges some isolation from political pressure, the Constitution's framers:

Accepted Answer

A)   ordered that federal judges be selected through a merit system.
B)   ruled that judges cannot run for reelection at the end of their terms.
C)   prohibited Congress from impeaching federal judges.
D)   granted federal judges lifetime appointments to their offices.E) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 18

In 2018, the five smallest states held roughly 1 percent of the seats in the U.S.House of Representatives and 10 percent of the seats in the U.S.Senate.These differing levels of representation of the five small states were the result of which decision during the Constitutional Convention?

Accepted Answer

A)   The Three-Fourths Compromise
B)   The Virginia Plan
C)   The Three-Fifths Compromise
D)   The Great CompromiseE) None of the above
F) All of the above

Question 19

Why did the framers believe that a new Constitution was necessary?

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation establishe...

Question 20

In the years immediately following the Revolutionary War, Congress slowly took command of the country, as the power of states (or former colonies) diminished.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 2: The Founding and the Constitution

A legislative assembly, such as Congress, that is divided into two chambers (or houses) is best described as:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Declaration of Independence was remarkable for its assertion of the idea that governments could not deprive citizens of the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," because this was an era when:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

During the winter of 1786-1787, John Adams of Massachusetts was sent to negotiate a new treaty with the British to cover disputes left over from the war.The British government responded that it would:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The division of power, created by the Constitution, between a strong central government and sovereign state governments, is known as:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Three of the Constitution's framers-James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay-wrote, under the pseudonym "Publius," a series of essays in favor of the new document in order to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Although the national Constitution seems to limit federal power by its suggestion that any powers not explicitly given to the national government were denied it, the framers nonetheless gave the national government a broad grant of power through:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Explain the process for amending the Constitution and use specific examples to discuss the types of amendments that have actually been ratified.

Correct AnswerverifiedThere are four pathways to amending the ...View AnswerShow Answer

Some of the framers wanted an executive council, as opposed to a single chief executive of the sort they eventually settled upon, to avoid the evils that many associated with a monarch.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Antifederalists, a group of elites in the postrevolutionary era who opposed the new Constitution, argued in favor of a bill of rights.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why might the delegates to the Constitutional Convention have rejected a motion to include a bill of rights in the Constitution?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

List and describe the various sectors of colonial society, and explain the role of each during the events leading up to the American Revolution and writing of the Constitution.

Correct AnswerverifiedThese were the sectors of colonial socie...View AnswerShow Answer

The Three-Fifths Compromise gave the South an advantage in the Electoral College.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The presidential veto power over legislation, the power of the Senate to approve presidential appointments, and judicial review over acts of Congress and presidential actions are examples of the American political system's principle of:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

To give federal judges some isolation from political pressure, the Constitution's framers:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Eighteenth Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol, and the Twenty-First Amendment, which repealed that prohibition, were unusual among constitutional amendments in that ____________________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why did the framers believe that a new Constitution was necessary?

Correct AnswerverifiedThe Articles of Confederation establishe...View AnswerShow Answer

In the years immediately following the Revolutionary War, Congress slowly took command of the country, as the power of states (or former colonies) diminished.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In 2018, the five smallest states held roughly 1 percent of the seats in the U.S.House of Representatives and 10 percent of the seats in the U.S.Senate.These differing levels of representation of the five small states were the result of which decision during the Constitutional Convention?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Constitution's Article VI asserts that the national government's laws, and all treaties between the United States and foreign countries, come before those adopted by any state.This has come to be known as the:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Constitution grants the president the unconditional power to accept ambassadors from other countries.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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There are four pathways to amending the ...
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These were the sectors of colonial socie...
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The Articles of Confederation establishe...
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Correct Answer
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