Lesson 2: Drafting a Constitution

Drafting a Constitution

​Learning target: I am learning how to evaluate how individuals and groups addressed specific problems at various levels to form a new republic.

Multiple Choice

Where did the Constitutional Convention take place?

• Richmond, Virginia
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Boston, Massachusetts
• New York, New York

Multiple Choice

Who was elected president of the Convention?

• George Washington
• Alexander Hamilton
• Benjamin Franklin
• Thomas Jefferson

Multiple Select

Select two individuals who favored a strong central government when the Constitution was written.

• Gouverneur Morris

• Donald Trump

• Alexander Hamilton

Multiple Choice

Who is often called the "Father of the Constitution?"

• James Madison
• Alexander Hamilton
• Thomas Jefferson
• George Washington

Multiple Choice

Why did the delegates at the Constitutional Convention decide to write a completely new constitution instead of just revising the Articles of Confederation?

• They wanted to make the government stronger.

• They realized the Articles were too difficult to change.

• They disagreed about the best way to fix the government, deciding a complete rewrite was necessary.

• They wanted to create a government that would only be controlled by wealthy landowners.

Multiple Choice

The Virginia Plan proposed a new government with three branches. What was the main purpose of having three separate branches?

• To ensure that no single branch became too powerful.

• To allow each branch to control the others completely.

• To allow states to choose which branch they wanted to follow.

• To make the government more confusing.

Multiple Choice

Small states opposed the Virginia Plan mainly because:

• It gave the president too much power.

• It gave larger states more representatives in Congress.

• It eliminated the states' ability to govern themselves completely.

• It didn't provide enough money for the government.

Multiple Choice

The New Jersey Plan was created in response to what concern?

• The Virginia Plan gave too much power to the president.

• The Virginia Plan made it too difficult to amend the Constitution.

• The Virginia Plan did not include a system for collecting taxes.

• The Virginia Plan gave larger states too much power in the legislature.

Multiple Choice

What was the main feature of the Great Compromise that pleased the smaller states?

• The creation of a two-house legislature.

• The House of Representatives will be based on population.

• The Senate choosing the members of the House of Representatives.

• Each state having two senators in the Senate, regardless of size.

Multiple Choice

In the Great Compromise, how were representatives chosen for the House of Representatives?

• By state legislatures.

• By the president.

• By popular vote (the people voting).

• By lottery.

Multiple Choice

What was the significance of the Great Compromise being approved by a narrow margin of just one vote?

• It showed how close the convention came to failing due to disagreement.

• It showed that most delegates strongly supported the plan.

• It showed that the delegates didn't really care about the issue.

• It showed that only a few people really mattered in the process.

Multiple Choice

The passage highlights two key questions about slavery that the delegates debated. Which of these is NOT one of the questions?

• Should enslaved people be counted towards a state's population?

• Should the slave trade continue to bring enslaved people to the United States?

• Should enslaved people be allowed to vote?

• Should slavery be allowed to continue in the United States?

Multiple Choice

Why did Southern states want enslaved people to be counted in their population totals?

• To increase representation in the House of Representatives.
• To ensure enslaved people could vote in elections.
• To increase tax revenue from the states.
• To reduce the number of representatives in Congress.

Multiple Choice

The Three-Fifths Compromise stated that:

• Three-fifths of enslaved people would be counted when determining a state’s population.

• Every enslaved person would be counted as one whole person for population purposes.

• Only one-fifth of enslaved people would be counted for population purposes.

• Enslaved people would not be counted at all for population purposes.

Multiple Choice

Why did some delegates refuse to sign the Constitution?

• They thought the convention lasted too long.

• They wanted to wait and see how other states reacted.

• They preferred the Articles of Confederation.

• They believed the new Constitution gave the national government too much power.

Multiple Choice

What is the Preamble of the Constitution?

• The opening lines of the Constitution expressing its goals.

• A summary of the Constitution written at the end.

• A section that explains how the president is elected.

• A list of all the laws included in the Constitution.