Chapter 5 Practice Test

Look at the terms above. It relates to the influence of these historical documents on the colonists’ views of government:
Which idea is missing from the diagram?

• Checks and balances
• Rights of citizens
• Economic freedom
• Written plan of government

The excerpt above is part of a speech given by George Mason at the Constitutional Convention. 
Based on the excerpt, which action would George Mason want included in the Constitution? 

• a way to amend the Constitution to include a bill of rights
• a way to amend the Constitution to protect states’ rights
• making the Constitution difficult to change to protect its integrity
• making the Constitution easy to change to allow for differences of opinion

Read the Preamble of the Constitution above.
Which phrase best indicates the Framers’ intent that the Constitution should provide for peace throughout the United States?

• “to form a more perfect Union”
• “establish Justice”
• “insure domestic Tranquility” 
• “promote the general Welfare”

What could be said about Montesquieu’s ideas on separation of powers? 

• They were based on traditional forms of government.
• B They presented common British thinking of the time. 
• They were based on ideas from the American colonies
• They presented a forward-thinking way of governing.

How did the Constitution deal with a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

• It created an executive branch to carry out the laws
• It provided for a legislature to make the laws.
• It allowed each state to have sovereignty over its laws.
• It limited the powers of government through checks and balances.

Which statement accurately reflects the information in the diagram?

• State governments can operate under expressed powers.
• Both levels of government get funding from taxes.
• State governments set rules about trade with other states.
• Both levels of government provide military protection.

Read the excerpt.
To what principle of the Constitution does this excerpt best relate?

• states’ rights
• popular sovereignty
• separation of powers
• establishment of a judicial branch

Impeachment proceedings were held against President Andrew Johnson,President Richard Nixon, and President Bill Clinton. Which part of the Constitution do these actions demonstrate?

• enumerated powers
• executive privilege
• supremacy clause
• the rule of law

Which statement best demonstrates the view of the Anti-Federalists regarding ratification of the Constitution?

• The national government should take precedence over state governmentsand be the “supreme Law of the land.”
• The individual liberties of the people must be protected from abuses bythe federal government.
• A strong national government will prevent another Shays’s Rebellion from occurring.
• State government should have some powers, but they must not be inopposition to those of the national government.

The chart above shows the articles of the Constitution dealing with the three branches of government.
Which article(s) of the Constitution would be involved if the president asked Congress to declare war on a foreign country?

• Article I
• Article II
• Articles I and II
• Articles I, II, and III