AP Unit 1 Review

The original purpose of the Constitutional Convention was to

• Revise the Articles of Confederation

• Deal with the issue of slavery

• Write a new constitution

• Review the problems of the state governments

Compared to government under the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution

• Created a unitary system of government

• Called for separation of powers among the three branches of government

• Is harder to amend

• Created a league of friendship among the states

Which of the following was NOT a weakness of government under the Articles of Confederation?

• It lacked a national judiciary

• It was unable to control commercial interests

• The national judiciary resolved arguments between states

• Congress lacked the power to tax

Which of the following is the correct pairing of powers found in the Articles of Confederation and powers found in the Constitution?

• The Articles of Confederation had a unicameral legislature, while the Constitution created a bicameral legislative branch

• The Articles of Confederation said that an amendment requires the unanimity of all states, while the Constitution uses signing statements to shape legislation.

• The Articles of Confederation protected individual liberties, while the Constitution says there is no protection of specific individual rights

• The Articles of Confederation created a powerful executive branch, while the Constitution says the federal government is supreme over the states

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution?

• In the Articles of Confederation, sovereignty resides in the states. In the Constitution, sovereignty may be shared between the central government and the states.

• In the Articles of Confederation, the president could be elected by the people in a popular vote. In the Constitution, the president can be elected indirectly through an electoral college.

• In the Articles of Confederation, Congress regulates interstate trade through the Commerce Clause. In the Constitution, no provision is written to regulate trade, but the U.S. can regulate trade.

• In the Articles of Confederation, both the central government and the states had the power to tax. In the Constitution, taxes are the expressed power of individual states.

Which is an accurate comparison between the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution?

• National currency was established in the Articles of Confederation, Congress coins money in the Constitution

• Laws passed by a simple majority happened in the Articles of Confederation, A two-thirds vote to override a veto is written in the Constitution

• Government was able to borrow money in the Articles of Confederation, Congress can declare war in the Constitution

• Bicameral legislature was created in the Articles of Confederation, Electing a president is in the Constitution

In the 1780s, proponents of the new Constitution cited Shays’ Rebellion as an example in support of which of the following criticisms of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?

• States with larger populations were underrepresented in Congress

• There was a lack of a national military power to address security concerns

• The national government did not provide sufficient protection of individual rights

• The lack of a centralized judiciary made enforcement of national laws difficult

Shays’ Rebellion and other acts of violence in 1787-1788 demonstrated to many in the new nation that

• The nation had expanded too quickly.

• The government of Massachusetts was ineffective

• The Articles of Confederation had to be revised to create a stronger national government.

• The economic well-being of the country was still tied to Great Britain.

Which of the following best describes the powers given to the national government under the proposed U.S. Constitution?

• The Anti-Federalists wanted a stronger national government and weaker state governments, while the Federalists wanted a weaker national government and stronger state governments.

• The Anti-Federalists wanted checks and balances to counter the stronger state governments, while the Federalists wanted the protection of property rights through a Bill of Rights.

• The Federalists wanted a Bill of Rights to protect the states and the people, while the Anti-Federalists wanted the national government to be stronger than state governments.

• The Federalists wanted a stronger national government and weaker state governments, while the Anti-Federalists wanted a weaker national government and stronger state governments.

The delegates at the Constitutional Convention carefully drafted a document that would create

• A dominant national government with little active participation from the states

• An equal distribution of power between the states and the national government

• Strong states and a weak central government

• The ability to adapt to changing times