Constitution

When citizens report for jury duty, they are helping uphold a constitutional right guaranteed by the —

• First Amendment

• Second Amendment

• Sixth Amendment

• Ninth Amendment

Patrick Henry opposed ratifying the U.S. Constitution because he believed that under it —

• the states would surrender too much power to the federal government

• alliances could not be formed with other countries

• the courts would not be able to hold government officials accountable

• individuals would exercise too much power over the federal government

George Mason refused to sign the Constitution and opposed its ratification because he believed that it —

• did not adequately protect individuals from potential government abuse

• did not give the executive branch enough power to oversee the military

• prevented the legislative branch from effectively governing the states

• prevented the judicial branch from using judicial review to overturn acts of the legislature

If Congress passes a bill, but the president vetoes the bill and Congress still overrides the veto, then this process is known as ...

• federalism

• checks and balances

• judicial review

• popular sovereignty

Why did the Anti-Federalists demand that a bill of rights be added to the U.S. Constitution?

• To strengthen the authority of the federal government

• To improve the organization of the judiciary

• To give each state an equal amount of power

• To protect individual freedoms from the federal government

With which of the following arguments would the authors of The Federalist Papers most likely have agreed?

• A bill of rights should be included in the Constitution before it is ratified.

• Having a stronger central government will make the country more stable and prosperous.

• The Three-Fifths Compromise will result in fair and equal representation.

• Universal suffrage should be constitutionally guaranteed.

Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause. . . .

The constitutional amendment excerpted above protects people in the United States from —

• excessive fines for traffic violations

• imprisonment for life without a jury trial

• excessive surveillance by the government

• conscription by the armed forces

The Articles of Confederation allowed each state only one vote in Congress. Which question reflects a major concern states had about this arrangement?

• Should states attempt to resolve conflicting claims to territory?

• Should states change their procedure for selecting representatives?

• Should unanimous state approval for national laws be required?

• Should more populous states receive greater representation?

The plan of government now proposed is evidently calculated totally to change, in time, our condition as a people. Instead of being thirteen republics, under a federal head, it is clearly designed to make us one consolidated government. . . . —Federal Farmer No. 1, 1787

Those in favor of ratifying the Constitution would most likely respond to this concern by pointing out that —

• elected representatives are accountable to individual voters

• courts have the right to resolve disputes between states

• each branch of government can serve as a check on the other branches

• power is divided between the federal government and state governments

A certain small town has many choices for people who want to attend religious services, including two churches, a synagogue, a cathedral, a mosque, and a temple. These choices are protected by the —

• First Amendment

• Third Amendment

• Sixth Amendment

• Eighth Amendment