Founding Documents Assessment

Thomas Paine's work, "Common Sense", was critically influential on which founding document?

• Bill of Rights

• Declaration of Independence

• US Constitution

• Star Spangled Banner

Answer explanation

"Common Sense" was released only 6 months before the Declaration of Independence.

Which document officially declared the United States' colonists independent from British rule?

• Declaration of Independence

• US Constitution

• Star Spangled Banner

• Bill of Rights

Answer explanation

The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776.

What was the "original American Government"?

• The Articles of Confederation

• Declaration of Independence

• The US Constitution

• Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen

Answer explanation

The first government (used for about a decade) had an extremely weak national government. They could not even collect taxes.

The Articles of Confederation only had which branch of government?

• Executive

• Judicial

• Legislative

• Tree

Answer explanation

The government was only made up of Congress. There were no national courts or formal government police.

The Constitution did (and still does) what?

• Ended slavery

• Chooses the president

• Sets up our government and its powers in relation to the people

• Declared independence from England

The Virginia Plan favored which states?

• States with Large Populations

• States with Small Populations

• States with Rivers

• States without Income Tax

Answer explanation

Virginia was the largest state at the time of the Constitutional Convention

The New Jersey plan favored small states. Did the New Jersey plan propose representation according to population or equal representation?

• Representation in Congress according to Population

• Representation in Congress is the same for each state

Answer explanation

New Jersey was one of the smallest states, so they did not have has many people. If the Virginia Plan won out, then small states would never have an impact in Congress.

The Bill of Rights is NOT described by which one of the answer choices?

• The First Ten Amendments to the Constitution

• A Document discussing the Government's Power to Tax

• The result of the Anti-Federalist's distaste towards the US Constitution

• Contains many of our most fundamental/ natural rights

When the 3 branches of government check each other's power,

we call that ____________

• Federalism

• Separation of Powers

• Individual Rights

• Checks and Balances

Which is NOT a First Amendment right?

• Freedom of Religion

• Freedom of Press

• Freedom of Speech

• Freedom to Dress