SS CH6 L2 C The New Government

“The members of Congress write bills, and a bill must be approved by both houses to be passed. The bills passed by Congress must be approved by the executive branch to become laws.”

What is the meaning of the term bills?

• financial laws

• suggested laws

• proposed laws

• amended laws

Which statement best explains how the previous political experience of Americans led to the separation of powers in the new Constitution?

• American experience of disorder under the Articles of Confederation led to a

  belief that a weak national government would be unable to control the states and bind them into a single nation.

• American experience of the weakness of the American colonies and the strength

  of the British Parliament led to a belief that a strong national government would

  dominate state governments.

• American experience of oppression by Britain’s Parliament and disorder under the Articles of Confederation led to a belief that the powers of the national and state

  governments must be balanced.

• American experience of oppression by the Confederation government and disorder under British rule led to a belief that the powers of the national and state governments must be balanced.

Which evidence from the text best supports the conclusion that Americans did not

want one branch of the government to have too much control over the economy?

• “Under the [new] Constitution, Congress could create and collect taxes and similar fees and borrow money if needed.”

• “Congress now had the power to coin, or create, money.”

• “Congress also became responsible for overseeing trade with other nations,

  including American Indian groups.”

• “It wasn’t allowed to pass certain types of taxes.”

Reorder the following into the order in which they occurred.

• The Great Compromise is made.

• Delaware is the first state to ratify the Constitution.

• The Continental Congress decides to rewrite the Articles of Confederation.

• New Hampshire ratifies the Constitution, making it the law of the land.

• The Constitutional Convention begins.

Choose the statement that is true.

• Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution.

• California was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution.

• Delaware was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution.

• New Hampshire was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution.

Match the following

• executive branch

• Enforces the laws

• judicial branch

• interpret laws

• legislative branch

• make laws

What two sentences from the text explain the importance of the new Constitution’s grant to the national legislative branch of the power to coin money?

• “One of the weaknesses of the national government under the Articles of Confederation was its lack of power in economic matters.”

• “This way, the government was finally able to pay some its outstanding debts from the Revolutionary War.”

• “The whole nation would now use a single currency.”

• “These rules were intended to ensure the fairness of the U.S. economy so that many people had a chance to prosper.”

• “This made it much easier for people from different states to do business across state lines.”