Civics: The Constitution

The Virginia Plan included which of the following?

• A. A unicameral legislature

• B. The authority of the federal government to declare state laws null and void ("Federal Negative")

• C. Each state was given one vote in the national legislature

• D. A continuation of the Articles of Confederation

All of the following were rules of the Convention EXCEPT

• A. speakers had to address comments to the president of the convention

• B. no votes were binding until the final vote on the entire document.

• C. no reading or side conversations while others speak.

• D. comments were limited to five minutes each.

Which of the following acts as a check on the executive branch?

• A. The prohibition against ex post facto laws

• B. The prohibition against bills of attainder

• C. The power of the House to bring articles of impeachment

• D. The power to be commander-in-chief

All of the following are limits on state power EXCEPT

• A. states cannot coin money

• B. states cannot make treaties

• C. states cannot tax

• D. states cannot pass ex post facto laws

The United States Constitution grants powers to the President. Which of the following is NOT one of these powers?

• A. declare war

• B. make treaties

• C. act as commander-in-chief

• D. nominate judges to the national courts

Which of the following is NOT an enumerated power of Congress?

• A. to declare war

• B. to create taxes

• C. to pass bills of attainder

• D. to regulate trade

One way in which the United States Constitution differed from the Articles of Confederation was that the Constitution

• A. increased the powers of the states

• B. provided for the direct election of the President by the voters

• C. provided for proportional representation in one house of Congress

• D. made the amendment process more difficult

The central (most important) question in framing the U.S. Constitution was that of

• A. how strong to make the national government.

• B. which powers to give the federal judiciary.

• C. how best to break with Great Britain.

• D. how to end the institution of slavery.

In the Constitution as originally ratified in 1788, which of the following involved the direct election of the people?

• A. Ratification of treaties

• B. Election of members of the Senate

• C. Election of the President

• D. Election of members of the House of Representatives

Which of the following leaders shaped the framing of the federal Constitution more than anyone else?

• A. George Washington

• B. James Madison

• C. Thomas Jefferson

• D. John Adams