Foundations of American Government Quiz

What was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

• It provided too much power to the national government.

• It did not include a system of federal courts.

• It required unanimous consent for amendments.

• It established a strong executive branch.

Which Enlightenment thinker's ideas on separation of powers influenced the US Constitution?

• John Locke

• Thomas Hobbes

• Montesquieu

• Voltaire

This series of essays defended the Constitution and the notion of separation of powers:

• Rights of Man

• • The Federalist Papers 

• The Adams-Jefferson Correspondence

• • The letters from Brutus 

Which of the following was a key argument of the Anti-Federalists?

• A strong central government would protect the rights of the people.

• The Articles of Confederation were sufficient for governing the nation.

• The proposed Constitution lacked a bill of rights to protect individual freedoms.

• A large republic could not effectively manage a diverse and extensive territory.

Under the Articles of Confederation, who had the final authority on most matters?

• The President

• The Supreme Court

• The individual states

• The Continental Congress

Which Enlightenment idea is reflected in the concept of "consent of the governed" in the Declaration of Independence?

• Rousseau's "Social Contract"

• Montesquieu's separation of powers

• Locke's natural rights

• Voltaire's freedom of speech

Which document directly resulted from the failures of the Articles of Confederation?

• The Declaration of Independence

• The US Constitution

• The Federalist Papers

• The Bill of Rights

Anti-Federalists were concerned that the Constitution did not:

• Establish a national bank.

• Provide for the direct election of Senators.

• Specifically protect individual rights.

• Limit the powers of the executive branch sufficiently.

John Locke's theories on government influenced the Founding Fathers' belief in:

• The divine right of kings.

• The necessity of a strong military.

• Life, liberty, and property as natural rights.

• The importance of a centralized church.

1. Federalism is the word used to describe the Constitution’s system of granting political power __________.

• 1. By giving all political power to the federal government 

• • By giving all political power to the states

• By dividing political power between the national government and the states

• • To the other branches, in theory, but retaining all real power under the president