Unit 5 Week 4 Skills Test

   Although the Revolutionary War was over, the people living in the colonies were not ready to call themselves a nation just yet. They had come together against the British and signed the Declaration of Independence, but the people still considered themselves citizens of their individual states and not one unified nation. However, that would all change after the Constitutional Convention.

 

     After the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the states were content to be part of a loose union. Realizing the country needed some sort of unifying government, Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, which created a federation of sovereign states and a weak central government. Unfortunately, the states did not always feel obligated to work together. For example, if Congress asked the individual states to contribute money or supply soldiers, the states could decline. The problem was that the states had most of the power. The country had no legal system, and the president had no power to make sure the rules were followed.

 

     George Washington believed that the states could not be independent and survive, so he pushed for a unified nation held together by a strong central government. Alexander Hamilton—an assemblyman from New York— agreed, believing that America was nothing more than a monster with thirteen heads. When Washington, Hamilton, and others suggested another convention to improve the government, it caused an uproar among several states that strongly disagreed. Rhode Island refused to send delegates, while Patrick Henry hit the roof. He claimed he “smelt a rat” and refused to go as a delegate from Virginia.

 

     In May of 1787, delegates from most of the colonies arrived at the State House in Philadelphia to decide the fate of the nation. They all had different views about the role of the government. Some wanted the states to have control, while others wanted a national government to have the majority of the power. The smaller states with fewer people were worried about the larger states with larger populations. Would the small states have any sort of power? Some were worried by the power being held by a small wealthy class, while others worried about giving power to the common people.

 

 What about the issue of the presidency? Alexander Hamilton felt that the president should serve a long time. Benjamin Franklin, the oldest of the delegates at the age of 81, asked what would happen if the long-serving president was not a very good president. By the end, it was decided that the president should serve four years and be chosen by voters from each state.

 

     After several months of debates and arguments, the delegates finally came to some agreements. The government would have three separate but equal branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch would be made up of two houses that would create laws. The executive branch would include the president who would oversee running the government. The judicial branch would include the Supreme Court, which would make sure that the laws were obeyed. Drafting a new constitution that appealed to everyone was a tough nut to crack. Many compromises were made, and not everyone left the convention happy, but it was done. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed. America had a new government!

• I read the text

• I didn't read the text

Why does the author use the idiom “hit the roof” to describe Patrick Henry in paragraph 3?

When Washington, Hamilton, and others suggested another convention to improve the government, it caused an uproar among several states that strongly disagreed. Rhode Island refused to send delegates, while Patrick Henry hit the roof.

• to show how angry he was

• to show how careless he was

• to show how thoughtful he was

• to show how determined he was

Click on one sentence from the passage that uses a compare-and-contrast text structure to stress the two different views about a new constitution.

• “George Washington believed that the states could not be independent and survive, so he pushed for a unified nation held together by a strong central government.
  

• Alexander Hamilton—an assemblyman from New York—agreed, believing that America was nothing more than a monster with thirteen heads.
  

• When Washington, Hamilton, and others suggested another convention to improve the government, it caused an uproar among several states that strongly disagreed.
  

• Rhode Island refused to send delegates, while Patrick Henry hit the roof.

Why does the author use the idiom “tough nut to crack” in paragraph 6?

Drafting a new constitution that appealed to everyone was a tough nut to crack. Many compromises were made, and not everyone left the convention happy, but it was done.

• to explain how the delegates felt about the government

• to explain how difficult it was to please all the delegates

• to explain how the delegates debated about the president

• to explain how well the delegates got along with each other

What are two ways that paragraph 6 supports the compare-and-contrast structure of the passage?

 After several months of debates and arguments, the delegates finally came to some agreements. The government would have three separate but equal branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch would be made up of two houses that would create laws. The executive branch would include the president who would oversee running the government. The judicial branch would include the Supreme Court, which would make sure that the laws were obeyed. Drafting a new constitution that appealed to everyone was a tough nut to crack. Many compromises were made, and not everyone left the convention happy, but it was done. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed. America had a new government!

• It explains the differences between the three branches of the new government.

• It highlights how the delegates were able to make compromises despite their differences.

• It describes how the Declaration of Independence and the new constitution were alike and different.

• It shows how writing the constitution was different from anything the delegates had ever done in their lives.

• It explains the differences between the new form of government and other forms of governments at the time.