Understanding the U.S. Constitution

What was the main issue with the Articles of Confederation?

• It was too similar to the British system of government.

• It provided too much power to the national government.

• It did not allow for the creation of new states.

• It did not grant enough power to the national government.

What was Shays' Rebellion a response to?

• The introduction of the Bill of Rights

• The election of the first president

• Economic hardship and debt among farmers

• The signing of the Declaration of Independence

Why were the Articles of Confederation considered weak?

• They prohibited states from trading with each other.

• They gave too much power to the president.

• They did not include a system of checks and balances.

• They lacked a strong national government to enforce laws and collect taxes.

What was a key feature of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

• It established the process for admitting new states.

• It banned slavery in the new territories.

• Both A and B

• It created a new national currency.

What was the original purpose of the meeting in Philadelphia in 1787?

• To start a new war

• To draft the Declaration of Independence

• To revise the Articles of Confederation

• To declare independence from Britain

What did the Great Compromise decide?

• The structure of Congress

• The official language of the United States

• The location of the capital

• The president's term length

How did the 3/5ths compromise affect representation?

• It counted all residents equally.

• It excluded women from being counted.

• It only counted landowners.

• It counted slaves as 3/5ths of a person.

What principle prevents one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

• The Electoral College

• Direct democracy

• Checks and balances

• Federalism

What does federalism in the U.S. Constitution refer to?

• The right to federal jobs for all citizens

• A government controlled by the military

• The division of power between national and state governments

• A single, centralized national government

Who were the main authors of the Federalist Papers?

• Thomas Jefferson and John Adams

• Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay

• John Hancock and Samuel Adams

• Benjamin Franklin and George Washington