Understanding the Formation of the U.S. Constitution

What was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

• Too strong a central government

• Lack of a national army

• Inability to levy taxes

• All states had equal power

What did the Articles of Confederation lack that the Constitution provided?

• A judicial branch

• A bicameral legislature

• All of the above

• A system of checks and balances

What led to Shays' Rebellion?

• The election of a new president

• Disagreements over slavery

• Farmers' debts and land confiscation

• High taxes on tea

What was a key issue debated at the Constitutional Convention?

• Women's rights

• State versus federal powers

• The official language

• The design of the flag

What was the main goal of the Constitutional Convention?

• To address trade issues

• To write a new constitution

• To amend the Articles of Confederation

• To declare independence from Britain

What was the significance of Shays' Rebellion?

• It was the first battle of the Civil War

• It led to the end of the Revolutionary War

• It resulted in the immediate drafting of the Constitution

• It showed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

What was a key feature of the new government structure?

• A monarchy

• Direct democracy

• Separation of powers

• A single state government

How did the delegates decide representation in Congress?

• By the number of registered voters

• By the state's economic contribution

• Equally for all states

• By the size of the state's population

What compromise was made regarding slavery in the Constitution?

• Slaves were counted as full persons

• Slavery was left to individual states to decide

• Slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person

• Slavery was abolished

What did the Great Compromise decide?

• The official language of the United States

• The location of the capital

• The structure of Congress

• The president's term length