M1L1 Practice

Read the excerpt from the Constitutional Convention resolution (1787). According to the resolution, which of the following was responsible for organizing this convention?

• An influential collection of private and elected citizens

• The various state legislatures

• The existing Congress

• A collection of propertied citizens

Read the excerpt from the Constitutional Convention resolution (1787). According to the resolution, the purpose of the convention was to

• Establish a process by which states could leave the union willingly.

• Revise the existing Articles of Confederation.

• Ratify a new constitutional document replacing the Articles of Confederation.

• Establish common trade, currency, and navigation policies for the various states.

Which is most true about the Great Compromise and the legislative branch?

• Population did not have an impact on state representation, the state's size dictated representation.

• Because the Senate was smaller, it received limited control over legislation.

• Large states had more elected officials than small states, but small states were equal in the Senate.

• Small states and large states were to be completely equal.

The framers of the new Constitution generally agreed that

• The Articles of Confederation had already been effective and should serve as their model.

• Retaining unanimous agreement over policy was the key to protecting states' rights.

• Only a loosely united federal government could retain sufficient flexibility to represent all.

• The new national government had to have increased authority to effectively rule the nation.

The Articles of Confederation is probably best described as

• A constitution that valued states' rights over those of the national government.

• A constitution that required too much sacrifice of state governments.

• An effective document which gave birth to strong national government.

• A document that valued the national government over individual states' rights.

What was not one of the weaknesses facing the new government under the Articles of Confederation?

• It lacked the legal authority to make war on foreign nations.

• It could not regulate the nation's trade, relying on each state to make its own trade policies.

• It required the approval of all 13 states to amend or adjust the Articles.

• It provided for no federal court system and each state provided its own rulings on judicial issues.

What was not one of the major issues that needed resolving by the framers of the Articles of Confederation?

• Disagreement over which states would have access to newly acquired land.

• A fear that a weak central government would allow some states to reestablish old alliances with British.

• Disagreement over the amount of power going to state governments versus that going to the new national governments.

• A fear that larger states would have too much power in the new national government.

Why is the Magna Carta considered such an important document to United States government?

• It is a clear example of an agreement that limited the power of government.

• In it is found the earliest argument for natural rights.

• It created a system of separated powers.

• It guarantees voting rights for citizens.

What is the origin of British common law?

• The British monarch.

• Agreements between Parliament, the monarch, and the Church of England.

• Precedent and common practice by judges over time.

• Primarily the legislative process as practiced in the British Parliament.

He says that the government will set a dangerous ____ if it refuses to allow the protesters to hold a rally.

• Precedent
• Legitimacy

• Predecessor

• Tyranny