Understanding the Original Constitution and Slavery

Why do some people question the legitimacy of the original Constitution?

• Because it did not include a Bill of Rights.

• Because it was not ratified by all states.

• Because the Founders supported slavery.

• Because it was written too long ago.

What was the result of the compromise between states regarding slavery?

• A civil war.

• A new constitution.

• Immediate abolition of slavery.

• A system of federalism.

What does 'freedom national, slavery local' mean?

• Slavery was abolished nationally but allowed locally.

• Slavery was allowed everywhere.

• Slavery was only allowed in federal territories.

• The federal government had no stance on slavery, leaving it to the states.

How did the original Constitution handle the issue of slavery at the national level?

• It said very little about slavery.

• It explicitly supported slavery.

• It explicitly banned slavery.

• It left the decision to the Supreme Court.

What power did states have under the original Constitution regarding slavery?

• They could neither authorize nor abolish slavery.

• They could only abolish slavery.

• They could only authorize slavery.

• They could authorize or abolish slavery.

What was fundamentally altered by the Reconstruction Amendments?

• The power of the federal government.

• The structure of the Supreme Court.

• The process of electing the President.

• The system of checks and balances.

Which amendment made slavery unconstitutional at the local level?

• The 10th Amendment.

• The 13th Amendment.

• The 15th Amendment.

• The 14th Amendment.

What did the 14th Amendment aim to protect?

• The rights of citizens from state governments.

• The rights of states from the federal government.

• The rights of non-citizens.

• The rights of the federal government from states.

What was the main goal of the Reconstruction Amendments?

• To strengthen state powers.

• To create new states.

• To protect citizens' rights from state violations.

• To abolish the federal government.

How did the Republicans view the necessity of the 13th Amendment?

• Essential to change the Constitution.

• A temporary measure.

• A way to increase state power.

• Unnecessary.