Quiz on the Preamble to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

What reasons for writing the Constitution are given in the Preamble to the Constitution? Choose three options.

• The Constitution was established to ensure peace within the country.

• The Constitution was established to present a united defense against other countries.

• The Constitution was established to promote the welfare of the people of the United States.

• The Constitution was established to enable taxes to be raised to support the government.

• The Constitution was established to give states more independence from the federal government.

According to the Preamble to the Bill of Rights, who had to approve the Bill of Rights before it became law?

• the President

• the legislatures of three-fourths of the states

• the President and the Supreme Court judges

• a strong majority of the general voting public

Which of the following topics are covered in the Bill of Rights? Choose three options.

• the rights of people charged with crimes

• the right to speak freely

• the legal definition of the term citizen

• the freedom to worship as one chooses

• the procedure for electing a President

In which of the following situations would one person most likely petition another?

• Bill studies all weekend and tells his teacher he is ready to take a test.

• Mike purchases his first car from the owner of a local car dealership.

• Sarah and Megan compete for a spot on the high school track team.

• Elena asks her boss for extra pay for the additional hours she worked.

Read Amendment I from the Bill of Rights. To which of the following situations does this amendment most clearly apply?

• A local government sets aside a day to celebrate citizens’ contributions.

• A college professor takes her computer home so she can work over the weekend.

• A group of people demonstrates against a law enacted by the city council.

• A state court allows the government to take privately owned land to use for a new highway.

Part A: Read Amendment VIII from the Bill of Rights. Which of the following choices best explains the rights guaranteed in this amendment?

• A court cannot require a convicted criminal to pay a sum of money to be released. The court also cannot charge a fine or punish offenders who commit minor crimes.

• Once someone who has committed a crime is released from jail, the court cannot require that person to return for another trial, and it cannot fine or punish the person in any way.

• A court cannot require an unreasonable amount of money to ensure that someone who is released from custody will return; unreasonable fines cannot be charged for offenses; and inhumane punishments cannot be imposed.

• When someone commits a crime, the court can make the person pay money to be released. The money will be returned when the person returns to court for trial. If the person does not return, the money will be used to pay the fine, and the case will be dismissed.

Part B: Which excerpt from the Bill of Rights supports the answer to Part A?

• Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…. (Amendment I)

• No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury…. (Amendment V)

• In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right …. to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation…. (Amendment VI)

• The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. (Amendment IX)

Identify the choice that best answers the question. Which of the following is one of the purposes of the Preamble to the Constitution?

• to summarize each of the main ideas presented in the Constitution

• to state the specific rights and freedoms that the Constitution protects

• to describe the process by which the Constitution was written and approved

• to explain that the Constitution was established by the people of the United States

How does enumeration help make the Bill of Rights easier to understand?

• It shows which rights are most important so that readers can see which rights are essential and which are less valuable.

• It organizes the document into ten separate rights so that readers can more quickly understand and refer to them.

• It explains why certain rights are important so that readers know why they are guaranteed in the Constitution.

• It provides labels for each of the rights so that readers can quickly find the one that applies to their situation.

What is the practical purpose of the headings used in the Bill of Rights?

• They provide an example of how each right might apply.

• They remind people what each right specifically guarantees.

• They provide a way for people to quickly refer to a specific set of rights.

• They tell which are individual rights and which are reserved for the states.