The Constitutional Convention

This is a graph of the various populations in certain states according to the 1790 Federal Census. How did the information in this graph impact the writing of the United States Constitution?

• Southern states wanted a system where representation was equal for all states.

• Northern states wanted slaves to count toward a state’s total population to make representation more balanced.

• Northern states wanted slavery to be banned so they would have an advantage over the southern states.

• Southern states wanted a system where representation was based on total population.

This is a quote from an important American document. This quote is known by what other name?

• the Articles of Confederation

• the Bill of Rights

• the Commerce Compromise

• the Three-Fifths Compromise

Which compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention defined the representation each state would have under the United States Constitution?

• Commerce Compromise

• Great Compromise

• Slave Trade Compromise

• Electoral College Compromise

Because he provided leadership to the Constitutional Convention and wrote a large part of the document, which individual is referred to as the “Father of the Constitution”?

• Alexander Hamilton

• Thomas Jefferson

• James Madison

• George Washington

What role did George Washington play at the Constitutional Convention?

• He served as the president of the convention.

• He wrote the original draft of the Constitution.

• He proposed the Great Compromise.

• He advocated for ending the slave trade.

This is a statement made by George Washington about the Articles of Confederation. "The consequences of...[an] inefficient government are too obvious to be dwelt upon. Thirteen sovereignties pulling against each other, and all tugging at the federal head will soon bring ruin on the whole.... Let us have [government] by which our lives, liberty, and property will be secured or let us know the worst at once." Based on this statement, Washington would have agreed with which idea?

• The nation needed to create a stronger central government to survive.

• The state governments were capable of controlling their own militias.

• The federal government did not need a chief executive to operate efficiently.

• The nation was prepared to deal with any crisis that might occur.

Because he took notes during the Constitutional Convention and wrote the majority of the document, which historical figure is considered the “Father of the Constitution”?

• Benjamin Franklin

• Thomas Jefferson

• James Madison

• George Washington

Why did several states object to the Virginia Plan during the Constitutional Convention?

• They thought a bicameral legislature would make it difficult to pass laws.

• They believed it gave too much power to the central government.

• They felt southern states would be underrepresented in Congress.

• They were concerned smaller states would have less influence in Congress.

In order to convince Antifederalists to support ratification of the Constitution, which action was taken?

• A system of checks and balances was added to the Constitution.

• State governments agreed to give up their rights to tax citizens.

• A Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.

• State governments were given the power to set voter qualifications.

The Three-Fifths Compromise in the United States Constitution helped resolve conflicts between what two groups?

• southern states and northern states

• pro-slavery forces and abolitionists

• Federalists and Democratic-Republicans

• pro-British and pro-French supporters