Constitutional Convention Quiz

What was the main reason for calling the Constitutional Convention?

• To declare independence from Britain

• To amend the Articles of Confederation

• To draft the Bill of Rights

• To elect a new president

Which of the following was NOT a feature of the new Constitution?

• A system of checks and balances

• Three distinct branches of government

• A unicameral legislature

• Federalism

What was the main difference between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?

• The Virginia Plan proposed a unicameral legislature

• The New Jersey Plan favored larger states

• The Virginia Plan proposed representation based on population

• The New Jersey Plan included a president elected by popular vote

What was the outcome of the debate over legislative representation?

• The Three-Fifths Compromise was adopted

• The Virginia Plan was adopted

• The New Jersey Plan was adopted

• The Connecticut Compromise was adopted

How is the president of the United States elected according to the Constitution?

• By a direct popular vote

• By Congress

• By the Electoral College

• By the Supreme Court

What was a major concern about electing the president by popular vote?

• It would take too long

• Voters might not be well-informed

• It would be too expensive

• It would require a constitutional amendment

What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?

• A compromise on the number of senators per state

• A method for electing the president

• A decision to count three-fifths of the slave population for representation

• A plan to end slavery by 1808

Which state did not send delegates to the Constitutional Convention?

• Pennsylvania

• Virginia

• New York

• Rhode Island

When was the Constitution ratified?

• July 4, 1776

• September 17, 1787

• June 21, 1788

• March 4, 1789

What does the system of checks and balances ensure?

• That laws are passed quickly

• That no branch of government becomes too powerful

• That the president has absolute power

• That the states have more power than the federal government