Constitutional Convention Key Concepts

What is one of the main goals stated in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution?

• To establish a monarchy.

• To ensure domestic tranquility.

• To create a single, powerful state.

• To limit individual freedoms.

Where did the delegates meet for the Constitutional Convention?

• New York City

• Boston

• Philadelphia

• Washington D.C.

What was the main outcome of the Connecticut (Great) Compromise during the Constitutional Convention?

• It established a one-house legislature with equal representation for all states.

• It created a two-house legislature, with one house based on population and the other on equal state representation.

• It gave more power to smaller states in both houses of Congress.

• It abolished the need for a legislative branch.

Why was the Electoral College created as a compromise for electing the President?

• To allow only the most educated citizens to vote for the President.

• To ensure the President was directly elected by popular vote.

• To balance concerns about selection by Congress and direct popular vote, and guard against demagogues.

• To give more power to the President over the legislative branch.

What was the main purpose of the Three-Fifths Clause in the Constitution?

• To determine the number of votes each state received in the Electoral College.

• To decide how many representatives each state would have in the House of Representatives.

• To calculate the amount of taxes each state had to pay to the federal government.

• To establish the legal status of enslaved people as property.

What was James Wilson's approach to the Three-Fifths Compromise?

• He strongly opposed counting enslaved people for any purpose.

• He advocated for enslaved people to be counted as full persons.

• He proposed a practical solution to balance different viewpoints on counting enslaved people.

• He believed enslaved people should be entirely excluded from population counts.

How did the Three-Fifths Clause affect the balance of power in the early United States government?

• It weakened the influence of Southern states in national politics.

• It increased the power of states with larger free populations.

• It strengthened the representation of pro-slavery interests in Congress and the presidency.

• It led to the immediate abolition of slavery in several states.

What did the Slave Trade Clause in the Constitution allow for, and until when?

• It immediately banned the international slave trade.

• It allowed the international slave trade to continue indefinitely.

• It prevented Congress from banning the international slave trade until 1808.

• It permitted states to ban the international slave trade at any time.

Why did some delegates refuse to sign the new Constitution at the end of the convention?

• They believed the Constitution gave too much power to individual states.

• They were concerned it did not include a Bill of Rights.

• They wanted a stronger national government with a monarchy.

• They disagreed with the election process for the President.