wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Articles of Confederation/Shays' Rebellion/Constitutional Convention

Total questions: 64

Worksheet time: 53mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

First Constitution of the Colonies

a)

Articles of Confederation

b)

Bill of Rights

c)

The Constitution

d)

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

2.

Which of the following were powers of the Government under the Articles of Confederation?

a)

Conduct foreign affairs

b)

borrow money and issue currency

c)

regulate trade

d)

impose taxes

3.

Which of the following are powers the federal government did not have under the Articles of Confederation.

a)

Impose taxes

b)

regulate trade

c)

draft citizens into the military

d)

conduct foreign affairs

4.

Which level of government had the most power under the Articles of Confederation?

a)

The Central/Federal Government

b)

The States

c)

Townships

d)

All of them equally

5.
Americans were afraid that a __?__ would lead to tyranny, or oppressive rule.
a)
strong state government
b)
weak government
c)
strong central government
d)
legslature
6.

Because this branch was missing under the Articles of Confederation the government had no power to enforce its laws?

a)

Judicial

b)

Legislative

c)

Executive

d)

Congress

7.

How many states were needed to enact a law under the Articles?

a)

5 out of 13

b)

10 out of 13

c)

9 out of 13

d)

2 out of 13

8.
This picture shows which weakness of the Articles?
a)
no common currency
b)
no executive branch
c)
no power to tax
d)
one vote for each state
9.
How many branches of government were there under the Articles of Confederation?
a)
One
b)
Zero
c)
Two
d)
Three
10.
Who led the farmers against the government of Massachusetts?
a)
Daniel Shays
b)
the Government
c)
all of the farmers were leaders
d)
Thomas Hobbes
11.
Shay's Rebellion started as a protest against
a)
unfair taxes and farmer debt
b)
the death penalty
c)
no judicial system
d)
debtors' prisons
12.

In order to amend the articles, ________ of the states needed to agree

a)

all

b)

7

c)

9

d)

51%

13.

The Northwest Ordinance provided a pathway for territories to apply for

a)

statehood

b)

federal funding

c)

infrastructure grants

14.
In order to become a state, territories had to have which of the following?
a)
$1,000,000
b)
5000 people
c)
60,000 free men
d)
slaves
15.

After an area in the Northwest Territory reached 5,000 free, adult, white, men, they could elect a __________.

a)

Govenor

b)

President

c)

assembly

d)

judge

16.

What area contained present day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and parts of Minnesota.

a)

Canada

b)

U.S.A.

c)

13 colonies

d)

Northwest Territory

17.

In order for someone to vote in the Northwest Territory they had to be what?

a)

A citizen

b)

a white male who owned 50 acres

c)

A resident of the Northwest Territory

d)

Over the age of 21

18.
What was NOT allowed in the new NW Territory according to the Northwest Ordinance? 
a)
Slavery
b)
Freedoms
c)
Trading
d)
Farming 
19.

Which of the following were accomplishments of the federal government under the Articles?

a)

Putting down Shays' Rebellion

b)

Establishing a process for the admission of new states

c)

Paying off Revolutionary War debt

d)

Treaty of Paris 1783

20.
Settlers of the Northwest Territory were given the same rights or freedoms as other United States citizens.
a)
true
b)
false
21.

Which of the following was NOT a right guaranteed to citizens living in the Northwest Territory?

a)

freedom of speech

b)

freedom of Religion

c)

trial by jury

d)

right to secede

22.

"The confederation's failure to deal with conditions that might lead to rebellion, as well as the problems with trade and diplomacy, only added fuel to their argument." Who is "their"?

a)

Those who felt the federal government was too strong

b)

Those who felt that the federal government was too weak.

23.
What did Shays' Rebellion help Americans realize they needed?
a)
A strong national government
b)
A stronger militia
c)
A common currency
d)
The ability to sign peace treaties
24.
A major weakness under the Articles of Confederation was-
a)
Congress could not negotiate treaties
b)
Congress could print money
c)
Congress did not have the power to raise money or enforce laws
d)
Congress established the Northwest Ordinance
25.

Where did Shays' rebellion take place?

a)

New York

b)

Massachusetts

c)

Pennsylvania

26.

How did Shays' Rebellion demonstrate the weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

a)

It revealed that the federal government was unable to protect the country from internal and external threats

b)

Proved that states were unable to protect the rights of the people

c)

Showed that the inability to impose taxes would lead to rebellion

27.
Where did the Constitutional Convention take place?
a)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
b)
Washington, DC
c)
Richmond, Virginia
d)
Paris, France
28.

What was the original purpose of the Constitutional Convention?

a)

To revise the Declaration of Independence

b)

To revise the Articles of Confederation

c)

To draft the Treaty of Paris 1783

d)

To elect the first president

29.
Who was the president of the Constitutional Convention?
a)
George Washington
b)
Thomas Jefferson
c)
James Madison
d)
John Adams
30.
What did the Federalists want?
a)
States to govern themselves
b)
To be governed by England
c)
A strong federal government
d)
A new leader for the House of Representatives
31.

What did Anti-Federalists believe?

a)

The states should have more power than the federal government

b)

There should be no federal government

c)

The federal government should be more powerful than state governments

d)

A strong central government could lead to restrictions on rights and freedoms

32.

The _______________ Plan proposed a strong federal government with three branches.

a)

Virginia

b)

New Jersey

c)

Connecticut

d)

Three-fifths

33.
The three branches of government are ________________
a)
Executive, Legislative, and Judicial
b)
Legislative, Judicial, and National
c)
Executive, Principle, and Judicial
d)
Judicial, National, and Legislative
34.
The _______________ was the solution to the disagreement about how many representatives each state would have. 
a)
Great Compromise
b)
Three-fifths Compromise
c)
Great Dispute
d)
Big Agreement
35.
How were slaves counted as part of the population when deciding the number of representatives for a state?
a)
All slaves were counted.
b)
Three-fifths of the number of slaves was added to the population.
c)
Slaves were not counted at all.
d)
Slaves were allowed to vote and be elected to represent each state.
36.
Bicameral means...
a)
Three House
b)
Two House
c)
One House
d)
Five House
37.
The best definition for Federalism is...
a)
power split between states and federal government
b)
all power in one place
c)
a loose alliance of states
d)
Ms. Snyder made this word up...
38.

Which type of legislature did the Great Compromise create?

a)

A bicameral legislature, one equal and one based on population

b)

A unicameral legislature with equal representation

c)

A bicameral legislature with proportional representation

d)

A unicameral legislature based on population

39.
The North wanted slaves to count for what purpose?
a)
Population
b)
Taxation
c)
No purpose at all
d)
both  population and taxation
40.
Who demanded that a Bill of Rights be added to the Constitution?
a)
Federalists
b)
Anti-Federalists
41.
Who is known as the "father" of the Constitution?
a)
George Washington
b)
George Mason
c)
John Adams
d)
James Madison
42.
Ratify
a)
to approve formally
b)
Small animals in a sewer
c)
To not approve
43.

The Great Compromise solved the problem between large and small states regarding representation.

a)

True

b)

False

44.
The Constitution replaced the ______ as the governing document of the country.
a)
Declaration of Independence
b)
Bill of Rights
c)
Emancipation Proclamation
d)
Articles of Confederation
45.

In federalism, the national government and the states share power, but the __________________ has more power.

a)

National government

b)

State government

c)

Supreme Court

46.

What does the political cartoon represent?

a)

3/5 Compromise: every 5 slaves = 3 people for representation & taxation in Congress

b)

5/3 Compromise: every 3 slaves = 5 people for representation & taxation in Congress

c)

3/5 Compromise: every 3 slaves = 5 people for representation in the slave trade taxes

d)

10/8 Compromise: every 10 slaves = 8 people for representation in the Appalachian Mountains

47.

Who is known as the leader of the Federalists?

a)

Alexander Hamilton

b)

John Adams

c)

Patrick Henry

d)

Benjamin Franklin

48.

Federalists believed that the Articles of Confederation were a ________ because it set up a ________ National Government.

a)

Success, Strong.

b)

Success, Weak.

c)

Failure, Weak.

d)

Failure, Strong.

49.

Whose perspective does this statement express: The Constitution contains no Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties like freedom of speech, trial by jury, and the right against searches and seizures.

a)

Federalists

b)

Anti-Federalists

50.

What did Federalists and Antifederalists disagree most strongly about?

a)

a strong national government

b)

creating a system of checks and balances

c)

protecting individual liberties

d)

increasing the power of the confederation

51.

Whose perspective does this statement express: Though the Federal Government has more power, these powers are clearly defined and limited by the new Constitution and no bill of rights is necessary.

a)

Federalists

b)

Anti-Federalists

52.

First Constitution of the United States

a)

Articles of Confederation

b)

Bill of Rights

c)

The Constitution

d)

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

53.

The South wanted slaves to count for what purpose?

a)

Population

b)

Taxation

c)

No purpose at all

d)

both population and taxation

54.
The Land Ordinance of 1785 decided how land in the Northwest Territory would be ____________
a)
sold
b)
measured and divided
c)
given to the Indians
d)
given back to the British
55.

According to the Land Ordinance of 1785, one section of each township was to be used to support

a)

churches

b)

businesses

c)

public education

d)

farmers

56.

Who put down Shays' rebellion?

a)

The Continental Army under George Washington

b)

the Massachusetts militia

c)

The U.S. Army under John Paul Jones

d)

The British Army

57.

The Constitutional Convention was held in _________________ in _____________

a)

Washington, D.C., 1787

b)

Philadelphia, PA, 1787

c)

Washington, D.C., 1781

d)

New York, NY, 1787

58.

The "Federalist Papers" were written to:

a)

Convince people to ratify (support) the new Constitution.

b)

spark a new revolution among the American people against their government.

c)

oppose a strong centralized government.

d)

create a new monarchy.

59.
Patrick Henry and George Mason Belonged to which party?
a)
Anti-Federalists
b)
Whigs
c)
Federalists
60.

Which of the following were authors of the Federalist Papers

a)

George Mason

b)

John Jay

c)

Alexander Hamilton

d)

James Madison

e)

Thomas Jefferson

61.

The Northwest Ordinance provided a pathway for territories to apply for

a)

statehood equal with the original 13 states

b)

colonial status

c)

statehood with less power than the original 13 states

62.

Charles de Montesquieu advocated for what form of government?

a)

one where governmental powers were separated into branches

b)

oligarchy

c)

absolute monarchy

d)

a constitutional monarchy

63.
What was the name Congress gave to the lands that were won from the British after the Revolution?
a)
Northwest Territory
b)
Indian Territory
c)
Canada
d)
Black Swamp
64.

How is each state's number of representatives determined

a)

based on a state's population as determined by a decennial census

b)

based on the size of the state's territory

c)

each state receives an equal number of representatives in the House