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US Constitution Vs Articles of Confederation

Total questions: 77

Worksheet time: 49mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
What is the name of the first written plan of government in America?
a)
Constitution
b)
Treaty of Paris
c)
Declaration of Independence
d)
Articles of Confederation
2.
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
3.
Under the Articles of Confederation, most of the power was where?
a)
Legislative branch
b)
the president
c)
the states
d)
national government
4.
Under the Articles of Confederation, how many votes did each state get when voting on a new law?
a)
Zero
b)
One
c)
Two 
d)
Three
5.
How many branches of government were there under the Articles of Confederation?
a)
One
b)
Zero
c)
Two
d)
Three
6.
Which of the following was NOT a power of Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
a)
Create a plan for the Northwest Territory
b)
Negotiate treaties
c)
Levy taxes
d)
Declare war and peace
7.
Anti-Federalists preferred a strong ____________ government.
a)
National
b)
State
c)
Central
d)
Republican
8.
What was the position of the group known as the Federalists?
a)
they supported a new Constitution
b)
they questioned the justice of slavery
c)
the feared the power of the national government
d)
the believed that states should have equal representation
9.
Which is a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
a)
Congress couldn't collect taxes
b)
Weak central government
c)
Provided for no common currency
d)
All of the these
10.
What is the name of the first government of the United States?
a)
U.S. Constitution
b)
Articles of Confederation
c)
Northwest Ordinance
d)
Declaration of Independence
11.
True or False?  The Articles of Confederation had a strong central government.
a)
True
b)
False
12.
How many states had to agree in order to ratify the Articles of Confederation?
a)
13
b)
8
c)
1
d)
6
13.
Congress never had any money because under the Articles they did NOT have the power to ____.
a)
print money
b)
sell items to other countries
c)
tax
d)
spend money
14.

The Articles of Confederation gave the states

a)

no power.

b)

the same power as the national government.

c)

less power than the national government.

d)

more power than the national government.

15.

What was the name of the rebellion caused by the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

a)

Bacon’s

b)

Paxton Boys

c)

Shays’

d)

Leisler’s

16.

Where did Shays’ Rebellion happen?

a)

Virginia

b)

Massachusetts

c)

Rhode Island

d)

Connecticut

17.

Those who opposed ratification of the Constitution were called

a)

Whigs

b)

Anti-Federalists.

c)

Democrats.

d)

Republicans.

18.

The central compromise of the Constitutional Convention involved the issue of

a)

representation of large and small states.

b)

the meeting place to write the Constitution.

c)

powers of the president.

d)

throwing away the Articles of Confederation

19.

The 3/5 Compromise of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 provided that

a)

the votes of three men would be counted.

b)

for purposes of representation and taxation, five slaves would be counted as three free persons.

c)

the votes of 3/5 of the Southern states would be needed to pass any federal law.

20.

“The Federalist Papers” were written to

a)

Support the ratification of the U. S. Constitution.

b)

Oppose ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

c)

Support colonial independence from Britain.

d)

Support a treaty with France.

21.

Which of the following happened during Washington’s administration?

a)

Louisiana Purchase

b)

War of 1812

c)

Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.

d)

All of the above.

22.

In proposing his National Economic Plan (National Bank), how did Alexander Hamilton interpret the

Constitution?

a)

Strictly

b)

Loosely

c)

He completely ignored the Constitution.

d)

He referred to the Declaration of Independence instead of the Constitution.

23.

Who wanted a strong central/federal/national government?

a)

Federalists

b)

Anti-Federalists

24.

Who wanted strong state government?

a)

Federalist

b)

Anti-Federalist

25.

What was the name of the papers written to support the Constitution?

a)

Lubbock Avalanche Journal

b)

Federalist Papers

c)

Anti-Federalist Papers

26.

Who is the "Father (Writer) of the Constitution"?

a)

Alexander Hamilton

b)

George Mason

c)

Patrick Henry

d)

James Madison

27.

What was the name of the compromise that created a bi-cameral legislature during the Constitutional Convention?

a)

3/5 Compromise

b)

Great Compromise

28.
Who would say: A strong President is necessary to protect the country against foreign attack and make sure laws are carried out properly.
a)
Anti-Federalist 
b)
Federalist
29.
Who would say: The President created by the Constitution is really just a king.
a)
Federalists
b)
Anti-Federalists
30.
The Federalist Papers were a series of newspaper articles published in 1787 and 1788 to win support for the
a)
right of the colonies to rebel against Great Britain
b)
right of a state to secede from the Union
c)
ratification of the United States Constitution
d)
construction of an interstate canal system
31.
Which compromise stated that for every 5 slaves, 3 of them would count towards population and taxation?
a)
Great Compromise
b)
Good Compromise
c)
3/5 Compromise
d)
Constitutional Compromise
32.

What is the name for a legislature that has been split into two governing bodies?

a)

Unicameral

b)

Bicameral

c)

Unicongressional

d)

Bicongressional

33.

Favored large states and representation in Congress would be based on population

a)

New Jersey plan

b)

Virginia Plan

c)

Great compromise

d)

Northwest ordinance

34.

Favored small states and each state would receive equal representation in Congress

a)

New Jersey plan

b)

Virginia Plan

c)

Great compromise

d)

Northwest ordinance

35.
A federal government is limited because it has a system of
a)
checks and balances.
b)
voting rights.
c)
electing leaders.
d)
collecting taxes.
36.
The key to the constitution is that it allows the federal and state governments to 
a)
have a civil war.
b)
share power.
c)
make new laws.
d)
create new jobs.
37.
What is the name of the  federal branch that makes legislation (laws)?
a)
Congress
b)
President
c)
Supreme Court
d)
We the People
38.
What is the name of the federal branch that enforces the laws?
a)
Congress
b)
Executive
c)
Supreme Court
d)
Police
39.
What is the name of the federal branch that decides if something is lawful or not?
a)
Congress
b)
Executive
c)
Supreme Court
d)
Lawyers
40.
Which branch can veto or cancel a law being made?
a)
Congress
b)
Executive
c)
Supreme Court
d)
Lawyers
41.
Which branch of the federal government can declare war on another nation?
a)
Congress
b)
Executive
c)
Supreme Court
d)
People vote for war
42.
Another term for "checks and balances" is 
a)
a separation of powers.
b)
a republican system.
c)
the right to vote.
d)
We the People
43.
How many branches of government are there?
a)
One branch
b)
Two branches
c)
Three branches
d)
Four branches
44.
Which branch reviews and interprets the laws in the US?
a)
Legislative Branch
b)
Executive Branch
c)
Judicial Branch
45.
For which branch is the President a part of?
a)
Legislative Branch
b)
Executive Branch
c)
Judicial Branch
46.
Which branch is Congress a part of?
a)
Legislative Branch
b)
Executive Branch
c)
Judicial Branch
47.
What is the "elastic clause"?
a)
the power of Congress to do what is necessary and proper
b)
the power of the President to stretch his support
c)
the power of the State Department to regulate sewing goods
d)
the power of the states to do as much as they want
48.
How many representatives does each state get?
a)
2
b)
6
c)
1
d)
depends on the population
49.

What Government entity has the power to raise and collect taxes?

a)

The Supreme Court

b)

The President

c)

The Congress

50.

Based on the US Constitution, the government is run by _________.

a)

The President

b)

Congress

c)

The Supreme Court

d)

"The People"

51.

According to the Declaration of Independence, the government's job is to protect _______________.

a)

people's rights

b)

people's wealth

c)

the government's power

d)

democracy

52.

The Federal Government and State Governments share power between each other. However, the ____________ government(s) has/have more authority and power.

a)

State Governments

b)

Federal Government

c)

Local Governments

d)

Foreign Governments

53.
What was the main purpose of the Federalist papers?
a)
to encourage the federal government to grant rights to the people
b)
to persuade people to support a strong federal government
c)
to describe the roles of different branches of the federal government
d)
to defend the federal government against accusations of corruption
54.
A system of checks and balances was built into the Constitution to prevent...
a)
states from passing laws that duplicate federal laws
b)
individual states from deciding to leave the Union.
c)
any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
d)
the federal government from spending more money than it collects in taxes.
55.
Which is the BEST description of federalism?
a)
a government in which a Supreme Court is the highest level of the judicial branch
b)
a government with rules and laws that are spelled out by a constitution
c)
a system in which power is shared between a central government and state governments
d)
a type of government in which there are two legislative bodies of different sizes
56.
Which BEST describes the Three-Fifths Compromise?
a)
Enslaved persons were entitled to only three-fifths of a vote in national elections.
b)
When determining a state’s population, an enslaved person counted as three-fifths of a free person.
c)
Three-fifths of the members of the House of Representatives were from states that allowed slavery.
d)
Three-fifths of Southern states were permitted to count enslaved people as part of their population.
57.
What was a MAJOR difference between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution?
a)
The power of individual states was greater under the Constitution.
b)
The powers of the federal government were increased under the Articles of Confederation.
c)
More freedoms were given to women, blacks, and Native Americans under the Constitution.
d)
The powers of the federal government were increased under the Constitution.
58.
After both houses of Congress pass a bill, what must happen before it becomes a law?
a)
The Supreme Court must approve the bill.
b)
The President must sign the bill.
c)
The Secretary of State has to approve the bill
d)
Public hearings must be held to consider the bill.
59.
Which was a provision of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
a)
Native Americans would be granted voting rights as citizens.
b)
The Northwest Territory would havethe same representation in Congress as a state
c)
Land speculators would be prohibited from making a profit.
d)
Slavery would be prohibited north of the Ohio River
60.
During the Constitutional Convention, the Great Compromise was proposed MAINLY to settle a disagreement between which two groups?
a)
Federalists and Anti-Federalists
b)
large states and small states
c)
slave states and free states
d)
slave states and free states
61.

The Federalists promised a(n) ___________________________ as the first order of business in the new government.

a)

new economic strategy

b)

elected King

c)

simplified government

d)

Bill of Rights

62.

The Virginia plan favored the ______________ states.

a)

Small

b)

Medium

c)

Large

d)

Extra large

63.

The first ten amendments added to the Constitution are collectively known as the ___________________________.

a)

Articles of Confederation

b)

English Bill of Rights

c)

Great Charter

d)

Bill of Rights

64.

Who is the Father of the Constitution, he brought people to Philadelphia to scrap the Articles of Confederation.

a)

Washington

b)

Adams

c)

Jefferson

d)

Madison

65.

Virginia and New Jersey each offered plans at the Constitutional Convention. Which plan favored the small states?

a)

New Jersey

b)

Virginia

c)

Rhode Island

d)

Connecticut

66.

One of the hardest decisions about the new Constitution was how many ________________ each state received in Congress.

a)

Senators

b)

Representatives

c)

Judges

d)

Soldiers

67.

9 of 13 states had to _________________ the new Constitution for it to take affect.

a)

Review

b)

Renegotiate

c)

Ratify

d)

Rectify

68.

The New Jersey plan wanted to revise the Articles of Confederation because the articles gave equal power to the ___________________ states

a)

small

b)

medium

c)

large

d)

extra large

69.

What year did the first Continental Convention meet?

a)

1787

b)

1776

c)

1984

d)

1808

70.

A representative of a state is called...

a)

treaty

b)

principal

c)

delegate

d)

amendment

71.

Slaves were counted as what fraction of a person?

a)

3/5

b)

1/2

c)

1/4

d)

1/5

72.

The Constitution is the ______________ law of the land.

a)

smallest

b)

third

c)

lowest

d)

highest

73.

What year did The Constitution take effect?

a)

1787

b)

1802

c)

1789

d)

1776

74.

Power is divided between the national and state governments under what?

a)

Nationalism

b)

Federalsim

c)

Checks and Balances

d)

Limited Government

75.

When there is a separation of powers

a)

Power is divided between the National Government and the States

b)

Power is distributed among three independent branches of government

c)

The people grant the States the authority to govern

d)

The basic powers of government are held by a single agency

76.

a law that sets local regulations.

a)

ordinance

b)

right

c)

ratification

d)

constitution

77.

Supporters of the new Constitution in 1787

a)

moderates

b)

federalists

c)

loyalists

d)

patriots

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