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Chapter 14 Social Studies Assessment

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 4hrs 7mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The Founders believed the main purpose of government was to:

a)

Arrest lawbreakers

b)

Tax its citizens

c)

Protect people's rights

d)

Control its citizens' lives

2.

Which BEST describes what life would be like WITHOUT laws or government?

a)

Nobody's rights would be protected

b)

Everyone's rights would be protected

c)

People would behave reasonably

d)

Strong people would help the weak people

3.

Which is a TRUE statement about a republican type of government?

a)

Only a few leaders have all the power

b)

The people give power to elected representatives

c)

All leaders are appointed

d)

Leaders are not responsible to anyone

4.

Which would be the BEST source of information about how a nation's government is organized?

a)

A dictionary

b)

A government report

c)

A constitution

d)

A speech by a government official

5.

The FIRST United States plan of government was known as the:

a)

Articles of Confederation

b)

U.S. Constitution

c)

Declaration of Independence

d)

Emancipation Proclamation

6.

The major problem with the first United States government was:

a)

The President had too much power

b)

Congress took away the rights of the people

c)

Some states had more power than other states

d)

The state governments had more power than Congress

7.

Which action did the delegates of the Constitutional Convention agree to take?

a)

Throw away the Articles of Confederation and write a new constitution

b)

Follow the instructions of congress

c)

Improve the Articles of Confederation

d)

Give the state governments more power

8.

The decision to divide Congress into two houses, a Senate and a House of Representatives, solved a conflict about:

a)

Slavery

b)

Taxation

c)

Representation

d)

Rights

9.

Which delegate to the Constitutional Convention would most likely want the U.S. Constitution to protect slavery?

a)

A Southern plantation owner

b)

A northern factory worker

c)

A fisherman

d)

A shop owner

10.

The purposes of the Constitution are included in the:

a)

First Amendment

b)

Bill of Rights

c)

Preamble

d)

Declaration of Independence

11.

The Framers separated the powers of government so that no branch would:

a)

Raise taxes

b)

Become too powerful

c)

Disagree with others

d)

Protect the rights of the people

12.

In the U.S. Constitution, the legislative branch of government has the power to:

a)

Make laws

b)

Carry out laws

c)

Settle disagreements over laws

d)

Declare laws unconstitutional

13.

The basic responsibility of the executive branch of government is to:

a)

Make laws

b)

Enforce or carry out laws

c)

Settle disagreements over laws

d)

Amenc laws

14.

Which is an important responsibility of the judicial branch of government?

a)

Appointing members to Congress

b)

Settling disagreements over laws by interpreting them

c)

Making laws

d)

Declaring war

15.

Using its power of judicial review, the Supreme Court can:

a)

Declare a law of Congress unconstitutional

b)

Declare war

c)

Make treaties

d)

Appoint cabinet members

16.

Which BEST describes a federal system of government (our current U.S. government system)?

a)

One government has all of the power

b)

People have no power

c)

Power is divided among national and state governments with certain powers shared

d)

Power is divided among all of the states

17.

With the U.S. Constitution as the supreme law of the land, which government would most likely have the greatest power?

a)

National (Federal govenrment)

b)

State government

c)

County government

d)

City government

18.

The solution for the conflict over representation was called:

a)

Taxation without representation

b)

The Great Compromise

c)

The Great Gatsby

d)

Congress Solution

19.

In the Great Compromise, it was decided that Congress would be divided into two houses called:

a)

The State and the Senate

b)

Congress and the Federal Government

c)

The Senate and the House of Representatives

d)

The House of Representatives and the State

20.

The men in Shays' Rebellion were fighting to:

a)

Free slaves

b)

Unite the states

c)

Keep their homes/property

d)

Get out of the army

21.

Why did the states call a Constitutional Convention?

a)

To write state constitutions

b)

To organize political parties

c)

To break away from Great Britain

d)

To improve the Articles of Confederation

22.

Which delegate from Virginia had a plan for a strong central government?

a)

James Madison

b)

Benjamin Franklin

c)

Gouverneur Morris

d)

George Washington

23.

The advisors to the head of the executive branch makes up the:

a)

Ambassadors

b)

Cabinet

c)

Court

d)

Senate

24.

After a government official is impeached, what happens next?

a)

The official goes to jail

b)

The official must resign

c)

The House holds a vote

d)

The Senate holds a trial

25.

Which term refers to the principle that nobody is above the law (applies to all people equally, with no one getting special treatment)?

a)

Limited powers

b)

Rule of law

c)

Checks and balances

d)

Republican government

26.

True or False: The U.S. Constitution is considered a living document because its amendments allow the Constitution to be changed to fit the needs of the past, present, and future.

a)

True

b)

False

27.

Of the four answers below, which THREE are considered weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:

a)

No strong national government

b)

No single leader controlled the government

c)

No power to collect taxes or force the states to give it funds

d)

Making laws was really easy because 9 of 13 states were needed to approve them

28.

Who wrote the final draft of the Constitution?

a)

James Madison

b)

Benjamin Franklin

c)

Gouverneur Morris

d)

Daniel Shays

29.

Which of the following is a Supreme Court case which is an example of judicial review?

a)

Torcaso v. Watkins

b)

Jacobson v. Massachusetts

c)

Plessy v. Ferguson

d)

Marbury v. Madison

30.

In the Representation in Congress Debate who proposed the Virginia Plan?

a)

Randolph

b)

Paterson

c)

Franklin

d)

Adams

31.

In the Representation in Congress Debate who proposed the New Jersey Plan?

a)

Paterson

b)

Randolph

c)

Franklin

d)

Adams

32.

Which plan during the Counting Slaves Debate stated that slaves would NOT be included in state population count?

a)

Northern Plan

b)

Southern Plan

c)

New Jersey Plan

d)

Virginia Plan

33.

True or False: The solution to the Counting Slaves Debate was that three-quarters (3/4) of all slaves living in a state would be counted in population for representation and taxation.

a)

True

b)

False

34.

Which plan during the Counting Slaves Debate stated that slaves would be included in state population count?

a)

Northern Plan

b)

Southern Plan

c)

Virgina Plan

d)

New Jersey Plan

35.

Which of these is true about the Slave Trade Debate?

a)

The Northern Plan was to NOT stop slave trade

b)

The Southern Plan was to stop slave trade

c)

The solution was that Congress could make laws about controlling trade but could not stop it for at least 20 years

d)

There was no solution created and the North and the South went to war

36.

Of these powers, which is NOT a power of STATE governments:

a)

Set qualifications for voting

b)

Conduct elections

c)

Set up public schools

d)

Print and coin new money for states

37.

Which of the following is three powers of the NATIONAL government?

a)

Admit new states, print money, make laws for immigration

b)

Control foreign trade, create an army, control trade within states

c)

Make laws for marriage and divorce, make laws for immigration, set up local governments

d)

Create an army, declare war and peace, set up public schools

38.

What of the following are powers shared by BOTH the NATIONAL and STATE government? Select all that apply.

a)

Make laws

b)

Collect taxes

c)

Borrow money

d)

Conduct elections

39.

What was the importance of Shays' Rebellion?

a)

It made the nation's leaders realize that there was a need for a stronger central government

b)

It made the nation's leaders realize that people did not understand the importance of paying for the debt created by war

c)

It made the nation's leaders realize that people would rise up whenever they were unhappy with a decision made

d)

It made the nation's leaders realize that their current government was fine, it was the citizens who were the problem

40.

Which state did not send delegates to the Constitutional Convention?

a)

New Jersey

b)

Rhode Island

c)

Massachusetts

d)

Virginia

41.

Who was the president of the Constitutional Convention?

a)

James Madison

b)

Benjamin Franklin

c)

George Washington

d)

John Adams

42.

What are the three different branches of the national government? Select all that apply.

a)

Legislative

b)

Judicial

c)

Executive

d)

Congressional

43.

What determines the number of representatives within the House of Representatives?

a)

An election

b)

The number of people who live in a state

c)

The President chooses

d)

The Supreme Court justices decide

44.

How many articles is the Constitution organized into?

a)

7

b)

6

c)

5

d)

9

45.

How are senators chosen?

a)

Every state elects two members

b)

The President elects two members

c)

The Supreme Court elects two members

d)

The House of Representatives elects two members

46.

What is a federal pardon?

a)

A polite thing to say when you are moving past someone

b)

A release of an individual/individuals from punishment by the Executive Branch (President)

c)

A bail out of major banks by the federal government due to extreme economic debt

d)

A decision made by the Supreme Court justices of the Judicial Branch to release prisoners

47.

How many justices are in the Supreme Court?

a)

7

b)

6

c)

13

d)

9

48.

How are Supreme Court justices appointed?

a)

By other members of the Supreme Court

b)

By a nationwide election

c)

By the president

d)

By the House of Representatives

49.

How long does a Supreme Court justice serve for?

a)

For life or until they retire

b)

For 4 years and then must be re-appointed

c)

For as long as the term of the president in office

d)

Until they are voted out by their fellow members

50.

What is the meaning of checks and balances?

a)

That someone will always be able to manage their economic funds and check their balance at a bank

b)

It is a system created to make sure that one of the three branches of government has more power than the other two

c)

That all three branches constantly disagree with one another, creating an unstable government

d)

It is a system created to ensure that one branch does not become too powerful within the Federal Government