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Worksheets

Constitutional Underpinnings

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of these had the most influence on the American Revolution?

a)

the Great Awakening

b)

the Enlightenment

c)

the Renaissance

d)

Socialism

2.

The ideas of which Enlightenment philosopher had the most direct impact on the American founders?

a)

Immanuel Kant

b)

Voltaire

c)

John Locke

d)

John Dewey

3.

Which of the following events occurred first?

a)

The Boston Massacre occurred

b)

George III was crowned

c)

The Declaration of Independence was written

d)

The Intolerable Acts were passed

4.

Which principle was included in most state constitutions?

a)

popular sovereignty

b)

religious freedom

c)

women's right to vote

d)

state of nature

5.

Which was an accomplishment of the US government under the Articles of Confederation?

a)

Shay's Rebellion occurred

b)

The Northwest Ordinance was passed

c)

The Declaration of Independence was written

d)

The Proclamation Line was defined

6.

The Constitutional Convention was called to address the problems that the US faced under the Articles of Confederation. Which was NOT a problem that led to the Convention?

a)

quarrels among the states

b)

Shay's Rebellion

c)

the Imperial Crisis

d)

fear of a future Eurpoean invasion

7.

What was the Great Compromise at the Constitutional Convention?

a)

Congress was divided into two houses.

b)

Only 3/5s of the enslaved population would be counted

c)

Some powers were given to the states

d)

George Washington's powers

8.

When Abraham Lincoln praised "government of the people, by the people, for the people," what constitutional principal was he referring to?

a)

popular sovereignty

b)

federalism

c)

separation of powers

d)

limited government

9.

What was conditional ratification?

a)

MA and four other states ratified the Constitution with the condition that it would be amended soon after

b)

An anonymous author wrote a set of documents signed "Conditional Ratifier"

c)

The Federalist warning that the US would be in terrible condition

d)

Article VII, lays out the conditions for ratification

10.

Why did the First Congress add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution?

a)

all states had one

b)

it was clear that the people wanted a list of rights

c)

the Jay Treaty contained a provision protecting right of British citizens in the US

d)

they were worried about mutinies

11.

Which part of the US Constitution lays out the basic purposes of the US Government?

a)

the preamble

b)

Article I

c)

the Bill of Rights

d)

Article II

12.

Which amendment protects the freedoms of religion, speech, and the press?

a)

FIrst

b)

Third

c)

Fifith

d)

Seventh

13.

This branch of government is responsible for making laws.

a)

executive

b)

legislative

c)

judicial

d)

Council of Censors

14.

Which of the following is an example of a delegated power?

a)

printing money

b)

building roads

c)

conducting elections

d)

borrowing money

15.

What powers does the Constitution explicitly give to the federal government?

a)

concurrent powers

b)

delegated powers

c)

reserved powers

d)

denied powers

16.

What is the necessary and proper clause?

a)

elastic clause- gives Congress power to carry out enumerated powers

b)

requires states to cooperate with each other's laws

c)

guarantees all states will continue to have governments that are chosen by the people

d)

the US Constitution is the supreme law of the land

17.

Which of the following men was NOT present at the Constitutional Convention?

a)

Thomas Jefferson

b)

James Madison

c)

Roger SHerman

d)

Gouverneur Morris

18.

What is the name of the system in which each branch of the US Governmet can limit the actions of the other branches?

a)

perpetual union

b)

division of powers

c)

cooperative federalism

d)

checks and balance

19.

Which of the following is not an example of a check or balance put into the U.S. Constitution?

a)

The Supreme Court declares an executive order unconstitutional

b)

Congress exercises oversight of executive agencies

c)

The president vetoes a bill passed by Congress

d)

Congress reviews a judicial decision and overturns the Supreme Court

20.

What sort of federalism was marked by an equal division of power between the state and federal governments?

a)

dual

b)

cooperative

c)

creative

d)

new