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Foundations of the Constitution

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 12mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Where did the writers of the Constitution get the idea for limiting the power of the government?

a)

The Magna Carta

b)

The Summa Cum Lade

c)

The Declaration of Independence

d)

The French bill of Rights

2.

What is Federalism?

a)

A system of government in which entities such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

b)

A system of government where the national government has complete power.

c)

A system of government where the national government has complete power

d)

A system of government where the people have direct control of the government.

3.

A fundamental principle of American Government, whereby each branch of the government has some measure of influence over the other branches and may choose to block procedures of the other branches.

a)

Federalism

b)

Checks and Balances

c)

Limited Government

d)

Popular Sovereignty

4.

How did the Mayflower Compact influence the Constitution?

a)

It gave them the idea of how to limit the power of the government

b)

It was an early example of the people running their own government

c)

It showed that the Americans were able to make their own money

d)

It proved that they needed a stronger national government.

5.

Which government principle is illustrated by the Bill of Rights?

a)

Popular Sovereignty

b)

Limited Government

c)

Checks and Balances

d)

Federalism

6.

Where do we see the principle of separation of powers in our government?

a)

Some powers are given to the states and some are given to the federal government

b)

The power of the government is given to the people

c)

The laws are enforced equally on all people, even the government.

d)

The existence of legislative, judicial, and executive branches.

7.

This Enlightenment era thinker proposed the idea that men had "inalienable rights"

a)

Rosseau

b)

Montesquieu

c)

Locke

d)

Hobbes

8.

Which of these documents, ideas or events was important in shaping the Constitution?

a)

The Louisiana Purchase

b)

The English Bill of Rights

c)

The Charter of Jamestown

d)

The Equal Rights Amendment

9.

What Constitutional Principle says "We the People"?

a)

Limited Government

b)

Separation of Powers

c)

Popular Sovereignty

d)

Judicial Review

10.

In the United States, the government is divided into three branches with distinctive duties. This is the principle of ________________.

a)

Federalsim

b)

Popular Sovereignty

c)

Separation of Powers

d)

Checks and Balances

11.

The term democracy means "rule by__________."

a)

the president

b)

the people

c)

the mob

d)

the monarch

12.

Which of the following is an example of popular sovereignty?

a)

voting for representatives that support your opinions

b)

trying a case in criminal or civil court proceedings

c)

the power to tax at the state and federal level

d)

impeaching the President in the case of wrongdoing

13.

Which constitutional principle is illustrated by the cartoon?

a)

Limited Government

b)

Popular Sovereignty

c)

Separation of Powers

d)

Rule of Law

14.

Which constitutional principle is illustrated by the cartoon?

a)

Limited government

b)

Popular sovereignty

c)

Separation of powers

d)

Rule of Law

15.

Which clause of the Constitution is illustrated by the following cartoon?

a)

Necessary and proper clause

b)

Elastic clause

c)

Supremacy clause

d)

Full Faith and Credit clause

16.

Which of the following is NOT an expressed power of the federal government?

a)

Coining money

b)

Taxing

c)

Declaring War

d)

Prosecuting criminals

17.

The necessary and proper clause states that

a)

Congress has the power to make any laws necessary to carry out its expressed powers

b)

Congress has the power to make any laws necessary to carry out its implied powers

c)

Congress can make any law it considers necessary

d)

Congress has more enumerated powers than implied powers

18.

What constitutional principle is shown in this cartoon?

a)

Checks and balances

b)

Supremacy

c)

Concurrent powers

d)

Full Faith and Credit

19.

Taxing, borrowing money, making and enforcing laws and establishing courts are all powers held by

a)

The federal government

b)

State governments

c)

Both federal governments and state governments

d)

Neither the federal government or the state government

20.

Regulating immigration is one of the __________________ powers of the federal government

a)

Concurrent

b)

Expressed

c)

Implied

d)

Inherent