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The Constitution

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 20mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following represent a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

a)

Representation in Congress based on size of state

b)

National court system with too much power to change laws

c)

Absence of an executive branch to enforce laws passed by Congress

2.

This was a revolt that took place in 1786 in Massachusetts that revealed a need for a national army -

a)

Boston Tea Party

b)

Boston Massacre

c)

Shay's Rebellion

d)

The Great Rebellion

3.

The document that states the duties of the government

a)

Constitution

b)

Articles of Confederation

c)

Bill of Rights

4.

The meeting in 1787 in Philadelphia where the founders wrote the Constitution

a)

The Constitutional Convention

b)

Articles of Confederation

c)

Bill of Rights

5.

Because its leaders opposed a stronger central government, ________ was not represented at the Constitutional Convention.

a)

Pennsylvania

b)

Georgia

c)

Maryland

d)

Rhode Island

6.

The man who led the meetings at the Constitutional Convention and was our country's 1st president

a)

Abraham Lincoln

b)

George Washington

c)

Ben Franklin

7.

A man who took careful notes during the Constitutional Convention

a)

James Madison

b)

George Washington

c)

Ben Franklin

8.

the place in Philadelphia where the Constitution was debated and signed

a)

White House

b)

Washington Monument

c)

Independence Hall

9.

Which of the following best describes “the Virginia Plan”?

a)

One legislative chamber, with equal representation for all states

b)

Two legislative chambers, both with equal representation for all states

c)

Two legislative chambers, both with membership based on states’ population

d)

One legislative chamber, with membership based on states’ population

10.

Which of the following best describes “the New Jersey Plan”?

a)

One legislative chamber, with equal representation for all states

b)

Two legislative chambers, both with equal representation for all states

c)

Two legislative chambers, both with membership based on states’ population

d)

One legislative chamber, with membership based on states’ population

11.

The delegate who presented the Virginia Plan at the Constitutional Convention

a)

George Washington

b)

Edmund Randolph

c)

George Mason

d)

James Madison

12.

This was an agreement between the states that created 2 houses of Congress based on both state population and equal representation for each state -

a)

Separation of Powers

b)

The Great Compromise

c)

Limited Government

13.

What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?

a)

The plan that proposed that people would not have to pay income tax that equaled more than 3/5 of their income

b)

The constitutional requirement that 3/5 of the states would have to approve the admission of a new state

c)

The agreement that for determining representation in the House, enslaved people would only count as 3/5 of a person

d)

The method for choosing Supreme Court justices, making sure that 3/5 of all Americans are allowed to vote

14.

What is the name of the plan that called for states to be represented on the basis of their population in both Houses of the government?

a)

Virginia Plan

b)

Sherman Plan

c)

New Jersey Plan

d)

Madison Plan

15.

What is the name of the plan that called for states to be represented equally in government?

a)

Bill of Rights

b)

Virginia Plan

c)

New Jersey Plan

d)

Great Compromise

16.

Which of the following men were present as delegates to the Constitutional Convention?

a)

James Madison

b)

Thomas Jefferson

c)

Patrick Henry

d)

John Adams

17.

What is the name of the opening statement of the Constitution that states its purpose?

a)

Bill of Rights

b)

Preamble

c)

Introduction

18.

The Federalists wanted what?

a)

A weak central government

b)

A strong central government

19.

A Committee headed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut proposed the

a)

Three-Fifths compromise

b)

New Jersey Plan

c)

Great Compromise

d)

Virginia Plan

20.

The Anti-Federalists wanted what?

a)

A strong central government

b)

A weak central government

21.

At first, the Anti-Federalists opposed the new Constitution, in part because it did not provide

a)

a bill of rights

b)

a system for amending the Constitution

c)

equal state representation

d)

a strong national government

22.

Congress is made up of two Houses called what?

a)

House of Representatives and Senate

b)

Judicial and Legislative

c)

Executive and Senate

23.

James Madison and Alexander Hamilton were instrumental in writing essays supporting what cause?

a)

Creating strong state governments

b)

Ratifying the Constitution

24.

Arguments for the ratification of the Constitution can be found in what historical document(s)?

a)

The Articles of Confederation

b)

The Federalist Papers

c)

Declaration of Independence

d)

The Bill of Rights

25.

What was the Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise)?

a)

An agreement that changed the way states counted slaves in the census

b)

The plan that officially replaced the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution

c)

The arrangement that allows some power for the national gov’t, some for the states

d)

A House of Reps based on population, a Senate with equal votes for all states

26.

Why was the Bill of Rights added to the U.S. Constitution?

a)

It was the method for establishing a national currency to unite the country

b)

There wasn’t enough about the individual rights in the original document

c)

It needed to be done so that the government would have taxation power

d)

People wanted to create the process for how slavery could be abolished

27.

Who is known as the "Father of the Constitution"?

a)

Edmund Randolph

b)

George Mason

c)

James Madison

d)

George Washington

28.

This paragraph states the purpose of the Constitution and lists the six reasons for writing the Constitution

a)

Thesis

b)

Preamble

c)

Introduction

d)

Declaration

29.

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

a)

The Declaration of Rights

b)

Virginia Plan

c)

Petition of Rights

d)

Bill of Rights

30.

What principle is shown in the picture?

a)

popular sovereignty

b)

republicanism

c)

checks and balances

31.

What principle is shown in the picture?

a)

federalism

b)

separation of power

c)

checks and balances

32.

What principle is shown in the picture?

a)

federalism

b)

republicanism

c)

checks and balances

33.

What principle is shown in the picture?

a)

limited government

b)

federalism

c)

checks and balances

34.

What principle is shown in the picture?

a)

limited government

b)

popular sovereignty

c)

individual rights

35.

What principle is shown in the picture?

a)

federalism

b)

popular sovereignty

c)

limited government

36.

The form of government in which power is divided between the national government and the states is called

a)

federalism

b)

nationalism

c)

anti-federalism

d)

communism

37.

The law applies to everyone, even those who govern. This idea is called

a)

rule of law

b)

expressed powers

c)

popular sovereignty

d)

checks and balances

38.

The group of people named by each state legislature to officially select the President and Vice- President is known as

a)

registered voters

b)

Electoral College

c)

delegates

d)

Presidential voters

39.

The introduction to the Constitution, also called the__________states the six purposes  or goals of the government.

a)

amendments

b)

preamble

c)

articles

d)

bill of rights

40.

The opening words of the Constitution are

a)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident..."

b)

"Dear Mister President..."

c)

"We the People..."

d)

"My Fellow Americans..."