WorksheetsAH Unit 2 PRACTICE (The Constitution)
Total questions: 183
Worksheet time: 2hrs 41mins
Based on the US Constitution, the government is run by _________.
The President
Congress
The Supreme Court
"The People"
This Virginian delegate to the Constitutional Convention took detailed notes during the meetings and helped to propose compromises. "Father of the Constitution"
George Washington
James Madison
Thomas Jefferson
James Monroe
The US Constitution contains a preamble and 7 parts that are called ______________.
branches
legislatures
articles
colonies
A system of __________ and __________ is used to keep any one branch of the government from being dominant, or having too much power.
checks and balances
power and authority
politics and philosophy
life and liberty
The Federal Government and State Governments share power between each other. However, the ____________ government(s) has/have more authority and power.
State Governments
Federal Government
Local Governments
Foreign Governments
Article III of the US Constitution briefly describes the structure and function of this branch of government, which interprets the nation's laws using judges and courts.
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
Legislative Branch
Presidential Branch
What word best describes the type of government the Founding Fathers wanted? (a)
Select all of the branches of the Federal Government.
Judicial Branch
Legislative Branch
Federal Branch
Executive Branch
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
the President and the Cabinet
the Supreme Court and the Superior Court
the U.S. Treasury and the State Department
the Senate and the House of Representatives
Select all of the true statements about the Legislative Branch of the Federal government.
Responsible for making the nation's laws
Lawmaking body is called Congress
Contains a House of Representatives
Contains the Supreme Court Justices
Contains a Senate
Which of these is not a power of the President?
Pass executive orders
Issue pardons for crimes
Ratify treaties
Send troops into combat
What does the judicial branch do?
amends the Constitution and overturns laws
decides if a law goes against the Constitution
stipulates the number of Supreme Court Justices
provides legal advice to the President and his staff
The Supreme Court can declare laws passed by Congress or executive orders from the President as 'unconstitutional' and strike them down.
True
False
The _______ is the opening paragraph of the Constitution.
Article 1
Preamble
Bill of Rights
Prelude
Which article of the Constitution created the Executive Branch of government?
Article I
Article II
Article III
Which branch enforces the laws?
Executive
Judicial
Legislative
Which branch makes the laws?
Executive
Judicial
Legislative
Which branch interprets the meaning of laws?
Executive
Judicial
Legislative
The idea that citizens elect representatives to make decisions and vote on their behalf is called...
individual rights
federalism
republicanism
Name one way in which the constitution has been amended?
to grant women voting rights
to outlaw slavery
Both 1 and 2 changes to the Constitution
What are the two houses of the Legislative Branch?
Senate and House of Representatives
Parliament and Cabinet
Legislative and Judicial
Under the Articles of Confederation, who had the most power?
Legislative branch
the president
the states
national government
This Constitutional principle refers to the sharing of power between the State and National Government
Federalism
Republicanism
Separation of powers
The name of the United States Legislative branch is Parliament.
True
False, it's Congress
How many total Senators are there in the United States?
50
2
100
75
Which of the following are requirements of the presidency?
You must be be born in the United States.
You must be at least thirty years old.
You have to have lived in the U.S. for fourteen years
You must be a college graduate.
The President can______a law passed by Congress.
Debate
Veto
Override
Impeach
Checks and Balances: Who can override the President's veto with a 2/3 vote in both Houses?
Vice President
Congress
Supreme Court
The division of power into three distinct branches is called
federalism
checks and balances
separation of powers
Checks and Balances: Who has impeachment power?
Vice President
Congress
Supreme Court
Checks and Balances: Who can declare laws AND executive actions unconstitutional?
Vice President
Congress
Supreme Court
The US Constitution created a system of checks & balances for this purpose.
as a symbolic gesture of appreciation for Enlightenment thinkers
to keep any one branch of government from becoming too powerful
to protect the individual rights & liberties of US citizens
as a way to limit immigration from European nations
Which of the following is an example of the Executive Branch’s power to “check” the Judicial Branch?
it can appoint federal judges
it can impeach & remove the President
it can declare laws unconstitutional
it can veto laws
The Three-Fifths Compromise was related to which of the following issues?
tariffs & trade
checks & balances
slavery & representation
foreign policy
Which of the following is NOT true of the Articles of Confederation?
most power rested in the hands of the states
the national government could not impose taxes or regulate trade
there was a strong executive branch to “check” the powers of states
passing laws & amendments was nearly impossible
Which of the following best explains why Alexander Hamilton pushed for the creation of the Electoral College?
because he wanted to create a strong national bank
because he favored the replacement of the Articles of Confederation
because he did not completely trust the intelligence of the average voter
because he wanted to put the nation's new capital in the South
Which of the following individuals was NOT one of the authors of the "Federalist Papers"
John Jay
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
Thomas Jefferson
In what city was the Constitutional Convention held?
Philadelphia
Washington DC
Boston
New York
People who supported ratification of the new US Constitution were known as ___________, while people who opposed it were known as _______________
Antifederalists; Federalists
Federalists; Antifederalists
Loyalists; Antiloyalists
Democrats; Republicans
What was the significance of Shays’s Rebellion?
it convinced France to send aid the Americans
it demonstrated the weakness of the Articles of Confederation
it boosted colonial confidence that they could defeat Britain
it effectively ended the American Revolutionary War
The Virginia Plan at the Constitutional Convention called for a bicameral legislature with the number of representatives based on ___________
number of slaves
wealth
geographic size
population
This 'Plan' at the Constitutional Convention called for a unicameral legislature with an equal number of representatives from each state
New Jersey Plan
Virginia Plan
Connecticut Compromise
Pennsylvania Plan
What is the main task of the judicial branch?
to pass legislation
to interpret the laws
to oversee the military
to execute the laws
Who is the leading figure in the executive branch?
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Speaker of the House of Representatives
The President
The Vice President
The only branch of government under the Articles of Confederation.
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Military
The "Father of the Constitution"
George Washington
James Madison
James Monroe
Thomas Jefferson
This document has defined the supreme law of the United States for over 200 years
Bill of Rights
Declaration of Independence
Constitution of the United States
Articles of Confederation
America's first governing document (failed)
Declaration of Independence
Articles of Confederation
Bill of Rights
US Constitution
Agreement made by the Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house.
3/5 compromise
Missouri Compromise
Great (Connecticut) Compromise
Compromise of 1850
Agreement that determined how enslaved people would be counted toward a state's population.
3/5 compromise
Missouri Compromise
Great (Connecticut) Compromise
Compromise of 1850
A group selected to elect the president, in which each state’s number is equal to the number of its senators and representatives in Congress
federalism
checks and balances
separation of powers
electoral college
the branch of government that makes the laws
judicial branch
olive branch
legislative branch
executive branch
the branch of government that enforces the laws
judicial branch
olive branch
legislative branch
executive branch
the branch of government that interprets the laws and the Constitution
judicial branch
olive branch
legislative branch
executive branch
set of amendments passed to protect individual rights
Declaration of Independence
Articles of Confederation
Bill of Rights
US Constitution
Official approval of the Constitution
Federalists
ratification
Anti-Federalists
The Federalist Papers
Essays written by the Federalist leaders that defended the Constitution
Federalists
ratification
Anti-Federalists
The Federalist Papers
Supporters of the new Constitution
Federalists
ratification
Anti-Federalists
The Federalist Papers
People opposed to ratification of the new Constitution
Federalists
ratification
Anti-Federalists
The Federalist Papers
The division of power between the national and state governments.
federalism
checks and balances
separation of powers
electoral college
What is Judicial Review?
The courts can review laws and declare them unconstitutional
Judges have a review system for some court cases
The courts have the ability to reverse a decision
The judicial branch checks the legislative branch when
the Supreme Court grant pardons
the President calls Congress into special session
Congress approves a justice to the Supreme Court
the Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional
The power of a court to declare a law unconstitutional.
Judicial Review
Due Process of Law
Appeal
Precedent
Supreme Court justice serve for ________
Life
5 year terms
20 years
Until they turn 70
Federal judges are appointed by the
Chief Justice
House of Representative
President
Governor
What is the power of judicial review?
Power to stop the judicial branch from doing something unwise
Grants more powers to the judicial branch of government
Power to declare laws and executive actions unconstitutional
Power to review a decision of a lower court
Courts decide when government actions or laws are unconstitutional is called
Judicial Review
Statutory Law
Precedent
Common Law
The power or authority of a court to decide a case
Judge
Jurisdiction
Defendant
Prosecutor
The Power to govern comes from the people
popular sovereignty
republicanism
limited government
federalism
The people vote for representatives to make laws
republicanism
limited government
federalism
separation of powers
Congress makes laws
limited government
federalism
separation of powers
checks and balances
the President can veto a bill passed by Congress
individual rights
checks and balances
popular sovereignty
federalism
The US Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional
checks and balances
popular sovereignty
limited government
federalism
State and Federal governments collect taxes
individual rights
republicanism
federalism
limited government
citizens have freedom of speech
republicanism
federalism
individual rights
checks and balances
This principle simply implies that people have a voice in their government by way of voting (representation). It is also understood from this principle that the very power and or authority that rest within the government comes from the people.
Popular sovereignty
Individual rights
Limited government
Checks and balances
The President can veto laws. The legislative branch can override the President's veto. The Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional. These are all examples of one branch looking over the shoulder of another branch of government.
Popular sovereignty
Separation of Powers
Republicanism
Checks and Balances
Of the various concerns colonist had about the new government, one is that the monarchical form of government gave too much power to those in authority. To combat that concern, the Constitution was written to define what our government can and can't do. Therefore, the president all the way down to the average "Joe" citizen on the street is responsible for obeying the law.
Individual Rights
Limited government
Checks and balances
Popular Sovereignty
The framers of our Constitution further tried to limit the power of the government by dividing the government into 3 branches; the legislative, executive and judicial branch. This is an example of.....
Checks and balances
Federalism
Limited government
Separation of powers
The sole purpose of the Constitution is to protect its constituents. Although it governs us all, it does so by protecting the life, liberty, property and interest of the individual. The Bill of Rights and the Preamble to the Constitution are the best examples we have of what to expect from our government.
Checks and Balance
Individual Rights
Federalism
Property Management
What is Judicial Review?
The courts can review laws and declare them unconstitutional
Judges have a review system for some court cases
The courts have the ability to reverse a decision
The judicial branch checks the legislative branch when
the Supreme Court grant pardons
the President calls Congress into special session
Congress approves a justice to the Supreme Court
the Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional
The power of a court to declare a law unconstitutional.
Judicial Review
Due Process of Law
Appeal
Precedent
Supreme Court justice serve for ________
Life
5 year terms
20 years
Until they turn 70
Federal judges are appointed by the
Chief Justice
House of Representative
President
Governor
What is the power of judicial review?
Power to stop the judicial branch from doing something unwise
Grants more powers to the judicial branch of government
Power to declare laws and executive actions unconstitutional
Power to review a decision of a lower court
Courts decide when government actions or laws are unconstitutional is called
Judicial Review
Statutory Law
Precedent
Common Law
The power or authority of a court to decide a case
Judge
Jurisdiction
Defendant
Prosecutor
The Power to govern comes from the people
popular sovereignty
republicanism
limited government
federalism
The people vote for representatives to make laws
republicanism
limited government
federalism
separation of powers
Congress makes laws
limited government
federalism
separation of powers
checks and balances
The US Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional
checks and balances
popular sovereignty
limited government
federalism
State and Federal governments collect taxes
individual rights
republicanism
federalism
limited government
citizens have freedom of speech
republicanism
federalism
individual rights
checks and balances
This principle simply implies that people have a voice in their government by way of voting (representation). It is also understood from this principle that the very power and or authority that rest within the government comes from the people.
Popular sovereignty
Individual rights
Limited government
Checks and balances
Of the various concerns colonist had about the new government, one is that the monarchical form of government gave too much power to those in authority. To combat that concern, the Constitution was written to define what our government can and can't do. Therefore, the president all the way down to the average "Joe" citizen on the street is responsible for obeying the law.
Individual Rights
Limited government
Checks and balances
Popular Sovereignty
The framers of our Constitution further tried to limit the power of the government by dividing the government into 3 branches; the legislative, executive and judicial branch. This is an example of.....
Checks and balances
Federalism
Limited government
Separation of powers
The sole purpose of the Constitution is to protect its constituents. Although it governs us all, it does so by protecting the life, liberty, property and interest of the individual. The Bill of Rights and the Preamble to the Constitution are the best examples we have of what to expect from our government.
Checks and Balance
Individual Rights
Federalism
Property Management
What powers did the government hold and lack under the Articles of Confederation?
It could raise an army but lacked the power to tax or regulate trade
It had a strong executive branch but no legislative branch
It could regulate interstate commerce but could not declare war
It had a national court system but no way to enforce laws
How could the Articles of Confederation be described?
A strong national government with a powerful Exective
A loose union of states with a very weak national government
A system that prioritized federal law over state sovereignty
A three-branch government modeled after the British system
Why did the nation’s leaders decide to meet to reexamine the Articles of Confederation?
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
To address weaknesses exposed by Shays' Rebellion and economic problems
To officially crown George Washington as the King of America
To sign a new peace treaty with France and Spain
How did the Great Compromise settle the issue of political representation?
By creating a unicameral legislature where each state had two votes
By basing all representation strictly on a state's total population
By creating a bicameral legislature with one house based on population and one on equality
By allowing the President to appoint all members of Congress
What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
A plan to allow three-fifths of states to veto federal laws
A rule that three-fifths of the Senate must approve all treaties
An agreement to count three-fifths of enslaved people for representation and taxes
A requirement that three-fifths of the Cabinet be from the North
What views did the Federalists hold?
They opposed the Constitution and favored strong state governments
They favored a strong central government and supported the Constitution
They wanted to return to British rule immediately
They believed the Constitution gave too much power to the President
What views did the Anti-Federalists hold?
They supported a strong federal government to ensure security
They feared a strong central government and demanded a Bill of Rights
They wanted to abolish state governments entirely
They were lead by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison
How do the Bill of Rights protect personal liberties?
By granting the President the power to override state laws
By enumerating specific rights and restricting federal power
By establishing a national religion for all citizens
By eliminating the need for a judicial branch
Explain the different parts of the U.S. Constitution (Preamble, Article I, II, III).
A list of grievances against King George III and a declaration of war
An introduction stating goals, followed by sections on the three branches of government
A set of bylaws for the Continental Army and navy
A description of the borders of the original thirteen states
How does the Constitution divide power between the states and federal government?
Through a system of Federalism with delegated, reserved, and concurrent powers
By giving all authority to the federal government and none to the states
By allowing states to coin their own money and declare war independently
Through the Unwritten Constitution which forbids state legislatures
In what ways does the Constitution limit the authority of the federal government?
By requiring a unanimous vote for every law passed in Congress
Through separation of powers, checks and balances, and the Bill of Rights
By making the Supreme Court the only branch with the power to tax
By allowing the President to serve for life without elections
The Articles of Confederation provided for a national government where (a) was the central institution of authority.
Under the Articles of Confederation, how many votes did each state have in Congress?
One
Two
Based on population
Based on wealth
Which 1786-1787 event involving Massachusetts farmers made it clear that a balance between liberty and security was needed?
(a)
The Constitutional Convention met in May 1787 in the city of (a) .
Who was unanimously elected president of the Constitutional Convention?
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
George Washington
Benjamin Franklin
The (a) Plan suggested a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population, favoring larger states.
The (a) Plan called for a unicameral legislature where each state had equal representation.
The Great Compromise created a bicameral legislature consisting of the (a) and the House of Representatives.
According to the Commerce Compromise, Congress could not prohibit the (a) until 1808.
The Presidency Compromise established that the President would be elected through the (a) system.
The opening statement of the Constitution, which begins with "We the People," is known as the (a) .
How many states were required to ratify the Constitution before it could go into effect?
7
9
10
13
The (a) Papers were a series of 85 essays written to persuade delegates to ratify the Constitution.
Who were the primary authors of the Federalist Papers?
Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry
Alexander Hamilton and James Madison
George Washington and John Adams
Benjamin Franklin and Sam Adams
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively known as the (a) .
Which branch of government is established by Article I of the Constitution?
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Military
Which branch of government is established by Article II of the Constitution?
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
State
Which branch of government is established by Article III of the Constitution?
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Treasury
The power of the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional is called (a) .
The principle that the people are the source of all government power is called (a) .
The division of power between the national government and the state governments is known as (a) .
Powers specifically given to the National Government by the Constitution are called (a) powers.
Powers kept by the states, such as establishing schools, are called (a) powers.
Powers shared by both the national and state governments, such as taxing, are called (a) powers.
The (a) Clause allows Congress to make all laws "necessary and proper" for carrying out its duties.
Based on the text, why was the Articles of Confederation intentionally designed to be weak?
To ensure the King of England could still maintain control
To prevent the central government from becoming tyrannical like Britain
Because the states could not agree on a capital city
To make it easier for foreign nations to trade with individual states
Evaluate the success of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance of 1787. What was a primary long-term impact?
They led to the immediate abolition of slavery in the South
They provided an orderly process for admitting new states as equals
They caused a major war with Spain over Florida
They bankrupted the federal government due to land surveys
Compare the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. What was the core ideological conflict?
Whether the President should be a king or a commoner
Whether power should be distributed by population or by state equality
Whether the capital should be in the North or the South
Whether the government should have a navy or an army
Why did the delegates at the Constitutional Convention decide to keep their debates secret?
They were planning a coup against the Continental Congress
To prevent the public from knowing they were scrapping the Articles
To allow for free debate without outside political pressure
Because they were not legally authorized to meet
What was the primary reason Anti-Federalists were concerned about the lack of a Bill of Rights?
They wanted to ensure the President had unlimited power
They feared the central government would not protect natural rights unless they were listed
They believed the states should not have any power at all
They wanted to make sure the Constitution could never be amended
The "Unwritten Constitution" refers to which of the following?
Laws that were lost during the Revolutionary War
Customs, traditions, and court decisions that influence government
The secret notes kept by James Madison during the convention
The parts of the Constitution that were never ratified
How does the system of checks and balances maintain the rule of law?
By ensuring the President can ignore the Supreme Court
By preventing any one branch from gaining too much power
By allowing the military to take over during elections
By giving the states the power to veto federal laws
Which of the following is an example of a concurrent power?
Coining money
Establishing schools
Collecting taxes
Declaring war
