CONSTITUTION PRACTICE
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. The liberties that the colonists fought to protect were based on
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a.
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the language of the individual states’ constitutions.
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b.
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the rights proclaimed originally by the king of Great Britain.
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c.
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a historical understanding of the essentials of human progress.
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d.
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colonial charters.
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e.
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natural rights.
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____ 2. The colonists fought to protect liberties that they believed were
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a.
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discoverable in nature and history.
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b.
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essential to human progress.
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c.
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ordained by God.
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d.
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based on "higher law."
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e.
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All of the above
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____ 3. Which of the following statements about the Declaration of Independence is correct?
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a.
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It was written primarily by George Washington and James Madison.
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b.
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It primarily focused on concerns over economic inequality.
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c.
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It was a rejection of the philosophy of John Locke.
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d.
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It drew on the works of Thomas Hobbes.
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e.
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It was essentially a lawyer’s brief justifying a revolution.
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____ 4. By 1776, most (eight) states
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a.
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had strong executive leaders.
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b.
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had written constitutions.
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c.
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had expanded voting rights considerably.
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d.
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continued to rely on colonial charters.
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e.
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had abolished elective offices.
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____ 5. One conspicuous feature of most state constitutions was
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a.
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a detailed bill of rights.
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b.
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separation of powers.
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c.
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a strong executive branch.
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d.
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disregard for individual rights.
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e.
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economic regulation.
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____ 6. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government could
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a.
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run the post office.
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b.
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levy taxes.
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c.
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regulate commerce.
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d.
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establish a national judicial system.
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e.
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None of the above
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____ 7. Among those who were conspicuously absent from the Constitutional Convention were
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a.
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Alexander Hamilton and George Washington.
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b.
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Benjamin Franklin and John Hancock.
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c.
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John Adams and James Madison.
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d.
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George Washington and James Madison.
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e.
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Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry.
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____ 8. The national legislature would have had the power to veto state laws under the
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a.
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Connecticut Plan.
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b.
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New Jersey Plan.
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c.
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Maryland Plan.
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d.
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Virginia Plan.
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e.
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Great Compromise.
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____ 9. A majority of the thirteen states eligible to vote for the compromise plan submitted to the Constitutional Convention on July 5, 1787
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a.
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voted for the compromise.
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b.
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either were absent or did not vote for the compromise.
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c.
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rejected the compromise in favor of the Virginia Plan.
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d.
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rejected the compromise in favor of the New Jersey Plan.
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e.
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voted to table the compromise.
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____ 10. The Great Compromise was supported by the votes of delegates from ________ states.
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a.
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thirteen
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b.
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twelve
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c.
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ten
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d.
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nine
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e.
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five
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____ 11. Which of the following statements is correct with respect to the Philadelphia convention’s Committee on Detail?
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a.
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It consisted of only five members.
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b.
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It inserted new proposals into the Constitution.
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c.
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It made changes in old proposals.
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d.
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It drew inspiration from state constitutions.
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e.
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All of the above
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____ 12. The goal of the Framers of the U.S. Constitution was to create a(n)
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a.
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political system in which majority rule was supreme.
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b.
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pure democracy modeled after the New England town meeting.
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c.
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pluralist democracy ruled by a political elite.
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d.
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autonomous collective.
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e.
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republic based on a system of representation.
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____ 13. Dividing power between the states and the national government is referred to as
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a.
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sovereignty.
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b.
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dual legitimacy.
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c.
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egalitarianism.
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d.
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plutocracy.
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e.
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federalism.
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____ 14. Those powers that are given to the national government exclusively are ________ powers.
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a.
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enumerated
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b.
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reserved
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c.
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concurrent
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d.
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revolving
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e.
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complicit
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____ 15. Those powers that are given exclusively to the states are ________ powers.
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a.
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enumerated
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b.
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reserved
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c.
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concurrent
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d.
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revolving
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e.
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complicit
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____ 16. Which statement regarding human self-interest best represents Madison’s view?
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a.
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It can be modified.
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b.
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It can be purged from humans through good government.
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c.
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It is beyond control and a constant threat.
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d.
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It is not relevant to government.
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e.
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It can be harnessed and redirected toward positive ends.
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____ 17. Which of the following statements regarding the ratification process is incorrect?
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a.
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It was technically illegal.
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b.
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It was created in order to bypass state legislatures.
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c.
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It required unanimity among the states.
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d.
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It was democratic.
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e.
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All of the above
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____ 18. The Bill of Rights constitutes the first ____ amendments of the Constitution.
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a.
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5
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b.
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10
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c.
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12
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d.
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14
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e.
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22
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____ 19. Charles A. Beard’s economic interpretation of the U.S. Constitution concluded that two major economic interests were present at the time of the Constitutional Convention; the dominant group included
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a.
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those who owned real property (farmers and slaveholders).
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b.
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East Coast shippers and sea merchants.
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c.
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public and government officials.
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d.
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those holding government IOUs.
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e.
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signers of the Articles of Confederation.
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____ 20. The text suggests that the Anti-Federalists are comparable to today’s
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a.
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socialist activists.
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b.
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political science professors.
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c.
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legal scholars.
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d.
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liberal Democrats.
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e.
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religious conservatives.
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____ 21. A major argument in favor of reducing the separation of powers called for in the U.S. Constitution is that it would
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a.
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allow prompt, decisive leadership in times of crisis.
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b.
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weaken the presidency and give greater protection against executive dictatorship.
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c.
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disperse credit or blame equally among the three branches of government.
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d.
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apportion responsibility for implementing government programs among members of Congress.
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e.
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create a truly independent judiciary.
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____ 22. Typically, the result of today’s bargaining processes is legislation that
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a.
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favors the president.
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b.
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favors Congress.
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c.
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dissatisfies most of the major participants.
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d.
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features little compromise between branches.
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e.
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is popular but not very effective.
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____ 23. A person who believes that the president is too weak and insufficiently accountable in the current system of separation of powers would be most likely to support
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a.
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the president’s serving a single six-year term, rather than being eligible for two four-year terms.
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b.
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stronger checks on the president by Congress.
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c.
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expanded interference from interest groups.
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d.
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greater compromise between the executive and legislative branches.
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e.
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stronger checks on the president by the Supreme Court.
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____ 24. Those who would support a reduction in the separation of powers might argue for all of the following except
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a.
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allowing members of Congress to be appointed to the cabinet.
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b.
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requiring presidential and congressional candidates to run as a team in each congressional district.
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c.
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extending the length of the president’s term.
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d.
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extending the term length for members of the House.
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e.
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extending the term length for senators.
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____ 25. The line-item veto would allow a president to
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a.
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send a bill back to Congress for reconsideration.
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b.
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veto part of a bill while approving the rest.
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c.
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suspend the enactment of a bill temporarily.
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d.
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veto a bill if Congress were not in session.
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e.
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veto a bill within six hours of passage by Congress.
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CONSTITUTION PRACTICE
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 20
2. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 20
3. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 21
4. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 23
5. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 23
6. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 23
7. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 25–26
8. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 27
9. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 28
10. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 28
11. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 29
12. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 29
13. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 30
14. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 30
15. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 30
16. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 31
17. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 32
18. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 37
19. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 39
20. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 41
21. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 42
22. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 42
23. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 42
24. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 42
25. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 45
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