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Chapter 2

Terms in this set (58)

The Mayflower Compact
a. was America's first written constitution.
b. provided for the popular election of a governor and judges in an early settlement of Connecticut.
c. was the first of a series of social contracts that established the fundamental rules of government.
d. was essentially a bill of rights.
e. established the Articles of Confederation.
was the first of a series of social contracts that established the fundamental rules of government.
America's first written constitution, _____, called for the laws to be made by an assembly of elected representatives from each town.
a. the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut b. the Mayflower Compact
c. the Pennsylvania Charter of Privleges
d. the Virginia Company Compact
e. the Articles of Confederation
the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The earliest colonial legislature was established in _____.
a. Pennsylvania
b. New York
c. Massachusetts
d. Virginia
e. Connecticut
Virginia
Before the mid-1700s, the majority of American colonists
a. were anxious to break free of British colonial rule.
b. despised the British monarchy.
c. were loyal to France.
d. were loyal to the British monarch and viewed Britain as their homeland.
e. were secretly planning to declare their independence from Britain.
were loyal to the British monarch and viewed Britain as their homeland.
The colonists began using the word American to describe themselves
a. after writing the Articles of Confederation.
b. when the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
c. when Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, was founded.
d. in the aftermath of the Seven Years' War.
e. after adopting the Declaration of Independence.
in the aftermath of the Seven Years' War.
Following the British victory over France in the Seven Years' War, also called the French and Indian War,
a. American colonists' relationship with the Native American Indians greatly improved.
b. the American colonists convened at the Philadelphia Convention to discuss plans for a new Constitution. c. colonists from France were harassed and jailed.
d. the American colonists began to enjoy more freedoms from British control.
e. the British government began imposing taxes and expanded control over colonial trade.
the British government began imposing taxes and expanded control over colonial trade.
The first time a majority of colonists joined together to oppose British rule was
a. during the Boston Tea Party.
b. upon ratification of the Articles of Confederation.
c. the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
d. during the Stamp Act Congress.
e. during the First Continental Congress.
during the Stamp Act Congress.
In 1773, anger over the taxes Britain had imposed on the colonies reached a climax
a. in the Seven Years' War.
b. at the Constitutional Convention.
c. at the Massachusetts Bay Rebellion.
d. at the Boston Tea Party.
e. in Shays' Rebellion.
at the Boston Tea Party.
In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament
a. closed Boston Harbor and placed the government of Massachusetts under direct British control.
b. imposed taxes on glass, paint, and lead.
c. placed the Boston Harbor under direct British control and passed the Sugar Act which imposed additional taxes.
d. wrote the Articles of Confederation.
e. repealed the Stamp Act.
closed Boston Harbor and placed the government of Massachusetts under direct British control.
The First Continental Congress, proposed by New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island,
a. was called into response to the Intolerable Acts.
b. was called in response to the Stamp Act.
c. was called in response to the Boston Tea Party.
d. resulted in the creation of the Bill of Rights.
e. was primarily attended by farmers and average merchants.
was called into response to the Intolerable Acts.
These entities used social pressure, spying, and public ridicule to enforce the boycott of British goods.
a. Newspapers
b. Colonial legislatures
c. Religious institutions
d. The committees of "safety"
e. The First and Second Continental Congresses
The committees of "safety"
Thomas Paine's influential pamphlet Common Sense
a. denounced the Declaration of Independence.
b. contended that America could survive economically on its own and no longer needed its British connection.
c. argued against breaking ties with Britain.
d. laid out the strategy for the Boston Tea Party.
e. urged the colonists to remain loyal to King George III, calling him a "good and decent man."
contended that America could survive economically on its own and no longer needed its British connection.
Which ideology of rule, common during the revolutionary war era, was suspicious of both executive and national power?
a. Patriotism
b. Constitutionalism c. Nationalism
d. Republicanism
e. Loyalism
Republicanism
As the colonies transformed themselves into sovereign states, republican sentiment was so strong in many of them that the _____ became all-powerful.
a. legislatures
b. courts
c. national government
d. executives
e. bureaucracies
legislatures
Under the Articles of Confederation, each state had _____ the unicameral assembly of representatives.
a. proportional representation (based on state population) in
b. one vote in
c. seven votes in
d. one vote for each ambassador it sent to
e. two votes in
one vote in
The British Parliament passed the Sugar Act
a. in order to raise money to invade what is now Texas.
b. because the colonists were using too much sugar and supplies were very low.
c. as a means of punishing the colonists for their unruly behavior during the 7 Years' War.
d. in response to the Boston Tea Party.
e. as a way to pay its war debts and finance the defense of its North American Colonies.
as a way to pay its war debts and finance the defense of its North American Colonies.
Within a year of the signing of the _______, the new nation was suffering from a serious economic depression.
a. Mayflower Compact, which was a social contract intended to evolve into a Constitution for the new nation.
b. the Articles of Confederation
c. the Treaty of Paris, which confirmed the colonies' independence from Britain
d. the Coercive Act, which was designed to bind the colonies more tightly to the British government.
e. the Declaration of Rights, which granted certain civil liberties to the colonists by the British Parliament.
the Treaty of Paris, which confirmed the colonies' independence from Britain
The First Continental Congress sent a petition to King George III to explain their grievances. The result was
a. Shays' Rebellion, the first battle of the American Revolution.
b. British soldiers engaging Minutemen in Massachusetts, the first battles of the American Revolution.
c. the 7 Years' War.
d. the Intolerable Acts, which was responded to with the Boston Tea Party.
e. the Treaty of Paris was signed, confirming the colonies' independence from Britain.
British soldiers engaging Minutemen in Massachusetts, the first battles of the American Revolution.
Shays' Rebellion
a. Both B and D
b. was a response by farmers to the imprisonment of people who could not pay their debts to the banks.
c. was a protest against the imposition of a tax on all sugar imported into the American colonies.
d. was an indication to American political and business leaders that the national government under the Articles of Confederation was too weak.
e. prompted the British Parliament to close Boston Harbor.
(Both B and D) was a response by farmers to the imprisonment of people who could not pay their debts to the banks and was an indication to American political and business leaders that the national government under the Articles of Confederation was too weak.
The Philadelphia meeting, which became the Constitutional Convention, was called "for the sole and express purpose" of
a. revising the Articles of Confederation.
b. drafting the Bill of Rights.
c. revising the Mayflower Compact.
d. electing a president.
e. drafting a national constitution.
revising the Articles of Confederation.
The Delegates to the Second Continental Congress intended to
a. reach a peaceful settlement with the British Parliament.
b. gain independence by any means necessary.
c. draft the Bill of Rights.
d. launch a secret military attack on Britain.
e. use the meeting to develop military strategy.
gain independence by any means necessary.
For the most part, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were
a. poor.
b. representative of the population as a whole.
c. from the best-educated and wealthiest classes.
d. uneducated.
e. ordinary farmers and merchants.
from the best-educated and wealthiest classes.
Which of the following proposals was part of the Virginia Plan?
a. A unicameral legislature in which each state has one vote
b. A national supreme court appointed by the chief executive officer
c. An executive composed of more than one person chosen by congress
d. A unicameral legislature based on population
e. A bicameral legislature with an upper house chosen by the lower house
A bicameral legislature with an upper house chosen by the lower house
The Great Compromise at the Constitutional Convention
a. called for a bicameral legislature in which each state would have equal representation in both chambers.
b. resolved the small-state/large-state controversy.
c. resolved the issue of slavery.
d. guaranteed land for Native Americans.
e. called for a unicameral legislature in which representatives from each state would be determined by the number of people in that state.
resolved the small-state/large-state controversy.
At the time of the constitutional convention, slaves constituted about _____ of the population of the southern states.
a. 20 percent
b. 40 percent
c. 50 percent
d. 30 percent
e. 60 percent
40 percent
The three-fifths compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention settled the deadlock between the
a. southern states and the northern states over how slaves would be counted for purposes of representation in Congress.
b. large states and the small states over the regulation of commerce.
c. northern states and the southern states over export taxes.
d. large states and the small states over how the president would be chosen.
e. eastern states and the western states over the national court system.
southern states and the northern states over how slaves would be counted for purposes of representation in Congress.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention agreed that Congress could prohibit the importation of slaves into the country
a. when all the states agreed that slaves would be given the right to vote.
b. if the people voted to abolish slavery.
c. as soon as the Constitution was ratified.
d. beginning in 1808.
e. when the Civil War was over.
beginning in 1808.
At the Constitutional Convention, the South agreed to let Congress have the power to _____ in exchange for a ban on export taxes.
a. impose export taxes
b. regulate voting rights
c. appoint an independent executive
d. regulate interstate and international commerce
e. ban slavery
regulate interstate and international commerce
The Constitution provides that a federal official who commits _____ may be impeached by the House of Representatives.
a. "Lack of Judgment, Crimes against the State, or an Abuse of Power"
b. "a Felony, Misdemeanor, or other Criminal transgression"
c. "an Abuse of Presidential Authority"
d. "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors"
e. "Obstruction of Justice and failure to abide by the Law"
"Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors"
A federal official who has been impeached is tried by the
a. Solicitor General of the United States.
b. Senate.
c. Supreme Court.
d. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
e. House of Representatives.
Senate
The final draft of the Constitution was approved by the delegates on
a. March 1, 1781.
b. July 4, 1776.
c. September 17, 1787.
d. February 6, 1788.
e. May 29, 1790.
September 17, 1787.
The battle over ratification of the Constitution was fought chiefly by two opposing groups, the
a. Nationalists and the Federalists.
b. Republicans and the Democrats.
c. Hamiltonians and the Madisonians.
d. Constitutionalists and the Confederates. e. Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.
Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.
John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison wrote a series of essays in defense of the Constitution, known collectively as
a. Publius.
b. The Washington Post.
c. Caesar.
d. Poor Richard's Almanac.
e. the Federalist Papers.
the Federalist Papers.
In Federalist Paper No. 10, Madison argued that the nation's size was actually an advantage in controlling
a. poverty.
b. immigration.
c. factions.
d. racism.
e. crime.
factions
To win over the anti-federalists during the ratification process, the federalists promised to
a. keep the executive weak.
b. establish a federal court system upon ratification.
c. guarantee voting rights for women.
d. appoint anti-federalists to important positions in government.
e. add a bill of rights to the constitution.
add a bill of rights to the constitution.
Rule of law is the idea that
a. the government has the authority to enforce the law.
b. government officials are exempt from many civil laws.
c. the states maintain police power over its residents.
d. no one, including government officers, is above the law.
e. local governments maintain popular sovereignty under the new constitution.
no one, including government officers, is above the law.
The Constitution incorporated the principle of _____, which was the solution to the debate over whether the national government or the states should have ultimate sovereignty.
a. checks and balances
b. popular sovereignty
c. separation of powers
d. limited government
e. federalism
federalism
The principle of separation of powers is found in _____ of the Constitution.
a. Articles I and II
b. Articles I, II, and III
c. Article I
d. Article II
e. Article III
Articles I, II, and III
A major principle of American government, _____, was devised to ensure that no one branch of government can exercise exclusive control.
a. federalism
b. popular sovereignty
c. checks and balances
d. the rule of law
e. limited government
checks and balances
A constitutional form of government that emphasizes "effective government" rather than "limited government" is a
a. presidential system.
b. constitutional monarchy.
c. republic.
d. federal system.
e. parliamentary system.
parliamentary system.
Although Madison began drafting the Bill of Rights by sorting through more than 200 recommendations from the states, the final bill included only _____ amendments to the Constitution.
a. ten
b. twelve
c. two
d. seventeen
e. sixteen
ten
Since the Constitution was written it has been amended _____ times.
a. thirty-three
b. twenty-seven
c. forty two
d. hundreds of
e. tent
twenty-seven
There are _____ possible ways for an amendment to be added to the Constitution.
a. three
b. six
c. four
d. two
e. eight
two
All of the existing amendments to the Constitution have been proposed
a. by a vote in two-thirds of the state legislatures.
b. in special state conventions.
c. by a two-thirds vote in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
d. at national constitutional conventions.
e. by a three-fourths vote in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
by a two-thirds vote in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
The first New England colony in America, settled in 1620 was in____.
a. Plymouth
b. Virginia
c. Boston
d. Williamsburg e. Jamestown
Plymouth
By the time of the American Revolution
a. all of the colonies had representative assemblies.
b. none of the colonies had representative assemblies.
c. most of the colonies had strong executives.
d. half of the colonies had parliamentary systems.
e. each of the colonies was controlled by strong merchants.
all of the colonies had representative assemblies.
Shays' Rebellion was stopped by _____.
a. the Nationalists Militia, paid for by the federalists.
b. the British Navy.
c. the Vermont militia, paid for by local farmers.
d. the National Guard.
e. the Massachusetts volunteer army, paid for by Boston merchants.
the Massachusetts volunteer army, paid for by Boston merchants.
Which of the following groups of people did not have the right to vote at the time that the Constitution was ratified?
a. Native Americans
b. All of the above
c. Free men who did not own sufficient property
d. Women
e. Slaves
All of the above
The principle of Checks and Balances includes staggered terms of office. Members of the House of Representatives serve for ___ years, and members of the Senate serve for ____ years.
a. four, six
b. five, two
c. two, six
d. four, five
e. two, four
two, six
Congress checks the president by
a. the process of congressional review.
b. holding a veto power.
c. all of the above
d. controlling taxes and spending.
e. selecting the vice president.
controlling taxes and spending.
The American colonies had been settled by individuals from many nations. The majority of colonists came from
a. Germany and Ireland.
b. Ireland and Scotland.
c. England and France.
d. Scotland and England.
e. Spain and the Netherlands.
Scotland and England.
The first permanent English settlement in North America, Jamestown, was established
a. by Pilgrims, who had arrived on the ship Mayflower.
b. by Catholics from Ireland and England.
c. by the Plymouth Company of England.
d. as the capital of the New World.
e. as a trading post of the Virginia Company of London.
as a trading post of the Virginia Company of London.
Each of the following was a power granted to Congress under the Articles of Confederation, EXCEPT
a. regulate commerce with other nations.
b. enter into treaties and alliances.
c. settle disputes among the states under circumstances.
d. borrow money from the people.
e. establish and control the armed forces, declare war, and make peace.
regulate commerce with other nations.
The earliest colonial legislature was the Virginia House of Burgesses, established in
a. 1579.
b. 1776.
c. 1682.
d. 1619.
e. 1712.
1619
A faction is best described as
a. a single-issue or regional candidate; one who is not focused on the interests of the nation as a whole.
b. those who favored a strong central government and the ratification of the new Constitution.
c. a group of persons forming a cohesive minority.
d. a special-interest group made up of wealthy business owners which controls a majority of the legislature.
e. a group of tyrannical aristocrats.
a group of persons forming a cohesive minority.
In an attempt to prevent the rise of tyranny, the powers of the national government were separated into different branches - legislative, executive, and judicial, in accordance with
a. the Virginia Plan.
b. the federal system of government.
c. the agreements made following Shays' Rebellion.
d. the Great Compromise.
e. the Madisonian Model.
the Madisonian Model.
The power of _____ allows the judicial branch to declare legislative or presidential actions unconstitutional.
a. judicial veto
b. judicial review
c. impeachment
d. judicial override
e. rule of law
judicial review
Under the Articles of Confederation,
a. the new government had an excess of power in enforcing laws.
b. all thirteen states had to approve any law before it was enacted.
c. Vermont was annexed to Canada.
d. nine states had to approve any law before it was enacted.
e. congress imposed excessive taxes on the new states.
nine states had to approve any law before it was enacted.
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