American Government The Constitution.docx

American Government The Constitution MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following statements regarding the Constitutional Convention is incorrect? a. None of the delegates was chosen by popular election. b. The delegates met in secret. c. There was no media coverage of the Convention. d. Officially, the delegates were sent to create a new government. e. One state sent no delegates at all. ANS: D REF: 11 2. Which president was physically disabled without most Americans even knowing? a. George Washington b. Andrew Jackson c. Franklin Roosevelt d. Harry Truman e. Woodrow Wilson ANS: C REF: 12 3. The text notes a recent Supreme Court case involving ________ received extensive and intense media coverage before and after the Court’s decision. a. health care b. the death penalty c. the Exclusionary Rule d. affirmative action e. school desegregation ANS: A REF: 12 4. The goal of the American Revolution was a. equality. b. financial betterment. c. political efficacy. d. liberty. e. fraternity. ANS: D REF: 14 5. The Russian Revolution (1917) and the Chinese Revolution (1949) were chiefly concerned with a. politics. b. economics. c. equality. d. liberty. e. fraternity. ANS: C REF: 14 6. The explanation for the inadequacy of British government was a. ideology. b. human nature. c. distance. d. economics. e. political inefficiency. ANS: B REF: 14 7. The liberties that the colonists fought to protect were based on a. the Bill of Rights in the federal Constitution. b. the rights proclaimed originally by the king of England. c. the leaders of the French Revolution. d. “natural rights” created by God. e. human nature. ANS: D REF: 14 8. Jefferson changed __________ to “pursuit of happiness” when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. a. “pleasure” b. “security” c. “welfare” d. “equality” e. “property” ANS: E REF: 14 9. For most Americans, the Revolution was about a. money. b. property. c. ideology. d. trade. e. expansion. ANS: C REF: 15 10. The Declaration of Independence contains twenty-seven paragraphs that list a. specific complaints against the king and his ministers. b. political prisoners in the colonies. c. rights enumerated in the British constitution. d. trade regulations violated by British ships. e. reasons for desiring a written constitution. ANS: A REF: 15 11. In drafting the Declaration, Jefferson originally added an item that addressed the issue of __________ but Congress decided to drop it from the document. a. piracy b. slavery c. commercial trade d. capital punishment e. pardons ANS: B REF: 15 12. The political theory of the Declaration of Independence was influenced greatly by the writings of a. Thomas Hobbes. b. Soren Kierkegaard. c. John Locke. d. Karl Marx. e. Elbert Hubbard. ANS: C REF: 15 13. Two Treatises of Government argued that __________ was a critical element in the formation of government. a. representation b. elasticity c. compromise d. voluntary consent e. social equality ANS: D REF: 15 14. Who said that the “real revolution” was the “radical change in the principles, opinions, and sentiments, and affections of the people”? a. James Madison b. John Locke c. Thomas Jefferson d. John Adams e. George Washington ANS: D REF: 15 15. The “new sentiment” that the United States was founded upon was a. concentrated political power. b. tradition. c. compromise. d. economic equality. e. consent of the governed. ANS: E REF: 16 16. The period of time between the Revolution and the signing of the Constitution was __________ years. a. two b. four c. six d. nine e. eleven ANS: E REF: 16 17. The problem with the government created under the Articles of Confederation was that a. it allowed well-populated states to exploit less-populated states. b. it offended citizens with high rates of taxation. c. it received such strong support that it became abusive. d. several states refused to ratify the Articles and did not belong to the new government. e. it was too weak and could not rule effectively. ANS: E REF: 16 18. The Articles of Confederation went into effect in a. 1770. b. 1790. c. 1781. d. 1776. e. 1787. ANS: C REF: 16 19. Under the Articles of Confederation, there was a. no national judicial system. b. a politically inept judicial system. c. a small judicial system. d. a weak judicial system. e. an all-powerful judicial system. ANS: A REF: 16 20. The stated purpose for the delegates’ assembly in Philadelphia in 1787 was to a. write a new constitution. b. discuss trade regulation. c. discuss taxation. d. revise the Articles of Confederation. e. discuss slavery. ANS: D REF: 17 21. The convention in Philadelphia lasted about a. two weeks. b. four months. c. ten months. d. one year. e. eleven years. ANS: B REF: 17 22. The __________ constitution was the most radically democratic of the new state regimes. a. Massachusetts b. Pennsylvania c. New Jersey d. Virginia e. Connecticut ANS: B REF: 17 23. The experience of Pennsylvania’s constitution demonstrated that a. the people are competent to exercise power wisely. b. it is possible to give minority groups too much protection. c. the doctrine of separation of powers works well. d. majority rule is an efficient safeguard to political rights. e. even democracies can be tyrannical by placing all power in one set of hands. ANS: E REF: 17 24. Which of the following is true of the Massachusetts constitution? a. It was far more democratic than the Pennsylvania constitution. b. It did not provide for a separation of powers. c. It provided for a directly elected governor. d. It allowed a limited four-year term for state judges. e. It created the office of governor to be held by three persons at once. ANS: C REF: 17 25. The experience of the Massachusetts constitution of 1780 proved that even a conservative form of government could a. be too weak. b. guarantee personal liberties. c. function without a clear separation of powers. d. govern effectively without a court system. e. reduce the possibility of excessive taxes. ANS: A REF: 17 26. Shays’s Rebellion was conducted by a group of a. former politicians. b. poverty stricken ship owners and seamen. c. disgruntled bankers and financers. d. ex-Revolutionary War officers and soldiers. e. Both options a and c are true. ANS: D REF: 17 27. Who, notably, said, “A little rebellion now and then is a good thing”? a. Washington b. Adams c. Jefferson d. Madison e. Jackson ANS: C REF: 17| 18 28. Shays’s Rebellion was interpreted by political leaders at the time as proving that a. too little political power was left to the states. b. state militias were a satisfactory answer to foreign invasion. c. there was much popular dissatisfaction with the leadership of George Washington. d. the British still retained the allegiance of many Americans. e. many state governments were about to collapse from internal dissension. ANS: E REF: 18 29. The Philadelphia convention attracted a total of __________ delegates. a. 74 b. 55 c. 39 d. 30 e. 12 ANS: B REF: 18 30. About __________ of the delegates in Philadelphia were regular participants at the convention. a. 74 b. 35 c. 39 d. 30 e. 12 ANS: D REF: 18 31. A conspicuous number of delegates at the Constitutional Convention were a. lawyers. b. doctors. c. military generals. d. French. e. New Yorkers. ANS: A REF: 18 32. Of the men at the Constitutional Convention, the most famous in the world as a scientist and writer was a. Alexander Hamilton. b. George Washington. c. James Madison. d. Thomas Jefferson. e. Benjamin Franklin. ANS: E REF: 18 33. The Constitutional Convention can be described as a. creating a new form of national government. b. revising the Articles of Confederation. c. supporting state sovereignty. d. favoring a parliamentary system of governance. e. forming the world’s first large direct democracy. ANS: A REF: 18 34. The framers believed that which of the following is a greater threat than rule by the few? a. Inequality b. Tyranny of the majority c. Decentralization d. States’ rights e. Aristocracy ANS: B REF: 19 35. The chief problem the Framers faced was balancing the power of the government to maintain a. liberty. b. equality. c. states’ rights. d. economic status. e. political efficacy. ANS: A REF: 19 36. The Virginia Plan was authored by a. Alexander Hamilton. b. George Washington. c. Benjamin Franklin. d. James Madison. e. John Adams. ANS: D REF: 20 37. The Virginia Plan called for a. a strong national union with two branches of government. b. a strong national union with three branches of government. c. a weak national union with two branches of government. d. a weak national union with three branches of government. e. a weak national union with an all-powerful legislature. ANS: B REF: 20 38. The New Jersey Plan was favored by less-populated states because a. both houses of Congress would be based on population. b. the president probably would reside in less-populated states. c. the president would be elected by vote of the people. d. states were taxed on the basis of population. e. Congress would be unicameral, with each state having one vote. ANS: E REF: 21 39. The Great Compromise allocated representation on the basis of a. population in both houses. b. equality in both houses. c. population in the House and equality in the Senate. d. equality in the House and population in the Senate. e. a changing structure every four years. ANS: C REF: 21 40. The number of senators allowed to each state under the Great Compromise was a. one. b. two. c. based on population. d. two, plus additional members on the basis of population. e. two, plus additional members on the basis of state seniority. ANS: B REF: 21 41. Under the Great Compromise, senators were chosen by a. the electoral college. b. vote of the people. c. state governors. d. the judiciary of each state. e. state legislatures. ANS: E REF: 21 42. The Great Compromise received support because it a. reconciled the interests of small and large states. b. allowed for the election of the president by the electoral college. c. proposed the Bill of Rights. d. gave the Supreme Court the power of judicial review. e. allowed slavery to continue in the southern states. ANS: A REF: 22 43. By the end of the Convention, one state was represented by a single delegate—the other delegates having left the Convention; that state was a. Pennsylvania. b. New York. c. Massachusetts. d. Georgia. e. North Carolina. ANS: B REF: 22 44. The electoral college, judicial review, and indirect election of the Senate are ________ features of the Constitution. a. federal b. antifederalist c. anti-democratic d. democratic e. bicameral ANS: C REF: 22 45. When all was said and done, the delegates of __________ states who remained in Philadelphia approved the Constitution. a. 5 b. 9 c. 12 d. 13 e. 15 ANS: C REF: 22 46. Technically speaking, there were never more than __________ states represented at the Convention. a. 5 b. 6 c. 9 d. 11 e. 12 ANS: D REF: 22 47. All of the delegates from the State of __________ left the Convention, with the exception of Alexander Hamilton. a. New Hampshire b. Rhode Island c. New York d. Massachusetts e. Georgia ANS: C REF: 22 48. Which of the following statements regarding the signing of the Constitution is incorrect? a. It contains 39 signatures. b. One person signed his own name and the name of another delegate not in attendance. c. Only one delegate from New York signed. d. Three delegates who were present at the signing refused to sign. e. None of the above is true. ANS: E REF: 22 49. The Framers of the Constitution intended to create a a. democracy. b. pure democracy. c. direct democracy. d. republic. e. participative democracy. ANS: D REF: 23 50. Only one constitutional amendment has been ratified in the conventions of three-fourths of the states—the __________Amendment. a. Eleventh b. Fourteenth c. Nineteenth d. Twenty-first e. Twenty-seventh ANS: D REF: 23 51. Which constitutional amendment took 202 years to ratify? a. Eleventh Amendment b. Fourteenth Amendment c. Nineteenth Amendment d. Twenty-first Amendment e. Twenty-seventh Amendment ANS: E REF: 23 52. The Framers of the Constitution believed that two types of majorities were essential on important questions; they are majorities of a. both large and small states. b. the Supreme Court and Congress. c. voters and states. d. state governors and state legislatures. e. state legislatures and judges. ANS: C REF: 23 53. The power of popular majorities is limited by a. national sovereignty. b. majority rule. c. selection of the House of Representatives. d. the First Amendment. e. judicial review. ANS: E REF: 23 54. Under the Constitution, the powers of the branches of government are not separated but shared owing to a. the Great Compromise. b. the commerce clause. c. judicial review. d. checks and balances. e. the Fourth Amendment. ANS: D REF: 24 55. The Constitution is based on the philosophical belief that a. people are good and can be trusted with power. b. only a few people can be trusted to rule, and the people have the wisdom to recognize them. c. power does not corrupt if rulers are subjected to regular elections. d. people will pursue their self-interest, but their ambition can be checked by the self-interest of others. e. government can reform human nature if given an adequate amount of power. ANS: D REF: 24 56. James Madison argued that a. liberty is safest in a small republic because all people will have the same interests. b. liberty is safest in a large republic where each faction will be moderated through competition with other factions. c. liberty is not possible without a bill of rights. d. no liberty is possible so long as factions exist. e. liberty is most secure when there are a small number of factions. ANS: B REF: 26 57. Generally, the Antifederalists felt that the government created by the Constitution was a. an insufficient check on the power of the states. b. too strong and too centralized. c. too liberal. d. barely strong enough to be effective. e. weak as a result of the absence of a federal judiciary. ANS: B REF: 26 58. According to Madison, it was best for the government to be at some distance from the people because a. a government should debate in secrecy to allow the representatives to say what they truly believe. b. to avoid corruption; legislators should not be distracted by too many influences. c. presidents could play to the crowd and be tempted to become demagogues. d. the government should be insulated from the momentary passions of the people. e. the people tend to be better informed about local matters. ANS: D REF: 26 | 27 59. The Constitution contained no bill of rights because, among other things, a. liberty—not rights—was the chief concern of such bills. b. the Constitution was ratified before a bill of rights was deemed necessary. c. the Framers thought they were creating a government with specific, limited powers. d. special interest groups forced the changes after the document was ratified. e. the delegates were instructed to create a new government, but not a bill of rights. ANS: C REF: 27 60. When the Constitution was written, slaves were __________ of the population of the five Southern states. a. one-half b. one-third c. two-thirds d. three-fourths e. one-fourth ANS: B REF: 29 61. The Constitution failed to outlaw slavery because a. few at that time recognized slavery as a moral evil. b. the opponents of slavery lacked the courage of their convictions. c. it was agreed in advance that the Constitution would make no direct or indirect mention of slavery. d. the Framers had no such mandate from those who had selected them. e. southern support was essential to adoption of the document. ANS: E REF: 30 62. Double jeopardy is forbidden in the a. First Amendment. b. Second Amendment. c. Fifth Amendment. d. Eight Amendment. e. Ninth Amendment. ANS: C REF: 30 63. Cruel and unusual punishment is forbidden in the a. First Amendment. b. Second Amendment. c. Fifth Amendment. d. Eighth Amendment. e. Ninth Amendment. ANS: D REF: 30 64. According to Charles Beard, the chief factor motivating the Framers of the Constitution was a. punishing British loyalists. b. opposing anti-state sentiment. c. protecting slavery. d. protecting economic self-interest. e. weakening the power of the central government. ANS: D REF: 31 65. Charles A. Beard’s economic interpretation of the Constitution concluded that there were two major economic interests present at the time of the Constitutional Convention; the dominant group included a. urban and commercial leaders. b. East Coast shippers and sea merchants. c. public and government officials. d. farmers and slaveholders. e. lawyers and craftsmen. ANS: A REF: 31 66. Most historians today reject the argument of Charles Beard because a. ratification debates in most states centered on political questions. b. ratification debates in most states centered on economic questions. c. wealthy landowners consistently opposed the Constitution. d. slavery was not an important issue at the time. e. economic inequalities were not nearly so pronounced at the time. ANS: A REF: 31 67. The ratification debates about the Constitution focused on the question of a. slavery. b. equality. c. economics. d. liberty. e. commerce. ANS: D REF: 31 68. Under the U.S. constitutional system, generally the only time when the government can take bold, decisive action is when a. one party controls both chambers of Congress. b. there is consensus of opinion and a broad, generally moderate coalition. c. the president takes strong action. d. there is a radical coalition in control of the government. e. the judiciary is selected by the party in power. ANS: B REF: 32 69. If one were to argue that the Constitution included women, they might focus on the a. direct mention of females in several instances. b. right of females to vote in the states. c. use of masculine pronouns. d. use of such words as “citizens” and “person.” e. use of wholly generic terminology. ANS: D REF: 33 TRUE/FALSE 1. None of the delegates that met in Philadelphia was chosen by popular election. ANS: T REF: 11 2. Rhode Island never sent a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. ANS: T REF: 11 | 22 3. The press generally refrained from taking or publicizing pictures of President Franklin Roosevelt standing on his crutches or being pushed in his wheelchair. ANS: T REF: 12 4. The text suggest the U.S. Supreme Court is among the more “open” and “non-secretive” political institutions. ANS: F REF: 12 5. The goal of the American Revolution was equality. ANS: F REF: 14 6. The English constitution was a single written document that served as a model for the colonists. ANS: F REF: 14 7. Locke argued that men are born equal with respect to rights. ANS: T REF: 15 8. Whatever the merit of his work, Locke did not think the will of the majority was relevant in matters related to government. ANS: F REF: 15 9. The Articles of Confederation granted the federal government the rights to levy taxes and regulate commerce. ANS: F REF: 16 10. Each state had one vote in Congress under the Articles of Confederation. ANS: T REF: 16 11. A strong central government existed under the Articles of Confederation. ANS: F REF: 16 12. The Constitutional Convention was advertised as a meeting to revise the Articles of Confederation. ANS: T REF: 17 13. Madison’s review of history found that confederations tended to collapse from internal dissension. ANS: T REF: 17 14. The constitution adopted by Pennsylvania in 1776 was radically anti-democratic. ANS: F REF: 17 15. Shays’s Rebellion had a profound effect on public opinion. ANS: T REF: 17 16. The U.S. Constitution is the world’s oldest written national constitution. ANS: T REF: 18 17. The Framers faced major challenges in trying to produce a constitution that was strong enough to unite the country without threatening liberty. ANS: T REF: 19 18. James Madison had a cautious view of human nature, believing people were ambitious. ANS: T REF: 20 19. George Washington was the presiding officer at the Constitutional Convention. ANS: T REF: 20 20. The Framers intended to create a “pure” democracy. ANS: F REF: 20 21. The New Jersey Plan would have simply amended the Articles of Confederation. ANS: T REF: 21 22. The Great Compromise reconciled the interests of the small and large states in terms of representation. ANS: T REF: 21 | 22 23. One delegate to the Convention had another sign the document for him as he was not present on that day. ANS: T REF: 23 24. There have been thousands of proposed constitutional amendments. ANS: T REF: 23 25. Separation of powers refers to the allocation of power among national, state, and local governments. ANS: F REF: 24 26. James Madison believed that government could be kept in check by allowing the self-interest of one person to check the self-interest of another. ANS: T REF: 24 27. The proponents of the Constitution called themselves Federalists. ANS: T REF: 26 28. The Antifederalists wanted most of the powers of government kept firmly in the hands of state legislatures and state courts. ANS: T REF: 26 29. An ex post facto law makes an act a crime that was not a crime at the time that is was committed. ANS: T REF: 28 30. Habeas corpus cannot be suspended. ANS: F REF: 28 31. At the time of the Constitution, slaves accounted for about one-third of the population of southern states. ANS: T REF: 29 32. The Constitution specifically outlawed the slave trade but allowed for slave ownership. ANS: F REF: 29 33. Most states’ debates over ratification centered on political rather than economic questions. ANS: T REF: 31 34. In designing the Constitution, the Founders wanted to encourage bold action on the part of the government. ANS: F REF: 32 ESSAY 1. Discuss some of the positions held by John Locke in his famous Two Treatises of Government. ANS: (a.) Argued that all men are, in fact, born free. (b.) Argued that men are also equal in rights. (c.) Societies of men existed before government. (d.) Governments are formed to avoid conflicts and inconvenience. (e.) Government must rest on voluntary consent of the governed. (f.) Government should protect life, liberty, and property via majority rule. 2. Identify 3–4 specific features of the Articles of Confederation. ANS: (a.) Created a league of friendship. (b.) National government could not tax or regulate commerce. (c.) Each state retained its sovereignty and independence. (d.) Each state had one vote in the national legislature. (e.) Nine votes (of thirteen) were required to pass a measure. (f.) Amendments required unanimity. 3. Describe the constitutional frameworks of Pennsylvania; and in doing so, show the dangers of excessively strong and excessively weak governments. ANS: (a.) Pennsylvania: Radically democratic, unicameral legislature with term limits, no real chief executive; the legislature disenfranchised Quakers, persecuted conscientious objectors, ignored the rights of criminal defendants, and manipulated the judiciary. (b.) Massachusetts: Clear separation of powers; directly elected governor with a veto power; life -tenured judges; Shays’s Rebellion 4. Explain what led up to Shays’s Rebellion and describe the impact of this important event in American history. ANS: (a.) Former Revolutionary War soldiers forcibly prevented the courts from operating. (b.) Shays and others were plagued by debt and heavy taxes. (c.) The Governor was unable to get assistance from the national government and had no state militia. (d.) This all took place between the Annapolis and Philadelphia conventions. (e.) Many feared the state governments were about to collapse and attended the Philadelphia convention when they might not have otherwise. 5. Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans of government. ANS: (a.) Virginia Plan. Called for a major overhaul; three distinct branches of government, national legislature with supreme power, and direct election of at least one chamber of a bicameral legislature. (b.) New Jersey Plan. Called for mere revision of the Articles; slightly stronger central government, and each state retained one vote in the unicameral national legislature 6. Identify some of the features of the Constitution that suggest popular rule was only one element to be considered in the governmental process. ANS: (a.) State legislatures would elect Senators, not the people. (b.) The electoral college would select the president, not the people. (c.) The Supreme Court would have the power to exercise judicial review. (d.) The process for amending the Constitution remained somewhat difficult. 7. Discuss Madison’s view of self-interest and factions and the manner in which government can address their effects and consequences. ANS: (a.) Self-interest leads people to factionalism and tyranny. (b.) Self-interest can, however, be harnessed by Constitutional arrangements. (c.) Offices can be divided and officers can be given “means” to protect themselves from the encroachments of the others (checks and balances). (d.) In addition, power can be divided between state and federal government. (e.) The result would be that while power would be available to those that seek it, full power would be almost impossible to achieve. 8. Summarize Madison’s thoughts on coalitions and liberty in a large republic. ANS: (a.) In a large republic, there are many opinions and interests. (b.) Different interest must come together to form coalitions in order to get power. (c.) Such coalitions will tend to be more diverse and moderate. (d.) They would also tend to be built upon principles of justice and the general good. 9. What are some of the possible explanations for why the Constitution drafted in Philadelphia did not contain a Bill of Rights? ANS: (a.) The Constitution did contain a number of specific guarantees of individual liberty. (b.) Most states already had bills of rights. (c.) The Framers thought they were creating a government with specific, limited powers. 10. In what ways did the Constitution address the matter of slavery? ANS: (a.) The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the three-fifths compromise. (b.) Congress was not allowed to prohibit slavery before 1808. (c.) Fugitive slaves were to be returned to their owners in slave-owning states. 11. Briefly explain Charles Beard’s theory of the Constitution and what research has shown regarding its validity. ANS: (a.) Beard argued the convention and ratification process were dominated by wealthy, urban, and commercial leaders who were primarily concerned about their own economic interests. (b.) Research has discovered that their interests were actually quite diverse and political questions were debated much more often than questions related to economics.