Review Questions

1. British colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly influenced by the political thought of ________.

  1. King James II
  2. Thomas Jefferson
  3. John Locke
  4. James Madison

2. The agreement that citizens will consent to be governed so long as government protects their natural rights is called ________.

  1. the divine right of kings
  2. the social contract
  3. a bill of rights
  4. due process
3. What key tenets of American political thought were influential in the decision to declare independence from Britain?
4. What actions by the British government convinced the colonists that they needed to declare their independence?

5. What important power did the national government lack under the Articles of Confederation?

  1. It could not coin money.
  2. It could not declare war.
  3. It could not impose taxes.
  4. It could not conduct foreign affairs.
6. In what ways did Shays’ Rebellion reveal the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

7. According to the Great Compromise, how would representation in Congress be apportioned?

  1. Each state would have equal representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
  2. Congress would be a unicameral legislature with each state receiving equal representation.
  3. Representation in the House of Representatives would be based on each state’s population and every state would have two senators.
  4. Representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate would be based on a state’s population.

8. How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention resolve their disagreement regarding slavery?

  1. It was agreed that Congress would abolish slavery in 1850.
  2. It was agreed that a state’s slave population would be counted for purposes of representation but not for purposes of taxation.
  3. It was agreed that a state’s slave population would be counted for purposes of taxation but not for purposes of representation.
  4. It was agreed that 60 percent of a state’s slave population would be counted for purposes of both representation and taxation.
9. What does separation of powers mean?

10. Why were The Federalist Papers written?

  1. To encourage states to oppose the Constitution.
  2. To encourage New York to ratify the Constitution.
  3. To oppose the admission of slaveholding states to the federal union.
  4. To encourage people to vote for George Washington as the nation’s first president.

11. What argument did Alexander Hamilton use to convince people that it was not dangerous to place power in the hands of one man?

  1. That man would have to pass a religious test before he could become president; thus, citizens could be sure that he was of good character.
  2. One man could respond to crises more quickly than a group of men like Congress.
  3. It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group.
  4. both B and C
12. Why did so many people oppose ratification of the Constitution, and how was their opposition partly overcome?

13. How many states must ratify an amendment before it becomes law?

  1. all
  2. three-fourths
  3. two-thirds
  4. one-half

14. What is the Bill of Rights?

  1. first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual freedoms
  2. powers given to Congress in Article I of the Constitution
  3. twenty-seven amendments added to the Constitution over the years
  4. document authored by Thomas Jefferson that details the rights of the citizens
15. What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve?

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