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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did Edmund Randolph present to the delegates?
(a) Articles of Confederation.
(b) The Virginia Plan.
(c) The New Jersey Plan.
(d) The Great Compromise.

2. What did Madison stress in his letter to George Washington?
(a) The need for representation by population.
(b) The need for high taxes to pay for federal army and government.
(c) The need for representation by state and region.
(d) The need for restraints on popular sentiment.

3. What reason did delegates give for Senators being elected in state legislatures?
(a) They would already know the laws.
(b) They would therefore be men of character.
(c) They would have the contacts they needed within the state.
(d) They would therefore be essentially promoted from within.

4. What did James Madison argue with relation to the New Jersey Plan?
(a) It cannot settle arguments between the states.
(b) It will not protect small states from bigger states.
(c) It cannot support itself with tax revenue.
(d) It will give too much power to small states.

5. Who wrote the introduction to this edition of "The Anti-Federalist Papers"?
(a) Sacvan Bercovitch.
(b) Alexander Hamilton.
(c) James Madison.
(d) Ralph Ketcham.

6. What was cut out when the Constitutional Convention doted down part of the Virginia Plan?
(a) Congress's ability to impose state taxes.
(b) Congress's ability to vote down state laws.
(c) Congress's ability to declare war.
(d) Congress's ability to regulate interstate trade.

7. What position did "Publius" advocate?
(a) Arguing against ratification of the Constitution.
(b) Attacking the new Constitution.
(c) Defending the new Constitution.
(d) Proposing an alternative to the Constitution.

8. Delegates were trying to strike a balance in their decision about electing representatives for the House between what?
(a) Between East coast and southern power.
(b) Between American and foreign power.
(c) Between ideals and practical applications.
(d) Between federal and state power.

9. What did William Paterson offer the convention?
(a) The New Jersey Plan.
(b) The Great Compromise.
(c) The Missouri Compromise.
(d) The Virginia Plan.

10. What did Madison and Jefferson feel about Virginia?
(a) That the executive was too weak.
(b) That international trade would solve its budget problems.
(c) That the taxation rates were too low.
(d) That democracy restricted the leaders.

11. What subject were the delegates debating in Chapter 6?
(a) Whether government officers should receive pay.
(b) Whether the executive should be singular or plural.
(c) Whether the federal government should oversee state laws.
(d) Who should be eligible to vote in elections.

12. Where on the political spectrum were Alexander Hamilton's opinions?
(a) Closer to monarchy than democracy.
(b) Closer to democracy than republicanism.
(c) Closer to republicanism than democracy.
(d) Closer to anarchy than democracy.

13. What did Mr. Sherman argue during the debate over the length of Senatorial term-lengths?
(a) Short terms allow bad rulers to be removed.
(b) Short terms create perpetual campaigns.
(c) Long terms will preserve continuity in government.
(d) Long terms allow leaders to learn on the job.

14. Why did delegates argue that Senators should be elected in state legislatures?
(a) The state legislatures would thereby gain power against the federal government.
(b) The government would be composed of professional politicians.
(c) The states would therefore have an interest in preserving the federal government.
(d) The House of Representatives would be counter-balanced.

15. Why did Mr. Wilson prefer the New Jersey Plan?
(a) Because it provided for a standing army.
(b) Because it centralized power in the executive.
(c) Because it provided multiple legislative houses.
(d) Because it protected America from European influence.

Short Answer Questions

1. What were opponents of the resolution that was ultimately adopted afraid of?

2. What plan did James Madison favor?

3. Which bodies were the delegates considering as electors of Representatives in the House?

4. What did all the delegates at the federal convention agree on?

5. What did the New Jersey Plan allow the federal government to do?

(see the answer keys)

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