View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did "Brutus" argue in his letters?
(a) That the nation was too big for a central government.
(b) That the framers wanted to abolish the states.
(c) That the Supreme Court had too much power.
(d) That the government will be weak on military defense.

2. What were supporters of the residency requirement for citizenship afraid of?
(a) They were afraid that uneducated people would vote in large numbers.
(b) They were afraid that the states would be able to suppress immigrant votes.
(c) They were afraid that the national interest would be subverted by foreigners.
(d) They were afraid that immigrants would send too much money back to their homelands.

3. What did the convention call for on July 26?
(a) Proposals for executive term limits.
(b) A committee to write a draft of the agreed-upon points.
(c) A committee to resolve the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey plan.
(d) A vote on ratification.

4. What did Massachusetts propose in its ratification process?
(a) Restrictions on the standing army.
(b) Restrictions on taxation power.
(c) Restrictions on alcohol sales.
(d) Freedom of speech.

5. Which party did James Wilson belong to?
(a) Federalist.
(b) Whig.
(c) Anti-Federalist.
(d) Tory.

6. What did James Wilson argue concerning the question of taxation?
(a) He argued that the government would use tax money wisely.
(b) He argued that it was necessary.
(c) He argued that the European nations were taxed more heavily.
(d) He argued that it would result in better services.

7. What did James Madison worry about concerning ratification in the states?
(a) The states could sink the ratification process.
(b) The federal government would be powerless without unanimous ratification.
(c) The states might not act in the national interest.
(d) The states could hold the federal government hostage with no votes.

8. What did the Pennsylvania dissenters recommend to the Constitutional Convention?
(a) Trial by jury in all federal cases.
(b) Trial by jury in property conflicts.
(c) A standing army that would still exist in peacetime.
(d) Limitations on the expansion of the United States.

9. What did Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island propose during their ratification discussions?
(a) Abolition of alcohol.
(b) A bill of rights.
(c) Abolition of slavery.
(d) Regulation of state laws.

10. What did "Centinel" argue on the danger of a centralized government?
(a) States will have to fend for themselves if they oppose the national government.
(b) Taxation will be worse with a central tax collector.
(c) Class mobility will decrease, as the central government raises taxes.
(d) The Constitution will threaten liberty.

11. What was Mr. Mason's fear regarding the House of Representatives?
(a) He feared that it would be run by illiterate farmers.
(b) He feared that it would not be able to compete with the Senate.
(c) He feared that it was not truly representative.
(d) He feared that it did not have enough power to combat the executive.

12. What did Rhode Island propose to ban?
(a) Restrictions on inter-state trade.
(b) Standing armies in peacetime.
(c) Checks and balances.
(d) Political contributions from businesses.

13. What did "Federal Farmer" say the current Constitution would lead to?
(a) Tyranny of the mass.
(b) Aristocracy.
(c) Chaos.
(d) Tyranny.

14. What did "Federal Farmer" argue regarding the separation of powers?
(a) That it would hide government corruption.
(b) That it would slow the government's response to events.
(c) That it would encourage lawsuits.
(d) That it was disconnected from the popular will.

15. What did Gouverneur Morris advocate about executive veto power?
(a) He said that the executive should have absolute veto.
(b) He said that the executive veto itself should be able to be overridden.
(c) He said that the executive should not have a veto.
(d) He said that the executive should have veto power over the legislature, but not the judiciary.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did the draft of the Constitution contain concerning slavery?

2. What symbol did Benjamin Franklin remark on, on the President's chair?

3. What did opponents to the suffrage limitation argue?

4. What did Benjamin Franklin advocate in a speech?

5. What imbalance gave James Madison cause for worry about ratification in the states?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 774 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample