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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did Mr. Sherman advocate about executive veto power?
(a) He said that the executive should have veto power over the legislature, but not the judiciary.
(b) He said that the executive veto power should be limited.
(c) He said that the executive should not have a veto.
(d) He said that the executive should have absolute veto.

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

3. What did Benjamin Franklin advocate in a speech?
(a) Sending the Constitution back to committee.
(b) Revising the Constitution one more time.
(c) Signing the Constitution.
(d) Sending the Constitution to the states for ratification.

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

5. Where else did the question of proposing limitations arise, besides the debate over suffrage?
(a) Qualifications for holding office.
(b) Qualifications for traveling abroad.
(c) Requirements for serving in the military.
(d) Qualifications for owning property.

6. How did James Wilson address the absence of a Bill of Rights?
(a) He told his audience that a bill of rights would require some trial and error, and therefore time.
(b) He told his audience that it was unnecessary because certain rights were inalienable.
(c) He reminded his audience that the government only had the rights enumerated in the Constitution.
(d) He told his audience that there had not been enough time to write a bill of rights.

7. What does James Madison argue on the question of suffrage?
(a) He thought that universal suffrage should triumph.
(b) He thought that suffrage restrictions were regrettable but necessary.
(c) He thought that universal suffrage would ruin the government.
(d) He thought that suffrage restrictions were a step toward monarchy.

8. 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 have veto power over the legislature, but not the judiciary.
(d) He said that the executive should not have a veto.

9. What method of ratification did Mason and Madison advocate?
(a) Ratification national referendum.
(b) Ratification by special conventions in each state.
(c) Ratification by state legislature.
(d) Ratification by straw poll.

10. What imbalance gave James Madison cause for worry about ratification in the states?
(a) The disparity between landowners and laborers.
(b) The disparity between Northern and Southern state interests.
(c) The disparity between national and state interests.
(d) The disparity between East Coast states and frontier territories.

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

12. Who was "Brutus"?
(a) A Massachusetts anti-Federalist.
(b) No one knows for sure.
(c) Robert Yates, probably.
(d) Melancton Smith.

13. What symbol did Benjamin Franklin remark on, on the President's chair?
(a) An eagle on the seat.
(b) An ocean and a ship.
(c) A sun painted on the back.
(d) A pine tree.

14. What powers did Mr. Mason argue the federal judiciary should not have?
(a) The power to change state laws.
(b) The power to amend executive orders.
(c) The power to oversee the executive.
(d) The power to amend taxes.

15. How did Benjamin Franklin interpret the symbol on the President's chair?
(a) He saw it as a predator subduing its enemies.
(b) He saw it as a symbol of commerce.
(c) He saw it as a tree withstanding the storms.
(d) He saw it as a sun rising over the republic.

Short Answer Questions

1. What limitation did delegates try to place on suffrage?

2. What did Rhode Island propose in its ratification process?

3. What was the vote tally when the Pennsylvania Convention voted on the Constitution?

4. What was Mr. Gerry's fear regarding the ratification of the Constitution?

5. What threat did Mr. Pinckney make if Congress has power to restrict the slave trade?

(see the answer keys)

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