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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What powers did Mr. Mason argue the Congress should not have?
(a) The power to recall the executive.
(b) The power to originate budget bills.
(c) The power to reject judicial nominations.
(d) The power to alter the budget.

2. What limitation did delegates try to place on suffrage?
(a) Literacy restrictions.
(b) Race restrictions.
(c) Landowner restrictions.
(d) National origin restrictions.

3. What alternative did "Federal Farmer" propose in his first letter?
(a) Decentralization.
(b) Confederation.
(c) Deregulation.
(d) Partial consolidation.

4. What did "Federal Farmer" see as a danger in the Constitution?
(a) Its powers were not listed explicitly.
(b) It prevented the states from adapting to political conditions.
(c) It reserved the right to be amended over time.
(d) It would be protected by soldiers who were paid by the federal government.

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

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

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

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

9. What position was James Wilson asked to take in the Constitutional debate?
(a) He was asked to promote revisions of the Constitution.
(b) He was asked to argue for additions to the Constitution.
(c) He was asked to defend the Constitution.
(d) He was asked to attack opponents of the Constitution.

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

11. What position did "Federal Farmer" take concerning the Constitution?
(a) He thought that it preserved too much power in the states.
(b) He thought it centralized power too much.
(c) He thought it left the states with too many contradictory obligations regarding the federal government.
(d) He was not sure it created the right government.

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

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

14. Which delegate expressed his regrets about not signing the Constitution?
(a) Mr. Mason.
(b) Mr. Hamilton.
(c) Mr. Gerry.
(d) Mr. Williamson.

15. What was the Pennsylvania dissenters' primary objection to the Constitution?
(a) A free government cannot govern so large and disparate an area.
(b) The lack of restrictions on the government's ability to tax the people.
(c) The lack of a bill of rights.
(d) The strength of the federal government.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did Benjamin Franklin interpret the symbol on the President's chair?

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

3. Who was DeWitt in reality?

4. What did "Federal Farmer" complain about in his second letter?

5. Who was "Brutus"?

(see the answer keys)

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