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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

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

3. 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 encourage lawsuits.
(d) That it would slow the government's response to events.

4. Which committee recommendation did not make it into the Constitution?
(a) Senate can amend budget bills.
(b) The Electoral College.
(c) Four year terms for President and vice-President.
(d) The Senate should choose the President in case of a tie in the Electoral College.

5. What did opponents to the suffrage limitation argue?
(a) That universal suffrage would allow too many interests into politics.
(b) That it was not right to allow uneducated people to vote.
(c) That it was not fair to prevent so many people from participating in government.
(d) That the people could not be trusted to choose their leaders.

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

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

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

9. What did "Federal Farmer" complain about in his second letter?
(a) The government was allowed to do anything it felt necessary to govern.
(b) The government could impose too many taxes.
(c) The Supreme Court had too much power.
(d) That there is no bill of rights.

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

11. What method of ratification did Oliver Ellsworth advocate?
(a) Ratification by straw poll.
(b) Ratification by special conventions in each state.
(c) Ratification by state legislature.
(d) Ratification national referendum.

12. Who was DeWitt in reality?
(a) A Massachusetts Anti-Federalist.
(b) A New York Anti-Federalist.
(c) A Rhode Island Federalist.
(d) A Virginian Anti-Federalist.

13. What did "Centinel" argue on the danger of checks and balances?
(a) He argued that checks and balances would make the government slow to respond to military threats.
(b) He argued that checks and balances would obscure corruption and tyranny.
(c) He argued that checks and balances would paralyze the government.
(d) He argued that checks and balances would create an endless torrent of inter-branch lawsuits.

14. What was James Wilson calling for in his speech to the Pennsylvania legislature?
(a) States rights.
(b) Judiciary oversight of the executive.
(c) Revision of the Constitution.
(d) Ratification of the Constitution.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What alternative did "Federal Farmer" propose in his first letter?

2. What did the convention call for on July 26?

3. What argument did James Madison make concerning the fear of a centralized government?

4. What did "Brutus" argue in his letters?

5. What did Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island propose during their ratification discussions?

(see the answer keys)

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