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- 1. Multiple Choice
The above political cartoon was most likely intended to communicate which message?
American colonies should support the royal governors appointed by the king
American colonies could better resist British control by uniting together
Opposing the king’s authority would bring certain death
Colonies would benefit from creating a national government
- 2. Multiple Choice
Which of the following BEST exemplifies the economic differences between the Southern and New England colonies?
Southern colonies found it profitable to trade with other countries, whereas New England colonies did not.
Geographic conditions allowed Southern landowners to make large profits growing cash crops whereas New Englanders were forced to rely on subsistence farming and shipbuilding.
Southern landowners depended on urban centers of commerce to trade their goods whereas New Englanders did not
The use of slave labor allowed New England to create a diversified economy, whereas the South was forced to rely on subsistence farming.
- 3. Multiple Choice
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Benjamin Rush
Thomas Jefferson
George Mason
Henry Knox
- 4. Multiple Choice
What is freedom of religion?
You must practice a religion of your choice church
You can practice any or no religion
You can only join a US recognized religion
You cannot practice any religion
- 5. Multiple Choice
All of the following are weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT
One state, one vote
Could not levy taxes
States could independently negotiate with foreign powers
Failed to create an organized system for settlement of western lands
- 6. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is true regarding French assistance to the American colonies during the American Revolution?
Following the battle of Saratoga, the French government began to provide naval support and supplies.
The French king embraced the ideals of democracy and committed military supplies as a result.
While providing military advisors, like Marquis de Lafayette, to the Americans they failed to provide military munitions.
The French refused to provide assistance due to the long term alliance the French had with Great Britain.
- 7. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements best describes the reason the framers of the Constitution divided the power of the national government among the executive, the legislative and the judicial branches and established a system of checks and balances between the three?
When creating the laws, the legislative branch also states how they should be interpreted and therefore restricts the power of the Judicial Branch
When enforcing the laws, the Judicial Branch could wield too much power that could severely restrict a person’s freedom of speech.
The President of the United States is the person who enforces the laws and therefore could use too much power restricting the rights of the people
The Senate has the sole responsibility of making treaties with foreign countries, a right given to them by the President
- 8. Multiple Choice
Which of the following BEST explains why the Constitution was finally ratified in 1788?
The Anti-federalists agreed to additional restrictions on the power of the states
The Federalists agreed to grant additional power to the states
The Federalists agreed to add a Bill of Rights
The Electoral College voted for ratification
- 9. Multiple Choice
The colony of Pennsylvania was founded on which of the following sets of principles?
Plantation economics and hierarchical class structure
Religious diversity and social equality
Shipbuilding, cod fishing, and whaling
Ranching and subsistence agriculture
- 10. Multiple Choice
The Anti-Federalists, in general, strongly supported the idea of
Bill of Rights
Two-House Legislature
Strong Central Government
More votes by large states in Congress
- 11. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE regarding the Declaration of Independence?
It echoed many of the principles of John Locke’s “life, liberty, and property.”
It was addressed to those in the colonies who remained loyal to the king.
Congress chose Thomas Jefferson to write it.
Guarantees that citizenship rights cannot be abridged due to race or ethnicity
- 12. Multiple Choice
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
Establish North America
Announced independence from Britain
Separated English from Spanish colonies
Forged a treaty between the US and France
- 13. Multiple Choice
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Eminent Domain
Checks and Balances
Supremacy Clause
Establishment Clause
- 14. Multiple Choice
Thomas Jefferson wrote that “whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it.” Which of the following principles of the US Constitution BEST reflects the concern expressed in this quotation?
Separation of Powers
Republicanism
Democracy
Checks and balances
- 15. Multiple Choice
England’s policy of “Salutary Neglect” created the rise of self-government in the American colonies. The dramatic chain of events that led up to the “shot heard ‘round the world” started the fighting of the American Revolution. Which of the following BEST describes their attitude toward Parliament?
Colonists protested against the taxes because the taxes were too high.
Colonists wanted independence from tyrannical England and wanted to create a new kind of government.
Colonists demanded representation in Parliament if they were going to pay taxes.
Colonists believed that ONLY their colonial legislatures had the right to impose taxes on them.
- 16. Multiple Choice
Name one branch or part of the government.
UNICEF
Congress
Democratic National Convention
Republican National Convention
- 17. Multiple Choice
According to the above map, which of the following economic commodities did the English colonies contribute to the triangular trade pattern that developed in the mercantilist system between Europe, Africa and the Americas?
Manufactured goods
Slave labor
Natural resources
Weapons
- 18. Multiple Choice
Increased immigration creates which of the following problems?
Lack of cultural diversity
Population decline
Neglect of issues like bilingualism and bilingual education
Controversy over immigration legislation
- 19. Multiple Choice
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
Ten (10)
Thirty (30)
Twenty-Seven (27)
Twenty-Four (24)
- 20. Multiple Choice
According to the information on the chart,
England had few advantages in a war with her American colonies
The thirteen colonies had more advantages than disadvantages upon entering the war.
England did not believe that the thirteen colonies were worth the expense of a war.
The thirteen colonies had few, but important advantages in the war with England.
- 21. Multiple Choice
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
January 1, 1763
October 31, 1783
July 4, 1776
December 25, 1801
- 22. Multiple Choice
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
Judicial Review
The Bill of Rights
The Supremacy Clause
The Bicameral Legislature
- 23. Multiple Choice
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
The Southern states seceded from the United States
The United States decided to end slavery
The state delegates drafted the Constitution
The State delegates elected Benjamin Franklin President
- 24. Multiple Choice
What are two parts of the U.S. Congress?
The President and Vice President
The Ways and Means Committee
The Senate and the House of Representatives
The Cabinet and the Supreme Court
- 25. Multiple Choice
With well-developed concepts of government in place, the colonists arrived in North America with an idea of how government should work. Which of the following concepts would NOT reflect the rule of law as written in the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights?
All men are created equal.
Every member of the society must obey the law including the king.
Taxes could only be levied by the consent of the people through their representatives.
Every citizen had the right to the freedoms of religion, speech, and press.
- 26. Multiple Choice
Why did larger states oppose the New Jersey Plan?
Because it advocated only one house in Congress that would have equal representation
Because it advocated a legislative branch in which both houses of Congress would be based on population
Because it wanted to include slaves in the population count, thereby giving Southern states more power in Congress
Because it wanted to leave slaves out of the population count and smaller states needed their slaves counted in order to compete with the power of large states
- 27. Multiple Choice
What is the "rule of law?
The individual states have the ultimate say in determining law
The Supreme Court passes bills into laws in the US
Everyone, including government leaders, must follow the law
The Constitution is the only law in the United States
- 28. Multiple Choice
What is the supreme law of the land?
The Declaration of Independence
The Magna Carta
The Constitution
The Articles of Confederation
- 29. Multiple Choice
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
Russians
Bedouins
Native Americans
Celts
- 30. Multiple Choice
“Their place in history is interesting. On one hand, they came to the New World to escape religious persecution, only to persecute those who disagreed with them. They even executed people for being ‘witches.’ Yet, at the same time, they gave us the Mayflower Compact as a model of government and introduced public education to the colonies.”
According to your interpretation of the above quote, which of the following would this statement most likely describe?
The Anglican Church
Members of a joint-stock company
The Puritans
The Quakers
- 31. Multiple Choice
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
We the People
Freedom of Speech
Pursuit of Happiness
E Pluribus Unum
- 32. Multiple Choice
Which of the following could be attributed to the creation of the Virginia House of Burgesses?
Creation of a taxation system based on cash crops
Independence for American colonists
Generation of a slave labor plantation-based economy
Formation of representative government in America
- 33. Multiple Choice
Which statement best describes how Shays’ Rebellion challenged the power of the government under the Articles of Confederation?
Demonstrated the inability of the government to effectively handle a crisis or insurrection
Demonstrated the inability of the government to control interstate commerce
Demonstrated the inability of the government to negotiate and settle foreign disputes
Demonstrated the inability of the government to protect citizens and secure the frontier from Native American threats
- 34. Multiple Choice
Many American colonists believed that the Stamp Act (1765) represented a form of
Taxation without representation
Colonial self-government
Compromise with the British Parliament
Limitation on international trade
- 35. Multiple Choice
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment
Speech
Press
Religion
All of the Above
- 36. Multiple Choice
What does the Constitution do?
Sets up the government
Protects basic rights of Americans
Defines the government
All of the above
- 37. Multiple Choice
Why did the colonists fight the British?
Because the colonists wanted to become French
Because the colonists protested high taxes without representation
Because George Washington wanted to become King of America
Because all of the colonies disagreed with slavery
- 38. Multiple Choice
Directions: Read the following quote from the 3/5 Compromise and respond.
“[The population of states] shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons…three-fifths of all other persons.”
What is the purpose of compromising to count a slave as 3/5 of a person?
To properly assess the number of slaves voting in the 1790 election
For representation purposes as an agreement between slave holding and non-slave holding states
Creating a system of gradually distributing citizenship rights to slaves
To further restrict slaves’ rights to ownership of land
- 39. Multiple Choice
Those considered to be Federalists in the 1700s would support all of the following EXCEPT
Ratification of the Constitution
That every common person should vote
The national government should possess the most power
Congress should be able to pass laws it believes are necessary and proper
- 40. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements best explains why the founders included the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution immediately?
The Federalists pushed for its inclusion
Many governments around the world included similar protections in their Constitutions
The founders saw that the Articles of Confederation gave too much power to the States that ignored the rights of the people.
The founders wanted a government that was limited and did not infringe upon the rights of the people.
- 41. Multiple Choice
How did American politics change after the Declaration of Independence?
The colonies united behind a common clear objective of independence
Politics in the colonies became increasingly radicalized
Opposing the king’s authority would bring certain death
Colonies would benefit from creating a national government
- 42. Multiple Choice
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
Privacy and Property
Due Process and No Double Jeopardy
Speedy Trial and Trial by Jury
Life and Liberty
- 43. Multiple Choice
When comparing the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution which of the following statements best describes a fundamental difference between the two forms of government?
Under the Articles of Confederation the power rested with the states, while the Constitution accorded the power to the people
The Articles of Confederation allowed for too much change too easily, while the Constitution is strict and does not allow for change.
The people had all of the power under the Articles of Confederation while the Constitution gives the States the ability to restrict the power of the people.
The Articles of Confederation set up a democracy that allowed for many competing ideas to proliferate (grow rapidly) in comparison to the unorganized approaches of presenting changes under the Constitution
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