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- 1. Multiple Choice
The English colonists brought with them knowledge of political systems that influenced constitutional government in North America. Which one of these basic notions held that the people should have a voice in determining what their government can and cannot do?
colonial government
limited government
ordered government
representative government
- 2. Multiple Choice
Which of the following correctly describes the differences between royal and proprietary colonies?
royal: governor and his council named by the king; proprietary: governor appointed by the proprietor
royal: governor’s council subject to direct control of the crown; proprietary: governor subject to direct control of the crown
royal: governor elected by the king’s council; proprietary: governor selected the proprietor
royal: governor named by the king; proprietary colonies: governors elected by male property owners
- 3. Multiple Choice
Which of the following rights, protected today by the Bill of Rights, were first established in all three landmark English documents?
due process, no cruel punishment
due process, trial by jury
no cruel punishment, right to petition.
no excessive bail or fines, trial by jury.
- 4. Multiple Choice
The concept of limited government holds that
government should be based on a charter granted by the king.
government should be abolished.
government should include both a monarch and a Parliament.
government power should be restricted.
- 5. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is one factor that led to the signing of the Magna Carta?
the settling of Jamestown in 1607
the crowning of William and Mary
the confiscation of Connecticut's royal charter
the heavy taxes imposed by King John
- 6. Multiple Choice
What was the significance of the Petition of Right?
It reinforced the divine right of kings.
It guaranteed freedom of religion.
It limited the king's power.
It required that all parliamentary elections be free.
- 7. Multiple Choice
How did the government of the charter colonies differ from those of the royal and proprietary colonies?
The governor and his council were under direct control of the Crown, and laws made by their bicameral legislatures were subject to the king's veto.
The governors were elected by male property owners, and laws made by their bicameral legislatures were not subject to the governor's veto.
The governors were elected by members of the king's council, and the legislature was a unicameral body.
The king appointed the governor, and he selected members of the upper house of the bicameral legislatures from his council.
- 8. Multiple Choice
Which of the following helped lead to growing self-government in the colonies?
The colonists no longer wished to be British citizens.
The colonists depended on Great Britain for their defense.
England was far away and travel and communication were slow.
England had recently defeated France in the French and Indian War.
- 9. Multiple Choice
Many of the colonists believed that people have the right to resist an unfair, or illegitimate, government. Which of the following actions BEST reflects this belief?
the formation of the New England Confederation and the British Board of Trade
the rejection of Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan by the colonies and the Crown
the passage of the Stamp Act and its later repeal
the Boston Tea Party protest against British policies
- 10. Multiple Choice
Which of the following led to the meeting of the First Continental Congress?
The colonists had begun to boycott British goods.
The British refused to repeal the Stamp Act.
Parliament had passed the Intolerable Acts.
Parliament had called for a meeting of colonial legislatures.
- 11. Multiple Choice
What role did the Second Continental Congress fulfill?
It acted as the governing body of the thirteen colonies.
It urged the colonists to make peace with Great Britain.
It debated how to respond to the Intolerable Acts.
It sent a letter of protest to King George.
- 12. Multiple Choice
Which feature of State constitutions was accomplished by creating three branches of government, each with its own powers?
popular sovereignty
limited government
checks and balances
separation of powers
- 13. Multiple Choice
Why do the states list all of these grievances?
to ensure that the colonists agree on the terms of independence
to convince the King to reorganize colonial government
to show that they are justified in declaring independence
to encourage the King to send more troops to maintain peace and order
- 14. Multiple Choice
Which statement BEST describes the reason for growing tensions between Great Britain and the colonies in the years after King George III took the throne?
The colonists were continually attacked by the French and their Native American allies.
Parliament raised taxes and restricted trade without consulting colonial legislatures.
The British condemned the Albany Plan of 1754.
Colonial legislatures had to pay royal governors.
- 15. Multiple Choice
Why did the First Continental Congress call for a Second Continental Congress before adjourning?
Delegates wanted time to see if the Declaration of Rights and the boycott of British goods would change British policy.
Delegates needed time to respond to the Intolerable Acts and gauge their effect on the colonial economy.
The battles of Lexington and Concord required the creation of a Continental Army.
King George III had abolished the First Continental Congress and halted all trade.
- 16. Multiple Choice
Which event led MOST DIRECTLY to the calling of the First Continental Congress?
British troops killed five colonists in Boston.
Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts.
Colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.
The battles of Lexington and Concord were fought.
- 17. Multiple Choice
What was the main governing body created under the Articles of Confederation?
a presiding officer
a judicial branch
an executive branch
a unicameral Congress
- 18. Multiple Choice
What is one reason the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation helped contribute to economic chaos following the Revolutionary War?
States created their own banks.
States printed their own money.
States refused to tax their people.
States borrowed from the Federal Government.
- 19. Multiple Choice
What weakness in the Articles of Confederation led to a conflict between Virginia and Maryland?
Congress did not have the power to collect taxes from the States
Congress did not have the power to print currency.
Congress did not have the power to enforce laws in the States.
Congress did not have the power to regulate trade among the States.
- 20. Multiple Choice
Congress accomplished some significant successes, despite limited powers, which included the
Declaration of Independence.
Treaty of Paris in 1783.
State constitutions for all 13 colonies.
Declaration of Rights and Grievances.
- 21. Multiple Choice
Why did the Articles of Confederation specify that each State would have one vote, regardless of size or population?
It made the passing of laws more efficient.
A unicameral government requires one vote per State.
The smaller States feared domination by the larger States.
The authors of the Articles were determined to create a limited government.
- 22. Multiple Choice
States competed with each other for trade advantages as a result of which key weakness in the Articles of Confederation?
There was no system of national courts.
Congress had no power to levy taxes.
Congress had no power to regulate commerce.
States were given one vote only, regardless of size.
- 23. Multiple Choice
Shays’ Rebellion was a result of economic chaos caused by which weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation?
Congress had no power to levy taxes and shared power with the States to raise armies.
Congress had no power to levy taxes and there was no judicial branch to interpret laws.
No changes to the Articles were possible without consent of all 13 States.
Congress had no power to regulate commerce and had no power to coin money.
- 24. Multiple Choice
The Articles of Confederation reflected the colonists' desire for
a strong executive branch.
a bicameral legislature.
State sovereignty.
a strong judicial branch.
- 25. Multiple Choice
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation eventually led the States to determine it was necessary to establish
a bicameral legislature.
a national judicial system.
a congressional voting policy based on population.
a stronger national government.
- 26. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is TRUE about the delegates to the Constitutional Convention?
Most were in their sixties and seventies.
Most were well educated.
Most thought the States should be eliminated.
Most were from Virginia.
- 27. Multiple Choice
On which of the following points did the Virginia and New Jersey plans AGREE?
The new government should have a legislature made up of a House of Representatives and a Senate.
The new government should have a federal executive of more than one person.
The new government should have most of its powers vested in a National Judiciary.
The new government should have three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
- 28. Multiple Choice
The Anti-Federalists focused their arguments against ratification of the Constitution on what main point?
They felt more details were needed regarding the executive branch.
There was no constitutional provision for a bill of rights.
They greatly disagreed with the ratification process.
They believed the convention should have only revised the Articles of Confederation.
- 29. Multiple Choice
The reason the legislative branch is divided into the House of Representatives and the Senate is to check the power of
the judiciary.
the president.
the executive branch.
the legislative branch.
- 30. Multiple Choice
Which of these compromises directly impacted the establishment of a two-house legislature in the U.S. Constitution?
the Missouri Compromise
the Connecticut Compromise
the Three-Fifths Compromise
the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
- 31. Multiple Choice
Which of these political leaders contributed MOST significantly to the framing of the U.S. Constitution?
James Madison
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
Patrick Henry
- 32. Multiple Choice
Which of these statements BEST describes the viewpoint of Anti-Federalists regarding the ratification of the proposed Constitution?
The document should be ratified, because it establishes an essential, centralized federal government that was missing under the Articles of Confederation.
The document should not be ratified, because the issues of slavery and foreign trade are not adequately handled in the proposed constitution.
The document should be ratified, because it addresses the issues of popular sovereignty and the right to a fair trial that appear in State constitutions.
A. The document should not be ratified, because it fails to secure basic rights for the individual, which were the essential principles of the Declaration of Independence.
- 33. Multiple Choice
Why was the Declaration of Independence issued AFTER the 1775 battles of Lexington and Concord?
It was issued in response to the deaths of five colonists during the Boston Massacre.
At the time of the battles, the colonists had not yet made the final decision to break with Great Britain.
They were the final battles of the Revolutionary War.
The British won them easily, so the colonists had to wait over a year to declare independence.
- 34. Multiple Choice
Which of the following features in the Constitution BEST illustrates the concept of limited government?
the counting of each enslaved person as three-fifths when determining a State's population
representation by population in the House and equal representation in the Senate
the prohibition against the Federal Government taxing the exports of any State
the banning of the slave trade in the southern States until the year 1808
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