Articles of Confederation
Why did the Articles of Confederation eventually fail?
A. The states refused to follow the Bill of Rights
B. The government became too powerful
C. The national government was too weak to solve major problems
D. The Constitution made it illegal to use the Articles
C. The national government was too weak to solve major problems
How many branches of government are created by the Constitution?
A. Two
B. Three
C. Four
D. Five
B. Three
What is the purpose of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution?
A. to refute criticism of the Constitution
B. to explain the reasons for writing the Constitution
C. to encourage states to ratify the Constitution
D. to provide a guide to the Articles of the Confederation
B. to explain the reasons for writing the Constitution
Which of the following best describes the purpose of separation of powers in the United States?
A. to give one branch total control over government decisions
B. to allow the military to oversee all three branches
C. to divide responsibilities among the different branches of government
D. to let the President pass all laws without approval
C. to divide responsibilities among the different branches of government
Which of the following principles ensures all citizens are accountable to the laws in place?
A. Social Contract
B. Rule of Law
C. Checks and Balances
D. individual Rights
B. Rule of Law
What was a result of the Articles of Confederation not creating an executive branch?
A. States had to strictly abide by federal laws.
B. There was no president to lead the nation and ensure federal laws were enforced.
C. Disputes between states would be settled by a national court system.
A unicameral house would be able to more quickly pass laws.
B. There was no president to lead the nation and ensure federal laws were enforced.
What is the system called that divides power between the national and state governments?
A. Checks and Balances
B. Federalism
C. Separation of Powers
D. Popular Sovereignty
B. Federalism
In the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, what does the phrase "to insure do domestic tranquility" mean?
A. to keep peace within the country
B. to balance power among the states
C. to provide citizens with basic needs
D. to protect democracy at home and abroad
A. to keep peace within the country
Which branch of government makes the laws?
A. Executive
B. Legislative
C. Judicial
D. Federal
B. Legislative
How does due process protect people in the United States?
A. it gives Congress the power to pass secret laws
B. it allows citizens to create their own laws
C. it removes judges who disagree with the government
D. it ensures people are treated fairly by the legal system
D. it ensures people are treated fairly by the legal system
Which was a weakness of the Articles of Confederation that contributed to the writing of the US Constitution?
A. Congress lacked power to impose taxes
B. The states could not print their own currency
c. The Executive Branch had authority over the military
D. Members of Congress were appointed by the Executive Branch
A. Congress lacked power to impose taxes.
Why did Anti-Federalists want a Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?
A. They hoped it would convince states to pass their own bills of rights
B. They argued that some rights should be limited in order to benefit all citizens
C. They believed the federal government needed to have control over the states
D. They wanted to protect the rights of individuals against the power of the government
D. They wanted to protect the rights of individuals against the power of the government
Whic phrase from the Preamble best describes ensuring rights for future American's?
A. "in Order to form a more perfect Union"
B. "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity"
C. "do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America"
D. "provide for the common defense"
B. "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity"
Why is it important that Congress makes the laws, the President enforces them, and the courts interpret them?
A. it helps the federal government act more quickly
B. it keeps state government from passing laws
C. it prevents any single branch from becoming too powerful
D. it gives more power to the President during emergencies
C. it prevents any single branch from becoming too powerful
A person is arrested but not told what crime they were accused of. Which constitutional principle has likely been violated?
A. Judicial Review
B. Due process of law
C. Separation of powers
D. Reserved powers of the states
B. Due process of law
Under the Articles of Confederation, which level of government had the most power?
A. The national government
B. The state governments
C. The president
D. The Supreme Court
B. The state governments
How can the Constitution be changed or updated?
A. By passing a new law
B. By presidential order
C. Through an amendment
D. By the Supreme Court
C. Through an amendment
Which statement from the preamble was included in response to Shays' Rebellion?
A. "to provide for the common defense"
B. promote the general welfare"
C. "establish justice"
D. "insure domestic Tranquility"
D. "insure domestic Tranquility"
Which branch of government can declare laws unconstitutional?
A. Legislative
B. Judicial
C. Executive
D. Federal
B. Judicial
Which of the following was a primary argument between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification of the Constitution?
A. The structure of the legislative branch
C. The power of the executive branch
D. The role of the judicial branch
B. The need for a Bill of Rights
What influence did a non-unified currency have on the American economy during the time the Articles of Confederation were in effect?
A. States were able to more easily trade with each other through different currencies
B. Other countries accepted each state's different currency as the same value.
C. The national and state currencies were able to easily be converted
D. Economic instability occurred making interstate and international trade more difficult
D. Economic instability occurred making interstate and international trade more difficult.
Which group wanted the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?
A. Federalists
B. Loyalists
C. Anti-Federalists
D. Patriots
C. Anti-Federalists
Which statement from the preamble reflects social contract theory?
A. "insure domestic Tranquility"
B. "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity"
C. "We the People of the United States"
D. "to form a more perfect Union"
C. "We the People of the United States"
How does the system of checks and balances relate to Separation of Powers?
A. It combines all the branches into one
B. It allows one branch to control the others
C. It ensures each branch can limit the power of the others
D. It removes power from the states
C. It ensures each branch can limit the power of the others
Which of the following was a primary argument between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification of the Constitution?
A. The structure of the legislative branch
B. The need for a Bill of Rights
C. The power of the executive branch
D. The role of the judicial branch
B. The need for a Bill of Rights