Chapter 2: The Constitution and its Origins

Question 1

Those who did not support the ratification of the constitution

Answer 1

Anti-Federalists

Question 2

The basis for the new nation’s government; adopted in 1781; created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government

Answer 2

Articles of Confederation

Question 3

A legislature with two houses, such as the U.S. Congress

Answer 3

Bicameral legislature

Question 4

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties

Answer 4

Bill of Rights

Question 5

A system that allows one branch of government to limit the exercise of power by another branch

Answer 5

Checks and Balances

Question 6

A highly decentralized form of government: sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense

Answer 6

Confederation

Question 7

A document written in 1776 in which the American colonists proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and listed their grievances against the British king

Answer 7

Declaration of Independence

Question 8

The powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

Answer 8

Enumerated powers

Question 9

A form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government

Answer 9

Federal government

Question 10

Those who supported ratification of the Constitution

Answer 10

Federalists

Question 11

A compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a two house Congress; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate

Answer 11

Great Compromise

Question 12

The right to life, liberty, and property; believed to be given by a god; no government may take away

Answer 12

Natural rights

Question 13

A plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state would receive one vote

Answer 13

New Jersey Plan

Question 14

A form of national government in which political power rests in the hands of the people, not a monarch and is exercised by elected representatives

Answer 14

Republic

Question 15

Any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reversed to the states and denied to the federal government

Answer 15

Reserved powers

Question 16

T

The sharing of powers among three separate branches of government

Answer 16

Separation of powers

Question 17

An agreement between people and government in which citizens consent to be governed so long the government protects their natural rights

Answer 17

Social contract

Question 18

The statement in Article VI of the Constitution that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures

Answer 18

Supremacy clause

Question 19

A collection of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of ratification of the Constitution

Answer 19

The Federalist Papers

Question 20

A compromise between northern and southern states that called for counting of all state’s free population and 60 percent of its slave population for both federal taxation and representation in Congress

Answer 20

Three-Fifths Compromise

Question 21

A legislature with only one house, like the Confederation Congress or the legislature proposed by the New Jersey Plan

Answer 21

Unicameral legislature

Question 22

The power of the president to reject a law proposed by Congress

Answer 22

Veto

Question 23

A plan for a two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to the lower house based on each state’s population; representatives for the upper-house would be chosen by the lower house

Answer 23

Virginia Plan

Question 24

CC

Representation in the Article of Confederation was based on:

Answer 24

Equality among states

Question 25

# CC Under the Articles of Confederation, the government could do all of the follow except:

Answer 25

Tax

Question 26

# CC Representative in the House serve terms of how many years?

Answer 26

2

Question 27

# CC Senators serve terms of how many years?

Answer 27

6

Question 28

# CC How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution?

Answer 28

9

Question 29

# CC The USA has only had one Constitution.

Answer 29

False

Question 30

# CC The delegates at the Constitutional convention were basically like the average American at the time.

Answer 30

False

Question 31

# CC Alexander Hamilton was in favor of a strong central government.

Answer 31

False

Question 32

# CC 1. Some of the negatives of the Articles of Confederation were (choose all that apply)

Answer 32

There was no executive brach All decisions were collective The government had no power to levy taxes

Question 33

# CC From where did our bicameral legislature originate?

Answer 33

The Great Compromise

Question 34

# CC The ______ were against the Constitution. One of the reasons for this was _________.

Answer 34

Anti-Federalists, The government would be too large and would trample on individual liberties.

Question 35

# CC Which Constitutional plan advocated for legislative representation solely based on population?

Answer 35

Virginia Plan

Question 36

# CC Which Constitutional plan advocated for legislative representation to be equal for all states.

Answer 36

New Jersey Plan

Question 37

# CC The 3/5ths Compromise had to do with:

Answer 37

Representation in the House of Representatives

Question 38

# CC 1. The legislative branch is listed _____ in the constitution, because it is ________.

Answer 38

First, most important

Question 39

# CC One of the Vice President's powers is to

Answer 39

Cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate

Question 40

# CC Which branch of government has the job of making laws?

Answer 40

Legislative

Question 41

# CC Which branch of government is responsible for carrying out the laws?

Answer 41

Executive

Question 42

# CC Which branch of government is responsible for interpreting the law?

Answer 42

Judicial

Question 43

# CC The ability of each branch of government to limit the actions of the other two is known as:

Answer 43

Checks and Balances

Question 44

# CC he dividing of powers between the three branches of government is known as:

Answer 44

Separation of powers

Question 45

# T British Colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly influenced by the political thought of_______.

Answer 45

John Locke