How Can I Participate in My Community?
Unit 2: The Constitution of the United States
June 2011 Questions
5 American colonists showed their opposition to the British taxation and trade restrictions of the
1760s primarily by
(1) supporting the French against the British
(2) boycotting products from Great Britain
(3) overthrowing the royal governors in most of the colonies
(4) purchasing additional products from Native American Indian tribes
6 Which idea guided the development of the Articles of Confederation?
(1) A strong central government would threaten the rights of the people.
(2) All the people should be granted the right to vote.
(3) Most power should rest with the judicial branch.
(4) Only the central government would have the power to levy taxes.
7 “…The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few,
or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of
tyranny….”
— James Madison
Which feature of the United States Constitution was included to address the concern expressed by James Madison?
(1) electoral college
(2) checks and balances
(3) Bill of Rights
(4) amendment process
8 The primary purpose of the Federalist Papers was to
(1) justify the American Revolution to the colonists
(2) promote the continuation of British rule
(3) encourage ratification of the United States Constitution
(4) support the election of George Washington as president
9 Which statement most accurately explains why the institution of slavery was continued under the original
Constitution of the United States?
(1) The early factory system relied on the labor of slaves.
(2) The majority of American families owned several slaves.
(3) Slave rebellions made most whites oppose freedom for African Americans.
(4) Southern states would not agree to a constitution that banned slavery.
10 The elastic clause of the United States
Constitution gives Congress the power to
(1) “make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;…”
(2) “regulate commerce with foreign nations, and\ among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;…”
(3) “lay and collect taxes, duties, imports and excises,…”
(4) “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers,…”
January 2011 Questions
5 Which economic policy was based on the idea that the American colonies existed primarily to provide
economic benefits for Great Britain?
(1) mercantilism
(2) socialism
(3) free trade
(4) laissez-faire capitalism
6 Why did the authors of the Articles of Confederation create a weak central government?
(1) They lacked an understanding of state problems.
(2) They anticipated the threat of foreign invasion.
(3) They relied on advice from royal governors.
(4) They feared the kind of rule experienced under the British monarchy.
7 The Three-fifths Compromise was included in the Constitution to resolve a conflict over the
(1) counting of enslaved persons in relation to taxation and representation
(2) reimbursement of plantation owners for runaway slaves
(3) number of votes needed to approve a treaty in the Senate
(4) number of states needed to ratify a proposed amendment
8 What is one feature of the political system created by the original Constitution of the United
States?
(1) guaranteeing equal legal rights to all persons
(2) requiring the federal government to maintain a balanced budget
(3) dividing powers between the national and state governments
(4) granting more power to the executive branch than to the other branches of government
10 At the Constitutional Convention, the delegates agreed that Congress should have the power to
(1) declare laws unconstitutional
(2) levy and collect taxes
(3) select the president
(4) eliminate slavery in the states
11 Which action is an example of the system of checks and balances?
(1) An individual pays both a state and a federal income tax.
(2) New York State requires at least 180 school days per year.
(3) The House of Representatives votes to expel one of its members.
(4) The Senate approves a president’s nominee to the Supreme Court.
August 2010 Questions
3 The British government’s use of writs of assistance against American merchants is one reason the Bill of
Rights includes protection against
(1) cruel and unusual punishment
(2) self-incrimination
(3) excessive bail
(4) unreasonable search and seizure
4 “. . . Every thing that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of
nature cries, ’TIS TIME TO PART. . . .”
— Thomas Paine, Common Sense
In this quotation, Thomas Paine is trying to convince the colonists to
(1) accept the Proclamation of 1763
(2) break a treaty with Spain
(3) declare their independence from England
(4) dissolve their alliance with France
5 Shays’ Rebellion of 1786 was significant because it
(1) showed that the English still had influence after the American Revolution
(2) convinced many Americans of the need for a stronger national government
(3) revealed the increased threat from rebellious Native American Indians
(4) endangered the lives of many recent immigrants
6 The Great Compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention resulted in the
(1) formation of the Supreme Court
(2) creation of a bicameral legislature
(3) development of a two-party system
(4) ban on the importation of enslaved Africans
7 Building support for the ratification of the United States Constitution was the purpose of the
(1) Farewell Address of George Washington
(2) Albany Plan of Union
(3) Mayflower Compact
(4) Federalist Papers
8 Federalism is best defined as a principle of government that
(1) divides power between the central government and state governments
(2) includes a system of checks and balances
(3) allows the states to nullify national laws
(4) places the most power in the hands of the legislative branch
9 “All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; . . .”
— Article 1, Section 7, United States Constitution
The main reason the writers of the Constitution included this provision was to
(1) give citizens more influence over taxation issues
(2) assure that all citizens would pay taxes
(3) deny presidents the power to veto revenue bills
(4) provide the government with a balanced Budget
10 The United States Constitution grants the Senate the power to
(1) impeach governors
(2) issue pardons
(3) appoint ambassadors
(4) approve treaties
11 Which statement about the electoral college system is accurate?
(1) The number of electoral votes a state receives is based on its geographic size.
(2) A candidate can be elected president without the majority of the popular vote.
(3) Presidential candidates are forced to campaign equally in every state.
(4) The total number of electoral votes has increased with each census.
June 2010 Questions
4 The main reason the Articles of Confederation were replaced as the basis of the United States government was
that they
(1) lacked provision for a national congress
(2) declared that political protests were unconstitutional
(3) placed too many restrictions on the activities of state governments
(4) failed to give the central government enough power to govern effectively
Base your answers to questions 5 and 6 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies.
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
— Preamble to the United States Constitution
5 In this passage, the authors are stating that
(1) both men and women should have equal voting rights
(2) state governments created the United States government
(3) sovereignty belongs to the people of the nation
(4) people obtain their rights from their monarch
6 Which two groups debated the ratification of the new Constitution?
(1) loyalists and revolutionaries
(2) Federalists and Antifederalists
(3) Democratic Party and Whig Party
(4) executive branch and judicial branch
8 The amendment process was included in the Constitution to
(1) allow for change over time
(2) expand the powers of the president
(3) increase citizen participation in government
(4) limit the authority of the United States Supreme Court
44 Which event of Bill Clinton’s presidency best illustrates the use of checks and balances?
(1) hosting peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians
(2) reelection to a second term
(3) selection of Al Gore as vice president
(4) impeachment for alleged perjury and obstruction of justice
January 2010 Questions
3 The authors of the Declaration of Independence used the phrase “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”
to identify
(1) natural rights
(3) States rights
(2) legal rights
(4) economic rights
4 In order to win ratification of the United States Constitution, supporters agreed to
(1) add a bill of rights
(2) admit new states to the Union
(3) establish an electoral college
(4) give the Senate the power to ratify treaties
39 President Jimmy Carter’s decision to pardon Vietnam War draft evaders who had fled to Canada is an
example of the president’s role as
(1) chief diplomat
(3) chief executive
(2) head of party
(4) world leader
40 The United States Congress can check the executive branch of government by
(1) appointing ambassadors
(2) overriding vetoes
(3) nominating judges
(4) declaring laws unconstitutional
Base your answer to question 45 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies.
45 What is the main idea of this cartoon?
(1) The president is responsible for helping hurricane victims.
(2) Members of the Supreme Court can often ignore political issues.
(3) Nominating a justice to the Supreme Court often creates controversy.
(4) The Constitution should be amended so that Supreme Court Justices are elected.
August 2009 Questions
3 The main purpose for writing the Declaration of Independence was to
(1) declare war on Great Britain
(2) force France to support the Revolutionary War
(3) convince Great Britain to abolish slavery
(4) state the colonists’ reasons for separating from Great Britain
4 At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which problem was solved by the Great Compromise?
(1) developing the method of electing a president
(2) designating control of interstate commerce
(3) outlining the structure of the federal court system
(4) establishing the formula for representation in Congress
5 In the United States Constitution, the power to impeach a federal government official is given to the
(1) House of Representatives
(2) president
(3) state legislatures
(4) Supreme Court
6 A constitutional power specifically delegated to the federal government is the power to
(1) regulate marriage and divorce
(2) establish education standards
(3) declare war
(4) issue driver’s licenses
7 To win a presidential election, a candidate must win a
(1) two-thirds vote of the state legislatures
(2) two-thirds vote in Congress
(3) majority of the popular vote
(4) majority of the electoral college vote
Base your answers to questions 45 and 46 on the table below and on your knowledge of social studies.
45 Which statement is accurate about congressional bills vetoed between 1961 and 1993?
(1) Congress was usually able to override a presidential veto.
(2) Pocket vetoes were used more often than regular vetoes.
(3) The majority of presidential vetoes were upheld.
(4) The use of the veto increased steadily between 1961 and 1993.
46 The data in the table illustrate the operation of
(1) executive privilege
(2) checks and balances
(3) congressional immunity
(4) federal supremacy
June 2009 Questions
3 The British benefited from their mercantilist relationship with the American colonies primarily by
(1) supporting the growth of colonial industries
(2) prohibiting colonists from fishing and fur trading
(3) taking large amounts of gold and silver from the southern colonies
(4) buying raw materials from the colonies and selling them finished products
4 The main reason Great Britain established the Proclamation Line of 1763 was to
(1) avoid conflicts between American colonists and Native American Indians
(2) make a profit by selling the land west of the Appalachian Mountains
(3) prevent American industrial development in the Ohio River valley
(4) allow Canada to control the Great Lakes region
5 The Declaration of Independence (1776) has had a major influence on peoples throughout the world because it
(1) guarantees universal suffrage
(2) establishes a basic set of laws for every nation
(3) provides justification for revolting against unjust governments
(4) describes the importance of a strong central government
6 One accomplishment of the national government under the Articles of Confederation was the passage of legislation
establishing
(1) a central banking system
(2) a process for admitting new states to the Union
(3) the president’s right to put down rebellions
(4) the ability of Congress to tax the states effectively
7 Disagreement at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 over the Virginia and New Jersey plans was resolved by a
compromise that
(1) guaranteed continuation of the slave trade for at least twenty more years
(2) limited the power of the federal government to wage war
(3) provided for construction of a new national capital in the south
(4) created a Congress made up of a Senate and a House of Representatives
8 “Presidential Candidates Skip Campaigning in Low- Population States”
“Winner Of Popular Vote Loses Election”
These headlines refer to controversial issues most directly related to
(1) judicial review
(2) the electoral college
(3) impeachment
(4) checks and balances
9 “The United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union a republican form of government, and shall protect
each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot
be convened), against domestic violence.”
— United States Constitution, Article IV, Section 4
According to this excerpt, a goal of the framers of the Constitution was to ensure that the United
States
(1) remained neutral during domestic conflicts involving the states
(2) supported the right of each state to resist presidential decisions
(3) provided for the common defense of every state
(4) approved a bill of rights to protect citizens from government tyranny
10 A major reason the Antifederalists opposed the ratification of the United States Constitution was because the
Constitution
(1) created a national bank
(2) lacked a provision for a federal court system
(3) failed to provide for the direct election of members of the House of Representatives
(4) changed the balance of power between the state and national governments
11 An example of the use of the unwritten constitution is the creation of the
(1) presidential veto
(2) United States Navy
(3) federal postal system
(4) president’s cabinet
23 Which type of federal tax was authorized by the 16th amendment in 1913?
(1) excise (3) income
(2) import (4) estate
January 2009 Questions
4 “. . .That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed, . . . ”
— Declaration of Independence
Which provision of the original United States Constitution was most influenced by this ideal?
(1) enabling the president to select a cabinet
(2) providing for direct election of the House of Representatives
(3) allowing the Senate to try articles of impeachment
(4) authorizing the Supreme Court to rule on disputes between states
5 Delegates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 agreed to the Three-fifths Compromise to solve a dispute
directly related to
(1) the power of the presidency
(2) representation in Congress
(3) a decision by the Supreme Court
(4) the addition of a bill of rights
6 Which feature of the United States Constitution traditionally gives the states authority over public education?
(1) reserved powers (3) fifth amendment
(2) preamble (4) supremacy clause
7 “President Wilson Represents the United States at Versailles”
“President Reagan Meets with Soviet President Gorbachev”
“President Carter Negotiates Camp David Accords”
Each headline illustrates a time when the president of the United States acted as
(1) chief diplomat
(2) chief legislator
(3) commander in chief
(4) head of a political party
8 Which individual’s action was directly protected by the first amendment?
(1) Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone in 1876
(2) Theodore Roosevelt’s command of the Rough Riders in 1898
(3) President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s election to a third term in 1940
(4) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s leading a march on Washington, D.C., in 1963
Base your answer to question 9 on the quotation below and on your knowledge of social studies.
. . . The nation deserves and I will select a Supreme Court justice that Americans can be proud of. The nation
also deserves a dignified process of confirmation in the United States Senate, characterized by fair treatment, a
fair hearing and a fair vote. I will choose a nominee in a timely manner so that the hearing and the vote can be
completed before the new Supreme Court term begins. . . .
— President George W. Bush, 2005
9 Which constitutional principle is suggested by this quotation?
(1) federalism (3) States rights
(2) checks and balances (4) due process
Base your answer to question 46 on the chart below and on your knowledge of social studies.
46 Which generalization about United States presidential elections is most clearly supported by the data in this
chart?
(1) A candidate can win the election without a majority of the popular vote.
(2) Third-party candidates have no effect on presidential elections.
(3) Electoral college votes determine the will of the majority of voters.
(4) Voter participation in national elections is declining.