New Nation Quiz 1 Study Guide
(Articles of Confederation, Constitution)
Section 1: Articles of Confederation
1. What was the Articles of Confederation?
The first attempt to establish a new government for the United States.
2. What are the five basic weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Provided for a weak national government
Gave Congress no power to tax
Provided for no common US currency (different money for each state)
All states, both big and small, had one vote in Congress
Did not establish judicial or executive branches, only legislative
3. Why were the Founding Fathers hesitant to create a strong central government?
They just experienced a strong central government in the form of a king and Parliament. The
Founding Fathers did not want to help create another government that might violate the peoples’ rights.
Section 2: Constitution
4. Who was elected as President of the Constitutional Convention?
George Washington
5. Power of the National Government. ( Complete the chart)
U.S Government
Name of Branches
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
What is their job?
Enforces the law
Creates the law
Interprets the law
6. States’ rights
A. Under the Virginia Plan, state representation in Congress would have been determined by
what?
The population of the state. Virginia was a large state and would have wanted more
votes in Congress.
B. Under the New Jersey plan, state representation in Congress would have been
determined by what?
One vote for each state. New Jersey was a small state and would have wanted voting to
be equal so they weren’t always outvoted by large states.
C. What was the Great Compromise?
The Great Compromise decided the Senate would have equal representation and the
House of Representatives would be based on population of the state.
7. Individual’s rights
A. What is the name given to the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
The Bill of Rights
B. What do these first ten amendments guarantee, or protect?
The freedoms of individuals in the United States
C. What two documents from Virginia influenced the creation of the first ten amendments?
The VA Declaration of Rights and the VA Statute for Religious Freedom
8. Ratification
A. How many of the states had to ratify the Constitution before it officially became the law?
Nine of the thirteen states