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Workbook Activity
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
7
Vocabulary Match-Up
Part A Directions Match the vocabulary word in Column 1 with its
definition in Column 2. Write the correct letter
on each line.
Column 2
Column 1
_______
1. delegate
_______
2. financial
_______
3. justice
_______
4. revise
_______
5. treaty
A having to do with money
B a person chosen to speak or act for a group
C fair and equal treatment under the law
D an agreement between two or more states
or nations
E to make changes that bring something up
to date
Part B Directions Identify each of the following and explain its
importance in creating the American government.
Use complete sentences.
6. Second Continental Congress _______________________________________________________
7. Articles of Confederation __________________________________________________________
8. Constitutional Convention _________________________________________________________
9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania _________________________________________________________
10. 1787 ___________________________________________________________________________
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Chapter 2, Lesson 1
7
What’s Missing?
Directions Choose the word or words from the Word Bank that best
complete each sentence.
Word Bank
Articles of Confederation
justice
Constitutional Convention
Philadelphia
Second Continental
Congress
delegates
president
states
farmers
Revolutionary War
treaties
1. At the ____________________ in 1777, a committee wrote a plan for a
national government.
2. ____________________ from all 13 states attended the Congress.
3. The ____________________ were quickly approved by all the states.
4. Congress was given the power to make ____________________ with
other nations.
5. The Articles of Confederation did not provide for a ____________________
or a system of ____________________.
6. Although the United States won the ____________________, it cost them a
great deal of money.
7. Congress could not raise money for war debts because the
____________________ refused to pay.
8. Both businesses and ____________________ throughout the United States
were out of money after the war.
9. The purpose of the ____________________ was to redesign the
government.
10. The Constitutional Convention was held in ____________________.
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Chapter 2, Lesson 2
8
The Constitutional Convention
Directions Write the answers to the following questions.
Use complete sentences.
1. What was the purpose of the Constitutional Convention?
2. Describe the group of delegates who attended the Convention.
3. Why did the delegates want the Convention to be held in private, behind guarded doors?
4. Why were the delegates not in favor of a unitary system of government?
5. Name two characteristics that all delegates agreed the new government must have.
6. What rights and powers do states in a federal government have?
7. What was the Virginia Plan of government?
8. What was the New Jersey Plan of government?
9. What two things did the Virginia and New Jersey Plans have in common?
10. What plan did the delegates decide to use?
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Chapter 2, Lesson 2
8
Guiding Principles
Directions Delegates to the Constitutional Convention agreed on five
guiding principles for the new American government. The
paragraph below describes those powers. Choose the word
from the Word Bank that best completes each sentence.
Word Bank
army
citizens
representatives
tax
central
power
separated
trade
The delegates agreed that the United States would need a strong
1. ____________________ government. They believed that the
2. ____________________ of the government must remain with the
3. ____________________. The people would elect 4. ____________________
to run the government. The delegates felt that the powers of government had to be
5. ____________________. The most important tasks of the new government
would be to 6. ____________________, to raise a(n) 7. ____________________,
and to regulate 8. ____________________.
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Chapter 2, Lesson 3
9
Making Compromises
Directions Write the answers to the following questions.
Use complete sentences.
1. What happens when a compromise is made?
2. Under the Connecticut Compromise, how would the states be
represented in the federal government?
3. What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
4. Who would control interstate trade?
5. Who would control trade between the United States and
foreign nations?
6. Why was September 17, 1787, an important day?
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Chapter 2, Lesson 3
9
Compromises
Directions Complete the paragraph with the correct word or words from
the Word Bank.
Word Bank
Connecticut Compromise
exports
legislature
Constitutional
Convention
foreign
Three-Fifths Compromise
imports
tobacco
debated
interstate
The delegates to the 1. ____________________ in Philadelphia did not
agree right away on a plan of government. They 2. ____________________
some questions for a long time before reaching a compromise. The
delegates could not agree how the states should be represented in the
3. ____________________. In the end, they agreed on the
4. ____________________, which said that states would be represented
fairly. The delegates also could not agree how to count slaves for tax
purposes. They came up with the 5. ____________________. It stated that
five slaves would count the same as three free men. The delegates agreed that
Congress would control both 6. ____________________ and
7. ____________________ trade. However, they only gave Congress the
power to tax 8. ____________________ from other countries. Southern
delegates did not want to allow Congress to tax 9. ____________________
such as rice and 10. ____________________. With these compromises in
place, the Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787.
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Chapter 2, Lesson 4
10
Limits of the Branches of Government
Directions Use the information from the chart and Chapter 2 to complete
these statements.
Presidential Limits
Limits of the Branches of Government
Congressional Limits
1. Congress can remove the
president by impeachment.
2. Congress can pass a bill even if
the president vetoes it.
3. Congress must approve how
money is spent.
4. Only Congress can declare war.
1. The president can veto
(disapprove) bills of Congress.
2. The Supreme Court can say a
law is unfair.
Judicial Limits
1. The president appoints
federal judges.
2. Congress must approve
the president’s appointments
of judges.
3. Congress can remove a judge.
1. One of the limits ____________________ can place on the president concerns
how ____________________ is spent.
2. Congress can remove the president by ____________________.
3. The three branches of government are the ____________________ branch, the
____________________ branch, and the ____________________ branch.
4. Only ____________________ can remove a judge from office.
5. The Supreme Court can decide if a law is ____________________.
6. The president can ____________________ (disapprove) the bills of Congress.
7. Only ____________________ can declare war.
8. If the president vetoes a bill, it can still be ____________________ by Congress.
9. The ____________________ appoints federal judges, and Congress must
____________________ them.
10. The ____________________ placed on the branches of government never allow
one branch to become too powerful.
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Chapter 2, Lesson 4
10
Principles
Directions Write a brief description of each of the Constitutional
principles listed below. Use complete sentences.
1. Principle of popular sovereignty
2. Principle of limited government
3. Principle of separation of powers
4. Principle of checks and balances
5. Principle of federalism
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Chapter 2, Lesson 5
11
Finish That Thought
Directions Choose the word or words from the Word Bank that best
complete each sentence.
Word Bank
amendments
governments
Patrick Henry
the Bill of Rights
judicial branch
Publius
checks and balances
New York
rule of law
Federalists
1. The ____________________ supported the Constitution because it provided
for a strong central government.
2. ____________________, the author of the Federalist Papers, was really three
people: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
3. The Federalist, No. 10 explained how ____________________ worked.
4. The Federalist, No. 51 discussed the principle of ____________________.
5. The Federalist, No. 78 explained the importance of ____________________.
6. The ____________________ is a principle stating that all government leaders
must act according to the Constitution.
7. ____________________ was a famous Anti-Federalist who did not want the
central government to be too powerful.
8. The Federalists agreed to add ____________________ to the Constitution,
because it did not yet protect people’s basic rights.
9. This addition to the Constitution is called ____________________.
10. ____________________ became the first capital of the United States in 1790.
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Chapter 2, Lesson 5
11
Understanding Word Meanings
Directions Match each word in Column 1 with its correct description or
definition in Column 2. Write the correct letter on each line.
Column 1
Column 2
_______
1. Anti-Federalist
A to urge someone to do or believe something
_______
2. authority
B one who supported a strong central government
_______
3. civilian
C the power to command or decide
_______
4. enumerated powers
D an agreement to protect something
_______
5. essay
E a short piece of writing on a special subject
_______
6. Federalist
F to approve or agree to
_______
7. guarantee
G someone who is not serving in the armed forces
_______
8. persuade
H one who did not support the Constitution
_______
9. Publius
I the rights of Congress, numbered 1 to 18 in the
Constitution
_______ 10. ratify
J the name used by the authors of the
Federalist Papers
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