Name __________________________________________________ Date ______________________________
Assessment: Creating the Constitution
1. What was the long-term effect of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
A. Territories eventually became states.
B. The farmers of Massachusetts rebelled.
C. George Washington was elected president.
D. Slavery was expanded in the United States.
Mastering the Content
Circle the letter next to the best answer.
2. Following the American Revolution, what did Congress fear about a strong central government?
A. states would have too much power
B. rights for which people fought would be lost
C. another war would occur between Great Britain and America
D. laws would be passed to prevent people from settling in new territories
3. Which was one weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
A. Congress could not declare war.
B. Congress could not impose taxes.
C. Congress could not set up a postal system.
D. Congress could not create an army and navy.
4. What land was affected by the Land Ordinance of 1785?
A. land north and south of the colonies
B. land of the 13 original colonies
C. land bound by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and the Great Lakes
D. land between the Mississippi River and Rocky Mountains
5. Why is Shays’s Rebellion an important event in U.S. history?
A. It was the beginning of a civil war.
B. It led to the passage of a new Constitution.
C. It showed the strength of the Massachusetts militia.
D. It dramatized the power of the central government.
6. What was the original purpose of the convention in May 1787?
A. to write the U.S. Constitution
B. to end the conflict in Massachusetts
C. to revise the Articles of Confederation
D. to rewrite the Declaration of Independence
7. Why is James Madison known as the “Father of the Constitution”?
A. He wrote the first draft of the Constitution.
B. He knew more about government than anyone else present.
C. He was the oldest delegate to the Constitutional Convention.
D. He was well prepared to lead the discussion at the convention.
8. Which of these was the greatest challenge for the delegates at the Constitutional Convention?
A. how to respond to the interests of foreign countries
B. how to address the concerns of farmers and ranchers
C. how to balance the interests of large and small states
D. how to get agreement between the eastern and western states
9. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention agreed to establish a republic. Which of these describes a
republic?
A. a country led by a president
B. a government led by a powerful few
C. a parliamentary form of government
D. a country led by elected representatives
10. Which of these did both the Virginia and New Jersey Plans include?
A. an end to slavery
B. an elected president
C. two houses of Congress
D. three branches of government
11. What did the Great Compromise decide?
A. representation in Congress
B. the names of political parties
C. the system of checks and balances
D. process of selecting the president
12. The number of members of which of these is affected by state population?
A. Senate
B. Supreme Court
C. president's cabinet
D. House of Representatives
13. What was the greatest concern of the opponents to the Constitution?
A. taxation would be eliminated
B. selection of George Washington as president
C. replacement of the Articles of Confederation
D. giving up state power to form a stronger Union
14. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention gave the job of choosing a chief executive to
A. all the citizens.
B. members of Congress.
C. electors chosen by the states.
D. state legislatures and governors.
15. Which of these describes a federal system of government?
A. Government is run by one political party.
B. A single leader makes all of the government decisions.
C. Individual states have power over the national government.
D. Power is shared by the national and state governments.
16. What was the position of the group known as the Federalists?
A. They supported the new constitution.
B. They questioned the justice of slavery.
C. They feared the power of the national government.
D. They believed that states should have equal representation in Congress.
Applying Social Studies Skills
Use the graphs and your knowledge of history to answer these questions.
17. How did the states in Graph 2 want each slave to be counted in determining representation?
A. as property to be taxed
B. as three-fifths of a person
C. the same as any other person
D. the same as cattle and horses
18. Based on Graph 2, which state stood to gain the most representatives in Congress if slaves were counted?
19. Based on Graphs 1 and 2, which state—New York or North Carolina—would have more representatives if
slaves were counted?
Which state—New York or North Carolina—would have more representatives if slaves were not counted?
Exploring the Essential Question: What compromises emerged from the Constitutional
Convention?
Follow the directions to complete the item below.
20. Compromise was key to the success of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Great Compromise
established how Congress would be structured. The Three-Fifths Compromise determined how slaves would
be counted as population.
In a short, three-paragraph essay, describe
• how the Great Compromise represented the interests of those who wanted a strong national government
and those who wanted states to have a strong voice.
• how the Three-Fifths Compromise represented the interests of both southern and northern states.
• why the structure set up by the Great Compromise is still in effect today while the structure established by
the Three-Fifth Compromise is no longer in effect.
Make sure to convey your ideas clearly, using standard English.