Name:_____________________________________________________________ Date:__________ Class:_____
Short Quiz/Exit Slip: The Constitution of the United States Part 1
Part A: Multiple Choice
Instructions: Choose the answer that best answers the question or completes the statement.
1. What was the first document that formed the basis of how the federal government of the USA would
operate?
a. The Constitution
b. The Bill of Rights
c. The Articles of Confederation
d. The Judiciary Act of 1789
2. All of the following were weakness of the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT:
a. It hurt the small states because representation was based on population
b. There was no way to raise federal money
c. There was only one vote given to each state
d. It was weak because there was no clear way to address rebellions
3. What type of government did many colonists want for the new USA?
a. A monarchy
b. A dictatorship
c. A theocracy
d. A republic
4. What weakness were displayed in the Articles of Confederation due to Daniel Shays’ rebellion?
a. It displayed the hypocrisy of not allowing slaves to be free
b. It showed that America could never defeat Britain if they returned
c. It did not give Native Americans citizenship
d. It displayed the federal government had no plan to address violent uprisings
5. __________________________ created the Virginia Plan.
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. James Madison
c. George Washington
d. Thomas Gage
Part B: Short Answer
Instructions: Answer the question below.
1. Why would large states favor the Virginia Plan and small states stand against it?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Answers
Part A: Multiple Choice
Instructions: Choose the answer that best answers the question or completes the statement.
1. What was the first document that formed the basis of how the federal government of the USA would
operate?
a. The Constitution
b. The Bill of Rights
c. The Articles of Confederation
d. The Judiciary Act of 1789
2. All of the following were weakness of the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT:
a. It hurt the small states because representation was based on population
b. There was no way to raise federal money
c. There was only one vote given to each state
d. It was weak because there was no clear way to address rebellions
3. What type of government did many colonists want for the new USA?
a. A monarchy
b. A dictatorship
c. A theocracy
d. A republic
4. What weakness were displayed in the Articles of Confederation due to Daniel Shays’ rebellion?
a. It displayed the hypocrisy of not allowing slaves to be free
b. It showed that America could never defeat Britain if they returned
c. It did not give Native Americans citizenship
d. It displayed the federal government had no plan to address violent uprisings
5. __________________________ created the Virginia Plan.
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. James Madison
c. George Washington
d. Thomas Gage
Part B: Short Answer
Instructions: Answer the question below.
1. Why would large states favor the Virginia Plan and small states stand against it?
The Virginia Plan gave representation to states based on population. Large states felt this was fair, since they had
more people. Small states feared this would lead to their regions being ignored and marginalized in federal matters.