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11) The Declaration of Independence A) contained completely new ideas on political philosophy. B) became one of the most important statements of American political philosophy. C) took several months to write. D) blamed the British parliament for abuses on the colonies. E) all of the above
B
95) Under the Madisonian model, people desiring change A) find a government that is highly responsive and acts quickly and decisively. B) must usually have a sizable majority. C) have no chance of victory. D) need only win at one point in the policymaking process. E) need just a simple majority over 50 percent.
B
69) Which of these was NOT one of the big three disagreements at the Constitutional Convention? A) what to do about slavery B) who should have the right to vote C) whether or not the states should have an equal number of votes in Congress D) whether the courts should have the power of judicial review E) issues of equality
D
89) Madisonian principles in the Constitution were based on A) statesʹ rights. B) a concentration of power, so that the minority faction could dominate the government. C) the belief that government should always be dominated by the majority. D) concern that government would be dominated by a majority or minority faction. E) the ideas of a group of professors at Madison University.
D
9) The Declaration of Independence was primarily A) a treaty with France for war against Britain. B) an original philosophical treatise on politics. C) an outline for a new government. D) a polemic, announcing and justifying a revolution. E) the United Statesʹ first constitution.
D
87) Each of the following violations of individual rights is forbidden in the original Constitution EXCEPT A) passing ex post facto laws. B) strict limits on the prosecution of treason. C) passing bills of attainder. D) suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. E) suspension of freedom of speech.
E
88) The government designed at the Constitutional Convention allowed the voters to directly elect A) both the House and Senate. B) the president and all members of Congress. C) only the Senate. D) only the president. E) only the House of Representatives.
E
13) The foundation of John Lockeʹs philosophy was that human beings A) derive their rights from nature. B) have rights that are granted them by government. C) determine their own rights. D) derive their rights from God. E) are granted their rights by their King.
A
14) Which of these was NOT among John Lockeʹs key philosophical concepts? A) checks and balances B) limited government C) natural rights D) consent of the governed E) property rights
A
31) The American Revolution A) did not drastically alter the colonistsʹ way of life. B) produced great societal change. C) was won quickly and decisively by the superior American troops. D) created class conflicts that split society. E) was fought between a large army of colonials and a small British army.
A
36) The United States government under the Articles of Confederation can best be described as A) weak and ineffective. B) overly prone to intervention in foreign affairs. C) overly bureaucratic. D) dictatorial. E) a personal tool of George Washington.
A
37) Which of the following was NOT a source of revenue for the United States government under the Articles of Confederation? A) taxes levied by the Continental Congress B) printing its own money C) selling off western lands D) state governments E) All of the above were revenue sources.
A
39) Under the Articles of Confederation most governmental power rested in A) the state governments. B) the national government. C) the president. D) the Congress. E) all of the above
A
41) After the American Revolution, state legislatures were composed of A) significantly more middle-class representatives and fewer wealthy members compared to before the war. B) revolutionary war militiamen. C) about the same ratio of wealthy members and not so wealthy members as before the war. D) significantly more landless laborers and poor farmers than any other group. E) a higher percentage of wealthy planters, lawyers, and merchants than ever before.
A
21) John Locke believed that the ʺend of governmentʺ was A) preservation of property. B) majority rule. C) equality of man. D) pursuit of happiness. E) ʺthe beginning of life.ʺ
A
24) Thomas Jeffersonʹs phrase ʺlife, liberty, and the pursuit of happinessʺ was a modification of John Lockeʹs phrase ʺLife, liberty, and ________.ʺ A) property B) God C) heaven D) health E) equality
A
28) The Articles of Confederation were adopted by A) the Continental Congress. B) President George Washington. C) a small, self-appointed committee of the nationʹs political leaders. D) the British Parliament. E) the Continental Army under command of General George Washington.
A
29) Beginning in 1781, the United States was governed under the A) Articles of Confederation. B) Mayflower Compact. C) Basic Law of 1781. D) British Constitution. E) current United States Constitution.
A
10) The primary author of the Declaration of Independence was A) Thomas Jefferson. B) Benjamin Franklin. C) James Madison. D) King George III. E) George Washington.
A
100) Opposition to ratification of the Constitution was based on the belief that it would A) provide for elite control, endanger liberty, and weaken the states. B) produce more democratic elements than desirable for a strong central government. C) give too much power to the states. D) promote pluralism, which would threaten liberty. E) all of the above
A
51) Among the factors that contributed to economic turmoil under the Articles of Confederation was the A) postwar depression that left many small farmers unable to pay their debts and threatened mortgage foreclosures. B) decreasing economic viability of slavery. C) power shift from middle-class farmers to wealthy landowners. D) state legislatures that favored creditors and created more debt. E) All of these factors contributed to the economic turmoil.
A
55) In Annapolis, Maryland, in 1786, delegates from five states met to discuss A) the problems of the national government under the Articles of Confederation. B) the need to declare independence from England. C) the need for a Bill of Rights. D) the issue of slavery. E) all of the above
A
57) What was the original, sole, and express purpose of the convention in Philadelphia? A) to revise the Articles of Confederation B) to choose the first president C) to negotiate the peace treaty with Great Britain D) to abolish the Articles of Confederation E) to grant women the right to vote
A
18) Reflecting the natural rights philosophy, the Declaration of Independence stated that governments derive their just powers from A) God. B) the consent of the governed. C) tradition. D) their elected leaders. E) a Constitution.
B
38) Which of the following was NOT a problem with the national government under the Articles of Confederation? A) the unwillingness of the states to send money requisitioned by the central national government B) the lack of an executive to lead the nation C) the lack of power given to state legislatures D) the inability of the central national government to regulate foreign trade or regulate the national economy E) None of these were problems at the time.
C
1) Which of these is TRUE about the United States Constitution? A) It centralizes political power. B) It is superseded only by decrees of the president. C) It sets neutral rules for the game of politics. D) All of these are true. E) None of these are true.
E
19) The justification for separation from England in the Declaration of Independence was based heavily on the ideas of the English philosopher A) Lord North. B) Henry VIII. C) Oliver Cromwell. D) David Hume. E) John Locke.
E
2) In setting the broad rules of the game of politics, constitutions A) are never neutral; they give some participants advantages over others. B) are fair and impartial. C) allow all participants the same political opportunities. D) have no effect on the distribution of power in society. E) are constantly changing.
A
42) Right after the Revolutionary War, a dramatic change swept through the new country resulting in A) a dramatic increase in democracy and freedom. B) a population shift from the cities to the country. C) a population shift from country to city. D) an explosion in prosperity. E) full-scale industrialization.
A
50) At the top of the political agenda during the period of the Articles of Confederation was A) economic issues. B) social-equality issues. C) military issues. D) voting rights issues. E) slavery.
A
58) Which of the following was NOT a characteristic of the 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention? A) Most were residents of the western frontiers. B) They were all men. C) A significant number were urbanites. D) Many were college graduates. E) They were mostly wealthy planters.
A
59) The first two weeks of the Constitutional Convention were spent debating A) the nature of republican government. B) the economic structure of the new government. C) the terms of Britainʹs surrender. D) military issues and the need for a standing army. E) practical political issues.
A
62) Most of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention regarded what as the greatest threat to government? A) factions B) kings C) slaves D) foreign adversaries E) charismatic leaders
A
68) The Virginia and New Jersey Plans introduced at the Constitutional Convention differed mainly over whether A) states should send equal numbers of representatives to Congress. B) there should be a president. C) the states or the national government should regulate interstate commerce. D) there should be a legislative branch at the national level. E) slavery should be permitted in the country.
A
73) The Connecticut Compromise at the Constitutional Convention A) resolved the impasse between those who favored the New Jersey Plan and those who preferred the Virginia Plan. B) added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution in order to lessen concerns about too much power for the new government. C) settled the dispute over whether slavery should be allowed in the final constitution. D) threw out the idea of having a monarchy in the United States, opting instead for an indirectly elected president. E) involved all of these elements.
A
76) In determining congressional representation and taxation, the Constitution A) counted slaves as three-fifths of a person. B) did not count slaves. C) counted slaves the same as free persons. D) was silent on the issue of how slaves would be counted, instead leaving the issue to each state to decide. E) counted slaves as one-half of a person.
A
91) Two key elements of the Madisonian model were to A) keep most of the government beyond the control of a popular majority and separate the powers of different institutions. B) promote state power while separating the powers of different national institutions. C) keep as much of the government as possible beyond the control of a popular majority and extend the right to vote to everyone. D) combine the powers of different institutions and create a powerful presidency. E) require a system of checks and balances and extend democracy.
A
96) The Federalist Papers were A) essays in support of ratification of the constitution. B) essays written that were critical of the constitution. C) newspapers which backed the Federalist party in early United States elections. D) the original name of the constitution written by the Constitutional Convention. E) the notes that George Washington took at the Constitutional Convention.
A
97) Ratification of the Constitution A) needed the approval of nine states. B) needed the approval of a majority of the people. C) occurred when it was approved by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. D) needed the approval of all the states. E) was by two-thirds vote of the Continental Congress.
A
98) Which of the following statements about the Anti-Federalists is FALSE? A) The Anti-Federalists were basically unpatriotic and un-American. B) The Anti-Federalists fought to prevent ratification of the new constitution. C) The Anti-Federalists believed that the new government was an enemy of freedom. D) The Anti-Federalists believed the new government would erode fundamental liberties. E) The Anti-Federalists believed the new Constitution was a class-based document.
A
15) John Lockeʹs ideas on natural rights were related to human law in that A) natural rights were less important than human law. B) natural rights were considered higher than human law. C) human law was the source of natural rights. D) human law protected property rights, making human law equal to natural rights. E) human law and natural rights were unimportant after revolution.
B
17) The Declaration of Independence argued that A) nations are indivisible and a people must never secede from their mother nation. B) people should revolt when they suffer deep injustices. C) the British parliament was to blame for the evils imposed upon the colonists. D) people should always work peacefully within the system to redress any grievances they have. E) revolution is justifiable whenever people become angry with their government.
B
22) In John Lockeʹs philosophy, the requirements that standing laws be known and private property be preserved A) are always threatened by democratic government. B) impose two major limits on government. C) are unenforceable when government is limited. D) must be sacrificed in the interest of democracy. E) could only be enforced by a powerful king.
B
30) The primary goal of the American Revolution was to A) establish a new political system. B) restore rights the colonists felt were already theirs as British subjects. C) create a new economic order. D) institutionalize new social values based on equality. E) establish property rights.
B
33) Which of the following is FALSE about the United States government under the Articles of Confederation? A) Each state had only one vote in Congress. B) Most authority rested with the United States Congress rather than the state governments. C) The Congress had only one house. D) There was no president. E) All of these are false.
B
34) Which of the following was NOT a problem with the national government under the Articles of Confederation? A) the threat of some of the Continental Army to establish George Washington as king B) the lack of power given to state legislatures C) the lack of an executive to lead the nation D) the inability of the central national government to regulate foreign trade or regulate the national economy E) the unwillingness of the states to send money requisitioned by the central national government
B
45) Under the Articles of Confederation, power in the states began to shift to the hands of A) merchants and lawyers. B) middle-class farmers and craft workers. C) governors. D) low-income landowners. E) new industrialists.
B
49) After the Revolution, James Madison observed that ʺthe most common and durable source of faction has been A) urban and rural divisions.ʺ B) the various and unequal divisions of property.ʺ C) aristocracy.ʺ D) the British army.ʺ E) racial inequalities.ʺ
B
56) Those who met at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 were A) a mix of wealthy and middle-class Americans. B) wealthy planters, lawyers, and merchants. C) overwhelmingly middle-class farmers. D) primarily British officials overseeing the implementation of the new government agreed to in the peace treaty. E) split evenly between Democrats and Republicans.
B
60) What view of human nature did the delegates at the Constitutional Convention have? A) Humans are basically good. B) Cynical view: human beings are selfish and greedy. C) There is no human nature and humans are the product of their environment. D) Human nature is basically evil. E) Altruistic view: humans are deeply concerned about each othersʹ welfare, apart from their own self-interests.
B
63) The view of human nature most prevalent among the Founding Fathers was that A) men abhor power and the burdens that come with it. B) people are self-interested in acquiring wealth and power. C) human nature can be perfected, given the right social and political institutions. D) people are basically cooperative and community-oriented. E) people are disorganized and without vision.
B
66) The ________, offered as a proposal at the Constitutional Convention, called for each state to be equally represented in Congress. A) Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) B) New Jersey Plan C) Connecticut Compromise D) three-fifths compromise E) Virginia Plan
B
67) Most delegates to the Constitutional Convention believed that the secret of good government is a A) centralized government. B) balanced government. C) government that is open and not secretive. D) popularly controlled government. E) strong executive.
B
7) Who issued the Declaration of Independence? A) the Constitutional Convention of 1776 B) the Continental Congress C) President George Washington D) the 13 colonial legislatures E) General George Washington
B
74) The Constitutional Convention dealt with slavery by A) prohibiting it only north of the Mason-Dixon line. B) recognizing it by providing for the return of escaped slaves. C) prohibiting it after twenty years. D) counting the slaves as a full part of the population for the purposes of representation in the House. E) emancipating slaves on the principle of equality.
B
77) Regarding the right to vote in national elections, the framers of the Constitution A) required that all free, adult males with property worth at least $50 be allowed to vote. B) decided to leave it up to the individual states to determine voter qualifications in their own states. C) finally granted women the right to vote. D) included a requirement that all free, adult males be allowed to vote. E) provided that free men and women over the age of 20 be allowed to vote.
B
8) The Declaration of Independence was a A) valid legal document under British law. B) bitter attack against the British king for abuses said to have been done to the colonists over a long period of time. C) proclamation from King George III granting the American colonists the right to form their own nation. D) thoughtful, cautious explanation of why independence might be a good idea if certain demands were not met. E) last effort by the American colonists to get back on good terms with England, while only threatening independence.
B
93) The Madisonian requirement that each branch of government acquire the consent of the others for many of its actions created a system of A) confederated government. B) checks and balances. C) constitutional republic. D) cross-cutting requirements. E) separation of powers.
B
99) The Anti-Federalists believed that the new constitution A) was a thinly disguised attempt to abolish a federal form of government in the United States. B) was an enemy of freedom and designed to give control of the government to a rich elite. C) created a new government too weak to be effective, and they preferred a monarchy to ensure stability. D) was too democratic and would lead to tyranny of the masses against the wealthy. E) with whatever faults it might have, was the young nationʹs best hope for a workable government.
B
44) Which of the following was NOT occurring in the states during the time of the Articles of Confederation? A) abolishment of religious qualifications for holding office B) adoption of bills of rights C) upper-class dominance D) expanded political participation E) all of the above
C
47) At the end of the Revolutionary War, A) captured British troops were herded into large prison camps where they served life sentences for their treachery. B) a strong, new national government began immediately to keep the economy running smoothly with careful regulation. C) a postwar depression severely hurt small farmers and many others. D) the condition of the economy was largely the same as it had been before the war. E) a period of tremendous economic prosperity began.
C
53) Which state boycotted the Constitutional Convention? A) Texas, because it took too long to get to Philadelphia B) Virginia C) Rhode Island D) No state boycotted. E) Both Virginia and Rhode Island boycotted.
C
6) The British levied new taxes on its North American colonies in the eighteenth century in order to pay for A) maintaining the elegant lifestyle of the British royalty. B) conquest of territories in Africa and Asia. C) defending new territories obtained after the French and Indian War. D) tax cuts and social welfare programs for residents of the British Isles. E) the rising cost of tea.
C
65) The Founding Fathers believed that a major source of political conflict was the A) governmentʹs attempt to preserve private property. B) absence of majority rule. C) unequal distribution of property. D) religious differences in society. E) Indian tribes.
C
72) At the time of the constitutional convention, slavery A) existed only in Georgia and the Carolinas. B) was permitted in all thirteen states. C) was illegal only in Massachusetts. D) was prohibited north of the Mason-Dixon line. E) was prohibited by the Connecticut Compromise, which was never put into effect.
C
78) Which of the following was NOT one of the economic difficulties the writers of the Constitution attempted to address? A) some states kept printing virtually worthless money B) the tariffs states had erected against one another to protect their state-made products C) lack of unemployment compensation and welfare payments D) the difficulty of the Continental Congress in raising money from the states E) All of these were dealt with in the Constitution.
C
86) The delegates to the Constitutional Convention did not worry about preserving individual rights for all of the following reasons EXCEPT A) every state had its own bill of rights. B) they were constructing a limited government that could not threaten personal freedoms. C) they included a bill of rights in Article V. D) they dispersed power so that each branch or level could constrain the other. E) the various states were already doing a sufficient job of protecting individual rights.
C
94) The Madisonian system A) is a form of direct democracy. B) encourages change. C) has a conservative bias favoring the status quo. D) discourages moderation and compromise. E) both C and D
C
12) The American Revolution was based upon the ideas of A) intellectual slaves. B) intellectual frontiersmen. C) George Washington. D) European political thinkers. E) American farmers.
D
16) John Locke believed in each of the following EXCEPT A) limited government. B) consent of the governed. C) natural rights. D) divine right of kings. E) both C and D
D
26) The primary goal of the American Revolution was A) to gain control over the coloniesʹ trade with foreign nations. B) to cut taxes. C) to win the right to print paper money that could be used to pay off debts. D) to restore the colonistsʹ rights as British subjects. E) to gain control of the western frontier.
D
27) The American Revolution was different from the French, Russian, and Iranian revolutions in that A) it was much bloodier. B) it was much shorter. C) it did not result in a change of government. D) it produced little societal change. E) It was different in all these ways.
D
3) By eighteenth-century standards, life was ________ for most people in the United States at the time of the Revolution. A) hell both politically and economically B) politically oppressive C) ideal D) not bad E) an economic nightmare
D
32) Under the Articles of Confederation, most power rested with the A) the British Parliament. B) president. C) United States Senate. D) state legislatures. E) Continental Congress.
D
35) After the Revolution, power in the state legislatures shifted A) from merchants to lawyers. B) from the poor to the wealthy. C) from radicals to conservatives. D) from the wealthy to those with more moderate incomes. E) from the upper to the lower chambers.
D
43) Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress had the power to A) levy taxes. B) overturn state laws. C) regulate commerce. D) maintain an army and navy. E) all of the above
D
71) As originally established by the Constitution, the House of Representatives had how many members from each state? A) seven B) one C) two D) It depended on the stateʹs population. E) none
D
79) The debate at the Philadelphia Convention over eligibility to vote was resolved by A) allowing all males, but no females to vote. B) requiring voter registration before one would be eligible to vote. C) requiring universal manhood suffrage. D) leaving it up to the individual states. E) permitting all citizens over 21 to vote.
D
82) Compared to the government under the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution gave the central government A) far fewer powers. B) total control of the economy. C) about the same economic powers. D) more economic powers. E) almost no economic powers.
D
83) In order to put the national economy on sound footing, the Constitution obligated the new government to ________ all the government debts incurred under the Continental Congress. A) forgive B) renegotiate at lower interest rates C) renegotiate at higher interest rates D) repay E) negate
D
84) The framers of the Constitution gave the chief economic policymaking role to A) the courts. B) the Federal Reserve Board. C) the president. D) Congress. E) the states.
D
85) The Constitution prohibited the states from doing each of the following EXCEPT A) harboring runaway slaves. B) placing duties on imports from other states. C) printing paper money. D) establishing a republican form of government. E) interfering with lawfully contracted debts.
D
90) The one element of government that Madisonʹs plan placed within direct control of the voters was the A) Senate. B) presidency. C) Congress. D) House of Representatives. E) Supreme Court.
D
92) The system of checks and balances in the Constitution means that A) a majority can easily manipulate the system, but a minority cannot. B) changes in government policy can be made with relative ease, with few obstacles to stop a popular new force. C) we have a direct democracy, with all branches equally accessible to strong public pressure. D) change usually comes slowly, if at all, and moderation and compromise are typical in our political system. E) each branch of government has its own powers independent of the other.
D
20) The sole purpose of government, according to John Locke, was to A) promote the common good. B) prevent anarchy. C) educate its people. D) protect individuals from violence. E) protect natural rights.
E
23) Lockean thought and the Declaration of Independence are similar in that both A) recognize the right of the people to determine their own form of government, short of resorting to revolution. B) were developed in the late 1700s. C) value the preservation of private property. D) seek common ideals in government through the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. E) support the concept of natural rights and the idea that government be built on the consent of the governed.
E
25) The American Revolution A) was heavily influenced by the earlier successes of the French Revolution. B) strongly reflected the widespread class conflict that would eventually lead to deadly riots for two generations. C) was very similar to the French, Russian, and Iranian Revolutions. D) was a radical social movement that drastically altered the colonistsʹ way of life. E) was an essentially conservative movement that did not drastically alter the colonistsʹ way of life.
E
4) The British government stepped up its controls over the American colonies with new taxes and stronger commerce regulations right after A) King Phillipʹs War. B) the assassination of the Duke of Windsor. C) King Georgeʹs War. D) the Civil War. E) the French and Indian War.
E
40) After the Revolution, a major power shift occurred in the states from ________ to ________. A) the broad middle class; a handful of wealthy individuals B) countryside; city C) city; countryside D) the east coast; the western interior E) wealthy individuals; broad middle class
E
46) In post-Revolutionary America, state governors were often selected by A) judges. B) the president. C) heredity. D) the people directly. E) state legislatures.
E
48) A small band of farmers in western Massachusetts took up arms in what is remembered as A) the Farmersʹ Revolt. B) King Georgeʹs War. C) the Boston Tea Party. D) the Whiskey Rebellion. E) Shaysʹ Rebellion.
E
5) During the colonial period, A) Americans experienced less freedom than citizens of most European nations. B) Britain was involved in nearly every aspect of American politics. C) Americans were burdened with cumbersome feudal and hierarchical restraints. D) Americans suffered one of the lowest standards of living in the world. E) the King and Parliament generally confined themselves to governing the coloniesʹ foreign and trade policies.
E
52) Shaysʹ Rebellion was A) the most decisive battle of the Revolution, after which British troops were never again able to mount a major offensive against American troops. B) a slave uprising in Virginia. C) an uprising by small merchants demanding credit. D) an uprising by Revolutionary War veterans demanding pensions. E) an uprising by farmers to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms.
E
54) What was the significance of the Annapolis meeting? A) It was the first national convention of women demanding the right to vote. B) It issued the Declaration of Independence. C) It dissolved the Continental Congress. D) It selected George Washington as the first post-Revolutionary president. E) It issued the original call for the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
E
61) According to James Madison and many of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention, what is the primary source of political conflict? A) ignorance B) stupidity C) emotions D) religious beliefs E) unequal distribution of wealth
E
64) Delegates to the Constitutional Convention generally agreed on each of the following EXCEPT A) questions of human nature. B) the need for a limited government. C) the object and nature of a republican government. D) causes of political conflict. E) issues of equality.
E
70) According to the Constitution, each state was entitled to how many senators? A) as many as it wanted to send B) none C) one D) It depended on the stateʹs population. E) two
E
75) On the issue of slaves, the Constitution specified A) that a gradual end to slavery must be worked out by Congress and the states within ten years. B) that slavery would be banned beginning in 1800. C) a boundary, known as the Mason-Dixon line, south of which slavery would be legal. D) Nothing. It was too controversial a subject and the delegates could not agree on anything regarding it. E) that slaves would count as three-fifths persons for counting the nationʹs population and determining seats in the House.
E
80) A major purpose of the economic provisions in the Constitution was to A) promote a more equal distribution of wealth in the country. B) guarantee the states a significant economic role. C) preserve and strengthen the farm economy to the disadvantage of manufacturing. D) establish a comprehensive set of social welfare programs to assist people in times of need. E) create a strong national government so as to bring stability out of economic chaos.
E
81) Which of the following situations was NOT considered an economic problem by the writers of the Constitution? A) States put up tariffs against products from other states. B) Paper money was virtually worthless in some states. C) The economy was in a recession. D) States were passing laws favoring debtors over creditors. E) National taxes were too high.
E
