The Development of the Constitution

How did the Articles of Confederation affect the power of the federal government to influence economic policy?

It severely limited its power because states were in control of both taxation and commerce.

Which of the following statesmen offered views in direct opposition to those found in Brutus No. 1?

John Jay

Based on your knowledge of 19th century America, which of the following Supreme Court cases seems to confirm the misgivings expressed in Brutus No. 1?

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Based on Brutus No. 1, which of the following could best be inferred as a conviction of the 18th century Anti-Federalists?

National taxation is a threat to state governments.

Which of the following correctly identifies characteristics of the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan?

New Jersey Plan - Each state must have equal representation in the legislature Virginia Plan - Legislative representation must be proportionately based upon population

Supporters of Madison's argument in Federalist No. 10 could point to which of the following to justify the need for a stronger central government?

Shays' Rebellion

Which of the following most closely aligns with the provision in the Articles of Confederation that "each state shall have one vote?"

The New Jersey Plan

What was one of the effects of Brutus No. 1?

The addition of a Bill of Rights to the new Constitution.

Which of the following provisions in the United States Constitution directly addresses the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation best expressed in the excerpt?

The delegated power to lay and collect taxes.

Which of the following best represents the most significant of the "defects in the system of the Federal Government" under the Articles of Confederation that led delegates to attend this convention at Annapolis in 1786?

The inability of the government established by the Articles of Confederation to regulate trade among the states.

The ability to compromise helped secure ratification of the Constitution proposed in 1787, but left many matters unresolved that still generate intense debates today. Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies an issue that the compromises at the Constitutional Convention did not resolve?

The issue that sometimes state and federal law are in conflict with each other. For example, under federal law, marijuana is illegal, yet many states have legalized its use for medicinal or recreational purposes.

A member of Congress has proposed an amendment to the Constitution to revise the 2nd Amendment. Which of the following options best describes what would have to happen for this proposed change to 2nd Amendment to take effect?

The proposed change to the 2nd Amendment would need to be passed by a 2/3rd majority in both the House and Senate and ratified by 3/4ths of the State Legislatures.

Which of the following describes one of the most direct long-term political effects of the Articles of Confederation?

The rise of political parties with competing ideas on the balance of political power between the federal and state governments.

Which of the following comparisons about the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan are the most accurate?

Virginia Plan - Proposed a bicameral Congress based on population in the lower house elected by the people and an upper house elected by state legislatures. New Jersey Plan - Proposed a one-house legislative body very similar to what existed under the Articles of Confederation.

In Brutus No. 1, Robert Yates claims that

the existence of state governments will be imperiled by the taxing power of the national government.

The quotations below also come from Federalist No. 10. Which of the following best supports the argument in the excerpt above?

"Hence, it clearly appears, that the same advantage which a republic has over a democracy, in controlling the effects of faction, is enjoyed by a large over a small republic,--is enjoyed by the Union over the States composing it."

Which of the following political groups would most likely support the argument of strong, empowered states highlighted in Articles of Confederation?

19th Century Southern Democrats

Opposition to the Articles of Confederation reflected what shift in American political beliefs?

A growing concern that a decentralized government was not an effective way to secure the rights of the people.

Which statement below best describes the sentiments of the author?

Adopting the Constitution could lead to an abuse of power by the national government.

Which faction below would most closely identify with the point of view of the excerpt?

Anti-Federalists

Which part of the Constitution directly addresses many of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation the best?

Article 1, Sec 8: The enumerated powers of Congress

The Articles of Confederation most directly reflect the principles of which of the following?

Common Sense by Thomas Paine.

Brutus No. 1 most clearly reflects the principles of which system of government?

Confederated

Which of the following was a short-term effect of the Articles of Confederation?

Economic tension between the states.

A political scientist would most likely use Brutus No. 1 to illustrate which of the following?

Fear of concentrated power guided the sentiments of the Anti-Fe

Which of the following most clearly reflects the motives behind the creation of the Articles of Confederation?

Fears that a centralized government would too closely resemble the British monarch.

Which document below would be the best rebuttal to the concerns raised by Brutus No. 1?

Federalist No. 51

Which of the following groups was founded on principles that were in direct opposition to the ideology of empowered states advocated in the Articles of Confederation?

Federalists

Which of the following options best describes the positions of the Federalists and Anti- Federalists during the debate over the ratification of the Constitution?

Federalists - Favored increasing the power of the federal government over the states Anti-Federalists - Believed a strong central government would abuse the rights of the states

Which of the following is the most accurate comparison of those who viewed themselves as Federalists or Anti-Federalists?

Feds - Merchants, lawyers, and land owners Anti - Small farmers, yeomen, and mechanics

Which of the following comparisons is correctly paired with the ideologies of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists?

Feds - State laws that legalize marijuana violate federal law. Anti - State laws that legalize marijuana are permitted under the doctrine of state's rights.

Which of the following represents an accurate comparison of modern issues that are correctly paired with the ideologies of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists?

Feds - Terrorist threats permit more leeway in federal surveillance of citizens. Anti - The government must follow due process as outlined in the Bill of Rights to surveil citizens.

To ensure ratification of the Constitution there were many compromises between Federalists and Anti-Federalists that needed to be accomplished. Which set of comparisons below most accurately reflect the final resolutions each group desired?

Feds - The Constitution is the "supreme law of the land". Anti - The 10th Amendment reserves powers to states not prohibited by the Constitution.

Which of the following scenarios could result in changes to the U.S. Constitution without the support of Congress?

If at least two-thirds of the states call for a convention to propose an amendment to the Constitution, anything in the Constitution could be changed if the proposed amendment is ratified by at least three-fourths of the state legislatures or special ratification conventions held at the state level.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the debate over representation resolved by the Great Compromise?

Large States - The House of Representatives most closely resembles the plan proposed by states with large populations Small States - The U.S. Senate most closely resembles the plan proposed by states with small populations

Which of the following Constitutional provisions best limits the power of factions outlined in the excerpt above?

Republicanism

What mechanism below was embedded in the Constitution to "prevent despotism, or, what is worse, a tyrannic aristocracy.." as the excerpt describes?

Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances

One of the "...defects in the system of the Federal Government" mentioned in the excerpt above was the inability of the government to suppress domestic insurrections. Which of the following rebellions represented the turning point that finally convinced the states that the government needed more power to rectify this situation?

Shays' Rebellion

Which of the following rebellions represented the turning point that finally convinced the states that the government needed more power to rectify this situation?

Shays' Rebellion

Which of the following is the most accurate comparison about the goals of small states and large states ameliorated by Great Compromise at the Constitutional Convention?

Small States - A government consisting of three branches: Legislative,Executive, and Judicial. Large States - A government that included a system of checks and balances.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the effects of the 3/5ths Compromise during the first fifty years of the Republic?

Southern States - The 3/5ths Compromise gave southern states a decided advantage in electing the President. Northern States - The 3/5ths Compromise allowed slaves to be counted for representation, but Northern states lobbied successfully for them to counted for taxes as well.

Which of the following contentious relationships did the Connecticut Compromise (or "Great Compromise") do the most to quell?

States with large populations versus states with small populations

Which of the following describes a significant achievement of the Articles of Confederation?

Successful negotiation, and approval of, The Treaty of Paris.

Which of the following constitutional guarantees allayed the fears held by Anti-Federalists that the adoption of the U.S. Constitution would restrict the sovereignty of the states?

The Tenth Amendment reserved powers clause.

Which of the following events proved that the power of the federal government to secure domestic tranquility under the Constitution was greater than it had been under the Articles of Confederation?

The Whiskey Rebellion

Sentiment towards the concept of liberty found in Brutus No. 1 most strongly supports which of the following statements?

The experience of the American Revolution underpins most Anti-Federalist fears.

Based on the text, to which slavery-related compromise reached during the 1787 Constitutional Convention is Hamilton referring?

The three-fifths clause

Which of the following events lends support for the view of state supremacy depicted in Brutus No. 1?

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison drafting the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions in 1798 and 1799.

The author of Brutus No. 1, Robert Yates, most strongly supports which of the following statements about the proposed Constitution?

When citizens cede liberty to a large governing force, they can seldom regain it without the use of force.

The Constitutional Convention addressed many issues around slavery. Which of the following was an issue that was left unresolved about slavery at the Constitutional Convention?

Whether the states or Congress had the power to ban slavery in any new territory added to the United States.