10 – Unit 3 – Assessment - 1781 – 1790 (A New Government is Born)
Base your answer to this question on the table.
2. In what year did most states ratify the U.S. Constitution?
A.
B.
C.
D.
1787
1788
1789
1790
Base your answer on the information in the chart.
1. Which statement about attitudes in different parts of the country
toward the United States Constitution is most accurate?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The South showed only weak support
New England took the lead in ratification
The Middle States were the most divided in their support
Mixed support was evident in all sections of the nation
CMS Social Studies – Revised 2013-2014
3. What would be the best title for the events on this timeline?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The United States Becomes a New, Independent Nation
Slavery Comes to End in the United States
The Northwest Ordinance Is Passed
The United States Emerges as an Important Military Power
11 – Unit 3 – Assessment - 1781 – 1790 (A New Government is Born)
“We should consider we are providing a constitution for future generations
of Americans, and not merely for the particular circumstances of the
moment.”
– Delegate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787
6. The writers of the Constitution best reflected this idea when they
provided what?
4. In the cartoon, the person giving the order to "jump" represents what?
A.
B.
C.
D.
colonial slave traders
Mayflower Compact
state governments
national government
A. Senators should be elected directly by the people
B. three-fifths of the slaves should be counted as part of the total
population
C. Congress shall make all laws necessary and proper to carry out
its constitutional powers
D. political parties should be established to represent various
viewpoints
“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate power of society but the
people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to
exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to
take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.”
5. What is the main idea of the cartoon?
– Thomas Jefferson
A. The Articles of Confederation gave too much power to the
President.
B. The government under the Articles of Confederation could not be
changed.
C. State governments had the real power under the Articles of
Confederation.
D. The central government had the power to make the states obey.
CMS Social Studies – Revised 2013-2014
7. In this quotation, Thomas Jefferson expressed the idea that democracy
functions properly when what happens?
A. only one group in society has ultimate powers
B. the common people are under the control of the best educated
people
C. the government determines who exercises power
D. the people are educated to carry out their duties as citizens
12 – Unit 3 – Assessment - 1781 – 1790 (A New Government is Born)
“That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that
whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is
the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new
government, …”
Base your answer to the question on the diagram below and on your
knowledge of social studies.
8. According to the quotation, governments get their authority from who?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the people
powerful leaders
the justice system
political parties
"The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is to extend
our commercial ties and to have as little political connection as possible."
– President George Washington’s Farewell Address
9. Which opinion best reflects Washington’s advice for the new nation?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Americans must build a large and powerful army.
Americans should establish a global empire.
Americans should join military alliances to preserve their security.
Americans should avoid involvement in European alliances.
CMS Social Studies – Revised 2013-2014
10. The system shown in the diagram was developed under the Articles
of Confederation in order to do what?
A. divide lands seized from the Loyalists
B. provide an orderly system of development for the Northwest
Territory
C. remove Native American Indians to areas west of the Appalachian
Mountains
D. extend slavery as the nation grew
13 – Unit 3 – Assessment - 1781 – 1790 (A New Government is Born)
Base your answer to this question on the cartoon below and on your
knowledge of social studies.
11. Which constitutional principle is the focus of this cartoon?
A.
B.
C.
D.
individual liberties
separation of powers
freedom of speech
federalism
CMS Social Studies – Revised 2013-2014
12. What is the main idea of this cartoon?
A. The president is responsible for helping hurricane victims.
B. Members of the Supreme Court can often ignore political issues.
C. Nominating a justice to the Supreme Court often creates
controversy.
D. The Constitution should be amended so that Supreme Court
Justices are elected.
14 – Unit 3 – Assessment - 1781 – 1790 (A New Government is Born)
“To take a single step beyond these specific [Constitutional] limits to the
powers of Congress is to grasp unlimited power.
“The power to create a [national] bank has not, in my opinion, been
delegated to Congress by the Constitution. Supporters of the Bank Bill
argue that a [national] bank would be a great convenience in collecting
taxes. Even if this argument were true, the Constitution allows only for
laws which are ‘necessary’, not those which are merely ‘convenient’ for
carrying out delegated powers.”
13. The author of this passage is most concerned about what?
A.
B.
C.
D.
use of public funds to create a national bank
problem of collecting Federal taxes
increase in the powers of state governments
possible abuse of congressional power
14. The speaker is basing his argument mainly on a strict interpretation of
which provision of the Federal Constitution?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Preamble
elastic clause
judicial review
apportionment of Representatives
Four statements dealing with the formation of a new government are
given below. Base your answer to the question on these statements and
on your knowledge of social studies.
Speaker A: “Each person must be able to voice his or her concerns on all
issues that involve this new nation and bear the responsibility
for the decisions made.”
Speaker B: “The power of this new nation must rest in a strong, stable
group that makes important decisions with the approval, but
not participation, of all.”
Speaker C: “There must be several governments within one nation to
ensure adequate voice and responsibility to all.”
Speaker D: “Individuals must not allow their freedoms to be swallowed by
an all powerful government.”
15. Which statement best shows the desire for safeguards such as those in
the Bill of Rights?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Statement A
Statement B
Statement C
Statement D
“The individual can be free only when the power of one governmental
branch is balanced by the other two.”
– Baron de Montesquieu, 1735 (adapted)
16. The idea expressed in this quotation is best illustrated by which aspect
of the United States Government?
A.
B.
C.
D.
CMS Social Studies – Revised 2013-2014
existence of a Cabinet
separation of powers
elastic clause
executive privilege
15 – Unit 3 – Assessment - 1781 – 1790 (A New Government is Born)
Base your answer to the question on the discussion below and on your
knowledge of social studies.
Base your answer to the question on the speakers’ statements below and
on your knowledge of social studies.
Speaker A: “Between the Civil War and World War I, the states could not
meet the problems created by economic change. The Federal
government had to take up the challenge and round the
means to do it in the Federal Constitution.”
Speaker A: “We want a strong national government to provide order and
protect the rights of the people.”
Speaker B: “There is evidence that many Americans, as far back as the
early days of the United States, believed in greater
centralization of authority.”
Speaker C: “We want to add a bill of rights to the Constitution to protect
the people against abuses of power.”
Speaker C: “I see a danger in any lessening of the power of the states. I
believe it violates the Constitution.”
Speaker D: “States rights have been very important in United States
history and should be strengthened rather than weakened.”
17. The discussion of the speakers centers on which basic principle of
government in the United States?
A.
B.
C.
D.
judicial review
checks and balances
executive veto power
division of power
CMS Social Studies – Revised 2013-2014
Speaker B: “We want a weak national government so that it will not
threaten the rights of the people or the powers of the states.”
Speaker D: “A bill of rights is unnecessary because the new government’s
powers are limited by the Constitution.”
18. These statements represent points of view that differ between what?
A.
B.
C.
D.
pro-independence Patriots and pro-British Tories
leaders of the North and the West
supporters of Congress and the president
Federalists and Anti-federalists
Constructed Response Questions:
1.
Compare and contrast the opposing views of those who
supported and did not support the ratification of the United
States Constitution. How were their views similar and/or
different?
2.
Was the ratification of the Bill of Rights a necessary addition to
the United States Constitution? Why or Why not?
3.
Evaluate at least 3 of the weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation and show how the United States Constitution
addressed those weaknesses.
16 – Unit 3 – Assessment - 1781 – 1790 (A New Government is Born)
CMS Social Studies – Revised 2013-2014