Constitution Test Review
What to study: Shay’s Rebellion, Articles of Confederation Constitutional Convention, NJ+VA Plan,
The Great Compromise, The Bill of Rights, Branches of government, checks and balances, and How a
Bill Becomes a Law.
Shay’s Rebellion
1. Define- Rebellion:
2. Define- Depression:
3. Define- Debt:
4. Why were American farmers suffering in debt after the war?
Many had been soldiers who had not been paid their salary for participating in the war. Others
farms had been destroyed in the war.
5. Who was Daniel Shay?
Born in Mass, joined the local militia (high ranking captain), farmer, in debt with the state. Started a
rebellion with over 1000 farmers against the new government
6. Farmers thought the new government was a form of ____________________?
Tyranny
7. Where was Shay leading the 1000 farmers too?
Springfield MA, to an arsenal
8. What were the steps that the local militia took to stop the rebellion?
Shooting once over the heads of the farmers and next shooting into the crowd killing 4 farmers.
9. What was the result for the citizens who heard about the government?
They were scared of the new government, because they were so weak and killed men who were
standing up for their beliefs.
10. What does Thomas Jefferson mean “A little rebellion now and then is a good thing?”
Having rebellion can fix problems in a weak government. Sometimes we need a change.
11. What does George Washington mean by, “mankind, when left to themselves, are unfit for
their own government.”
Mankind needs restrictions and rules to behave.
Articles of Confederation
12. Why did the members of the Second Continental Congress think that the government
needed to change?
They believed that the states needed to have a more centralized government other than their
individual state constitutions.
13. What year were the Articles of Confederation adopted?
1777, November
14. Who had the majority of power under the Articles?
The States
15. Under the Articles what type of authority did the government (congress) have and not
have?
Powers- Authority to conduct foreign affairs, maintain armed forces, borrow money, and issue
currency
Lack of powers- Could not regulate trade, or force citizens to join the army, or impose taxes.\
16. How did Congress pay for troops?
Congress had to ask state legislatures for money but the states were not required to contribute.
17. Under the new plan, how many votes did each state have?
One, no matter the population of the state
18. Did the Articles of Confederation provide a strong or weak government?
Weak, no central government and no executive at the head.
19. Create a T-chart and explain the positives and negatives of the Articles
Constitutional Convention
20. Where was the Constitutional Convention held?
Philadelphia
21. How many delegates were at the convention?
55
22. Who wrote the final version of the Constitution?
Governor Morris
23. Who is referred to as the “Father of the Constitution?”
James Madison
24. What man presided over the meetings during the convention?
George Washington
Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, and The Great Compromise
25. Who proposed the Virginia Plan?
Edmund Randolph
26. What type of government did the Virginia Plan call for?
Strong National Government with a two-house legislature with a chief executive chosen by the
legislature
27. What were the differences between the two houses?
Lower House= would be elected by the people
Upper House= members would be elected by the lower house
Both houses the number of representatives would be proportional to the population of the state.
28. What plan did William Paterson introduce?
The New Jersey Plan
29. Why was Paterson not happy with the Virginia plan?
It focused on states with larger populations, unlike New Jersey where Paterson was from.
30. What was the New Jersey Plan?
One-House legislature with one vote for each state
Congress could set taxes and regulate trade
Congress could elect a weak executive branch
31. Which plan was the Great Compromised based off of?
The Virginia Plan
32. What man recommended the Great Compromise?
Roger Sherman, from CT
33. Define: Compromise-
34. Describe the Great Compromise
Two-House legislature
Lower House- House of Reps= number of seats for each state would vary according to the states
population
Upper House- Senate= each state would have two members
Bills of Rights
35. What are the Bills of Rights?
First ten amendments found in the Constitution that protect citizens rights
36. Who proposed that the Bill of Rights be added to the Constitution?
George Mason or James Madison
37. Who did the Bill of Rights originally protect?
Land owning white males
Branches of government
38. What are the three branches of government?
Executive, judicial, legislative
39. Who works in the legislative branch and what do they do?
Senators in the Senate, Representatives in the House of Representatives
Make, Change, and repeal laws
40. Who works in the executive branch and what do they do?
President, Vice President, cabinet members, people who work in departments
Carry out laws, federal agencies make federal regulations, and see that laws are enforced
41. Who works in the judicial branch and what do they do?
Interpret and define what laws mean
Determine is any laws are unconstitutional
Checks and Balances
42. Why did the framers put a system of separation of powers?
Too keep any one branch from gaining too much power
43. Explain the powers of the Legislative Branch has over the other branches
Congress approves the presidential nomination and controls the budget, and it can veto the
president as well as impeach the president
Senate can impeach and remove a judge from office
44. Explain the powers of the Executive Branch has over the other branches
The President can veto legislation from Congress
The President nominates judges
45. Explain the power of the Judicial Branch has over the other branches
The Court can declare the President’s acts as unconstitutional
The Court can declare laws as unconstitutional
How a Bill Becomes a Law
46. How is a bill first introduced?
A individual can propose an idea to a local representative
47. Where does a bill go to first in the government?
House of Reps or Senate
48. Why do we have committees?
To help bills become the best they can be before being voted on
49.Once one chamber of Congress approves a bill where does it go?
The other chamber
50. When a bill is passed without amendment where does it go next?
The President
51. Where does a bill go after the floor action by chamber and it passes with amendment?
Conference Committee to work out the differences and then sent to the President
51. What happens after a President signs a bill?
It becomes a law