Unit One: Study Guide—Constitutional Underpinnings of
United States government
Please use your own words to answer the following questions. I prefer
that you type these questions out on a computer. You do not have to go
overboard and write long answers that simply involve you recopying the
information from the book. You can also answer questions with bullet
points and phrases when complete sentences aren’t necessary.
Reading Questions for Chapter Three of Civics: Responsibilities and Citizenship by
David C. Safffell, Ph.D
1. What was the purpose of the Constitutional Convention?
2. Describe the delegates that were selected to the Constitutional Convention. How
did they represent America’s population? What important quality did they
possess as to why they were selected to the Convention?
3. Describe some key decisions that the delegates made at the start of the
Convention.
4. Compare and Contrast the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan.
5. What is the Great Compromise? What is the Three-fifths Compromise?
6. Describe the Electoral College. Why do you think they went with this process to
elect the President of the United States?
7. Describe the key figures and the differences between the Anti-Federalists and
Federalists.
8. Explain why the founding fathers put in these 6 main goals for the United States
government.
9. Briefly describe the 7 parts of the Constitution. I just want main ideas.
10. Why did the United States choose Federalism for their government?
11. Why did the founding fathers include the Supremacy Clause in the Constitution?
12. Why did the founding fathers want a Separation of Powers instead of one large
government ruled by a King of Queen?
Vocabulary
You should be familiar with all of these terms by the end of the unit.
1.
2.
Federal system
Compromise
10.
11.
3.
4.
5.
Export
Electoral College
Anti-Federalist
12.
13.
14.
6.
Federalist
15.
7.
8.
9.
Preamble
Legislative
Executive
16.
17.
18.
Judicial
Checks and
Balances
Veto
Override
Popular
Sovereignty
Enumerated
Powers
Reserved powers
Concurrent powers
Supremacy clause