Constitution of the United States
4. What was the name given to our first national
government?
5. Describe the main components of this first
national government.
6. List at least four weaknesses of this new
government.
7. Why was passing laws so difficult under this
government?
8. What was the main cause of complaint during
Shay's rebellion?
9. Where did the delegates of 12 states meet in
1787?
10. What decision did the delegates make about the
Articles of Confederation upon their arrival?
12. What became the biggest issue of debate during
the convention?
13. Name the two plans that dominated talks at the
convention?
18. Briefly describe the main point of the 3/5ths
compromise.
19. What were the provisions of the slave trade
compromise?
20. In what ways with this new government be
different than the articles?
21. What group came to support the passage of the
new Constitution?
22. Name the group who opposed the new
constitution, because they felt the
government had too many powers?
23. What were the Federalist Papers, and who wrote
them?
24. What was eventually promised in order to gain
the passage of the Constitution?
25. What is the introduction to the Constitution
called?
26. What is the purpose of this introduction?
27. How many articles or parts are in the
Constitution?
28. Briefly describe the contents of Article One of
the Constitution?
29. Briefly describe the contents of Article Two of
the Constitution?
30. Briefly describe the contents of Article Three of
the Constitution?
32. What is the importance of Article Five?
33. This is the name given to the system built into
the Constitution, where one branch of
government watches and helps to control
abusive activities of the other branches?
34. What is popular sovereignty, and in what way do
we practice it?
35. This is a governmental system that shares powers
between a national government and smaller
local governments?
36. These are powers that are given directly to the
national government by the Constitution?
37. These are powers that are shared by the national
government, and all other levels of
government?
38. These are powers that are given only to the state
and local governments?
40. Name the two ways of changing the Constitution?
41. What are the two parts of amending the
Constitution?
44. This is the name given to the powers that are not
specifically listed in the Constitution?
45. Who has the final interpretation of the
Constitution?