What was one strength of the Articles of Confederation?
a. It allowed states to make decisions for themselves.
b. It gave the federal government power to impose taxes.
c. It gave Congress the authority to overturn decisions made by the president.
d. It provided Congress with a means to regulate trade.
Shays's rebellion in 1787 was in response to what? Select all that apply.
a. expansion of territories
b. the Northwest Ordinance
c. seizure of farms
d. increased taxes
Which of the following was one of the principal authors of the Federalist Papers?
a. George Washington
b. Alexander Hamilton
c. Thomas Jefferson
d. John Adams
The Three-Fifths Compromise concerned representation based on which of the following groups?
women
Native Americans
slaves
immigrants
The Enlightenment philosopher Baron de Montesquieu wrote about which government structure that was adopted in the Constitution?
separation of church and state
limited government
separation of powers
self-government
In the debate over the Constitution, which of the following did Federalists favor?
a bill of rights
an end to taxes
a strong national government
strong state governments
Which of the following was the minimum requirement for the U.S. Constitution to go into effect?
6 of the 13 states had to ratify it.
9 of the 13 states had to ratify it.
11 of the 13 states had to ratify it.
All 13 states had to ratify it.
In the preamble of the Constitution, to what does the phrase "provide for the common defense" refer?
provide for a police force
provide a military
ensure liberty to future generations
provide money for scientific research
What fraction of state legislatures must approve an amendment before it becomes law?
one-half
three-fifth
two-thirds
three-fourths
How does staying informed on important issues best help voters?
It helps voters know which candidates they agree with, and why.
It helps candidates come up with better solutions to the issues.
It helps voters organize protests against unfavorable candidates.
It helps voters follow the advertisements that candidates put out.
It helps voters know which candidates they agree with, and why.
The correct answers are:
- The strength of the Articles of Confederation was that it allowed states to make decisions for themselves. (a)
- Shays's rebellion in 1787 was in response to the seizure of farms and increased taxes. (c, d)
- Alexander Hamilton was one of the principal authors of the Federalist Papers. (b)
- The Three-Fifths Compromise concerned representation based on slaves. (c)
- Baron de Montesquieu wrote about the separation of powers that was adopted in the Constitution. (c)
- In the debate over the Constitution, Federalists favored a strong national government. (c)
- The minimum requirement for the U.S. Constitution to go into effect was that 9 of the 13 states had to ratify it. (b)
- In the preamble of the Constitution, the phrase "provide for the common defense" refers to providing a military. (b)
- Two-thirds of state legislatures must approve an amendment before it becomes law. (c)
- Staying informed on important issues best helps voters know which candidates they agree with, and why. (It helps voters know which candidates they agree with, and why.)
To answer the questions, here's how you can find the answers:
1. One strength of the Articles of Confederation:
You can find this information by researching the features and powers of the Articles of Confederation. Evaluate each option (a, b, c, d) and determine which one accurately describes a strength of the Articles of Confederation.
2. Shays's rebellion in 1787:
To determine the reasons for Shays's rebellion, research the context and events surrounding the rebellion. Evaluate each option (a, b, c, d) and select those that align with the causes and motivations behind Shays's rebellion.
3. Principal authors of the Federalist Papers:
Research the Federalist Papers and their authors. Evaluate each option (a, b, c, d) and identify the author(s) associated with the Federalist Papers.
4. The Three-Fifths Compromise:
To determine the group represented in the Three-Fifths Compromise, research the compromises made during the Constitutional Convention. Evaluate each option (women, Native Americans, slaves, immigrants) and select the group that was addressed in the Three-Fifths Compromise.
5. The Enlightenment philosopher Baron de Montesquieu and government structure written in the Constitution:
Study Baron de Montesquieu's writings and their influence on the Constitution. Evaluate each option (separation of church and state, limited government, separation of powers, self-government) and select the government structure written in the Constitution that is discussed by Montesquieu.
6. Position of Federalists in the debate over the Constitution:
Research the key arguments made by the Federalists during the debates over the Constitution. Evaluate each option (a bill of rights, an end to taxes, a strong national government, strong state governments) and determine which position aligns with the Federalists.
7. Minimum requirement for the U.S. Constitution to go into effect:
Research the constitutional ratification process to identify the minimum number of states required for the U.S. Constitution to be ratified. Evaluate each option (6 of the 13 states, 9 of the 13 states, 11 of the 13 states, all 13 states) and select the correct minimum requirement.
8. The phrase "provide for the common defense" in the Constitution:
Examine the preamble of the U.S. Constitution to understand the meaning of the phrase "provide for the common defense." Evaluate each option (provide for a police force, provide a military, ensure liberty to future generations, provide money for scientific research) and select the most appropriate interpretation.
9. Fraction of state legislatures needed to approve an amendment:
Research the constitutional amendment process to determine the fraction of state legislatures required to approve an amendment. Evaluate each option (one-half, three-fifth, two-thirds, three-fourths) and select the correct fraction.
10. Staying informed on important issues and voter benefits:
Consider the benefits of staying informed on important issues in relation to the electoral process. Evaluate each option (helping voters know which candidates they agree with and why, helping candidates come up with better solutions to the issues, helping voters organize protests against unfavorable candidates, helping voters follow the advertisements that candidates put out) and identify how staying informed best benefits voters.