Name ______United States History & Government

Review Unit II: The Constitution

1)  Why were the Articles of Confederation created?

  1. What is a confederation?
  2. What are the reasons that the Articles failed?

2)  What was the point of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

  1. Why was it the only thing kept after the Articles were scrapped?

3)  Why did Daniel Shays lead a rebellion in Massachusetts?

4)  What was a Constitutional Convention called in 1787?

5)  Describe the issues for each of the following delegates at the Constitutional Convention:

  1. Northern States VS Southern States
  2. Big States VS Small States
  3. Strong National Gov’t VS Weak National Gov’t

6)  What was the Great Compromise and why was it accepted?

  1. What was the Virginia Plan rejected?
  2. Why was the New Jersey rejected?

7)  What was the debate behind the Three-Fifth’s Compromise?

  1. How did the compromise solve the debate?
  2. How did the Framers “wimp-out” with regard to this issue?

8)  What is federalism?

  1. What are delegated powers?
  2. What are concurrent powers?
  3. What are reserved powers?
  4. What are examples of each one?

9)  What are the three branches of the federal government?

  1. Who is in each of these three branches?
  2. What is the main role/job if each of these branches?

10) What are checks & balances?

  1. What are examples of the six categories of checks?

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11) How did the delegates make the Constitution a “living document”?

12) What are the reasons the Constitution was written? [Hint: We The People….]

13) Congress

  1. What is the purpose of the elastic clause?
  2. House of Representatives
  3. What is representation based on?
  4. Is it the upper or lower house?
  5. What are the qualifications to be a member?
  6. What are the special powers of the House?
  7. How are they chosen?
  8. How long is a term? Are there limits on terms?
  9. Why does this house initiate all money bills?
  10. Who is our representative in the House?
  11. How many total representatives from New York? In all United States?

  1. Senate
  2. What is representation based on?
  3. Is it the upper or lower house?
  4. What are the qualifications to be a member?
  5. What are the special powers of the Senate?
  6. How were they originally chosen?
  7. How long is a term? Are there limits on terms?
  8. How are they chosen today?
  9. When and how was this changed?
  10. Who are our representatives in the Senate?
  11. How many total Senators are there in Congress?

14) President

  1. What are the qualifications to be a president?
  2. How are presidents elected?
  3. How long is a term? Are there limits on terms? When, why, and how was limits on terms changed?
  4. What are the roles/duties of the president?
  5. What are examples of each one?
  6. Who is our president?

15) Vice-President

  1. What are the qualifications to be a Vice President?
  2. What are the duties of the VP?
  3. Who is our Vice President?

16) Electoral College

  1. How are Electors selected?
  2. What is the numbers per state based on?
  3. How does this system work?
  4. What was the problem with the 2000 Presidential Election?

17) Supreme Court

  1. What was it originally intended to do?
  2. How was its power expanded?
  3. What is the length of term? Why?
  4. How do justices obtain their positions?
  5. How many justices sit on the Supreme Court
  6. Who was our first Chief Justice?
  7. Who are our current Justices?

18) Why was there a ratification debate at the end of the Constitutional Convention?

  1. Who were the Federalists?
  2. What were their views?
  3. Who were the Anti-Federalists?
  4. What were their views?
  5. What were the Federalist Papers?
  6. What solved this debate?

19) What is the Bill of Rights?

  1. How is the Constitution amended?
  2. Why was this process created?
  3. What are citizens guaranteed by this bill?
  4. What rights are protected by each of the first ten Amendments to the Constitution?