A New Nation

The power of the three branches of government is limited by:

• checks and balances

• common good

• income taxes

• Battle of Concord

The Constitution put into place a separation of powers that means that

• every branch has the right to govern other branches

• each branch has its own specific job

• the legislative branch is the strongest branch

• all branches interpret the Constitution

In the Preamble to the US Constitution, the Founding Fathers included the phrase, "We the people....." Why did they do that?

• to show that people in the country have no rights

• to show that the government is made by the people and for the people

• to show that the government can take away the rights of the people

In the United States, government power is divided between the national and state governments. This means that the United States has

• a federal system of government

• a tyrant as the government

• a government based on natural rights

What was one weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

• The government could pay the soldiers

• The government was united under one document

• The states had different money

• The government could trade with another country

The Framers of the Constitution were afraid of giving one person too much power in the government. How did they address this fear?

• They divided the government's powers between three separate branches

• They made sure the military was strong and independent

• They made sure not to give state governments too much power

Which important argument during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 led to the Great Compromise?

• the method of choosing the president

• the number of representatives per state

• the title for the leader of the new government

• the amount of power given to the Judicial Branch

The United States has a federal government. What does this mean?

• that the people give the government its power to make laws

• that power is divided between the national and state governments

• that the people have natural rights that the government must protect

• that power is divided between three branches in the national government

James Madison is known as the Father of the Constitution because

• he was the leading member of the Constitutional Convention

• he was the shortest president

• he grew up in Virginia

• he was the author of Captain Underpants

The Bill of Rights is the name given to the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States. Why were they added?

• to explain the powers of the state government

• to limit the influence of Great Britain

• to extend the right to vote to all Americans

• to guarantee basic freedoms to all Americans