Bill of Rights

Under the U.S. Constitution in 1787, what was the only explicitly stated duty of the President?

• A) Appointing a presidential cabinet

• B) Acting as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy

• C) Declaring war

• D) Vetoing congressional legislation

2. Which of the following statements about George Washington’s presidential cabinet is true?

• A) The Constitution required Washington to establish a cabinet.

• B) Washington personally created all cabinet positions.

• C) The first Congress created executive departments, and Washington appointed their secretaries.

• D) The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the first cabinet positions.

  D) The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the first cabinet positions.

3. What was a key purpose of the Judiciary Act of 1789?

• A) It allowed the Supreme Court to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.

• B) It created the Office of the Attorney General.

• C) It abolished state courts.

• D) It eliminated the need for a Chief Justice.

4. What was Congress’s response to petitions from Quakers in 1790 calling for the abolition of slavery?

• A) Congress immediately voted to end the importation of enslaved people.

• B) James Madison referred the petitions to a committee, which concluded Congress had no power to end slavery.

• C) The petitions led to a heated debate, and slavery was banned in Northern states.

• D) The petitions resulted in an immediate constitutional amendment.

5. What did Roger Sherman argue regarding Madison’s proposed amendments?

• A) They should be listed at the end of the Constitution rather than inserted into the text.

• B) They should be completely rewritten by Congress.

• C) They should not be ratified because they weakened federal power.

• D) They should focus only on state rights.

6. When did the Bill of Rights officially become law?

• A) September 25, 1789

• B) July 4, 1790

• C) December 15, 1791

• D) March 4, 1789

7. How many of Madison’s originally proposed amendments were ratified as part of the Bill of Rights?

• A) 8

• B) 10

• C) 12

• D) 15

8. What was the primary purpose of the Bill of Rights when it was ratified in 1791?

• A) To expand the powers of the federal government

• B) To list the rights and freedoms of individual citizens

• C) To increase Congress’s power over the states

• D) To create a stronger military

9. Which amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures?

• C) Sixth Amendment

• A) First Amendment

• D) Tenth Amendment

• B) Fourth Amendment

10. What was a major limitation of the Bill of Rights when it was first ratified?

• A) It applied only to the federal government, not the states.

• B) It granted the Supreme Court power to strike down unconstitutional laws.

• C) It abolished slavery in all U.S. territories.

• D) It established term limits for the President.