Introductory Quiz This “Introductory Quiz” will help you gauge your knowledge of the four organic laws of the United States as well as major events in constitutional history. Each week’s quiz is tied closely to the lecture and readings. To take the quiz, simply choose the answer you think is correct for each question. When you are finished, click the “Score Quiz” button at the bottom of the page. You may take the quiz as many times as you like. Simply press “Reset Quiz” to start over. These scores are not recorded. The weekly quiz is for your own use to evaluate your comprehension of the lecture and readings. Which document announced the formation of the United States of America? The Declaration of Independence The Articles of Confederation The Northwest Ordinance The Constitution of the United States True/False: It is difficult if not impossible to combine the principle of equality with the founding of America. True False “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” states the Declaration of Independence, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are _________________…” Security, Liberty, and Autonomy Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Life, Liberty, and Property Security, Dignity, and Individuality The Declaration of Independence describes English bureaucrats as: A plague Tax collectors Hypocrites A swarm of Officers According to the Declaration of Independence, “Governments are instituted among men, and derive their just powers from______.” The consent of the governed The general will The legislative process The rights of nature What was one of the problems faced by the United States under the Articles of Confederation? Different money in each state A weak central government States making alliances with foreign nations All of the above The Northwest Ordinance states that “________________” are “necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind.” Religion, morality, and knowledge Economic security and equality A multiplicity of factions None of the above “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a ___________, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…” Perfect union More perfect Union Confederation League of states Which branch of government has the power to make laws? The Executive The Judiciary The Legislative None of the above Who determines the meaning of the Constitution? Congress The President The Supreme Court No one branch has the final say _________ is the division of power between the federal government and the states, wherein the federal government is limited to the powers enumerated in the Constitution. Checks and balances Representation Federalism Separation of powers James Madison writes in the Federalist that “Government is the greatest of all reflections on ____________”, hence the need for separation of powers. Science Human will Human achievement Human nature According to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed or elective,” is _________. Nature Liberty Tyranny Security What is the primary purpose of American government? Securing economic rights Protecting individual rights Perfecting the union Achieving progress What did John C. Calhoun and other similarly-minded thinkers and politicians in the early-to-mid 1800s hold about the institution of slavery? That it should expand That it was a positive good for both slaves and masters That the Declaration of Independence did not apply to everyone All of the above The Kansas-Nebraska Act, the brainchild of Stephen Douglas, had at its core the doctrine of “popular sovereignty.” According to Abraham Lincoln, what was wrong with this doctrine? In putting slavery’s morality and legality to a popular vote, it suggested that people have a right to do wrong. The people, in fact, are not sovereign. Consent of the governed is not the cornerstone of our regime. None of the above The Republican Party was founded in 1854 mainly in opposition to what? Tariffs Slavery The Mexican-American War Alcohol abuse Abraham Lincoln called the Constitution the “frame of silver” framed around an “apple of gold.” What is the “apple of gold”? The Declaration of Independence The Northwest Ordinance The Articles of Confederation The Bill of Rights The ruling institutions, or form of government, combined with the rulers and the way of life of a people, refers to what? Regime Republic Democracy Tyranny Which of the following is not a branch of government outlined in the Constitution? The Legislative The Executive The Judiciary Administrative Bureaucracy Progressivism developed in the late nineteenth century in opposition to the American founding. What do Progressives hold? Human nature can be changed and improved. The separation of powers impedes real progress. Experts should guide governmental action. All of the above True/False: The early Progressives tried to keep their criticisms of the Declaration and Constitution hidden. True False True/False: Progressives advocated for a separation of politics from the necessary functions of government, which they called “administration.” True False In 1944, Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a new set of rights in addition to the old Bill of Rights. Calling his proposal a “second Bill of Rights,” he said that these new guarantees by government amounted to what? liberty security equality change Calvin Coolidge and Ronald Reagan, twentieth century presidents who were critical of Progressivism, argued that rights come from: Government The Constitution God State compacts