Question 1

Which of the following is NOT considered a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

Accepted Answer

The creation of a nationwide postal service is actually considered a strength, as it helped to facilitate communication and commerce between the states.

Question 2

Prior to creation of our current constitutional structure in the 1770s, the 13 colonial governments

Accepted Answer

The colonial governments were modeled largely on the government of Great Britain, which included an elected House of Commons. However, the governors of the colonies were appointed by the British Crown and were not elected. The colonies were not recognized as independent, sovereign entities by other world powers, and were not completely subordinate to a central government. The colonies, of course, did exist prior to the creation of the United States.

Question 3

Under the Articles of Confederation the number of votes for each state in the Continental Congress was determined by

Accepted Answer

Under the Articles of Confederation, each state had one vote in Congress regardless of their population size or tax contributions. This was done to ensure that smaller states had an equal say in the decisions made by the national government.

Question 4

The Tea Act (1773) was passed

Accepted Answer

The Tea Act of 1773 was passed primarily to help the British East India Company to address its financial troubles by providing tea to the American colonies without going through the usual trade channels. The act allowed the company to undersell American merchants on tea exports, lowering the price of tea but also giving the company an unfair advantage over local businesses. This move was not intended to raise revenue or promote certain products, but to benefit the British East India Company.

Question 5

Which of the following was NOT part of the colonial government?

Accepted Answer

The colonial archbishop was not a part of the colonial government. The other options were all part of the colonial government - the royal governors were appointed by the British crown to govern the colonies, the governor's council was a group of advisors to the governor, and the colonial general assembly was the legislative body in most of the colonies.

Question 6

The Declaratory Act

Accepted Answer

The Declaratory Act, passed in 1766, declared that the British Parliament had absolute authority over the colonies and could legislate on any matter it chose. This meant that the king and Parliament, rather than the colonists themselves, had final say over the laws and policies that governed the colonies. Option A is incorrect because the Declaratory Act did not focus on religion. Option C is also incorrect because the Declaratory Act did not prohibit the king from being a Roman Catholic or any other religion. Option D is incorrect because only choice B is true.

Question 7

The wording the Declaration of Independence drew heavily upon John Locke's theories of

Accepted Answer

The Declaration of Independence heavily relied on John Locke's theories of natural rights, such as life, liberty, and property, and social contract, which states that government must protect these rights and that people have the right to revolt against a government that fails to do so.

Question 8

Following organized opposition to the Stamp Act of 1765 England's parliament repealed the act but immediately enacted the Declaratory Act, which

Accepted Answer

The Declaratory Act stated that the British Parliament had "full power and authority" to make laws and regulations binding on the American colonies "in all cases whatsoever." It was a way for the British government to reassert its authority over the colonies after the repeal of the Stamp Act, and it set the stage for further conflicts between the colonies and Britain.

Question 9

Unlike our current constitution, the Articles of Confederation could be amended

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation required unanimous consent of all 13 states to be amended, making it difficult to make any significant changes to the document.

Question 10

Thomas Paine is credited with irrevocably turning the tide of popular support toward the cause of American independence with publication of his 1776 booklet entitled

Accepted Answer

Thomas Paine's 1776 booklet entitled "Common Sense" is widely considered a pivotal document in the American Revolution, as it urged American colonists to declare independence from Great Britain and helped to rally widespread support for the cause.

Question 11

The Declaration of Independence lists examples of "inalienable rights" as

Accepted Answer

The Declaration of Independence explicitly lists "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as inalienable rights, while options A, C, and E are not mentioned. Option B is partially correct as it includes "life," but it does not include the other two rights explicitly listed in the Declaration.

Question 12

Until the mid-1700s the 13 colonies often had diverse histories and economies, which provided

Accepted Answer

The statement suggests that the diverse histories and economies of the 13 colonies did not provide a strong incentive for them to join together to meet shared goals. Therefore, option D is the correct answer. The other options are not supported by the statement.

Question 13

John Locke argued in his theory of social contract that

Accepted Answer

John Locke argued that in a social contract, citizens sacrifice certain rights and consent to be governed, but they retain other inalienable rights. In other words, the government has the responsibility to protect the citizens' natural rights, and these rights cannot be taken away by the government. This idea was influential in the development of modern democratic societies, including the United States, where the concept of individual rights is enshrined in the Constitution. The other answer choices do not accurately reflect Locke's theory.

Question 14

On behalf of the Continental Congress, the actual wording of the Declaration of Independence was written by

Accepted Answer

Thomas Jefferson was appointed by the Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence. He consulted with other members of the committee, such as John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, but ultimately wrote the majority of the document himself.

Question 15

The treaty that ended the French and Indian War was

Accepted Answer

The Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years' War) in 1763, with Britain emerging as the dominant colonial power in North America.

Question 16

The Sugar Act of 1764 placed tariffs and duties on goods imported into the colonies by England. However, its political significance was that

Accepted Answer

The Sugar Act of 1764 was the first law passed by Parliament for the purpose of raising money for England at the expense of the colonies, which opened the debate by the colonists of taxation without representation. This was a significant political issue that would lead to further acts and eventually the American Revolution.

Question 17

Under the Articles of Confederation, the office of a chief executive as president of the United States

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation did not establish a chief executive or president of the United States.

Question 18

In the years immediately preceding the American Revolution and the creation of our Constitution, the king and the Parliament of England

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the years immediately preceding the American...

Question 19

The Stamp Act required

Accepted Answer

The Stamp Act of 1765 imposed a tax on all paper documents in the American colonies, including newspapers, pamphlets, commercial and legal documents, and almanacs.

Question 20

Following France's defeat in the French and Indian War, the Treaty of Paris in 1763 settled the dispute by

Accepted Answer

The Treaty of Paris in 1763 awarded to England all of the territories between the Arctic Circle and the Gulf of Mexico.

Quiz 2: The Founding and the Constitution