Summative Assessment Building the Nation

Standards 8.28 8.37

Name
Class

1. How did the ideas in Thomas Jeffersons Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom represent NEW ideas about
government?
a.
Thomas Jefferson felt that the government had no right to control religious choice.
b.
Thomas Jefferson felt that state governments should create official churches.
c.
Thomas Jefferson felt that the national government should determine the religions that could be practiced.
d.
Thomas Jefferson felt that all American citizens should practice the same religion.
2. What was the significance of the changes that the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 made to slavery?
a.
It empowered slaves by granting them the basic right of a public education in the territories.
b.
It illustrated the fact that members of Congress were strong advocates of slavery in territories.
c.
It settled all future disputes over slavery in the territories of the United States.
d.
It established a standard against the practice of slavery in future territories of the United States.

3. According to the map to the left:

a. The NW Territory was bordered by the
Mississippi River and the Chattahoochee
b. All Great Lakes were included as part of the
NW Territory
c. The NW Territory was bordered by the
Mississippi and the Ohio River
d. Indians inhabited this Territory

4. Which of the following was a strength of the Constitution?

a.
States held most of the power.
b. It established three branches of government.
c.
It removed the system of checks and balances.
d. It provided equal treatment for African Americans.
5. The following documents influenced the creation of the Articles of Confederation except
a.
The Declaration of Independence
b. The Magna Carta
c.
various state constitutions
d. The Bill of Rights
6. The term suffrage refers to
a.
hardships caused by a poor economy.
b. religious freedom.
c.
voting rights.
d. the rights of prisoners.

Summative Assessment Building the Nation

Standards 8.28 8.37

Name
Class

7. What characteristic of most state constitutions strongly influenced the ideas behind the American government?
a.
the laws that protected freedom of religion
b. the laws that protected the rights of government leaders
c.
the inclusion of a clause banning slavery
d. the creation of governments with limited power
8. Which of the following was not a characteristic of the Articles of Confederation?
a.
one branch of government
b. strong central government
c.
no checks and balances
d. majority of power held by states
9. What caused farmers to revolt in Shayss Rebellion?
a.
Their farms were being foreclosed by creditors.
b.
They were unhappy about new taxes on grain.
c.
They wanted to buy land in the NW territory.
d.
They were furious that George Washington was elected.
10.What was the significance of Shayss Rebellion?
a.
It showed Americans that defiance would never lead to change in the government.
b.
It marked the beginning of legislation to improve the rights of soldiers.
c.
It showed Americans the weaknesses of the Confederation government.
d.
It marked the beginning of a period of civil unrest in the United States.
11.Why did the Articles of Confederation make it hard for Congress to protect its land or citizens against foreign threats?
a.
The Articles made the national government too strong and did not allow the states to contribute soldiers.
b. The Articles gave sole power to army leaders to make decisions about relations with foreign countries.
c.
There was no longer a national army and Congress was not allowed to force states to provide soldiers for an army.
d. There were no laws about protecting the country against foreign threats so there was little that Congress could do.
12.Which of these best summarizes the trade relationship between Britain and America in the late 1700s?
a. Britain placed a high tariff on imports and exports, which forced Americans to pay a higher price for goods.
b. Britain allowed American ships to continue trading with the British West Indies, which boosted Americas economy.
c. Britain opened many of its ports to American ships, which allowed Americans to increase trade with other nations.
d. Britain refused to participate in trade with America, which severely affected the American economy.
13.In 1784 Spain closed which important trade route to the U.S. that was used to send goods to eastern markets?
a.
the Chesapeake Bay
c.
the Gulf of Mexico
b.
the lower Mississippi River
d. the upper Missouri River
14.What change to the structure of government did the Virginia Plan suggest?
a.
creating a bicameral, or two-house, legislature in which states would get representatives based on population.
b.
creating a unicameral, or one house, legislature in which each state would have equal representatives.
c.
giving both large and small states equal power in the government process
d.
creating a presidential office where the leader would have sole control of the nation
15.How did the Great Compromise resolve the debate over state representation in Congress (the Legislative Branch)?
a.
It created a bicameral legislature
b.
It created a unicameral legislature
c.
It created checks and balances
d.
It created separation of powers

Summative Assessment Building the Nation

Standards 8.28 8.37

Name
Class

16.How did the delegates resolve the debate over how slaves should factor into representation in government?
a.
They decided that each individual slave should count as one person
b.
They decided that slaves were not citizens and should not be counted
c.
They decided that every ten slaves to be counted as one person.
d.
They decided that each individual slave to be counted as three-fifths of a person.
17. What is federalism?
a.
a system of government in which the central government has all the powers of government
b.
a system of government that keeps each branch of government from having too much power
c.
a system of government in which powers of government are shared between the national and state governments
d.
a system of government in which the state governments have all the powers of government
18. Under the Constitution, only the national (Federal) government of the U.S. has the power to
a.
establish foreign policy.
c.
create marriage laws.
b.
collect taxes.
d. establish local governments.
19. Both the national (Federal) and state governments share the power to
a.
establish post offices.
c.
declare war.
b.
print money.
d. establish courts.
20. Which of the following is a power reserved only to the states?
a.
to establish and maintain schools
c.
to regulate foreign trade
b.
to borrow money
d. to declare war
21.Why did the framers of the Constitution create a system of checks and balances?
a.
to increase the powers held by each branch of government
b.
to keep any one branch of government from becoming too powerful
c.
to give the people an opportunity to overthrow the government
d.
to ensure that the judicial branch remained in control at all times.
22.What problem did Anti-Federalists have with the Constitution?
a.
They felt that the central government had been given too much power.
b.
They felt that too many rights were guaranteed to individual citizens.
c.
They felt that merchants were not provided with enough protection.
d.
They felt that the nation should return to British rule
23. How did the Federalist Papers try to convince Americans that the Constitution would create a good government?
a.
by saying that the government would be more like Great Britains
b.
by saying that the government would not overpower the states
c.
by saying that the government would one day abolish slavery
d.
by saying that the government would protect the rights of Native Americans.
24. How did the Bill of Rights use the ideas introduced in the Declaration of Independence?
a.
It included a statement against slavery.
b
It had the same ten rights that Thomas Jefferson put in the Declaration of Independence.
c.
It quoted from both John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu.
d.
It ensured the protection of individual rights so that the abuses listed in the Declaration of Independence would be illegal.

Summative Assessment Building the Nation

Standards 8.28 8.37

Name
Class

25.When was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?

a.
1791: when it was finally ratified by the states.
b.
1776: when the Declaration of Independence was written.
c.
1783: after the Treaty of Paris.
d.
1787: during the writing of the Constitution.
26. Also called the elastic clause, the necessary and proper clause in the constitution:
a.
states that any powers not given to the federal government belong to the people.
b.
indicates that a national government should regulate interstate and foreign trade.
c.
states that the legislative branch can make additional laws to carry out the functions of government.
d.
upholds the notion that federal law has the authority to override state law.
27.What is the doctrine of separation of powers?
a.
It relates to the principle of checks and balances, which supports the unlimited power of the government.
b.
It divides the powers of government so that no one branch can pose a threat to popular rights.
c.
It means that each branch of government can boost the power and responsibilities of the other branches.
d.
It is intended to enable the federal government to declare war with the combined approval of all three
branches.
28.What proportion of both houses of Congress must vote in favor of a bill in order to override a presidents veto?
a.
one-third
c.
two-thirds
b.
one-half
d.
three-quarters
29.What is the function of Congress in the federal government?
a.
Congress is the head of the judicial branch, which enforces the nations laws.
b.
Congress is the legislative branch, which makes the nations laws.
c.
The judicial branch is led by Congress, which interprets the nations laws.
d.
The executive branch is led by Congress, which vetoes the nations laws.
30. If a President is impeached by the House of Representatives, the impeachment trial will be held
a.
in the Supreme Court.
c. in the Senate.
b.
in the House of Representatives.
d. in the cabinet.
31. What does the fact that the Constitution allows for the removal of a president from office show about American
government?
a.
It is based on the rule of law.
b.
It is based on a notion of naturalization.
c.
It is a feudal republic.
d.
It is a confederacy.
32. Article I, section 8 of the Constitution states that Congress will have the power to constitute tribunals inferior to the
Supreme Court This is an example of:
a. Checks and balances
c. the Supremacy Clause
b. Federalism
d. a declaration of war
33. Article II of the Constitution sets up the:
a. Legislative branch
b. Executive branch

c. Judicial branch
d. Supreme Court

Summative Assessment Building the Nation

Standards 8.28 8.37

Name
Class

34. This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties
made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the
land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any state
to the contrary notwithstanding. Article VI, Clause 2 of the Constitution
This part of the Constitution, known as the Supremacy Clause, states that:
a. Laws passed by Congress are not enforceable in the states.
b. The executive branch is superior to the legislative branch.
c. Laws passed by Congress are superior to state laws.
d. Laws passed by the states are superior to federal (national) laws.

35. In order to qualify to become a naturalized citizen of the United States, a person must:
a. be at least 18 years old.
b. pass a citizenship test.
c. take an oath of allegiance.
d. all of the above.

Grading Rubric
Number
Missed
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17 - 25

Percentage
97
94
91
89
86
83
80
77
74
71
68
65
62
59
56
53
50

Summative Assessment Building the Nation

Standards 8.28 8.37

Name
Class