Multiple Choice
Identify the
choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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 Introduction
In its original form, the U.S. Constitution contained only about five
thousand words. Today, even after the addition of twenty-seven amendments, it contains only about
seven thousand words. Compared with virtually all state constitutions and with the constitutions of
other nations, the U.S. Constitution is brief and to the point. The founders of this nation did not
attempt to spell out in detail exactly how the government should operate. Rather, they gave us a
general framework for governing the nation. The Constitution has endured for more than two hundred
years, and it has been copied in one form or another by numerous nations. In the words of Henry Clay
(1777-1852), a nineteenth-century U.S. senator:
The Constitution ... was made not merely for the
generation that then existed, but for posterity-unlimited, undefined, endless, perpetual
posterity.
Clay recognized, along with others, that the framers of the Constitution knew
that this nation would constantly change. So they made the document general enough for each of the
many generations that would follow to interpret it according to the needs and values of the times.
This is why our Constitution is often called a living, breathing document, created by people with a
vision. The Constitution consists of three major parts: a preamble, seven articles, and twenty-seven
amendments.
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1.
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The U.S. Constitution
is
a. | wordy | c. | precise and to the point | b. | rambling and theoretical | d. | abstract |
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2.
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The passage above suggests that
the Constitution has lasted a long time because it is....
a. | fixed and
unchanging | c. | easy to
read | b. | flexible | d. | old |
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3.
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Henry Clay believed the
Constitution was written for
a. | the people of yesterday and
today | c. | the future rather than the
past | b. | the original thirteen colonies | d. | the youth of the world |
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Preamble
A preamble is an introductory statement. Such a
statement at the beginning of a document generally explains the reasons and intentions behind what
follows it. Hence, the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution sets forth the general purposes of American
government.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union,
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, do ordain and establish
this Constitution for the United States of America.
The Preamble lists the major goals
for which American government should strive. Rather than being law itself, as is the rest of the
Constitution, it explains what the founders hoped the new government would accomplish. It shows that
they wanted our government to provide law, order, and stability for this new country. They also
wanted the government to serve the citizens while at the same time ensuring the liberty of each
individual.
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4.
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What is the purpose of the
preamble to the constitution?
a. | shows the purpose of the
constitution | c. | is a declaration
of war | b. | shows the complaints against the king of
England | d. | all of these |
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5.
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For whom did the constitution
secure the Blessings of Liberty
a. | The Founding
Fathers | c. | The colonial
people and their future families | b. | The people of the world | d. | all of these |
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The Articles
There are seven articles in the
Constitution, identified by the Roman numerals I through VII. The first three articles establish
the structure and explain the functions of the three branches of government: the legislative, the
executive, and the judicial.
Article I outlines the
legislative powers given to
Congress and describes how laws should be made.
Article II, in a similar manner, tells how the executive
branch-the presidency-is empowered to carry out the laws passed by Congress. It also tells how
the president is elected. Article III establishes the judicial branch of the federal government.
Article III states that there shall be one Supreme Court and gives Congress the
power to create lower courts. It also defines what kinds of cases the courts can hear.
The
relations among states are outlined in Article IV, which describes how state
governments and the federal government are linked together.
The amendment process, or
how to change the Constitution, is described in Article V
Article VI makes the
Constitution, laws passed by Congress, and treaties of the United States the "supreme law of
the land." This part of Article VI is called the supremacy clause. The supremacy clause
means that all U.S. citizens, as well as state and local governments, grant ultimate authority to
federal laws, treaties, and the Constitution.
Finally, Article VII indicates that the
Constitution was to go into effect after nine states ratified it.
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6.
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How many articles are there in
the constitution?
a. | three | c. | seven | b. | six | d. | twenty seven |
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7.
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Which article explains how the
Supreme Court will be organized?
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8.
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Which article explains the
power of the presidency?
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9.
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Which article says the laws
will be made by congress?
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10.
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Which article makes the
Constitution superior to the states and state constitutions.
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11.
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The Constitution establishes
the Supreme Court but leaves the formation of the lower U.S. Courts to the
states
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12.
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What branch of government is
responsible for carrying out the laws passed by Congress?
a. | legislative | c. | judicial | b. | executive | d. | senate |
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13.
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California wants to require
trucks from Mexico to have smog certificates. The U.S. government says that California has no power
to make such a requirement. Which article of the Constitution applies here?
a. | article
I | c. | article
IV | b. | article
II | d. | article VI |
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14.
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In the 1970’s the Equal
Rights Amendment for Women was proposed by Congress but failed to get the required number of states
to ratify the proposed change to the Constitution. What Article is involved
here?
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Amendments (changes to the
constitution.)
The third
part of the Constitution consists of twenty-seven amendments-formal changes to the basic document.
The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were added in 1791. The remaining seventeen
amendments have been added since then. The last one, the Twenty-seventh Amendment, was added in 1992.
Later in this chapter, we examine the amendments in more detail, as well as how the amendment process
actually works. First though, we look at the major principles of government embodied in the U.S.
Constitution.
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15.
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What are the first ten
amendments to the Constitution called?
a. | the Colonial
Amendments | c. | the Bill of
Rights | b. | the Bill of Particulars | d. | the 4 Freedoms |
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16.
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How many amendments have been
made to the Constitution since it was written?
a. | ten | c. | twenty seven | b. | twenty four | d. | seven |
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17.
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The Constitution is divided
into three parts. Which item below is Not one of the parts.
a. | Articles | c. | Declaration of War | b. | Preamble | d. | Amendments |
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18.
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The Constitution outlines three
branches of government. Which below is not one of the branches.
a. | legislative | c. | judicial | b. | executive | d. | states |
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Matching
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a. | checks and
balances | e. | Senate | b. | elastic clause | f. | Preamble | c. | enumerated powers | g. | implied powers | d. | Congress | h. | House of Representatives |
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19.
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Lower house of the national
legislature. Based on population of states
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20.
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Provisions of the Constitution
that keep one branch of the government from controlling the other two branches
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21.
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Introduction to the
Constitution
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22.
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Clause in the constitution
that allows Congress to pass laws necessary to carry out its enumerated powers.
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23.
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Powers specifically granted in
the Constitution
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24.
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National
Legislature
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25.
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Upper house of the national
legislature. Every state gets two members
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26.
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Powers not specifically stated
in the Constitution
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