United States Constitution Triva Quiz Questions With Answers
Internationally, the Articles of Confederation did little to enhance the United States' ability to do what?A: Defend its sovereignty.
Although the Treaty of Paris (1783) was signed between Great Britain and the U.S., and named each of the American states, various individual states did what?
A: Proceeded blithely to violate it.
New York and South Carolina repeatedly prosecuted Loyalists for wartime activity and did what?
A: Redistributed their lands over the protests of both Great Britain and the Confederation Congress.
State legislatures laid embargoes, negotiated directly with foreign authorities, raised armies, and made war, all doing what?
A: Violating the letter and the spirit of the Articles.
During the next Convention, who angrily questioned whether the Articles of Confederation was a binding compact or even a viable government?
A: James Madison.
Connecticut paid nothing and "positively refused" to pay U.S. assessments for how long?
A: Two years.
Congress was what?
A: Paralyzed.
It could do nothing significant without what?
A: Nine states and some legislation required all thirteen.
When a state produced only one member in attendance, its vote was what?
A: Not counted.
If a state's delegation were evenly divided, its vote could not be what?
A: Counted towards the nine-count requirement.
On February 21, 1787, the Confederation Congress called a convention of state delegates at Philadelphia to do what?
A: Propose a plan of government.
Unlike earlier attempts, the convention was not meant for new laws or piecemeal alterations, but for what?
A: For the "sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation".
The convention was not limited to commerce; rather, it was intended to do what?
A: Render the federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of government and the preservation of the Union.
The proposal might take effect when approved by what?
A: Congress and the states.
On the appointed day, May 14, 1787, only the Virginia and Pennsylvania delegations were present, and so the convention's opening meeting was what?
A: Postponed for lack of a quorum.
A quorum of seven states met and deliberations began on what date?
A: May 25
Neither the Convention which drafted the Constitution, nor the Congress which sent it to the thirteen states for ratification in the autumn of 1787, gave it what?
A: A lead caption.
To fill this void, the document was most often titled what?
A: "A frame of Government".
What did the “Frame of Government” consist of?
A: A preamble, seven articles and a signed closing endorsement.
The preamble to the Constitution serves as a what?
A: An introductory statement of the document's fundamental purposes and guiding principles.
It neither assigns powers to the federal government, nor does it what?
A: Place specific limitations on government action.
It sets out the origin, scope and purpose of the what?
A: Constitution.
Its origin and authority is in what?
A: "We, the people of the United States".
This echoes what document?
A: Declaration of Independence.