U.S. Colonial and Early National Government: Chapter 2 Quiz

During the fight against British taxes, New England merchants formed an alliance with southern planters as they shared a common interest in opposing the oppressive taxation policies imposed by the British government.

The British attempted to raise revenue in the North American colonies by imposing taxes on commerce, such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts.

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first governing document in the United States, serving as the precursor to the U.S. Constitution. The Declaration of Independence announced the colonies' separation from Great Britain, The Constitution of the United States replaced the Articles of Confederation, and the Magna Carta was a foundational document in English constitutional history.

Under the Articles of Confederation, the power mainly resided with the states, leading to the execution of laws at that level.

The correct answer highlights a unique aspect that was not commonly cited as a reason for the weakness of the Articles of Confederation. The incorrect answers, on the other hand, are all commonly recognized as major shortcomings of the Articles, contributing to their overall weakness.

Shays's Rebellion was a significant event in 1786-1787 that highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation's government in dealing with uprisings and national crises. The other events mentioned were important in American history, but they did not directly lead to the realization of the need for a stronger central government as displayed by Shays's Rebellion.

During the Constitutional Convention, the draft constitution known as the Virginia Plan was introduced by Edmund Randolph.

The correct answer is Virginia because the proposal put forth by Virginia, known as the Virginia Plan, proposed a bicameral legislature where representation was based on the state's population and wealth. This contrasted with the New Jersey Plan, which proposed equal representation for all states, regardless of size or wealth.

The Three-Fifths Compromise was a key agreement reached at the constitutional convention regarding the issue of slavery and representation in the United States government.

The correct answer 'All of the above' includes the mechanisms of checks and balances, separation of powers, and federalism which were instituted in the congress to guard against excessive democracy.

The Supreme Court as understood by the founders was intended to be a court that held supreme authority over both national and state matters, as it is explicitly mentioned in the Constitution. The incorrect answers provided do not align with the original intent of the Supreme Court established by the founders.

Montesquieu's concept of a mixed regime involves a system where each branch of government has a unique constituency to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.

The anti-federalists were primarily concerned about the potential tyranny that could arise from a strong central government, hence their opposition to the formation of the Constitution.

Amending the constitution is intentionally a difficult process to ensure that changes are carefully considered and only made when absolutely necessary. It involves multiple steps and levels of approval to prevent hasty or ill-considered amendments.

The framers of the constitution prioritized individual liberty in order to protect the rights and freedoms of the people from government interference.