US Constitution Exemption Test (UGA)
Exam Questions With Revised Answers
Common Sense - answer✔✔Thomas Paine; pamphlet forcefully arguing for independence from
Great Britain
Social Contract - answer✔✔suggests that gov'ts are only legit if they are created by a voluntary
compact among the people
12; NY - answer✔✔____/13 states approved the Declaration of Independence→ _____
abstained
Articles of Confederation - answer✔✔The first constitution; specified the basic organization,
powers and limits of the government. Passed by the Second Continental Congress in 1777.
central government authority, interstate commerce, currency - answer✔✔Articles of
Confederation lacked ______ ____ ________, _______ _________, and ___________.
Constitutional Convention - answer✔✔55 delegates attended to draft the constitution in Philly;
framers were not common folk → they were wealthy men.
Virginia Plan - answer✔✔Proposed by the larger states; wanted gov't based on population in
states.
Proposed creation of a gov't with three branches—the legislative, executive, and judicial, a 2
house legislature, and a legislature with the power to select the executive and the judiciary.
New Jersey Plan - answer✔✔Proposed by the smaller states; wanted equal representation of
states.
Wanted to strengthen the Articles and not replace them, create a one-house legislature with one
vote for each state, and give Congress the power to raise revenue from duties on imports and
from postal service fees. Create a Supreme Court
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GREAT COMPROMISE (Connecticut Compromise) - answer✔✔SETTLED DISPUTES OVER
THE VIRGINIA AND NEW JERSEY PLANS; called for a lower legislative house based on
population size (House of Reps) and an upper house based on equal representation of the states
(Senate)
Separation of Powers - answer✔✔divides the power of government among the legislative,
executive, and judicial branches, each staffed separately, with equality and independence of each
branch ensured by the Constitution
Checks & Balances - answer✔✔constitutionally mandated structure that gives each of the three
branches of government some degree of oversight and control over the actions of the others
Federal System - answer✔✔system of government in which the national government and state
governments share power and derive all authority from the people
James Madison was a huge proponent of this
Legislative - answer✔✔Article I is about....
congress; house; senate - answer✔✔All legislative powers are given to _________, which is
made up of the _________ and the __________.
2 - answer✔✔Members of the House of Representatives are elected every ____ years
435 - answer✔✔How many members are in the House of Representatives?
1:30,000 - answer✔✔Number of Representativeness (in the House) cannot exceed __ for every
_________.
Writs of Election - answer✔✔Fill vacancies in the House of Representatives
25 - answer✔✔Members of the House must be at least ____ years old
7 - answer✔✔Members of the House must be ___ years a citizen
Tax & Tariff - answer✔✔What legislation starts in the House?
6 - answer✔✔How many years is the term for a member of the Senate?
2 - answer✔✔How many Senators in each state?
17th - answer✔✔Which amendment gave power to the people?
Originally, vacancies filled by legislature → but this amendment allows people in special
election
Continuing Body - answer✔✔⅓ of senate are up for election each 2 year period