AIR Review Constitution NAME Basic Principals of the U.S. Constitution Understanding the Constitution as the structure of the U.S. government and the Bill of Rights protecting citizen rights. Reconstruction Amendments 13-15 Progressive Amendments 16-19 Suffrage Amendments 15, 19, 24, and 26 Amendments impacting the President 12, 20, 22, 23, and 25 Unique Historical Amendments 11, 21, and 27 Circle the correct letter(s) 1. Which constitutional principle is identified with the concept of consent of the governed? A. rule of law B. popular sovereignty C. checks and balances D. separation of powers 2. Which situation brought about the adoption of the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? A. Electoral College voters values and interests did not match those of the general population. B. The Electoral College vote did not correspond to the popular vote in early presidential elections. C. A scandal in the Electoral College called into question the validity of the presidential election of 1796. D. The Electoral College did not have separate ballots for president and vice president, resulting in a tie in 1800. 3. Read the text from Section 1 of the 14th Amendment. Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Which statement describes one of the conditions this Reconstruction era amendment was designed to correct? A. Freed African-American men in the South were still being denied the right to vote. B. Freed African-American men continued to be denied their rights as American citizens in some states. C. Arguing that African-American men were not citizens, some southern states tried to reestablish slavery. D. African-American men in the former Confederacy were permanently denied rights under the Constitution. 4. The United States Constitution is a living document that changes over time as a result of amendments and Supreme Court decisions. How did the Constitution change as a result of the 26th Amendment? A. It protected the right of African-Americans to own property. B. It made 18 year old citizens eligible to vote in federal and state elections. C. It extended the right to vote to women in federal and state elections. D. It prohibited practices of racial segregation. 5. During the 1920s, the manufacture, sale, transportation, import, or export of alcoholic beverages was illegal across the United States. Why did it take the ratification of the 21 st Amendment to the Constitution in 1933 to make alcohol manufacture, sale, transportation, importation, or exportation legal again? A. The states each had conflicting versions of the law. B. The Supreme Court refused to rule on the federal law banning alcohol. C. Congressional representatives knew they would lose votes if they reversed the original federal law. D. Alcohol was banned by an amendment to the Constitution, and only another amendment could repeal it.
Page 2 6. What event brought about the adoption of the 25 th Amendment? A. President Woodrow Wilson became seriously ill while in office, leaving his ability to perform the duties of president uncertain. B. President John Kennedy was assassinated and was succeeded by Vice President Johnson, who had heart problems himself. C. When President Franklin Roosevelt died in office, he was succeeded by Vice President Truman, leaving the office of the vice president vacant. D. President Ronald Reagan was injured in an assassination attempt and was incapacitated for a day, leaving presidential leadership uncertain. 7. The 20 th Amendment, ratified in 1933, shortens the period between Election Day and the time when the president and members of Congress take office. What situation made the 20 th Amendment a practical improvement? A. The Electoral College needed more time to certify the results of the election. B. The public demanded more results from newly elected administrators and wanted the president and Congress to begin sooner. C. Better and faster transportation made the long delay between the election of a new president and the inauguration unnecessary. D. After the election, the outgoing president was eager to step down and hand over the heavy responsibility of the office to another leader. 8.. The 17 th Amendment established the direct election of U.S. Senators. Circle whether the group supported or opposed the ratification of the 17 th Amendment (2 points) Wealthy business leaders Supported Opposed State political party bosses Supported Opposed Members of the Populist Party Supported Opposed Critics of powerful state legislatures Supported Opposed 9. In the case Gibbons v. Ogden, the Supreme Court was asked to resolve a dispute over which part of government has the power to regulate navigation rights in rivers between states. The Court ruled that Congress had the power to regulate interstate commerce. (2 points) A. Circle the method that was used to determine that Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce. B. Circle the key principle of government that was involved. C. Circle the result for our system of government. A. Method Legislation, Amendment, Judicial Review, or Informal Practice B. Principle Separation of Powers, Popular Sovereignty, Federalism, Checks and Balances, and Limited Government C. Result Power of federal government limited, Power of Congress upheld, New check against judicial branch added, Rights of citizens increased, and State authority increased
Page 3 10. Match the Progressive Amendment with its Intended Reform. Draw a line form the amendment to the reform (2 points) 16 th Extending suffrage to women to make voting rights more equal 17 th Establish direct election of senators by the people to avoid corruption 18 th Banning the sale of alcoholic beverages to reduce societal problems 19 th Creating a federal income tax to address the need for revenue 11. The following question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B. (2 points) Part A After the end of the Civil War, which goal did the federal government hope to accomplish during Reconstruction? A. extending rights to southern women B. establish freedoms for former slaves C. ensuring political power for Southern Democrats D. guaranteeing southern white control over the social and economic condition of African-Americans Part B Select all of the ways the federal government attempted to accomplish the goal you selected in Part A. A. abolished slavery B. establishment of Jim Crow laws C. ratification of the 14 th Amendment D. ratification of the 19 th Amendment E. Guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote 12. Prior to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, Federalists, and Anti-Federalists argued over the basic principles and limits in the role of the government. The quotations shown reflect those arguments. Use your knowledge of Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists to identify which group held each of the positions shown. Circle the group. (1 point) In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself. Federalist Anti-Federalist I wish for nothing more than a good government and a constitution under which our liberties will be perfectly safe. To preserve which, I think the wisest conduct will be to keep the staff of power. In our hands as much as possible, and not give up a greater share of our liberties. Federalist Anti-Federalist
Page 4 13. Amendments to the U.S. Constitution have been made to extend voting rights to disenfranchised groups. Identify which group was extended rights by each amendment. Draw a line from the amendment to disenfranchised group. (2 points) 15 th Amendment, 1870 18 year olds 19 th Amendment, 1920 African Americans 26 th Amendment, 1971 Women 14. Two excerpts related to the debate over the ratification of the Constitution are shown. Excerpt A: In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself. Excerpt B: I wish for nothing more than a good government and a constitution under which our liberties will be perfectly safe. To preserve which, I think the wisest conduct will be to keep... power in our hands as much as possible, and not wantonly [recklessly] and inconsiderately give up a greater share of our liberties. Identify whether each excerpt was written by a Federalist or Anti-Federalist author. Then, explain the main argument of each. Write your answer in the space provided. (4 points) 15. Identify the perceived conflict of interest that led to the ratification of the 27 th Amendment. Write your answer in the space provided (1 point)
Page 5 16. Federalism is one of the basic principles established in the U.S. Constitution. Describes how government in the United States reflects a federal structure. Write your answer in the space provided (1 point) 17. Explain how the passage of the 19 th Amendment changed the U.S. Constitution to allow greater participation in government. Be sure to note a restriction on voting that the 19 th Amendment addressed. Then explain how the passage of the 26 th Amendment continued the change toward greater participation in government. Be sure to note a restriction on voting that the 26 th Amendment addressed. Write your answer in the space provided. (4 points) 18. Congress passed the 11th, 21st and 27th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution in response to unique circumstances that engaged the people, judges and lawmakers of their times. Identify the circumstance leading to the passage of two of these amendments. Write your answer in the space provided. (2 points)