Welcome to this practice test on “The Constitutional Convention.” This test is designed to help AP American History students like you deepen your understanding of the events, figures, and key issues surrounding the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Each question is followed by four choices. Choose the best answer for each question, and check your responses against the answer key provided at the end of the test. Good luck!
- Which city hosted the Constitutional Convention in 1787?
A. New York City
B. Philadelphia
C. Boston
D. Washington D.C. - Who was elected president of the Constitutional Convention?
A. Thomas Jefferson
B. George Washington
C. James Madison
D. Alexander Hamilton - The ‘Great Compromise’ was primarily concerned with what issue?
A. Slavery
B. Representation in Congress
C. Presidential elections
D. Trade regulations - Which plan proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on population?
A. New Jersey Plan
B. Virginia Plan
C. Connecticut Plan
D. Hamilton Plan - What was the primary purpose of the Constitutional Convention?
A. To declare independence from Britain
B. To amend the Articles of Confederation
C. To draft a new constitution
D. To address trade disputes among states - The ‘Three-Fifths Compromise’ was a solution to what issue?
A. Taxation
B. Representation and taxation of slaves
C. Presidential term limits
D. State boundaries - Who is known as the ‘Father of the Constitution’?
A. Benjamin Franklin
B. George Washington
C. James Madison
D. Alexander Hamilton - Which state was the first to ratify the Constitution?
A. Virginia
B. Delaware
C. Pennsylvania
D. New York - The debate during the Constitutional Convention between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists was primarily about what?
A. The extent of states’ rights
B. The balance of power between federal and state governments
C. The abolition of slavery
D. The election process of the President - What issue did the ‘Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise’ address?
A. Regulation of interstate commerce
B. Taxation of imports and exports
C. Congress’s inability to ban the slave trade before 1808
D. The return of runaway slaves - How many states were required to ratify the Constitution for it to become effective?
A. 7
B. 9
C. 13
D. All of them - Which of the following was NOT a weakness of the Articles of Confederation addressed at the Constitutional Convention?
A. Lack of a strong central government
B. The inability to levy taxes
C. The absence of a national currency
D. The prohibition of slavery - Which delegate proposed the New Jersey Plan?
A. William Paterson
B. Benjamin Franklin
C. James Wilson
D. Roger Sherman - The Virginia Plan was primarily drafted by which individual?
A. George Washington
B. James Madison
C. Alexander Hamilton
D. Thomas Jefferson - Which issue did the Connecticut Compromise resolve?
A. Taxation methods
B. Presidential elections
C. Representation in Congress
D. Interstate commerce - How did the Constitution address the issue of the executive branch, which was absent in the Articles of Confederation?
A. By creating a single president
B. By establishing a council of leaders
C. By allowing the legislature to appoint leaders
D. By giving states the power to select leaders - What was a major argument of the Anti-Federalists against the proposed Constitution?
A. It gave too much power to the states
B. It did not include a bill of rights
C. It abolished slavery
D. It established a monarchy - Which principle is NOT reflected in the Constitution as drafted at the Convention?
A. Federalism
B. Checks and balances
C. Direct democracy
D. Separation of powers - **Who authored the majority of the Federalist Papers, advocating for the ratification of the Constitution?**
A. John Jay
B. Alexander Hamilton
C. James Madison
D. Thomas Jefferson - Which document did the Constitution replace as the governing document of the United States?
A. The Declaration of Independence
B. The Articles of Confederation
C. The Magna Carta
D. The Mayflower Compact - What was the primary role of James Madison at the Convention?
A. He served as president of the Convention
B. He took detailed notes and drafted much of the Constitution
C. He led the debate against the Federalists
D. He represented the interests of the small states - Which state’s compromise proposal included a bicameral legislature with equal representation in one house and proportional representation in the other?
A. Connecticut
B. Virginia
C. New Jersey
D. Massachusetts - The Constitutional Convention took place in which year?
A. 1776
B. 1781
C. 1787
D. 1791 - Which group generally supported a stronger national government and advocated for the ratification of the Constitution?
A. Anti-Federalists
B. Federalists
C. Democratic-Republicans
D. Whigs - Who kept detailed notes during the Constitutional Convention that provide much of what is known about the proceedings?
A. George Washington
B. Benjamin Franklin
C. James Madison
D. Alexander Hamilton
Answer Key:
- B. Philadelphia
- B. George Washington
- B. Representation in Congress
- B. Virginia Plan
- C. To draft a new constitution
- B. Representation and taxation of slaves
- C. James Madison
- B. Delaware
- B. The balance of power between federal and state governments
- C. Congress’s inability to ban the slave trade before 1808
- B. 9
- D. The prohibition of slavery
- A. William Paterson
- B. James Madison
- C. Representation in Congress
- A. By creating a single president
- B. It did not include a bill of rights
- C. Direct democracy
- B. Alexander Hamilton
- B. The Articles of Confederation
- B. He took detailed notes and drafted much of the Constitution
- A. Connecticut
- C. 1787
- B. Federalists
- C. James Madison
Make sure to study Lesson 6 – The Constitutional Convention before our in-class exam.