FCLEPractice

Topic 14 · Competency 3: Founding Documents

The Constitution and Bill of Rights as Founding Documents: Practice Questions

53 practice questions on the Constitution and Bill of Rights as documents, and a timeline of the founding era. Answers are hidden until you click "Show answer."

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Original practice questions written to the FCLE competencies, not actual exam items.

The U.S. Constitution as a Founding Document (23)

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  1. Which founding-era or earlier document was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another?

    1. Articles of Confederation
    2. English Bill of Rights
    3. Common Sense
    4. U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    D. U.S. Constitution: The U.S. Constitution was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another.

  2. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. English Bill of Rights
    2. Magna Carta
    3. Articles of Confederation
    4. U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    D. U.S. Constitution: This excerpt is from the U.S. Constitution.

  3. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof... shall be the supreme Law of the Land."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Declaration of Independence
    2. English Bill of Rights
    3. U.S. Constitution
    4. Articles of Confederation
    Show answer

    C. U.S. Constitution: This excerpt is from the U.S. Constitution.

  4. Government by the people and the separation of powers are the main principles of which founding document?

    1. U.S. Constitution
    2. Bill of Rights
    3. Mayflower Compact
    4. Northwest Ordinances
    Show answer

    A. U.S. Constitution: The Constitution establishes three branches under popular authority.

  5. Which statement accurately describes the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It was amendable only with the consent of all thirteen states.
    2. It was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another.
    3. It was an early example of colonial self-government by agreement of the governed.
    4. It was the first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781.
    Show answer

    B. It was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another.: The U.S. Constitution was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another.

  6. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Brutus No. 1
    2. Articles of Confederation
    3. Land Ordinance of 1785
    4. U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    D. U.S. Constitution: This excerpt is from the U.S. Constitution.

  7. Which person is considered the principal author or 'Father' of the U.S. Constitution?

    1. Richard Henry Lee
    2. Benjamin Franklin
    3. James Madison
    4. Thomas Jefferson
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    C. James Madison: Madison drafted the Virginia Plan and took detailed notes.

  8. Which statement accurately describes the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It was an early example of colonial self-government by agreement of the governed.
    2. It was written at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 and ratified in 1788.
    3. It was written in 1620 by Pilgrims before they landed at Plymouth.
    4. It was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.
    Show answer

    B. It was written at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 and ratified in 1788.: The U.S. Constitution was written at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 and ratified in 1788.

  9. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Articles of Confederation
    2. Northwest Ordinance
    3. U.S. Constitution
    4. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    Show answer

    C. U.S. Constitution: This excerpt is from the U.S. Constitution.

  10. Which founding-era or earlier document was written at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 and ratified in 1788?

    1. U.S. Constitution
    2. English Bill of Rights
    3. Land Ordinance of 1785
    4. Declaration of Independence
    Show answer

    A. U.S. Constitution: The U.S. Constitution was written at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 and ratified in 1788.

  11. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    2. Common Sense
    3. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    4. U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    D. U.S. Constitution: This excerpt is from the U.S. Constitution.

  12. How many articles are in the original Constitution?

    1. Ten
    2. Seven
    3. Thirteen
    4. Twenty-seven
    Show answer

    B. Seven: Articles I–III create the branches; IV covers the states; V amendments; VI supremacy and debts; VII ratification.

  13. Where are the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights displayed?

    1. Independence Hall in Philadelphia
    2. The Library of Congress in New York
    3. The National Archives in Washington, D.C.
    4. The Smithsonian in Boston
    Show answer

    C. The National Archives in Washington, D.C.: They are displayed in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.

  14. When did the government under the Constitution begin operating?

    1. 1776
    2. 1789
    3. 1781
    4. 1791
    Show answer

    B. 1789: The First Congress met in March 1789, and George Washington was inaugurated April 30, 1789.

  15. Why did the Framers place the legislative branch in Article I?

    1. Congress was the weakest branch.
    2. The president wrote Article I.
    3. It was required by the Articles of Confederation.
    4. They viewed the legislature, representing the people, as the most important branch.
    Show answer

    D. They viewed the legislature, representing the people, as the most important branch.: The order of the articles reflects the importance of representation.

  16. Which statement about the U.S. Constitution is accurate?

    1. It has never been amended.
    2. It was written in 1776.
    3. It is the oldest written national constitution still in use.
    4. It was signed by all 13 governors.
    Show answer

    C. It is the oldest written national constitution still in use.: The Massachusetts Constitution (1780) is older but is a state constitution.

  17. The original Constitution avoided the word "slavery," referring instead to

    1. "citizens of the second class."
    2. "inhabitants not taxed."
    3. "Person held to Service or Labour."
    4. "laborers."
    Show answer

    C. "Person held to Service or Labour.": The Fugitive Slave Clause (Article IV) and Three-Fifths Clause used indirect language.

  18. The Constitution's signature date is September 17, 1787. Its ratification took effect in

    1. June 1788.
    2. July 1776.
    3. March 1781.
    4. December 1791.
    Show answer

    A. June 1788.: New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify on June 21, 1788.

  19. The Constitution was signed at the Constitutional Convention on

    1. July 4, 1776
    2. September 17, 1787
    3. March 4, 1789
    4. December 15, 1791
    Show answer

    B. September 17, 1787: Delegates signed on September 17, 1787, now Constitution Day.

  20. The Constitution went into effect after ratification by how many states?

    1. Seven
    2. Nine
    3. Thirteen
    4. Eleven
    Show answer

    B. Nine: Article VII required nine states; New Hampshire became the ninth in June 1788.

  21. Which document replaced the Articles of Confederation as the framework for the national government?

    1. The Declaration of Independence
    2. The Northwest Ordinance
    3. The U.S. Constitution
    4. The Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    C. The U.S. Constitution: The Constitution took effect in 1788–1789, replacing the Articles.

  22. The opening words "We the People" reflect which principle?

    1. Federalism
    2. Judicial review
    3. Separation of powers
    4. Popular sovereignty
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    D. Popular sovereignty: The Preamble roots the government's authority in the people.

  23. "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union..." This passage comes from which document?
    1. The Virginia Declaration of Rights
    2. Magna Carta
    3. The U.S. Constitution
    4. The Declaration of Independence
    Show answer

    C. The U.S. Constitution: The passage is from the U.S. Constitution (1787).

Timeline of Founding Documents (19)

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  1. Use the excerpt below, from the U.S. Constitution, to answer the question that follows.

    "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof... shall be the supreme Law of the Land."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. property rights
    2. federal supremacy
    3. the right of revolution
    4. self-government
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    B. federal supremacy: The excerpt from the U.S. Constitution reflects federal supremacy.

  2. Which list puts these documents in the correct chronological order?

    1. Mayflower Compact, Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, English Bill of Rights
    2. Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence
    3. English Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence
    4. Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Mayflower Compact
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    B. Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence: 1215, 1620, 1689, 1776.

  3. Which list puts these documents in the correct chronological order?

    1. Northwest Ordinance, Bill of Rights, Massachusetts Constitution, Articles of Confederation
    2. Articles of Confederation (adopted 1777), Massachusetts Constitution (1780), Northwest Ordinance (1787), Bill of Rights (1791)
    3. Bill of Rights, Northwest Ordinance, Articles of Confederation, Massachusetts Constitution
    4. Massachusetts Constitution, Bill of Rights, Articles of Confederation, Northwest Ordinance
    Show answer

    B. Articles of Confederation (adopted 1777), Massachusetts Constitution (1780), Northwest Ordinance (1787), Bill of Rights (1791): Congress adopted the Articles in 1777 (effective 1781).

  4. Which two important documents were both produced in 1787?

    1. The Declaration of Independence and Common Sense
    2. The U.S. Constitution and the Northwest Ordinance
    3. The Bill of Rights and the Mayflower Compact
    4. The Articles of Confederation and the English Bill of Rights
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    B. The U.S. Constitution and the Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance in July 1787 while the Convention met in Philadelphia.

  5. Which three documents were all written in 1776?

    1. Common Sense, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence
    2. The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and The Federalist
    3. Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, and the English Bill of Rights
    4. The Massachusetts Constitution, the Articles of Confederation, and the Northwest Ordinance
    Show answer

    A. Common Sense, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence: 1776 was a year of powerful founding writings.

  6. About how long before the Declaration of Independence was the Virginia Declaration of Rights adopted?

    1. About three weeks
    2. About ten years
    3. About one day
    4. About six months after
    Show answer

    A. About three weeks: The Virginia Declaration was adopted June 12, 1776; the Declaration of Independence was adopted July 4, 1776.

  7. Which founder signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution?

    1. Thomas Jefferson
    2. John Adams
    3. Benjamin Franklin
    4. Patrick Henry
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    C. Benjamin Franklin: Jefferson and Adams were serving abroad as diplomats during the Constitutional Convention.

  8. Why did Thomas Jefferson not attend the Constitutional Convention?

    1. He opposed independence.
    2. He was serving as the American minister to France.
    3. He had died.
    4. He was in prison.
    Show answer

    B. He was serving as the American minister to France.: Jefferson followed the debates through letters, including correspondence with Madison.

  9. Which document came first?

    1. The Mayflower Compact
    2. The Declaration of Independence
    3. The Articles of Confederation
    4. The Northwest Ordinance
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    A. The Mayflower Compact: The Mayflower Compact was signed in 1620.

  10. Which document came last?

    1. The Northwest Ordinance
    2. The Bill of Rights
    3. The Massachusetts Constitution
    4. Common Sense
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    B. The Bill of Rights: The Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791.

  11. How many amendments have been ratified since the Bill of Rights?

    1. 10
    2. 17
    3. 27
    4. 7
    Show answer

    B. 17: There are 27 total, so 27 − 10 = 17.

  12. Which document came between the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution?

    1. The English Bill of Rights
    2. The Mayflower Compact
    3. The Articles of Confederation
    4. The Bill of Rights
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    C. The Articles of Confederation: Declaration 1776; Articles drafted 1777, ratified 1781; Constitution 1787.

  13. Which document listed below was written last?

    1. The Northwest Ordinance (1787)
    2. The Massachusetts Constitution (1780)
    3. The Bill of Rights (ratified 1791)
    4. Common Sense (1776)
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    C. The Bill of Rights (ratified 1791): The Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791, after the other three.

  14. Which pair of documents was written by the same principal author?

    1. The Declaration of Independence and Common Sense — both by Thomas Jefferson
    2. The Federalist Papers and Brutus — both by John Jay
    3. The Massachusetts Constitution and the Thoughts on Government essay — both by John Adams
    4. The Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Articles of Confederation — both by George Mason
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    C. The Massachusetts Constitution and the Thoughts on Government essay — both by John Adams: John Adams wrote Thoughts on Government (1776) and principally drafted the Massachusetts Constitution (1780). Paine wrote Common Sense; Mason wrote the Virginia Declaration; John Dickinson drafted the Articles.

  15. Which of these documents is the oldest?

    1. The Mayflower Compact
    2. Magna Carta
    3. The English Bill of Rights
    4. Common Sense
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    B. Magna Carta: Magna Carta: 1215; The Mayflower Compact: 1620; The English Bill of Rights: 1689; Common Sense: 1776.

  16. Which of these documents is the oldest?

    1. The English Bill of Rights
    2. The Mayflower Compact
    3. The Virginia Declaration of Rights
    4. The Bill of Rights
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    B. The Mayflower Compact: The Mayflower Compact: 1620; The English Bill of Rights: 1689; The Virginia Declaration of Rights: 1776; The Bill of Rights: 1791.

  17. Which of these documents was written most recently?

    1. The Massachusetts Constitution
    2. Magna Carta
    3. The Mayflower Compact
    4. Common Sense
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    A. The Massachusetts Constitution: Magna Carta: 1215; The Mayflower Compact: 1620; Common Sense: 1776; The Massachusetts Constitution: 1780.

  18. Which of these documents was written most recently?

    1. The Bill of Rights
    2. Magna Carta
    3. The Virginia Declaration of Rights
    4. The Massachusetts Constitution
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    A. The Bill of Rights: Magna Carta: 1215; The Virginia Declaration of Rights: 1776; The Massachusetts Constitution: 1780; The Bill of Rights: 1791.

  19. Which of these documents was written most recently?

    1. The U.S. Constitution
    2. The Mayflower Compact
    3. The Declaration of Independence
    4. The Massachusetts Constitution
    Show answer

    A. The U.S. Constitution: The Mayflower Compact: 1620; The Declaration of Independence: 1776; The Massachusetts Constitution: 1780; The U.S. Constitution: 1787.

The Bill of Rights as a Founding Document (11)

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  1. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. George Mason
    2. Thomas Jefferson
    3. James Madison
    4. Alexander Hamilton
    Show answer

    C. James Madison: The excerpt is from the Bill of Rights, written principally by James Madison.

  2. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Thomas Paine
    2. Alexander Hamilton
    3. Patrick Henry
    4. James Madison
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    D. James Madison: The excerpt is from the Bill of Rights, written principally by James Madison.

  3. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. James Madison
    2. Alexander Hamilton
    3. Thomas Paine
    4. John Adams
    Show answer

    A. James Madison: The excerpt is from the Bill of Rights, written principally by James Madison.

  4. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "nor shall any person... be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Thomas Jefferson
    2. Thomas Paine
    3. James Madison
    4. Benjamin Franklin
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    C. James Madison: The excerpt is from the Bill of Rights, written principally by James Madison.

  5. The Bill of Rights took effect when which state became the necessary three-fourths ratifier on December 15, 1791?

    1. Virginia
    2. Massachusetts
    3. New York
    4. Rhode Island
    Show answer

    A. Virginia: December 15 is celebrated as Bill of Rights Day.

  6. Madison first proposed placing the amendments within the text of the Constitution. Who argued successfully that they should be added at the end instead?

    1. Patrick Henry
    2. Alexander Hamilton
    3. John Jay
    4. Roger Sherman
    Show answer

    D. Roger Sherman: Sherman argued that the original text should stay as written, and the amendments were appended.

  7. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Georgia did not formally ratify the Bill of Rights until

    1. 1789.
    2. 1939, as a symbolic gesture.
    3. 1865.
    4. 1992.
    Show answer

    B. 1939, as a symbolic gesture.: Their ratifications were unnecessary because three-fourths of states had already ratified in 1791.

  8. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution mainly to

    1. give the president more power
    2. create the Supreme Court
    3. abolish the states
    4. win over Anti-Federalists who feared the new national government
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    D. win over Anti-Federalists who feared the new national government: Promises of amendments helped secure ratification; the Bill of Rights limited the new national government.

  9. As originally adopted, the Bill of Rights limited

    1. state governments only
    2. private businesses
    3. foreign governments
    4. the national government only
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    D. the national government only: Barron v. Baltimore (1833) held the Bill of Rights applied only to the national government; later incorporation applied most of it to the states.

  10. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." This passage comes from which document?
    1. The Bill of Rights
    2. The Declaration of Independence
    3. The Articles of Confederation
    4. The Mayflower Compact
    Show answer

    A. The Bill of Rights: The passage is from the Bill of Rights (1791).

  11. Who was the principal author of the Bill of Rights?

    1. James Madison
    2. Thomas Jefferson
    3. Benjamin Franklin
    4. Alexander Hamilton
    Show answer

    A. James Madison: James Madison was the principal author of the Bill of Rights (1791).