Quiz: How Much Do You Know About The Constitution?
Despite its importance, many Americans may be surprised to discover how little they know about the Constitution and its history. It may be shocking to learn that the Constitution replaced another document that only lasted a few years as the basis of our government’s structure. While some states were immediately on board, others took months to agree to the Constitution. One stipulation that helped was that amendments would be added nearly immediately to help determine how the American government should work. Keep reading to test your knowledge about one of the most important documents in American history.
Before the Constitution, what document was the basis of the American government?
A. The Declaration of Independence
B. The Federalist Papers
C. The Articles of Confederation
D. The Overton Code
Answer: The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation went into effect a handful of years after America declared its independence, but it was apparent after the American Revolution that the government structure wasn’t strong enough.
In what year was the Constitution written?
A. 1787
B. 1776
C. 1765
D. 1784
Answer: 1787
The Constitution was written in 1787, six years after the Articles of Confederation was ratified and four years after the American Revolution concluded. Delegates from each state spent months debating over the document.
Who led the call for a Constitutional Convention?
A. George Washington
B. John Hanson
C. Alexander Hamilton
D. Thomas Jefferson
Answer: Alexander Hamilton
In 1786, Alexander Hamilton called for a constitutional convention to discuss the need for a stronger central government. In February 1787, the Confederate Congress invited all 13 states to send delegates to the meeting.
In what state was the Constitutional Convention held?
A. Virginia
B. Massachussetts
C. Pennsylvania
D. New York
Answer: Pennsylvania
The Constitutional Convention opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 25, 1787, and included 55 delegates from all 13 states who were tasked by Congress to revise the Articles of Confederation.
How many states were there at the time of the Constitutional Convention?
A. 50
B. 9
C. 13
D. 25
Answer: 13
There were only 13 states in the United States at the time of the Constitutional Convention. The remaining states joined over the next century and a half, ending with Hawaii in 1959.
How many states needed to ratify the Constitution before it went into effect?
A. 13
B. 7
C. 11
D. 9
Answer: 9
Article VII of the Constitution required nine out of the thirteen states to ratify the document in order for it to take effect, which was achieved in less than a year.
Which was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution?
A. Rhode Island
B. New Hampshire
C. New Jersey
D. Massachussetts
Answer: New Hampshire
New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, setting it into effect in 1788. All 13 states ultimately ratified the document, ending with Rhode Island on May 29, 1790.
How long did it take for the Constitution to be written (in draft form)?
A. 1 year
B. 6 months
C. 6 weeks
D. 1 week
Answer: 6 weeks
A “committee of detail” was appointed to draft the Constitution beginning August 6, 1787 after months of debate over the new federal government. The final version was signed on September 17, 1787.
What was the name of the series of essays written in support of the Constitution?
A. The Declaration of Independence
B. The Federalist Papers
C. The Bill of Rights
D. The Gettysburg Address
Answer: The Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers were a compilation of essays written in response to Anti-Federalists, who publicly opposed the Constitution. The essays explained why the document was necessary to prevent social disorder.
Which was the first state to ratify the Constitution?
A. Virginia
B. New Jersey
C. Delaware
D. Georgia
Answer: Delaware
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, doing so on December 7, 1787. The next four states were within weeks of one another, after which the pace slowed.
Which branch of government does the Constitution discuss in its first article?
A. executive
B. legislative
C. judicial
D. both A and B
Answer: legislative
The first article of the Constitution sets the groundwork for the legislative branch of government. The second article does so for the executive branch, and the third article is for the judicial branch.
In what article of the Constitution is the “elastic clause” found?
A. Article I
B. Article II
C. Article III
D. Article IV
Answer: Article I
The elastic clause, also known as the “necessary and proper” clause, is found in Article I of the Constitution as it deals with the power of Congress, who makes up the legislative branch.
Who wrote the first ten amendments of the Constitution?
A. George Washington
B. Alexander Hamilton
C. John Jay
D. James Madison
Answer: James Madison
The first ten amendments are also known as the Bill of Rights and were written by James Madison and certified in 1791. They were created to give greater protection to individual liberties.
How many times has the Constitution been amended?
A. 19
B. 35
C. 27
D. 54
Answer: 27
The Constitution has been amended 27 times. A little less than half of the amendments were made in the 20th century and only four were made in the 19th century.
According to the Constitution, who gives pardons?
A. Congress
B. The judicial branch
C. The president
D. Jurors
Answer: The president
Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution allows the president to pardon offenses towards the United States, excluding impeachment cases. Franklin Roosevelt granted the most pardons of any president to date.
Which amendment enabled African Americans to vote?
A. The 13th
B. The 15th
C. The 19th
D. The 21st
Answer: The 15th
Though the 13th amendment abolished slavery, it was the 15th amendement that prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race or color. This amendment was completed in 1870.
Which amendment granted women the right to vote?
A. The 9th
B. The 20th
C. The 19th
D. The 15th
Answer: The 19th
The right for women to vote went into effect in 1920, half a century after the denial to vote based on race was prohibited. It was ratified a little more than a year after being submitted.
How long did it take for the 27th amendment to pass?
A. several years
B. half a century
C. a full century
D. two centuries
Answer: two centuries
The 27th amendment was first proposed in 1789, but wasn’t ratified until 1992, more than 200 years later. It ensured that laws effecting congressional salaries wouldn’t go into effect until the next representatives were elected.
How did the 22nd amendment impact presidential elections?
A. It stated that a president has to be 35 years old or older
B. It limited the number of times a person can be elected president to twice
C. It prohibited the denial to vote based on age for anyone over 18
D. It changed the voting months
Answer: It limited the number of times a person can be elected president to twice
The 22nd amendment was ratified in 1951 and prohibited a president from being elected more than two times. 20 years later, the 26th amendment prohibited the denial to vote based on age for those 18 and up.
What does the Constitution’s “emolument clause” regard?
A. government-related monuments
B. historical museums
C. foreign travel
D. gifts and payments
Answer: gifts and payments
An emolument clause in both the first and second articles of the Constitution sets restrictions on gifts and payments that federal officials and the president are allowed to receive in an attempt to prevent corruption.
