📝 100 Practice Questions – AP Gov Unit 1: Constitution & Foundations

🏛 Origins & Foundations (Q1–15)

Q: Which Enlightenment thinker emphasized natural rights of life, liberty, and property?
A: John Locke
Q: Who believed humans in a “state of nature” need a strong government for order?
A: Thomas Hobbes
Q: Which philosopher argued for separation of powers?
A: Montesquieu
Q: Rousseau’s main political idea was?
A: Social contract & popular sovereignty
Q: What does “popular sovereignty” mean?
A: Government power comes from the people
Q: What is republicanism?
A: Citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf
Q: The main influence on Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence was?
A: Locke’s natural rights
Q: Who presided over the Constitutional Convention?
A: George Washington
Q: Who is considered the “Father of the Constitution”?
A: James Madison
Q: Why were state constitutions important before 1787?
A: They tested ideas of limited government & popular sovereignty
Q: What document announced independence from Britain?
A: The Declaration of Independence
Q: “Consent of the governed” is associated with which Enlightenment thinker?
A: Rousseau
Q: Which Enlightenment thinker inspired the phrase “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness”?
A: John Locke
Q: Which group feared a strong central government after independence?
A: Anti-Federalists
Q: Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
A: Weak central government, couldn’t tax, no executive or judiciary

📜 Articles of Confederation (Q16–25)

Q: Under the AOC, how many votes did each state get?
A: One
Q: Could Congress tax under the AOC?
A: No
Q: What fraction was needed to amend the AOC?
A: Unanimous consent
Q: Was there an executive branch under the AOC?
A: No
Q: Was there a national court system under the AOC?
A: No
Q: What major event showed the AOC’s weakness?
A: Shays’ Rebellion
Q: Could Congress regulate interstate commerce under the AOC?
A: No
Q: Who held most of the power under the AOC?
A: The states
Q: How many branches of government did the AOC establish?
A: One (legislative)
Q: What was the only national institution created by the AOC?
A: Congress

⚖ Constitutional Convention & Compromises (Q26–35)

Q: The Constitutional Convention was held in what city?
A: Philadelphia
Q: What year was the Constitutional Convention?
A: 1787
Q: The Great Compromise created what structure?
A: Bicameral legislature with House & Senate
Q: Representation in the House is based on what?
A: Population
Q: Representation in the Senate is based on what?
A: Equal (2 per state)
Q: What compromise counted slaves as part of the population?
A: Three-Fifths Compromise
Q: What did the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise ban?
A: Congress could not ban the slave trade until 1808
Q: Who proposed the Virginia Plan?
A: James Madison
Q: The New Jersey Plan favored which states?
A: Small states
Q: The Connecticut Compromise is also known as what?
A: Great Compromise

📖 Constitution – First 6 Articles (Q36–50)

Q: Article I establishes which branch?
A: Legislative
Q: Article II establishes which branch?
A: Executive
Q: Article III establishes which branch?
A: Judicial
Q: Article IV deals with what?
A: Relations among states
Q: What is “full faith and credit” in Article IV?
A: States must respect other states’ laws and records
Q: Article V describes what?
A: Amendment process
Q: Article VI contains what important clause?
A: Supremacy Clause
Q: Who must swear an oath to support the Constitution?
A: All state and federal officials
Q: Can there be a religious test for office under Article VI?
A: No
Q: Article I gives Congress the power to make what type of laws?
A: Necessary and proper laws
Q: The President is the Commander in Chief of what?
A: The military
Q: Article III creates what court?
A: Supreme Court
Q: Judicial review was established by what case?
A: Marbury v. Madison
Q: New states are admitted under which article?
A: Article IV
Q: What fraction of Congress is needed to propose an amendment?
A: Two-thirds

🧾 Bill of Rights (Q51–60)

Q: 1st Amendment rights?
A: Speech, religion, press, assembly, petition
Q: 2nd Amendment?
A: Right to bear arms
Q: 3rd Amendment?
A: No quartering soldiers
Q: 4th Amendment?
A: No unreasonable searches/seizures
Q: 5th Amendment?
A: Due process, no double jeopardy, no self-incrimination
Q: 6th Amendment?
A: Right to a speedy/public trial, right to counsel
Q: 7th Amendment?
A: Jury trial in civil cases
Q: 8th Amendment?
A: No cruel/unusual punishment, no excessive bail
Q: 9th Amendment?
A: Rights not listed still belong to the people
Q: 10th Amendment?
A: Powers not given to the federal gov are reserved to the states

🔢 Amendments 11–27 (Q61–75)

Q: 13th Amendment?
A: Abolished slavery
Q: 14th Amendment?
A: Equal protection, due process, citizenship
Q: 15th Amendment?
A: No denial of vote based on race
Q: 16th Amendment?
A: Federal income tax
Q: 17th Amendment?
A: Direct election of senators
Q: 18th Amendment?
A: Prohibition of alcohol
Q: 19th Amendment?
A: Women’s suffrage
Q: 20th Amendment?
A: “Lame Duck” → terms start in January
Q: 21st Amendment?
A: Repealed prohibition
Q: 22nd Amendment?
A: Two-term limit for president
Q: 23rd Amendment?
A: DC gets electoral votes
Q: 24th Amendment?
A: Bans poll taxes
Q: 25th Amendment?
A: Presidential succession & disability
Q: 26th Amendment?
A: Voting age lowered to 18
Q: 27th Amendment?
A: Congressional pay raises take effect after next election

🌀 Informal Changes & Congress Limits (Q76–85)

Q: Judicial review is an example of what type of change?
A: Informal constitutional change
Q: Who established judicial review?
A: John Marshall in Marbury v. Madison
Q: Example of informal change by executive branch?
A: Executive agreements, not treaties
Q: Example of informal change by political parties?
A: Nominating conventions
Q: Example of custom/tradition?
A: Two-term precedent before 22nd Amendment
Q: Congress cannot tax what?
A: Exports
Q: What is a bill of attainder?
A: A law declaring someone guilty without trial
Q: Congress cannot pass what type of retroactive law?
A: Ex post facto law
Q: When can habeas corpus be suspended?
A: Rebellion or invasion
Q: Who regulates interstate commerce?
A: Congress

🗳 Types of Democracy & Federalist Papers (Q86–95)

Q: What is participatory democracy?
A: Broad citizen participation in politics
Q: Give an example of participatory democracy.
A: Town hall meetings, referendums
Q: What is elite democracy?
A: Small group of elites making decisions for the people
Q: Give an example of elite democracy.
A: Electoral College
Q: What is pluralist democracy?
A: Politics driven by interest group competition
Q: Example of pluralist democracy?
A: NRA lobbying Congress
Q: Federalist 10 argued what about factions?
A: A large republic controls their effects
Q: Brutus 1 warned against what?
A: Strong central government overpowering states
Q: Who wrote the Federalist Papers?
A: Hamilton, Madison, Jay
Q: Who were key Anti-Federalists?
A: Patrick Henry, George Mason

🏛 Madisonian Model & Misc (Q96–100)

Q: What are the 3 branches in the Madisonian model?
A: Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Q: Why did Madison favor separation of powers?
A: To prevent tyranny of majority
Q: What is checks and balances?
A: Each branch limits powers of the others
Q: What is federalism?
A: Power divided between national and state governments
Q: Why was the Bill of Rights added?
A: To appease Anti-Federalists & protect individual rights