T
HE LIVING CONSTITUTION
177
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
1. Imagine that it is 1787,
and you are a citizen of one
of the original thirteen states. Your vote is neces-
sary to ratify the new Constitution that has been
approved by the convention in Philadelphia. You
have studied the seven articles and listened to
spirited discussions about how you and your state
will be affected. Write a journal entry in which you
express your views about this document that is so
important for the new United States. Make sure
you include references to what you have read and
heard about the Constitution.
2.
Visit the links for Chapter Assessment to learn
more about how bills become law. Because of the
process by which bills become laws, problems may
occur when the president and a majority of mem-
bers of Congress are from different political par-
ties. Using the Internet, research bills that were
proposed by the president but became stalled in
Congress because of party differences. Then divide
into groups and do the activity.
Cooperative Learning Activity Have each group
research a different bill. Try to follow the debate
and see how party differences affected the discus-
sion. Did the bill pass and become law? Present
your findings to the class.
Use the cartoon and your knowledge of U.S. history to
answer question 1.
1. In the Constitutional Convention, the framers
adopted certain principles to be embodied in the
Constitution. Which of the following Constitutional
principles does the cartoon support?
A The federal government’s power should be
divided into separate branches.
B The federal government should be stronger
than the state governments.
C The federal legislature should be responsive
to the will of the people.
D The legislature and the president should check
each other’s power.
Use the quotation and your knowledge of U.S. history
to answer question 2.
“ [The president] shall have power, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate, to make
treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators pre-
sent concur; and he shall nominate, and by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall
appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and
consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all
other officers of the United States . . .
”
—U.S. Constitution, Art. 2, Sec. 2, part 2
2. The passage describes checks on the power of—
F the president.
G the Senate.
H the judiciary.
J the states.
3. Which of the following must ratify Constitutional
amendments?
A Congress
B the people
C the states
D the president
Standardized Test Practice
TEST PRACTICE CLASSZONE.COM
ADDITIONAL TEST PRACTICE, pages S1–S33.
IINTERNET ACTIVITY
CLASSZONE.COM
“It’s awful the way they’re trying to influence
Congress. Why don’t they serve cocktails and
make campaign contributions like we do?”
