In 1787, at the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin was asked, “Well, Doctor, what have we got — a Republic or a Monarchy?” Franklin replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
Franklin’s implication was that keeping the American Republic requires knowing something about how our government works and why it works that way. Though Constitution Day will be observed on September 16 this year, the quiz below, from the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University in Ohio, provides an opportunity for you to test your knowledge of the Constitution as we celebrate the 229th anniversary of its signing on September 17, 1787.
1. The Constitution begins with which of the following words?
(A) When in the course of human events …
(B) We the Colonies …
(C) We the People …
(D) We the States …
2. Which of the following lines does not appear in the preamble to the Constitution?
(A) “All men are created equal”
(B) “To form a more perfect union”
(C) “establish Justice”
(D) “secure the Blessings of Liberty”
3. To underscore its importance, which of the following did the authors of the Constitution place first in the document?
(A) The Bill of Rights
(B) The President
(C) The Congress
(D) The Supreme Court
4. Which state did not send delegates to the Constitutional Convention?
(A) Connecticut
(B) Rhode Island
(C) New Hampshire
(D) Georgia
5. Nine states needed to ratify the Constitution for it to be established. How long did it take for nine states to ratify?
(A) 3 months
(B) 6 months
(C) 9 months
(D) 12 months
6. Who is known as the father of the Constitution?
(A) George Washington
(B) Benjamin Franklin
(C) Thomas Jefferson
(D) James Madison
7. In the original Constitution, the president was limited to how many four-year terms in office?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Unlimited
8. In the original Constitution, how were the two senators from each state selected?
(A) By the people
(B) By the state legislatures
(C) By the governor
(D) By the House of Representatives
9. According to the Constitution, where do all bills for raising revenue originate?
(A) President
(B) Senate
(C) House of Representatives
(D) Secretary of the Treasury
10. The Constitution requires that every state have:
(A) A republican form of government
(B) Both a Senate and a House of Representatives
(C) A state constitution
(D) None of the above
Answers:
1-C, 2-A, 3-C, 4-B, 5-C, 6-D, 7-D, 8-B, 9-C, 10-A
