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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did William Paterson offer the convention?

2. How did the New Jersey Plan resolve the question of the relationship of state laws to federal laws?

3. What did James Madison recommend for the appointment of Supreme Court Justices?

4. What did Madison argue for in his letter to George Washington?

5. What thoughts did Mr. Wilson express at the convention?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what ways were delegates afraid of executive power?

2. How was the New Jersey Plan an alternative to the Virginia Plan?

3. What was the heart of the opposition between Federalists and Anti-federalists?

4. What were the views on either side of the question of electing representatives?

5. Describe the delegates' reaction to the New Jersey Plan.

6. What problems were Americans having with the Articles of Confederation?

7. What was Alexander Hamilton's position concerning the executive?

8. What needs did Governor Edmund Randolph of Virginia believe the Virginia Plan would satisfy that the Articles did not?

9. What paradox does James Madison articulate about the need for a strong federal government?

10. Who opposed the election of Senators by state legislatures, and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the opposition to the ratification of the Constitution. What were the objections to the ratification of the Constitution? How unified were the opponents of ratification?

Essay Topic 2

What values and what practical considerations were written into the Constitution regarding the election of government officials? How did the current electoral system evolve from the first debates through the draft Constitution and then the ratification process? What were the dominant arguments on either side of the debate, and whose values were ultimately written into the Constitution?

Essay Topic 3

What was the heart of the opposition between Federalists and Anti-federalists? Using three or four key issues, describe the fundamental differences between Federalists and Anti-federalists.

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