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Grade 8 Social Studies study materials
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Grade 8 Social Studies practice questions

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Question 1History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Which economic system drove European nations to establish colonies in North America during the 1600s?

  1. Manorialism
  2. Feudalism
  3. Mercantilism Correct answer.
  4. Isolationism

Explanation

Mercantilism held that a nation's power depended on accumulating wealth, especially gold and silver, by exporting more than it imported. Colonies supplied raw materials to the mother country and served as captive markets for its manufactured goods. This theory justified English, French, and Dutch colonization of North America.

Question 2History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Virginia House of Burgesses, established in 1619, is significant in colonial history because it

  1. abolished the practice of indentured servitude in Virginia
  2. created the first written constitution in North America
  3. was the first elected representative assembly in an English colony Correct answer.
  4. declared independence from the English Crown

Explanation

The House of Burgesses was the first elected legislative body in English North America, setting a precedent for self-government. It met in Jamestown and passed laws for the Virginia colony, though the governor could veto its acts. Its creation showed colonists expected a voice in taxation and lawmaking.

Question 3History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Which document, signed in 1620 by Plymouth settlers, created a framework of self-government based on the consent of the governed?

  1. The Mayflower Compact Correct answer.
  2. The Olive Branch Petition
  3. The English Bill of Rights
  4. The Magna Carta

Explanation

The Mayflower Compact was an agreement among the male passengers of the Mayflower to form a civil government and obey its laws. It reflected the idea that political authority derives from the consent of the governed. This principle later influenced American constitutional thought.

Question 4History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Middle Passage refers to which part of the triangular trade?

  1. The shipment of New England rum to West Africa
  2. The route carrying colonial tobacco and rice to Europe
  3. The forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas Correct answer.
  4. The coastal trade among the thirteen colonies

Explanation

The Middle Passage was the brutal second leg of the triangular trade, carrying enslaved Africans from West Africa to the Americas. Enslaved people endured crowded, deadly conditions on the crossing. The other legs carried trade goods to Africa and colonial crops to Europe.

Question 5History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Which colony was founded in 1733 as a buffer between the British colonies and Spanish Florida and initially banned slavery?

  1. Georgia Correct answer.
  2. Maryland
  3. South Carolina
  4. Delaware

Explanation

Georgia was established by James Oglethorpe under a charter that served as a defensive buffer against Spanish Florida. Its founders initially prohibited slavery and large landholdings, though the ban was later lifted. This made Georgia unique among the southern colonies at its founding.

Question 6History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Proclamation of 1763 angered many colonists primarily because it

  1. forbade colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains Correct answer.
  2. imposed a direct tax on printed documents
  3. dissolved the colonial assemblies
  4. required colonists to house British soldiers

Explanation

After the French and Indian War, Britain issued the Proclamation of 1763 to prevent conflict with Native Americans by barring settlement west of the Appalachians. Colonists who hoped to move west resented this restriction on expansion. Many viewed it as royal interference with their economic opportunities.

Question 7History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Which act of 1765 required colonists to purchase special stamped paper for legal documents, newspapers, and other printed materials?

  1. The Tea Act
  2. The Townshend Acts
  3. The Sugar Act
  4. The Stamp Act Correct answer.

Explanation

The Stamp Act of 1765 placed a direct tax on printed materials by requiring a stamped paper bearing a tax mark. It provoked widespread protest because it was the first direct internal tax on the colonies. Colonists argued it violated their right to be taxed only by their own representatives.

Question 8History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The phrase 'no taxation without representation' expressed colonists' belief that

  1. Parliament could not tax them because they elected no members to it Correct answer.
  2. taxes should be paid only in gold and silver
  3. the king alone should set all tax rates
  4. colonial assemblies had no power to levy taxes

Explanation

Colonists argued that because they elected no representatives to Parliament, Parliament had no legitimate right to tax them directly. They contended that only their own colonial assemblies could levy such taxes. This principle, rooted in English constitutional tradition, became a central grievance before the Revolution.

Question 9History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Boston Massacre of 1770 resulted in

  1. the destruction of a shipment of East India Company tea
  2. the death of five colonists after British soldiers fired into a crowd Correct answer.
  3. the passage of the Intolerable Acts
  4. a formal declaration of war against Britain

Explanation

During a confrontation between a Boston crowd and British soldiers, shots were fired, killing five colonists including Crispus Attucks. Paul Revere's engraving spread a propagandized version of the event. The incident intensified anti-British sentiment but did not itself produce war or new laws.

Question 10History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Intolerable Acts of 1774 included a provision that

  1. created a new colonial capital in New York
  2. established a standing army in every colony
  3. banned the importation of enslaved people
  4. closed the port of Boston until destroyed tea was paid for Correct answer.

Explanation

The Boston Port Act, one of the Intolerable Acts, closed Boston Harbor until the destroyed tea was compensated. Other acts restricted town meetings and allowed royal officials to be tried elsewhere. These punitive measures prompted the colonies to convene the First Continental Congress.

Question 11History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Which body issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776?

  1. The Stamp Act Congress
  2. The Second Continental Congress Correct answer.
  3. The Constitutional Convention
  4. The First Continental Congress

Explanation

The Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Thomas Jefferson drafted the document, drawing on Enlightenment ideas such as natural rights. The First Continental Congress had met earlier to petition for redress, not to declare independence.

Question 12History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Declaration of Independence draws most heavily on which idea from John Locke?

  1. Wealth is the true measure of national power
  2. Government derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed Correct answer.
  3. Kings rule by divine right
  4. Tradition is the safest guide for political change

Explanation

Locke argued that people possess natural rights to life, liberty, and property and that government exists to protect those rights. Jefferson adapted this into the claim that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. If a government violates those rights, the people may alter or abolish it.

Question 13History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Battle of Saratoga in 1777 was a turning point because it

  1. persuaded France to ally openly with the American cause Correct answer.
  2. established Washington as commander of the army
  3. ended the war with a decisive American victory
  4. convinced Britain to abandon its Canadian colonies

Explanation

The American victory at Saratoga convinced France that the Patriots could win, leading to a formal alliance and French military support. This aid proved crucial to the eventual American victory. The battle did not end the war, which continued until 1781.

Question 14History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The winter encampment at Valley Forge in 1777-1778 is remembered chiefly because

  1. the Continental Army endured severe hardship while training into a more disciplined force Correct answer.
  2. it was the site of the final British surrender
  3. it marked the signing of the Treaty of Paris
  4. it was where the Declaration of Independence was written

Explanation

At Valley Forge the Continental Army suffered from cold, hunger, and disease, yet survived and drilled under Baron von Steuben. His training transformed the army into a more professional fighting force. The encampment symbolizes endurance and reform rather than a battle or treaty.

Question 15History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The British surrender at Yorktown in 1781 was secured in part by

  1. a blockade imposed by the Spanish navy in the north
  2. a surprise land attack on British forces in New York
  3. the arrival of a French fleet that blocked escape by sea Correct answer.
  4. the defection of British troops to the American side

Explanation

Washington's army, with French troops under Rochambeau, surrounded Cornwallis at Yorktown while the French fleet under de Grasse blocked the sea route. Cut off from resupply and escape, Cornwallis surrendered. This combined land and naval effort ended major fighting in the war.

Question 16History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Treaty of Paris of 1783 established that

  1. the United States would remain a British dominion
  2. Britain recognized American independence and set boundaries for the new nation Correct answer.
  3. slavery would be abolished throughout the new nation
  4. France would govern the Mississippi River valley

Explanation

The Treaty of Paris formally ended the Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as independent. It set boundaries extending to the Mississippi River and granted fishing rights off Newfoundland. It did not resolve the question of slavery or place the interior under French rule.

Question 17History: Colonization and the American Revolution

A colonist who remained loyal to the British Crown during the Revolution was known as a

  1. Hessian
  2. Loyalist Correct answer.
  3. Minuteman
  4. Patriot

Explanation

Loyalists, also called Tories, opposed independence and remained faithful to Britain, sometimes fighting alongside British forces. Patriots supported independence, while Minutemen were colonial militia and Hessians were German mercenaries hired by Britain. These labels describe distinct groups in the Revolutionary conflict.

Question 18History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Which of these was a direct result of the French and Indian War?

  1. Spain acquired all of Canada
  2. Britain gained French territory in North America but incurred heavy debt Correct answer.
  3. France gained control of the British colonies
  4. The colonies were granted independence

Explanation

Under the Treaty of Paris of 1763, Britain gained Canada and lands east of the Mississippi, while France lost its North American empire. The war left Britain deeply in debt, prompting new colonial taxes. Those taxes fueled colonial resentment and contributed to the Revolution.

Question 19History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The First Continental Congress, meeting in 1774, accomplished which of the following?

  1. It declared war on Great Britain
  2. It organized a boycott of British goods and petitioned the king Correct answer.
  3. It appointed George Washington president
  4. It adopted the U.S. Constitution

Explanation

Delegates at the First Continental Congress agreed to boycott British goods and sent a petition to King George III seeking redress of grievances. They hoped to avoid open conflict while presenting a united colonial front. The Congress did not declare war or establish a national government.

Question 20History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Thomas Paine's pamphlet 'Common Sense' influenced the independence movement by

  1. proposing a detailed plan for the U.S. Constitution
  2. arguing in plain language that monarchy was unreasonable and independence was necessary Correct answer.
  3. defending the king's right to tax the colonies
  4. calling for reconciliation with Britain at any cost

Explanation

Published in 1776, 'Common Sense' used accessible language to attack monarchy and persuade ordinary colonists that independence was both sensible and necessary. It sold widely and helped shift public opinion toward separation. It did not propose a constitution or defend royal authority.

Question 21History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government's principal weakness was that it

  1. lacked the power to levy taxes or regulate interstate commerce Correct answer.
  2. could override state laws at will
  3. required a standing army larger than the states' militias
  4. possessed an overly powerful executive branch

Explanation

The Articles created a weak central government that could not tax directly or regulate commerce among the states. It depended on voluntary contributions from the states and had no executive or judicial branch of consequence. These weaknesses led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

Question 22History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The concept of 'virtual representation' was used by British officials to argue that

  1. only landowners deserved representation in government
  2. members of Parliament represented all British subjects, including colonists, whether or not they voted Correct answer.
  3. colonists should elect their own members to Parliament
  4. colonial assemblies should be abolished entirely

Explanation

British leaders claimed that each member of Parliament represented the interests of the whole empire, not just a local district. Therefore, they argued, colonists were 'virtually' represented even without electing members. Colonists rejected this reasoning, insisting on direct representation through their own assemblies.

Question 23History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Colonists who organized Committees of Correspondence in the early 1770s aimed primarily to

  1. draft the Declaration of Independence
  2. collect taxes for the royal governors
  3. share information and coordinate resistance among the colonies Correct answer.
  4. recruit soldiers for the British army

Explanation

Committees of Correspondence, promoted by Samuel Adams and others, spread news and coordinated protest across the colonies. They built networks of communication that unified colonial resistance. This coordination helped colonies respond collectively to British policies.

Question 24History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Which statement best explains why the colonists' victory in the Revolution was possible despite Britain's larger and better-equipped military?

  1. The Americans fought on home territory with French support and sustained motivation Correct answer.
  2. Britain lacked any professional army at the time
  3. The colonists had a larger navy than Britain
  4. Britain received no support from its empire

Explanation

The Americans benefited from fighting on familiar home ground, maintaining strong motivation for independence, and receiving crucial French military and naval support. British forces faced long supply lines and the difficulty of subduing a dispersed population. These factors offset Britain's advantages in numbers and equipment.

Question 25History: Colonization and the American Revolution

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787, passed under the Articles of Confederation, is notable because it

  1. declared war on Native American nations
  2. gave the national government the power to tax
  3. created the first national bank
  4. established a process for territories to become states and prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory Correct answer.

Explanation

The Northwest Ordinance created a framework for governing the territory north of the Ohio River and set a path for new states to join the union on equal footing with the original thirteen. It also banned slavery in that territory. It did not address banking or national taxation.

Question 26History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Which region of the North American mainland did France claim and organize as a fur-trading empire during the colonial period?

  1. The Florida peninsula and the Gulf Coast
  2. The Hudson Bay lowlands and Newfoundland
  3. The Great Lakes and Mississippi River valley Correct answer.
  4. The Atlantic seaboard from Maine to Georgia

Explanation

French explorers and traders built a network of forts and missions through the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi to Louisiana, tying the interior together with fur trade rather than dense settlement. That interior arc, not the Atlantic coast, defined New France.

Question 27History: Colonization and the American Revolution

A Virginia planter in 1676 joined frontier settlers in burning Jamestown and demanding that the governor act against Native American raids. This uprising is best understood as a sign that

  1. enslaved laborers had organized a coordinated rebellion against the planter class
  2. Parliament had revoked the colony's charter and imposed direct royal rule
  3. the colony had already abandoned tobacco cultivation in favor of manufacturing
  4. colonial elites faced internal pressure from landless and frontier colonists as well as external conflict Correct answer.

Explanation

Bacon's Rebellion exposed tensions inside colonial society, as freed servants and small farmers resented both Native American policy and the power of the governor's circle. The episode shows that colonial politics were shaped by internal class friction, not only by conflict with England.

Question 28History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Mercantilism shaped English colonial policy chiefly by treating the colonies as

  1. a laboratory for experiments in representative self-government
  2. a buffer zone whose only purpose was to absorb attacks from rival empires
  3. independent partners free to trade with any nation on equal terms
  4. a source of raw materials and a market reserved for the mother country's manufactures Correct answer.

Explanation

Mercantilist theory held that national wealth depended on a favorable balance of trade, so colonies should supply staple goods and buy finished products from the home country. Navigation laws enforcing this relationship restricted colonial trade with other empires.

Question 29History: Colonization and the American Revolution

A town meeting in a New England colony votes to send a petition to the royal governor protesting a new tax. Which colonial tradition does this action most directly reflect?

  1. The custom of resolving disputes through the church courts
  2. The practice of self-government through local assemblies and representative bodies Correct answer.
  3. The belief that only Parliament could speak for colonists in America
  4. The doctrine that the king held absolute authority over all colonial affairs

Explanation

New England towns governed many local matters through meetings and elected assemblies, and colonists carried that habit into protests against imperial policy. Petitioning a governor drew on a long experience of representative and local self-rule.

Question 30History: Colonization and the American Revolution

Colonists objected to writs of assistance in the 1760s mainly because these general search warrants

  1. closed colonial ports until damaged tea was paid for
  2. required colonists to house British soldiers in their private homes
  3. imposed a direct tax on printed paper and legal documents
  4. allowed customs officers to search homes and warehouses without naming specific evidence or suspects Correct answer.

Explanation

Writs of assistance were open-ended search authorizations that let customs officials look for smuggled goods anywhere, without particularized suspicion. Colonists linked them to violations of the traditional protection against arbitrary searches, making them a constitutional grievance as much as an economic one.

Question 31History: Founding and the New Nation

Which principle from the Declaration of Independence most directly supports the idea that a government's authority depends on the consent of the people it governs?

  1. Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. Correct answer.
  2. Parliament's sovereignty is unlimited and permanent.
  3. Kings hold their authority by hereditary right.
  4. Colonies exist to serve the economic interests of the parent country.

Explanation

The Declaration states that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, meaning political authority rests on the agreement of the people. This social-contract idea justified the colonists' claim that they could alter or abolish a government that abused its power.

Question 32History: Founding and the New Nation

In the Declaration of Independence, the long list of grievances against King George III primarily served which purpose?

  1. To propose a detailed plan for a new constitution
  2. To provide evidence that the king had broken the social contract Correct answer.
  3. To request representation in Parliament
  4. To offer a compromise that would preserve colonial ties

Explanation

The grievances document specific abuses, such as dissolving legislatures and maintaining standing armies, to show the king had violated the colonists' rights. Under social-contract theory, that pattern of abuse justified separation because the government had broken its obligations.

Question 33History: Founding and the New Nation

Which feature of the Articles of Confederation reflected the states' fear of a powerful central government?

  1. A chief executive elected by the national legislature
  2. A single-house Congress in which each state had one vote Correct answer.
  3. A bicameral Congress with proportional representation
  4. A national judiciary appointed by the president

Explanation

The Articles created a unicameral Congress with equal state representation, keeping national authority weak and dependent on state cooperation. This structure reflected the revolutionary distrust of centralized power rather than a balanced national government.

Question 34History: Founding and the New Nation

Shays' Rebellion alarmed many national leaders mainly because it revealed which weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

  1. Western territories could not be organized into new states
  2. Congress could not sign treaties with foreign nations
  3. The states were forbidden to maintain their own militias
  4. The national government could not raise taxes or field troops to respond to unrest Correct answer.

Explanation

Without a national taxing power or a standing army, Congress could not fund or mount a response, and Massachusetts had to rely on a privately financed militia. The episode convinced many leaders that the national government needed independent revenue and military authority.

Question 35History: Founding and the New Nation

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established which policy for territories north of the Ohio River?

  1. Land was reserved exclusively for Native American nations
  2. Territories would remain permanently under direct congressional rule
  3. Slavery was prohibited and a path to statehood was created Correct answer.
  4. Settlers were denied any bill of rights

Explanation

The ordinance banned slavery in the territory and laid out stages by which territories could become states equal to the original thirteen. It also guaranteed civil liberties to settlers, setting a precedent for westward expansion.

Question 36History: Founding and the New Nation

Which compromise at the Constitutional Convention resolved the dispute over how enslaved people would be counted for representation and taxation?

  1. The Three-Fifths Compromise Correct answer.
  2. The Great Compromise
  3. The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
  4. The Electoral College Compromise

Explanation

The Three-Fifths Compromise counted three-fifths of the enslaved population for both representation in the House and direct taxation. It did not grant enslaved people rights; it adjusted how their presence affected state power.

Question 37History: Founding and the New Nation

How did the Great Compromise settle the disagreement between large and small states at the Constitutional Convention?

  1. It based representation in both houses on state population
  2. It allowed state legislatures to choose all national representatives
  3. It gave each state equal power in both houses of Congress
  4. It created a House apportioned by population and a Senate with equal state representation Correct answer.

Explanation

The compromise blended the Virginia Plan's population-based representation with the New Jersey Plan's equal state representation. The House reflects population, while the Senate gives each state two seats regardless of size.

Question 38History: Founding and the New Nation

Which idea from the Constitutional Convention is most closely associated with James Madison's argument in Federalist No. 10?

  1. A large republic can control faction better than a small one Correct answer.
  2. Factions should be outlawed by the national government
  3. State governments should hold all remaining powers
  4. Direct democracy is preferable to representative government

Explanation

Madison argued that an extended republic would contain many competing interests, making it harder for any one faction to dominate. A large representative republic, in his view, offered better protection of minority rights than a small direct democracy.

Question 39History: Founding and the New Nation

Federalists and Antifederalists disagreed most sharply during ratification over which question?

  1. Whether the national government should have enough power to be effective while remaining limited Correct answer.
  2. Whether the United States should acquire western territories
  3. Whether independence from Britain should be declared
  4. Whether slavery should be abolished immediately nationwide

Explanation

Federalists supported a stronger national government and argued that checks and balances would prevent tyranny. Antifederalists feared centralized power and demanded protections such as a bill of rights, so the dispute centered on the scope and limits of national authority.

Question 40History: Founding and the New Nation

Antifederalists such as George Mason and Patrick Henry objected to the proposed Constitution primarily because it lacked which feature?

  1. A provision for federal courts
  2. A system of state militias
  3. A bill of rights protecting individual liberties Correct answer.
  4. A method for admitting new states

Explanation

Antifederalists argued that a stronger national government without explicit protections could threaten liberties such as speech, jury trial, and freedom from unreasonable searches. The promise to add a bill of rights helped secure ratification.

Question 41History: Founding and the New Nation

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in 1791 mainly to fulfill which purpose?

  1. To strengthen the president's control over the military
  2. To settle the boundary between state and federal courts
  3. To protect individual liberties from abuse by the national government Correct answer.
  4. To create a national bank

Explanation

The first ten amendments list protections such as free speech, jury trial, and due process, responding to Antifederalist concerns about a powerful national government. They limit federal power rather than expand any branch's authority.

Question 42History: Founding and the New Nation

Which constitutional principle is illustrated by the president's power to veto legislation and Congress's power to override a veto with a two-thirds vote?

  1. Popular sovereignty
  2. Federalism
  3. Judicial review
  4. Checks and balances Correct answer.

Explanation

Checks and balances allow each branch to limit the others so no single branch dominates. The veto and the override vote are reciprocal limits between the executive and legislative branches.

Question 43History: Founding and the New Nation

The Constitution's system of federalism divides power by doing which of the following?

  1. Sharing power between national and state governments, with each having its own sphere Correct answer.
  2. Allowing states to override federal laws they dislike
  3. Assigning all law enforcement to local governments
  4. Granting all governing authority to the national government

Explanation

Federalism divides authority so the national government handles matters such as interstate commerce and defense while states handle local concerns like schools and policing. The supremacy clause resolves conflicts, so states cannot simply override federal law.

Question 44History: Founding and the New Nation

In Marbury v. Madison (1803), the Supreme Court established which principle?

  1. The right of states to nullify federal laws
  2. The requirement that all federal cases begin in state courts
  3. The president's authority to remove federal judges
  4. Judicial review, the power to declare laws unconstitutional Correct answer.

Explanation

Chief Justice Marshall ruled that a law conflicting with the Constitution cannot be enforced and that courts must interpret the Constitution. This established judicial review, giving the judiciary a check on Congress and the president.

Question 45History: Founding and the New Nation

Why did the framers create the Electoral College rather than provide for direct popular election of the president?

  1. They distrusted direct popular choice and sought to balance state and popular influence Correct answer.
  2. They intended the president to serve a lifetime term
  3. They believed only the Senate should choose the president
  4. They wanted to eliminate the influence of state legislatures

Explanation

The framers worried about national campaigns and factions and wanted states to have a role, so electors chosen by states cast the decisive votes. The system also reflected compromises, including counting enslaved people as three-fifths for representation.

Question 46History: Founding and the New Nation

The Three-Fifths Compromise affected which aspect of the new national government?

  1. The number of Supreme Court justices
  2. The number of seats a state held in the House of Representatives Correct answer.
  3. The length of the president's term
  4. The process for amending the Constitution

Explanation

Because House seats are apportioned by population, the three-fifths formula increased the representation of states with large enslaved populations. The compromise also tied that counting to direct taxation, linking representation and fiscal obligations.

Question 47History: Founding and the New Nation

Which provision of the Constitution addressed the concerns of southern states about the Atlantic slave trade?

  1. It allowed Congress to ban the importation of enslaved people starting in 1808 Correct answer.
  2. It permanently banned the importation of enslaved people
  3. It required all states to return enslaved people who escaped
  4. It gave Congress immediate power to regulate the interstate slave trade

Explanation

The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise barred Congress from prohibiting the importation of enslaved people before 1808, after which Congress could act. Congress did so in 1808, though the domestic trade continued.

Question 48History: Founding and the New Nation

The Federalist Papers were written primarily to achieve which goal?

  1. To persuade New York voters to ratify the Constitution Correct answer.
  2. To draft the Bill of Rights
  3. To organize the Constitutional Convention
  4. To announce the Declaration of Independence

Explanation

Hamilton, Madison, and Jay published the essays under a pen name to persuade New Yorkers to support ratification. They explained the proposed structure and defended it against Antifederalist criticisms.

Question 49History: Founding and the New Nation

Federalist No. 51 argues that the separation of powers is reinforced by which additional device?

  1. A single legislative body that represents all interests
  2. A requirement that all officeholders belong to the same party
  3. Ambition counteracting ambition through each branch's ability to defend its powers Correct answer.
  4. Direct election of federal judges

Explanation

Madison contends that government must control itself by giving each department the means to resist encroachments from the others. Rival ambition and separate powers thus prevent any one branch from dominating.

Question 50History: Founding and the New Nation

Which action by President George Washington established a lasting precedent for the executive branch?

  1. Refusing to enforce federal tax laws
  2. Serving only two terms in office Correct answer.
  3. Choosing a cabinet composed only of Antifederalists
  4. Declaring war on France without congressional approval

Explanation

Washington voluntarily stepped down after two terms, establishing the two-term tradition later codified by the Twenty-Second Amendment. His cabinet also set the pattern of department heads advising the president.