Unit Two Assessment

Objective:
Students will demonstrate their content knowledge of Unit Two by answering Regents-based multiple choice questions. They will evaluate two differing points of view on Constitutional powers by assessing two different authors’ claims, reasoning and evidence in an argumentative essay format.
NOTE: Multiple-choice questions and document questions should be completed in class. Essay may be completed by students at home and collected the next day. Teacher should collect multiple-choice responses at the end of the class period, but simply check document questions and allow students to take them home for reference in writing the essay.

Materials:
Unit Two Multiple Choice Questions
Unit Two Essay Assessment Task
Argumentative Essay Graphic Organizer
Step-by-step instructions for the essay
Argumentative Essay Rubric

Activity: Answer multiple choice questions
Students answer multiple choice questions individually. Teacher collects from students when completed.
Activity: Essay writing
Once students finish multiple choice questions, they start working on the documents. They should read the documents, complete the questions for them, and submit them to teacher for checking; students will take this section of the assessment home with them in order to complete the essay assignment.
If time allows, students will read the essay question and begin drafting their essay. They should use the argumentative essay graphic organizer and/or the step-by-step instructions for the essay as a guide. Essays will be completed at home and collected the following day.
Also attached is an argumentative essay rubric template that the teacher can adapt and use to grade the essay. It may be useful for students to receive the graded essay along with the grading rubric with teacher’s comments.
NAME_____________________________________

Unit Two: Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why did the authors of the Articles of Confederation create a weak central government?
(1) They did not understand state problems.
(2) They anticipated the threat of foreign invasion.
(3) They relied on advice from royal governors.
(4) They feared the kind of rule experienced under the British monarchy.

2. One way in which the U.S. Constitution differed from the Articles of Confederation was that the Constitution
(1) made slavery illegal.
(2) eliminated the possibility of making amendments.
(3) created a national government having three branches.
(4) increased the powers of the states.

• A bicameral legislature is created in which states have equal representation in the Senate, but representation in the House depends on population.
• An enslaved person is counted as three-fifths of one person for purposes of representation and taxation.
3. These two statements describe
(1) grievances included in the Declaration of Independence
(2) provisions found in the Articles of Confederation
(3) compromises reached at the Constitutional Convention
(4) amendments included in the Bill of Rights

4. At the Constitutional Convention, the delegates agreed that Congress should have the power to
(1) declare laws unconstitutional
(2) levy and collect taxes
(3) select the president
(4) eliminate slavery in the states

5. The Great Compromise settled the issue of representation in Congress by
(1) giving each state two senators and a number of representatives based on population.
(2) allowing all the states to have equal representation in Congress.
(3) having an equal number of members in each house of Congress.
(4) limiting the population of large states.
6. According to the Constitution, the president is required to
(1) sign or veto bills passed by Congress
(2) establish income tax rates
(3) review Supreme Court decisions
(4) raise money for political parties

7. A constitutional power specifically delegated to the federal government is the power to
(1) regulate marriage and divorce
(2) establish education standards
(3) declare war
(4) issue driver’s