Question 1 of 20Constitutional ConventionEasy
Constitution and amendments quiz
Think you know the supreme law of the land? This Constitution quiz takes you inside the 1787 Convention and the fight over ratification, then puts your knowledge of the 27 amendments to the test. Whether you're prepping for civics class or just love trivia, this amendments quiz has a question for everyone.
A free quiz from Megan Moran, author of The Great American Quiz Book.
Question 2 of 20AmendmentsEasy
Which amendment protects freedom of religion, speech and the press?
Question 3 of 20AmendmentsMedium
Which amendment, ratified in December 1865, abolished slavery throughout the United States?
Question 4 of 20Structure of governmentEasy
Which three words open the Preamble of the US Constitution?
Question 5 of 20Constitutional ConventionHard
Which of the 13 states refused to send any delegates to the Constitutional Convention?
Question 6 of 20Constitutional ConventionMedium
Which delegate, aged 81, was the oldest person to sign the Constitution?
Question 7 of 20Structure of governmentEasy
How many US senators does the Constitution give each state?
Question 8 of 20AmendmentsMedium
Which amendment, ratified in 1920, guaranteed women the right to vote?
Question 9 of 20Constitutional ConventionHard
The deal that gave every state equal representation in the Senate but based House seats on population is known as what?
Question 10 of 20Constitutional ConventionMedium
On what date in 1787 did delegates sign the Constitution?
Question 11 of 20RatificationEasy
The Constitution replaced which earlier governing document of the United States?
Question 12 of 20AmendmentsMedium
Which amendment ended nationwide Prohibition in 1933?
Question 13 of 20Constitutional ConventionHard
Which delegate is credited with writing much of the Constitution's final wording, including the Preamble?
Question 14 of 20AmendmentsMedium
Which amendment protects people from being forced to testify against themselves?
Question 15 of 20Constitutional ConventionEasy
Who was unanimously elected to preside over the Constitutional Convention?
Question 16 of 20AmendmentsMedium
The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the national voting age to what?
Question 17 of 20AmendmentsHard
Which amendment bars the government from housing soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent?
Question 18 of 20RatificationMedium
Under Article VII, how many states had to ratify the Constitution before it could take effect?
Question 19 of 20AmendmentsHard
Ratified in 1913, which amendment let voters elect US senators directly?
Question 20 of 20AmendmentsMedium
Which amendment says no person may be elected president more than twice?
Answer all 20 to see your score.
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Show all the answers, with the facts behind them
- In which city did the Constitutional Convention meet in 1787? PhiladelphiaDelegates met in the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall, the same building where the Declaration of Independence had been adopted.
- Which amendment protects freedom of religion, speech and the press? First AmendmentIt also protects the right to assemble peacefully and to petition the government, for five freedoms in all.
- Which amendment, ratified in December 1865, abolished slavery throughout the United States? 13th AmendmentMississippi rejected it in 1865 and didn't ratify it until 1995. That ratification wasn't officially certified until 2013.
- Which three words open the Preamble of the US Constitution? We the PeopleThe Preamble is a single sentence that lists six goals, including to "establish Justice" and "secure the Blessings of Liberty."
- Which of the 13 states refused to send any delegates to the Constitutional Convention? Rhode IslandIt was also the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution, holding out until May 1790.
- Which delegate, aged 81, was the oldest person to sign the Constitution? Benjamin FranklinThe youngest signer was Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey, who was just 26.
- How many US senators does the Constitution give each state? TwoSenators serve six-year terms, and the terms are staggered so about one-third of the seats come up for election every two years.
- Which amendment, ratified in 1920, guaranteed women the right to vote? 19th AmendmentTennessee was the decisive 36th state. Legislator Harry Burn, 24, switched his vote to yes after receiving a note from his mother.
- The deal that gave every state equal representation in the Senate but based House seats on population is known as what? The Great CompromiseChampioned by Connecticut's Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, it was approved on July 16, 1787, by five states to four, with Massachusetts divided.
- On what date in 1787 did delegates sign the Constitution? September 17Since 2004, federal law has required federally funded schools and federal agencies to provide educational programs about the Constitution each year on Constitution Day.
- The Constitution replaced which earlier governing document of the United States? The Articles of ConfederationIn force from 1781, it gave Congress no power to collect taxes. Congress could only ask the states for money.
- Which amendment ended nationwide Prohibition in 1933? 21st AmendmentIt is the only amendment that repeals another, and the only one ratified by special state conventions instead of state legislatures.
- Which delegate is credited with writing much of the Constitution's final wording, including the Preamble? Gouverneur MorrisHe used a wooden leg after a 1780 carriage accident, and later helped draw up Manhattan's 1811 street grid plan.
- Which amendment protects people from being forced to testify against themselves? Fifth AmendmentThe same amendment bars "double jeopardy" and requires just compensation when the government takes private property for public use.
- Who was unanimously elected to preside over the Constitutional Convention? George WashingtonDelegates kept their debates secret. The most detailed record, James Madison's notes, wasn't published until after his death in 1836.
- The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the national voting age to what? 18It was ratified in about 100 days, faster than any other amendment in US history.
- Which amendment bars the government from housing soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent? Third AmendmentIt was a reaction to British Quartering Acts. It has never been the primary basis of a Supreme Court decision.
- Under Article VII, how many states had to ratify the Constitution before it could take effect? NineNew Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify in 1788. The new federal government began operating on March 4, 1789.
- Ratified in 1913, which amendment let voters elect US senators directly? 17th AmendmentEarlier that same year, the 16th Amendment was ratified, clearing the way for a federal income tax.
- Which amendment says no person may be elected president more than twice? 22nd AmendmentCongress proposed it in 1947 and it was ratified in 1951. Harry Truman, president when it was proposed, was exempted from its limit.
