U.S. Citizenship Civics TestColonial Period and IndependenceMedium
The Constitutional Convention was held to address the weaknesses of which governing document?
- AThe Articles of Confederation
- BThe Proclamation of 1763
- CThe Bill of Rights
- DThe Mayflower Compact
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. The Articles of Confederation
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was convened because the Articles of Confederation, the first governing document of the United States, proved too weak to effectively manage the new nation, particularly lacking a strong central government and taxing authority.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. The Proclamation of 1763 was a British decree that limited colonial expansion, unrelated to the post-independence governing structure.
- C. The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, added after the Constitution was written and ratified.
- D. The Mayflower Compact was an agreement among Pilgrims for self-governance in 1620, predating the issues of the new nation.
Articles of Confederation Weaknesses
The first governing document of the United States, which established a weak central government with limited powers, leading to significant problems that necessitated the Constitutional Convention.
- No strong central government.
- No power to tax.
- Difficulty enforcing laws.
- Required unanimous consent for amendments.
Memory trick: Articles were weak, so they met to make a new streak.