88. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers . . . . The Senate . . . shall be composed of two Senators from each State. The excerpt shown is from which of the following?
Answer: E
The excerpt is from the United States Constitution.
The passage describes the apportionment of representatives and the structure of the Senate, which is a fundamental feature outlined in the United States Constitution.
A) The New Jersey Plan
The New Jersey Plan was a proposal presented at the Constitutional Convention that advocated for equal representation of states in Congress, regardless of population size. It did not establish the bicameral legislature structure described in the excerpt, making this option incorrect.
B) The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a historical document that declared the thirteen American colonies' independence from British rule. It does not address the structure of government or representative apportionment, so this option is not applicable.
C) The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution for the United States but lacked a strong federal structure, including provisions for a Senate or a specified method of representation. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
D) The Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan proposed a government structure with a bicameral legislature based on population, which is related but does not directly contain the language from the excerpt. The specific details regarding Senate representation indicated in the excerpt align with the final Constitution rather than the Virginia Plan alone.
E) The United States Constitution
The excerpt accurately reflects the provisions regarding the apportionment of representatives and the composition of the Senate as outlined in the United States Constitution. This is indeed the correct source of the passage.
Conclusion
The United States Constitution is the definitive source of the excerpt, as it establishes the framework for representation and the Senate's composition. All other options either represent different documents or proposals that do not contain the specific language or structure referenced in the question, confirming that the Constitution is the only correct answer.