Government Unit 1 24-25

Front

Based on the excerpt below, what kind of political theory is spoken of?

Back

Divine Right of Kings

Answer explanation

In the excerpt it talks about kings, queens, and other princes being ordained of God. This is where monarchs claim their power is from, directly from God.

God = Divine

Kings = Kings

Front

Which idea is based on justice and transcend man made law? Options: Natural Law, Divine Right, Social Contract, Unalienable Rights

Back

Natural Law

Answer explanation

Enlightenment thinkers believed that natural law is above all laws made by man. This gave the founding fathers reasons to declare that the laws that Parliament were passing on the colonies were null and void.

Front

What are Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness referred to as in the Declaration of Independence?

Back

Unalienable Rights

Answer explanation

Thomas Jefferson referred to the rights that mankind has simply for being born human as unalienable rights.

These rights are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Front

How did Montesquieu’s ideas influence the Constitution? Options: A Bill of Rights, A Gov't consisting of 3 branches, 2 legislative bodies must approve all laws, Total presidential power

Back

A Gov't consisting of 3 branches

Answer explanation

In the excerpt, Montesquieu states the judging be not separated form legislative and executive. This idea can be found in the US Constitution because the founders created a new government that consisted of three branches.

Front

Which founder was a major proponent of the Constitution including the rights of individuals & states?

Back

George Mason

Answer explanation

George Mason argued so much for specifically listed rights for individuals and states in the Constitution that when the final draft which still didn't contain these rights was voted on he refused to vote for or sign the new constitution. These rights were later added as the first changes or amendments made to the Constitution.

Front

Which founding father signed the Declaration of Independence and proposed the 3/5 Compromise?

Back

James Wilson

Answer explanation

James Wilson is one of the founding fathers to both sign the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. When the convention were arguing about whether slaves should count towards a states population for the number of representatives that each state would have in the House of Representatives, James Wilson came up with the 3/5 Compromise which both slave and free states could agree on.

Front

Which Founding Father matches the list below? Options: John Adams, Roger Sherman, Alexander Hamilton, George Mason

Back

Roger Sherman

Answer explanation

Roger Sherman is the only founder to have signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. When the convention was divided on how to represent states in the proposed legislature, it was Sherman who came up with the compromise that combined portions of the New Jersey and Virginia plans to create the Congress with equal representation in the Senate and population based representation in the House of Representatives. This compromise became known as the Great Compromise.

Front

Explain the political idea of the social contract

Back

Citizens give up freedoms for protected rights.

Answer explanation

The social contract is the idea that citizens are willing to give up some of their freedoms in exchange for specifically protected rights.

Front

What idea for government comes from consent of the governed? Options: Federalism, Republicanism, Democratism, States Rights

Back

Republicanism

Answer explanation

Republicanism is based on consent of the governed. The people consent to the representatives who make the laws over their lives by voting for them during elections. If the people are not happy with those representatives they can refuse their consent and vote for someone else.

Front

Which Founding Father was a strong federalist and primary author of the Constitution?

Back

James Madison

Answer explanation

James Madison is called "the Father of the Constitution" because he is the primary author of it. The phrasing and language used were written by him and approved by the convention.