Chapter 11 Quiz

Governments in the Past

Ancient Greece

People long ago formed communities for the same reasons we do today. They wanted a safe place to live, work, and play. They also wanted fair laws. Citizens made laws in ancient Athens, a city in Greece. Citizens are official members of a community or nation. The government in Athens was called a direct democracy. In a direct democracy, citizens run the government. In the United States today, our government is a republic. In a republic, citizens elect people to speak for them. These people are called representatives. In 1215 King John of England signed a paper. The paper was called the Magna Carta. It said that the king had to follow the law. He also had to ask citizens before he made decisions. 

Mayflower Compact

In 1620 colonists from England came to Plymouth, Massachusetts. They sailed on a ship called the Mayflower. The colonists left England so that they could practice their religion the way they wanted. Their leaders wrote a plan of government to make laws for the community. The plan was called the Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower Compact said that the colonists would make laws for their community. Everyone in the community would follow the laws. This was the first time European colonists came up with a plan to make laws for themselves. The founders of the United States used the Mayflower Compact as 

an example to follow later. 

Multiple Choice

Why do people form communities?

• To have a different place to live

• To have a safe place to live, work and play and where the laws are fair.

• To have a place to have freedom.

• To have a place where they can do whatever they want.

Multiple Choice

Why did the English colonists create a plan of government?

• To have freedom of religion

• To have a safe place to work.

• To make laws.

• To follow the laws of the king.

Multiple Choice

Why was the Mayflower Compact an important plan?

• It said colonists did not have to follow any laws, they had freedom.

• It said colonist themselves would make the laws for the community.

• It said colonist had to follow the king's laws in their communities.

• It said colonist were free to practice their religion.

Open Ended

Why do you think that the Magma Carta was an important document?

United States Government

​Declaring Independence

Many colonists felt that England was taking away their rights. The colonists declared, or announced, their independence from England. Independence means freedom. Thomas Jefferson helped write the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Declaration of Independence has three parts. The first part says that people have rights. These rights are the right to life, the right to be free, and the right to try to build a happy life for themselves. The government must protect these rights. The second part lists the ways the king of England took away the colonists' rights. The third part said that the colonies were no longer part of England. 

The U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787. The U.S. Constitution is a plan for the government of the United States. Many people worked to write this plan. George Washington was the leader of the group who wrote it. Benjamin Franklin and James Madison also helped write the Constitution. The Constitution gave the people, not a king, the right to rule. 

The Bill of Rights: Protecting Freedom

Some people felt that the Constitution did not protect enough of their rights. In 1791 ten amendments, or changes, to the Constitution were added. These ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights protects some rights of the people. Some of these rights are freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to gather together. African Americans sometimes were treated differently than other Americans. Rosa Parks tried to change this in the 1950s. Other African Americans joined her work to protect their rights. Laws were finally passed to protect all people's rights. Thurgood Marshall was the first African American judge on the United States Supreme Court. He worked to make sure that all people's rights were protected. 

Multiple Choice

What three rights does the Declaration of Independence say that people have?

• Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness

• Freedom of speech, of religion and happiness

• Life, religion and liberty

• Freedom to gather, pursuit of happiness and life.

Multiple Choice

Why was the Bill of rights added to the Constitution?

• To make sure that all laws were protected

• To make sure that everyone followed the laws

• To make sure that the rights of the people were protected

• To make sure all people were living in the U.S.

Multiple Choice

How did Rosa Park's community change because of her actions?

• People were upset because of her actions

• People in her community were treated more unfairly

• People were not allowed to ride in the buses

• People in her community were treated more equally

Open Ended

How are the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights alike and different?