Foundations of American History

The main purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to–

• Explain the advantages of republican government
• persuade the British king to change his policies
• establish a new central government in the colonies
• announce the colonists' reasons for separating from Great Britain

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain ?  , that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
Which of the following best completes this excerpt?

• unalienable rights
• equalities of opportunity
• duties and responsibilities
• repeated injuries and abuses

Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes … But when a long train of  ?  , pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. —The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
Which phrase best completes the excerpt above?

• unalienable rights
• safety and happiness
• duties and responsibilities
• abuses and usurpations

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights …. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…
The excerpt above is taken from the - 

• Magna Carta
• Bill of Rights
• Declaration of Independence
• U.S. Constution

The Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence in order to —

• A  guarantee the individual rights of citizens against government abuse
• A  explain the reasons for the colonists’ separation from Great Britain
• A  create a stronger central government for the thirteen new states
• A  provide a method for territories to become new states

Which right is contained in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

• Freedom of the press
• Freedom from arbitrary arrest
• Right to a jury trial if accused of a serious crime
• Right to compensation for property taken by the government

The main purpose for adopting the U.S. Constitution was to —

• protect the individual rights of citizens
• establish independence from Great Britian
• Create a stronger central government
• provide a method for territories to become states

The main purpose for the Bill of Rights was to - 

• establish a republican government in America
• Guarantee individual freedoms against abuses of power
• Establish a stronger central government in the colonies
• announce the colonists' reasons for separating from Great Britain

Which document is correctly paired with its description?

• Declaration of Independence ---> Established a stronger central government for the thirteen states
• Washington's Farewell Address --->  General Washington's final speech to his troops at the end of the American Revolution
• U.S. Constitution -->  Announced the reasons for the colonists' separation from England
• Bill of Rights ---> Provided specific guarantees of individual rights

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is frequently used in support of opponents of—

• U.S. intervention in overseas wars
• stricter gun control laws
• affirmative action programs
• the Equal Rights Amendment