Midyear 2

• Baron De Montesquieu

• John Locke

• Thomas Paine

• Thomas Jefferson

3. Use the quotation to answer the question.

“No freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, . . . or in any other way destroyed . . . except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land.” — excerpt from Magna Carta

Which statement best expresses how Magna Carta shaped the colonists’ views of government?

• They supported three branches of government

• They believed that citizens should be able to petition the government for changes in laws.

• They expected government to protect free speech and property rights.

• They believed leaders should obey the law and that citizens had a right to trial by jury

• John Locke

• Montesquieu

• Thomas Paine

• Thomas Jefferson

• Natural Law

• Separation of Powers

• Divine Right of Kings

• Trial by Jury

6. According to the Declaration of Independence, what is the main purpose of government?

• to provide for common defense and promote the general welfare

• to create a strong national government

• to protect the interests of the states

• to protect citizens’ rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

• Magna Carta

• English Bill of Rights

• Declaration of Independence

• Mayflower Compact

• To protect the people’s natural rights

• To provide separation of powers

• To establish a federal system of government

• To confirm checks and balances

10. How did the U.S. Constitution solve a problem created by the Articles of Confederation?

• It avoided the issue of states’ rights.

• It allowed the states to elect representatives.

• It enabled the federal government to collect taxes.

• It prevented the amendment of federal laws.

• Federal System of Government

• Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• Weaknesses of the Declaration of Independence

• Weaknesses of the U.S. Constitution

• That the people were not to be trusted

• That the Articles of Confederation was too weak

• That state governments were too strong

• That more laws needed to be passed