Gov Chapter 2: Origins of American Government

Which of John Locke's beliefs had a major influence on the colonists?

• The powers of government must be separated.

• All people have certain "natural" or inalienable rights such as the right to liberty.

• Monarchs are appointed by God and should have supreme power.

• People need government to maintain order and prevent conflict.

Leaders such as Thomas Jefferson formed committees of correspondence that

• established colonial legislatures.

• began writing a national constitution.

• urged resistance to the British.

• sent soldiers to fight in the French and Indian War.

After considerable discussion, the First Continental Congress

• established a central government and chose John Hancock as its president.

• imposed an embargo on Britain.

• instructed the colonies to create written constitutions.

• decided to go to war against the British.

The Declaration of Independence states that governments

• derive their powers from the consent of the governed.

• do not have the right to tax those they govern.

• have divine rights that set them above the people they govern.

• can establish standing armies without the consent of the legislatures.

An important accomplishment of the Articles of Confederation was that it

• stopped the ability of states to charge tariffs on goods imported from other states.

• developed a national court system.

• strengthened the national government's ability to levy and collect taxes.

• created fair policies for setting lands west of the Appalachian Mountains.

A major reason for Shays's Rebellion was that

• states could not agree on how western lands should be settled.

• legislators thought the central government should provide better security.

• citizens were upset about farm foreclosures.

• Congress wanted more power over the states.

New Jersey delegates did not support the Virginia Plan because they thought

• it gave too much power to the large states.

• the legislature would be able to control the executive branch.

• the judicial branch would not be independent.

• the number of votes a state had in the legislature should be based on population.

The Anti-Federalists demanded that the Constitution have a bill of rights because they

• did not want the national government to be able to restrict the slave trade.

• wanted representation in the Senate to be based on population.

• were concerned that the judicial branch would be overly powerful.

• believed it was needed in order to protect individual liberties.

By agreeing to amend the Constitution by adding the Bill of Rights,

• the Founders were responding to Anti-Federalists' fears of overly powerful state governments.

• the Founders were responding to Anti-Federalists' fears of an overly powerful national government.

• the Founders were incorporating the ideas of William Blackstone.

• the Anti-Federalists were incorporating the ideas of Charles de Montesquieu.

The Magna Carta recognized the principle of limited government because it

• stated that everyone was equal under the law.

• established a system of checks and balances in Parliament.

• guaranteed the right to a fair and speedy trial.

• restricted the power of the monarchy.