US History Lesson 2 Prep

When writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson began, 

“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 among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” 

-Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence, 1776 

   In these two sentences, Jefferson set forth a vision of a new nation based on

• loyalty

• privilege

• ideals

• social classes

Which of the following best defines an ideal? 

• a law that people strive to obey

• a belief that people hold to be true

• a standard that people try to achieve

• a principle that people accept as useful

Why was the ideal of equality problematic in 1776? 

• It did not include any labor rights. 

• It only targeted wealthy males.

• It excluded enslaved people and women

• It created different social classes.

John Locke argued that all people have specific natural rights, which is the idea that 

• everyone earns certain rights just by being born.

• certain rights should not involve the government.

• citizen rights should be revised every few years.

• citizens are entitled to more power than the government.

Which of these ideals refers to the chance for individuals to pursue their hopes and dreams for a better life? 

• liberty

• equality

• democracy

• opportunity

According to the Declaration of Independence, where does a government obtain its power from? 

• the three branches of government

• the consent of the governed

• wealthy male citizens

• the citizen's natural rights

Prior to 1776, how had most societies been divided?

• Most societies vested their power with the most talented and skilled individuals, regardless of race or wealth.

• Most societies had been divided into unequal groups, castes, or social classes.

• Most societies had achieved equal rights but weren’t necessarily equal.

• Most societies divided all of their major productive resources equally among their populace.

The Declaration of Independence begins with: “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…” Who argued more than a century earlier that all people earned certain unalienable rights simply by being born?

• John Locke

• John Stuart Mill

• Thomas Paine 

• John Adams 

What did liberty mean to colonists? 

A. or the right to take part in public affairs 

B. or protection from the power of government to interfere in one’s life 

C. moral and religious freedom 

D. all of the above

• freedom to accumulate wealth and not be taxed

• protection from hate crimes

• protection from being discriminated against

• political freedom, civil liberty, and moral and religious freedom

What was colonist John Smith referring to when he proclaimed that “every man may be master and owner of his own labor and land”? 

• the right every colonist had to equality 

• the rights to life, equality, and the pursuit of happiness

• the moral and religious freedom that America provided colonists with 

• the opportunity that was present in America