Government Systems and Historical Documents

Which of the following ideas in the Declaration of Independence did John Locke inspire?

• separation of powers

• freedom of speech

• right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

• right to a speedy trial and a jury of one's peers

Which of the following BEST describes an authoritarian government?

• Citizens are never given the opportunity to vote.

• A government is held accountable to the will of the people.

• Citizens are given several choices of candidate or party.

• Several sovereign states come together to improve the economic strength of an area.

Why did early Americans consider the rights associated with the Magna Carta (1215), the Petition of Right (1628), and the English Bill of Rights (1689) to be constitutional rights?

• These documents all recognized high levels of royal authority.

• These documents all included no method for amendments over time.

• These documents all explicitly limited these rights to people living in England.

• These documents all established a foundation for the basis of limited government

The Magna Carta is considered a foundational document for which of the following reasons?

• It established the principle of absolute monarchy.

• It limited the power of the king and established certain legal rights.

• It was the first document to establish a parliamentary system.

• It granted universal suffrage to all citizens.

Which philosopher's ideas most directly influenced the separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution?

• Montesquieu

• Locke

• Rousseau

• Hobbes

An oligarchy is characterized by _______.

• Rule by the majority of citizens

• Power held by a single leader

• Rule by a small, privileged group

• Power divided between various levels of government

In ancient Athens, a _______ democracy was practiced, where citizens voted directly on laws.

• Representative democracy

• Constitutional democracy

• Parliamentary democracy

• Direct democracy

Which philosopher argued that the government's legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed?

• Hobbes

• Montesquieu

• Locke

• Rousseau

What distinguishes a republic from a direct democracy?

• The presence of elected representatives

• The absence of a constitution

• Universal suffrage

• Regular elections

Both presidential and parliamentary systems share the characteristic of ______.

• Separation of executive and legislative powers

• Democratic representation

• Fixed terms for leaders

• Executive accountability