4.2 Purpose of the Government

Match the following terms with their significance in the Declaration of Independence.

• Citizens of the nation

• people

• Liberties granted to individuals

• rights

• Entitlements that cannot be taken away

• laws

• Rules governing the nation

• freedoms

A balance of powers was necessary to prevent any branch of the government from becoming too _______.

• weak

• powerful

• small

• large

The two groups which make up the United States Congress are the Senate and the House of _______.

• Representatives

• Governors

• Judges

• Ministers

The president's advisers are called the _______.

• Cabinet

• Senate

• Council

• Assembly

The job of the Supreme Court is to decide whether the (a)   has been obeyed.

• Constitution
• Declaration
• Bill of Rights
• Amendments

Members of the Supreme Court serve for _______ or until they are unable to serve.

• two years

• life

• four years

• six years

The system of checks and balances divides the United States government into _______ parts.

• three

• four

• five

• two

By signing the Constitution, individual states were giving up their power to completely govern themselves.

• false

• true

The Bill of Rights was added to the (a)   to protect the freedoms of American citizens.

• Constitution
• Declaration of Independence
• Articles of Confederation
• Federalist Papers

America's government is a constitutional (a)   , which is a government run by representatives chosen by the people.

• republic
• democracy
• monarchy
• oligarchy