Part 1 of 1st Quarter Government Assessment Questions

How did the political philosophy outlined by John Locke influence the development of self-government in the American colonies?

• It emphasized the necessity of hereditary monarchy to ensure political stability in the colonies.

• It introduced the idea of government based on the consent of the governed, which was later reflected in the creation of colonial legislatures such as the House of Burgesses.

• It promoted the idea that colonial governments should remain under the direct control of the British Parliament.

• It advocated for a separation of powers, which directly led to the formation of the Continental Congress.

Which of the following best explains how the Mayflower Compact contributed to the evolution of self-government in the colonies?

• It established the first direct democracy in the colonies, where all individuals had the right to vote.

• It created a legal framework that emphasized the colonies' dependence on British governance.

• It set a precedent for self-governance by establishing a social contract among settlers to create their own laws and governing structures.

• It laid the foundation for the establishment of the British monarchy’s control over colonial government structures.

Primary Source: Excerpt from Common Sense by Thomas Paine (1776): "Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness... Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the bowers of paradise."

• Government should be based on the needs and consent of the people, not imposed by monarchy.

• Monarchical governments, such as Britain’s, are the best means to protect society’s needs and interests.

• The colonies should reconcile with Britain and continue to follow British laws and governance.

• The colonies could only thrive by rejecting monarchy and creating a government based on Enlightenment principles of liberty and equality.

• Economic prosperity depended on continuing trade relations with Britain under British rule.

Which two principles from the Magna Carta influenced the American colonists' expectations for self-government?

• The king must have absolute power to maintain control over the colonies.

• Individuals are entitled to certain legal protections, which later influenced colonial views on due process and representation.

• Only a monarchy can provide stable governance, which the colonies sought to replicate.

• The principle that government authority should be limited by law, influencing colonial demands for representation in decision-making.

• Colonial governors should have unchecked authority to enforce British laws.

Analyze the Declaration of Independence to determine the influence of classical and Enlightenment thought on revolutionary ideals.

• The divine right of kings, which justifies the power of monarchs.

• John Locke’s concept of natural rights, which argues that all individuals are entitled to life, liberty, and property.

• Montesquieu’s idea of separation of powers, which divides government into distinct branches.

• Hobbes’ belief in absolute monarchy as the best form of government to maintain order.

Analyze the Declaration of Independence to determine the influence of classical and Enlightenment thought on revolutionary ideals. How did John Locke’s ideas in this excerpt influence the revolutionary ideals in the Declaration of Independence?

• Locke's idea that government must be structured into three branches to prevent tyranny is directly mentioned in the Declaration.

• Locke’s theory of social contract and right to revolution provided justification for the colonies’ decision to break from Britain, which is expressed in the Declaration.

• Locke’s belief in hereditary monarchy influenced the colonists to support King George III’s rule.

• Locke’s belief in maintaining strong governmental control at all costs shaped the colonies’ decisions for a more centralized British control.

Primary Source: Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence (1776): "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

• The idea of the social contract, which states that government’s power comes from the consent of the governed.

• The divine right of kings, which argues that monarchs are chosen by God to rule.

• The right to revolution, which argues that people have the duty to overthrow a government that violates their rights.

• The importance of absolute monarchy, which ensures stability and security in society.

• The principle of mercantilism, which supports strict economic control by the government.

Primary Source: Excerpt from John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government (1690): "Men being, as has been said, by nature all free, equal, and independent, no one can be put out of his estate and subjected to the political power of another without his own consent."

• The belief that political power should come from the consent of the governed.

• The idea that government should be based on the divine right of kings.

• The argument that absolute monarchy is the best form of government to maintain order.

• The principle that all men are created equal, which was later echoed in the Declaration of Independence.

• The belief that government should be free from checks and balances.

Evaluate the extent to which decisions made in the Constitutional Convention were influenced by previous models of government and experiences under British rule. Which previous government model influenced the creation of a system of checks and balances in the US Constitution, as discussed in this excerpt?

• Greece's direct democracy, where citizens voted on laws directly.

• Rome's representative democracy, which featured elected officials to represent the people.

• The British Parliament's bicameral legislature, which ensured balance between two houses of government.

• The British monarchy’s absolute power, which concentrated authority in the hands of one ruler.

• The Greek concept of city-states, which allowed local governments full autonomy.

Evaluate the extent to which decisions made in the Constitutional Convention were influenced by previous models of government and experiences under British rule. Which two previous models of government had the greatest influence on the structure of Congress as described in this excerpt?

• The British Parliament, with its bicameral structure consisting of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

• Rome’s republic, where elected representatives served the interests of the citizens.

• Greece’s direct democracy, where citizens voted on all laws directly.

• The Greek monarchy, which concentrated power in a single leader.

• The Articles of Confederation, which did not establish a strong central legislature.