Unit 1- Foundational Documents Review

Democracy can be defined as a system of government

• that gives all power to the central government.

• where power rests in a family of high nobility.

• in which the people hold the power.

• whereby a religious leader holds the power.

Who proposed the concept that some rights cannot be provided or taken away by governments?

• John Locke

• David Hume

• Rodgers Smith

• Baron de Montesquieu

How did the Declaration of Independence justify the American colonies’ break from Great Britain?

• It listed numerous grievances that clearly violated the human rights that were outlined in an earlier section of the Declaration.

• It outlined in great detail the idea that humans are born with basic, God-given rights.

• It made an appeal to the King of England to give the colonies greater independence using philosophical concepts from John Locke.

• It issued a statement of separation after listing several grievances with the King of England.

Having social, political, and economic freedoms is characteristic of which self-evident right?

• Property

• Life

• Liberty

• Happiness

What is considered the supreme law of the nation in America?

• The Bible

• Legislation passed by Congress

• Laws made by the President

• The Constitution

Who held most of the power under the Articles of Confederation?

• The president

• The legislature

• The states

• The judiciary

The current U.S. Senate is similar to the unicameral legislature under the Articles of Confederation in that both:

• are composed of delegates serving six-year terms.

• allow each state to cast two votes on legislation.

• favor more populous states over less populous ones.

• favor less populous states over more populous ones.

Why was the federal government under the Articles of Confederation made to be intentionally weak?

• The writers of the Articles of Confederation wanted the law to be updated easily without being too overbearing.

• Americans were unsure of how long their independence would last and did not want to put too much time into creating a whole new government.

• Many Americans did not want a government at all, and the Articles of Confederation were a compromise.

• Americans had just experienced tyranny under the rule of Great Britain and did not want to duplicate it with another powerful government.

What was the stated purpose of the Constitutional Convention in 1787?

• To propose a new amendment to the Articles of Confederation.

• To address the problems of trade and navigation among the states.

• To fix the Articles of Confederation and create a stronger national government.

• To elect George Washington as the new president of the Confederation.

Which was a characteristic of the proposed Virginia Plan?

• Representation based on each states’ population

• A unicameral legislature

• A set tax rate

• The Three-fifths Compromise