Exploring Colonial Life and Government

Which branch of the national government is responsible for making laws?

• Executive (President)

• Judicial (Supreme Court of the United States)

• Legislative (Congress)

• Cabinet (Advisors)

What is the main responsibility of the judicial branch of the state government in Georgia?

• Enforcing laws

• Making laws

• Electing the governor

• Determining if laws are fair

How did American Indians living near rivers and forests use their environment differently from those living on the plains to get food?

• River and forest Indians hunted large buffalo herds, while plains Indians fished in rivers

• River and forest Indians fished and gathered berries, while plains Indians relied more on hunting large animals like buffalo

• Both groups used exactly the same methods to find food

• Plains Indians grew large crops of corn, while river Indians only ate fish

Which branch of Georgia's state government does the governor lead, and what is that branch's main job?

• Legislative branch; making laws

• Judicial branch; determining if laws are fair

• Executive branch; enforcing laws

• Executive branch; making laws

Which of the following best describes the life of an indentured servant in colonial America?

• A person who owned large amounts of land and had great wealth

• A person who agreed to work for a set number of years in exchange for passage to America

• A person who was enslaved for life with no freedom

• A person who was a skilled craftworker who made goods to sell

How were the lives of enslaved people in colonial America different from the lives of large landowners?

• Enslaved people owned large farms and hired others to work for them

• Large landowners had no rights, while enslaved people had full freedom

• Enslaved people were forced to work without pay or freedom, while large landowners had wealth, land, and power

• Both groups lived the same lifestyle and had equal rights

Think about the three branches of national government. Why do you think it is important to have three separate branches instead of just one branch running the entire government? Use what you know about each branch's responsibility to support your answer.

• Having three branches makes the government slower and less effective

• Having three branches ensures that one person or group does not have too much power, and each branch checks the others to keep things fair

• Three branches are needed so that the president can control both Congress and the Supreme Court

• Three branches exist only to create more government jobs for people

Compare how American Indians in a cold, forested region and American Indians in a dry desert region would use their environments differently to build shelter. Which statement best explains this comparison?

• Both groups would build the same type of shelter because all American Indians used the same materials

• Forest Indians would likely use wood and animal hides for shelter, while desert Indians would use materials like adobe clay and stone found in their dry environment

• Desert Indians would use large logs to build wooden cabins, while forest Indians would build adobe homes

• Neither group used their environment to build shelter; they all bought materials from traders

Imagine you are a child living in colonial America. How would your daily life be different if your family were farmers compared to if your family were large landowners? Use evidence from what you know about colonial life to support your reasoning.

• Children of farmers and large landowners had identical daily lives with the same chores and schooling

• Children of large landowners would likely have tutors and more leisure time, while children of farmers would spend much of their day doing chores and working in the fields alongside their family

• Children of farmers went to fancy schools every day, while children of large landowners worked in the fields

• Both groups of children spent all their time playing and had no responsibilities

A new law has been passed in Georgia, but some people believe it is unfair. Using your knowledge of the three branches of state government, explain which branch would handle this concern and why that branch has this responsibility.

• The governor would handle it because the executive branch makes all final decisions about laws

• The Georgia General Assembly would handle it because the legislative branch enforces all laws

• The Supreme Court of Georgia would handle it because the judicial branch is responsible for determining if laws are fair

• The President of the United States would handle it because national government controls state laws