WorksheetsDeclaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights
Total questions: 16
Worksheet time: 11mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Whose actions does Jefferson criticize most harshly in the Declaration of Independence?
a)
British brethren
b)
the King of England
c)
colonial governors
d)
the British Parliament
2.
Jefferson believed that governments derive their powers from
a)
the course of human events
b)
their God
c)
the consent of the governed
d)
the laws of nature
3.
What was Jefferson's opinion about changing long-standing governments?
a)
People should first encourage government leaders to resign from office.
b)
Governments should change whenever people disagree with a policy.
c)
Governments should continue unless they cause insufferable problems.
d)
Long-established governments must always change short-term policies.
4.
What rhetorical feature does Jefferson employ when he begins several consecutive sentences with the words “He has”?
a)
anaphora and parallelism
b)
rhythm
c)
structuralism
d)
activism
5.
A primary assertion of the Declaration of Independence states that
a)
any king who addresses important issues and grievances is a tyrant.
b)
it is necessary to list all reasons for dissolving political connections.
c)
Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally abolished.
d)
people have a right to overthrow governments that deny their basic rights.
6.
The Declaration's list of grievances states that the king has
a)
denied the colonists permission to build and maintain their own navy.
b)
dissolved the standing army necessary for the colonists' protection.
c)
refused to pass laws that are for the good of the people.
d)
raised the prices of services necessary for the colonies' well-being.
7.
According to Jefferson, what has been the king's reaction to the colonists' petitions?
a)
refusing to listen to their pleas
b)
sending representatives to resolve the issues
c)
promising changes but failing to act
d)
inflicting further harm on them
8.
Jefferson's “reliance on the protection of Divine Providence” indicates a belief that
a)
their course of action is morally correct.
b)
they will easily defeat the British forces.
c)
God will punish the king for his unjust actions.
d)
God has bestowed “sacred honor” upon the Declaration's signers.
9.
The phrase “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” implies that the framers of the Constitution
a)
included members of the clergy.
b)
intended this plan for government to be permanent.
c)
elt that government was at odds with the concept of liberty
d)
were most concerned about previous generations.
10.
The Preamble to the Bill of Rights says that government is more effective when
a)
people's rights are protected
b)
it's by the people
c)
it's for the people
d)
people have confidence in it
11.
The Preamble to the Bill of Rights says that government is more effective when
a)
people's rights are protected
b)
it's by the people
c)
it's for the people
d)
people have confidence in it
12.
What can be inferred from the states' insistence that the Constitution include "further declaratory and restrictive clauses"?
a)
They feared an overly strong central government.
b)
They wanted to use the Constitution as the model for their own governments.
c)
They wanted to have direct input into the content of the document.
d)
They hoped to delay its enactment in order to rally opposition.
13.
Which constitutional principle is supported by Amendment IV?
a)
separation of powers
b)
representative democracy
c)
balance between government and individual freedoms
d)
system of checks and balances
14.
What is the purpose of the last two amendments in the Bill of Rights?
a)
to make the people sovereign over both the state and federal governments by reserving certain rights to citizens
b)
to prohibit a liberal construction of the Constitution by enumerating specifically the powers reserved to the states
c)
to summarize the significance of the preceding eight amendments
d)
to limit the power of the federal government by extending rights to the states and the people
15.
The inalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence include
a)
life, freedom, and voting
b)
liberty, the right to bear arms, consumerism
c)
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
d)
freedom of speech, and freedom of religion
16.
The fifth amendment states that no person
a)
can be forced to go to court
b)
can be forced to be a witness against himself
c)
can be forced to be on trial outside of his own city
d)
who does not vote can have freedom
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