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WorksheetsLesson 6: Declaration of Independence
Total questions: 70
Worksheet time: 48mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Where did both the 1st and 2nd Continental Congress meet?
a)
Washington D.C.
b)
New York
c)
Boston
d)
Philadelphia
2.
Why was the Declaration of Independence written?
a)
To stop taxes from the British Empire.
b)
To explain WHY the colonies were separating from England.
c)
To gain independence from the British Empire
d)
To make a United States army.
3.
According to the Declaration of Independence, where does government get its power?
a)
From the King
b)
From the Supreme Court
c)
From God
d)
From the governed
4.
To Great Britain, the signing of the Declaration of Independence was
a)
an act of loyalty.
b)
an act of treason.
c)
an act of bravery.
d)
an act of insanity.
5.
Why is July 4, 1776 an important date in U.S. history?
a)
Common Sense was published.
b)
The Olive Branch Petition sent to King George III.
c)
The American Revolution ends.
d)
The Declaration of Independence is signed.
6.
According to the Declaration of Independence, what truth was "self-evident"?
a)
All men are created equal
b)
Rights are given by good kings
c)
Government exists to protect us from ourselves
d)
Only a democracy can protect our rights
7.
The List of Grievances were the part of the Declaration that
a)
detailed the colonists' complaints with King George.
b)
listed a man's natural rights.
c)
introduced the Declaration.
d)
concluded the Declaration, declaring America a free country.
8.
What are our natural rights according to Jefferson? (He got the idea from John Locke, but he changed the last right.)
a)
Freedom of speech, religion, and press
b)
Life, liberty, and property
c)
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
d)
Voting, rebelling, and health
9.
Who was the main author or "Father" of the Declaration of Independence?
a)
Benjamin Franklin
b)
Samuel Adams
c)
Thomas Jefferson
d)
Paul Revere
10.
The words self-evident means what?
a)
confusing
b)
obvious
c)
wrong
d)
self-aware
11.
The Continental army was composed of _____________.
a)
troops from all the colonies.
b)
troops from throughout Great Britain
c)
only troops from the New England colonies.
d)
only troops from Virginia and Massachusetts.
12.
Which of these describes the mood of most colonies immediately following the events of Lexington and Concord?
a)
They were reluctant to start a war.
b)
They were eager to declare war against the British.
c)
They sided with the Loyalists against the Patriots.
d)
They wanted to move to Great Britain.
13.
Which of these best describes the outcome of the Battle of Bunker Hill?
a)
The British won, but suffered many losses.
b)
The militia won by a narrow margin.
c)
The British won decisively.
d)
The militia surrendered to the British.
14.
Why was George Washington chosen to be a military leader?
a)
He had experience.
b)
He wanted the role.
c)
He was very wealthy.
d)
He was highly educated.
15.
What effect did Common Sense have in the colonies?
a)
It persuaded many colonists that America should be independent.
b)
It instilled fear of war in the colonies.
c)
It convinced the colonies to remain loyal to Great Britain.
d)
It petitioned the king to end the quarrel between the colonies and Great Britain.
16.
What was the purpose of the Olive Branch Petition?
a)
to ask King George to make peace with the colonies.
b)
to persuade British troops to leave Boston.
c)
to encourage colonists to join the army.
d)
to convince Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act.
17.
How do natural rights, as described in the Declaration of Independence, differ from other rights?
a)
People are born with natural rights.
b)
People can vote to choose natural rights
c)
Natural rights are given only to citizens.
d)
Natural rights come from the government.
18.
In a draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson charged the king with violating the "sacred rights of life and liberty.... of a distant people by carrying them into slavery." This passage was removed for all of these reasons except...
a)
it was an unimportant issue in the colonies
b)
it might lead to demand to free slaves.
c)
it was unfair to blame the king for enslaving Africans.
d)
it might offend merchants who profited from the slave trade.
19.
Which of the following concepts means that people are the source of government and power?
a)
democracy
b)
rule of law
c)
consent of the governed
d)
limited government
20.
In the phrase "consent of the governed," the word consent means
a)
permit
b)
to play
c)
permission
21.
According to the Declaration of Independence who gives us our rights?
a)
given by God at birth
b)
given by our government
c)
given by our president
d)
given by our parents
22.
Which statement best describes the role of government according to the Declaration of Independence?
a)
“The main purpose of government is to expand and glorify the state”
b)
“The main purpose of government is to protect the unalienable rights of individuals”
c)
“The main purpose of government is to protect the rights and privileges of His Majesty, the King”
d)
“The main purpose of government is to promote the general welfare of the community by taking steps toward social equality”
23.
When Thomas Jefferson copied John Locke's ideas about the social contract, what did he say the people had the right to do to a government who was not protecting the people's rights?
a)
Write a letter
b)
Suggest how it could be better
c)
Wait until they started to respect the people's rights
d)
Abolish it
24.
The Declaration of Independence states, “That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it.” Which Enlightened idea do these words describe?
a)
need to ensure a representative government.
b)
social contract between government and the people.
c)
revolutionary intent to overthrow the current government.
d)
return to a society that has no central authority.
25.
Which war was a result of The Intolerable Acts?
a)
World War I
b)
Revolutionary War
c)
World War II
d)
Civil War
26.
Writing the Declaration of Independence made the Colonists free as soon as it was signed.
a)
True
b)
False
27.
Thomas Paine published_________________ to gain more people to join the independence movement.
a)
Common Core
b)
Common Independence
c)
Common Sense
d)
Common Knowledge
28.
Declaration main point 1: All men are created ____________
a)
free
b)
good
c)
equal
d)
the same
29.
Declaration main point 2: Men are given by God certain ________________
a)
alienable rights
b)
divine rights
c)
unalienable rights
d)
just rights
30.
Declaration main point 3: We have the ____________ by God to declare independence from England
a)
natural right
b)
un-natural right
c)
basic right
d)
good right
31.
Declaration main point 4: When a government abuses its power the people have the right to _____________ it.
a)
overthrow
b)
underthrow
c)
throw
d)
capture
32.
Declaration main point 5: The colonies tried repeatedly to compromise with King George but he has been a ___________________
a)
great guy
b)
tyrant
c)
dictator
d)
Queen
33.
How did the colonies show they were united?
a)
The Loyalists and Patriots made peace.
b)
They all believed in the goal of independence.
c)
They came together to form one army.
34.
What decision was made at the Second Continental Congress?
a)
to form an army
b)
to make peace
c)
to declare war
d)
to demand a repeal to the Tea Act
35.
Why did Thomas Jefferson say that King George III was an unfit ruler?
a)
He was not born in Great Britain.
b)
He was not elected by Parliament.
c)
He denied the colonists their rights.
36.
Patrick Henry gave a famous speech that ended with the words “give me liberty, or give me death!” With which group did he identify himself?
a)
Loyalists
b)
British citizens
c)
Patriots
37.
Which of these is an example of COOPERATION on the part of the colonies?
a)
The Loyalists and Patriots made peace.
b)
They came together to form one army.
c)
They all opposed the Declaration of Independence.
d)
They all believed in the goal of independence.
38.
When Washington decided he needed cannons, he sent Henry to round them up from where?
a)
Valley Forge
b)
Boston
c)
Ticonderoga
d)
Concord
39.
What is a PETITION?
a)
freedom from control by another government
b)
formal, written request made to an official person or organization
c)
pamphlet published by T. Paine
d)
document written to declare the American colonies as an independent nation
40.
Who was chosen to be the commander of the Continental Army?
a)
John Adams
b)
Henry Knox
c)
George Washington
d)
Thomas Jefferson
41.
Which colonial leader made the statement, "we must all hang together, or assuredly we shall hang separately"?
a)
George Washington
b)
Thomas Paine
c)
Ben Franklin
d)
Abigail Adams
42.
Who fought in the Revolutionary War?
a)
the British against the colonists
b)
the French against the British
c)
the French against the colonists
d)
the colonists against the Native Americans
43.
The __________ were colonists that supported independence from Britain.
a)
militia
b)
Loyalists
c)
Patriots
d)
minutemen
44.
The _____________ were colonists that did not want to separate from Britain.
a)
militia
b)
Loyalists
c)
Patriots
d)
minutemen
45.
The Preamble is...
a)
in the beginning of the Declaration...
b)
the conclusion.
c)
in the middle.
d)
not in the Declaration.
46.
Thomas Jefferson was inspired by a famous man of the Enlightenment. His name was...?
a)
William Penn
b)
Roger Sherman
c)
John Locke
d)
Robert Livingston
47.
What country did The United States declare independence from?
a)
Britain
b)
France
c)
Spain
d)
Belgium
48.
In 1776, the country now called the United States was made up of _____ colonies that belonged to England.
a)
5
b)
13
c)
15
d)
50
49.
The colonists decided to fight a war against England to become their own...
a)
country
b)
person
c)
Constitution
d)
state
50.
The war the colonies fought against England is called the Revolutionary War. This war is also called....
a)
The American Revolution
b)
The Iraq War
c)
World War II
d)
Declaration of Independence
51.
___________ did NOT agree with the Declaration of Independence. He would not let the countries become a separate country.
a)
King George III
b)
Thomas Jefferson
c)
JoJo Gutierrez
d)
Benjamin Franklin
52.
Who said "Give me liberty or give me death!"
a)
George Washington
b)
Patrick Henry
c)
Thomas Paine
d)
Thomas Jefferson
53.
Why did General Thomas Gage send troops to Lexington and Concord?
a)
to seize weapons and arrest leaders
b)
to meet with the local governors
c)
to buy weapons and pay Paul Revere
d)
to arrest George Washington
54.
Why were both Continental Congress held?
a)
To vote for the first president
b)
To decide when to go to war with Great Britain
c)
To discuss a solution to the colonists’ complaints of Great Britain
d)
To write the Constitution
55.
What did the Continental Congress decide to do with British trade?
a)
Buy British goods
b)
Raise tariffs
c)
Destroy all British goods
d)
Boycott all British goods
56.
The First Continental Congress was called for all the following reasons except _________
a)
Respond to the Coercive Acts
b)
Respond to Magna Carta
c)
Advised building a colonial militia
d)
Organized a boycott on all ENGLISH GOODS
57.
Why did the soldiers march to Concord?
a)
They marched to Concord to burn houses
b)
They didn't march to Concord
c)
They marched to Concord to destroy weapons
58.
Lexington and Concord were the first battles in what war?
a)
Revolutionary War
b)
World War I
c)
War of 1812
59.
The Sugar Act, Quartering Act, and the Stamp Act all contributed to the start of the Revolutionary War by....
a)
Restricting trade with American Indians
b)
Imposing regulations on colonial agriculture
c)
Angered colonists who believed that civil liberties had been violated
d)
Punishing colonists for resisting the authority of Parliament
60.
What is the meaning of taxation without representation?
a)
When people are taxed, but they have no say in the government
b)
When people are taxed twice on the same item
c)
When some people get taxed and others don't
d)
When people in the Colonies are taxed, but no one in England is
61.
Who were the colonial leaders making decisions during the Revolutionary War?
a)
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Ben Franklin
b)
Thomas Edison, John Deere, Abe Lincoln, George Washington
c)
Daniel Boone, Barach Obama, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson
d)
George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Betsy Ross
62.
After the battle at Bunker Hill, the Patriots learned...
a)
They had no chance at winning
b)
They were going to beat the British easily
c)
They may lose some battles, but could win the war
d)
They needed to surrender
63.
The British soldiers were called lobsterbacks or redcoats because of their red uniforms.
a)
True
b)
False
64.
Thousands of people died during the Boston Massacre.
a)
True
b)
False
65.
What was the historical significance of the Battles of Lexington and Concord?
a)
The fighting ended colonists' resistance to British authority.
b)
The outcome proved that militias were no match for British troops.
c)
Britain gave up on any attempt to keep its North American colonies.
d)
The fighting signaled the start of the American Revolution.
66.
What advantage helped the Continental Army gain-control of Boston in 1776?
a)
Greater experience in battle
b)
Use of captured British artillery from Fort Ticonderoga
c)
An American naval blockade
d)
The support of loyalists in the city
67.
He was a lawyer and the biggest voice for independence at the Continental Congress
a)
John Adams
b)
Samuel Adams
c)
Richard Henry Lee
d)
Thomas Jefferson
68.
President of the Second Continental Congress who is known for his ornate signature
a)
Paul Revere
b)
Thomas Jefferson
c)
John Hancock
d)
John Adams
69.
This man gave many contributions to independence and the American Revolution by gaining foreign aid for Americans and using persuasive skills to get approval for the Declaration of Independence.
a)
John Adams
b)
George Washington
c)
Benjamin Franklin
d)
Thomas Jefferson
70.
This battle made the British realize that the war would be long and difficult to defeat the Americans
a)
Battle of Lexington and Concord
b)
Battle of Fort Ticonderoga
c)
Battle of Bunker Hill
d)
Battle of Saratoga
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