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A More Perfect Union - Flocabulary

Total questions: 17

Worksheet time: 9mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Why were the colonists frustrated with the British government before the American Revolution?

a)

The government declared war on them.

b)

the government taxed them without paying attention to their interests.

c)

the government forced them to follow the Articles of confederation

d)

The government demanded they return to Great Britain

2.

Which of the following best describes John Locke's feelings about religion?

a)

He thought there should be one national religion that everyone follows

b)

He believed that people should be free to practice any religion they want.

c)

He believed that religion should not be practiced at all

d)

He thought that people should be able to practice any religion, as long as the government approved it.

3.

What was the main question James Madison thought about when he was writing the Constitution?

a)

Should the United States have an army?

b)

Should the states be tied together loosely or strongly?

4.

Which of the following best describes the Articles of Confederation?

a)

A document outlining how the British government ignored the colonies' rights

b)

The first plan for the government of the original thirteen states

c)

John Locke's writings on the separation of government power.

5.

Why did John Locke think that the powers of government should be separated between branches

a)

It keeps one branch of government from gaining too much power.

b)

Separating power causes taxes to be lower

c)

It is too much work for one branch of government to have all the power

d)

it prevents the people from having a revolution

6.

Shay's Rebellion showed the United States that it needed ??????

a)

a bicameral legislature

b)

a standing army

c)

a war of independence

d)

a president

7.

What is the main role of the judicial branch of government

a)

it carries out the laws

b)

it writes legislation

c)

it interprets the Constitution

8.

How did the Constitution improve upon the Articles of Confederation?

a)

it created a stronger national government

b)

it established freedom of religion

c)

it lowered taxes

9.

According to Thomas Jefferson and the Enlightenment thinkers, what is the purpose of government?

a)

to defend people against enemies

b)

to protect people's natural or unalienable rights

c)

to raise money for programs like the military

10.

Why did the bigger states want the number of state representatives to be decided by the state's population?

a)

States with bigger populations would have to pay less taxes

b)

states with smaller populations would have less responsbiility

c)

States with bigger populations would get more of a say in the government

11.

John Locke was a 17th century English philosopher who formulated important theories about governments and humankind. Locke's ideas were extremely influential on the Founding Fathers. America might not be America without him.


Locke's ideas influenced the Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason. Writers during the Enlightenment era, which lasted from the 1650s to the end of the 1700s, asked profound questions; what makes humans human? Why do governments exist and what is their role? Enlightenment thinkers didn't automatically accept conventional wisdom or the teachings of the church. Instead, they championed reason and science. Like Locke's writings, the theories and ideas of the Enlightenment were instrumental to the American Revolution.


Based on the passage, Enlightenment thinkers

a)

were inspired by the American Revolution

b)

Challenged some traditional beliefs.

12.

Locke advocated religious tolerance. He supported this over an enforced single religion. Locks argued that it simply makes more sense to allow people to believe and practice what they want then it would to try to force everyone to believe the same thing. his writings on the topic paved the way for religious freedom in the United States. Indeed, for hundreds of years people have come to the United States in search of religious freedom.


Based on the passage, Locke would most likely agree with which of these statements about religion?

a)

Governments should promote religions tolerance because it is a matter of respecting human rights

b)

Its easier for a government to promote religious tolerance than it is to try to force everyone to believe the same thing.

c)

Governments should support religious tolerance because it encourages more people to move to a country.

13.

when citizens overthrow their governments, they bring about a revolution. Locke believed that if a government takes away the people's rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the people have the right to start a revolution. Locke argued that the rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness are innate, or existing from birth and natural to all people. These thoughts would later be used by America's founders. This idea - of the rights to revolution - didn't only inspire the US Founding Fathers. It has influenced many people in countries around the world for hundreds of years. Che Guevara is one example of a more recent revolutionary. He was a 20th century Argentinian who played an important role in the Cuban revolution. For many, his image has become a symbol of revolutionary movements.


Which of the following could be described as "innate"

a)

the ability to blink

b)

the ability to read

c)

a strained ankle

d)

the ability to walk

14.

In the meeting for the second Continental Congress, journalists were not allowed? why?

a)

They didn't have enough money for lunch

b)

they were discussing life and death issues and they needed to feel free to talk openly

c)

There were no journalists in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at that time.

d)

He didn't have a pencil

15.

John Adams and Ben Franklin were discussing who to have a leader of the new Continental Army. Who did they think could lead the army?

a)

George Washington

b)

Ronald Reagan

c)

Barack Obama

16.

About how long did it take for the 2nd Continental Congress to decide on the nomination of George Washington?

a)

a little over a month

b)

over a year

c)

one day and half of a night.

17.

The Articles of Confederation was the United States first attempt at a constitution. It was a plan of union for the original thirteen states. It set up the government and was in use from 1781 until 1789. The Articles of Confederation put all the power in the hands of the states and not much power in the federal government. For example, the federal government couldn't charge taxes and couldn't raise an army. It has to rely on the states and their militias. In 1787, the Constitutional Convention met to improve the Articles. Instead they would up drafting a whole new document and establishing a much stronger national government.


According to this passage, the Articles of the Confederation

a)

created a strong federal government

b)

are still in use today in the United States

c)

did not allow the federal government to collect taxes

d)

established a national, professional army to defend the country.