WorksheetsThe Declaration of Independence
Total questions: 31
Worksheet time: 16mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Who wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence?
a)
Thomas Jefferson
b)
Benjamin Franklin
c)
John Adams
d)
Sam Adams
2.
When was the Declaration of Independence approved?
a)
July 4, 1776
b)
July 4, 1676
c)
July 4, 1786
d)
July 4, 1766
3.
The Declarations says that people have the right to life, _______, and the pursuit of happiness.
a)
holiday
b)
taxing
c)
rights
d)
liberty
4.
What was the purpose of the Declaration?
a)
to declare independence from France.
b)
to declare independence from Germany.
c)
to declare independence from Cuba.
d)
to declare independence from England
5.
We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are _____________________________.
a)
created seperatly
b)
created differently
c)
created equally
d)
created in halfs
6.
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 people
7.
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.
8.
Which man signed his name quite large to make a statement?
a)
Thomas Jefferson
b)
John Hancock
c)
Sam Adams
d)
John Adams
9.
The words self-evident means what?
a)
confusing
b)
obvious
c)
wrong
d)
self-aware
10.
Jefferson stated that people have the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
a)
your born rights
b)
bill of rights
c)
natural rights
d)
1st amendment
11.
According to the Declaration of Independence, where does the government get its power?
a)
From its Constitution
b)
From its military
c)
From the elected representatives
d)
From the Consent of the Governed
12.
What is the importance of the first section, the Preamble.
a)
States that people have rights that cannot be taken away and the purpose of a government
b)
It's the longest section that states the grievances the colonists had.
c)
It's where members of Congress signed & pledged their loyalty to one another & declared independence
d)
States why it is being written, which was to break away from Britain.
13.
What is the importance of the second section, the Preamble.
a)
States that people have rights that cannot be taken away and the purpose of a government
b)
It's the longest section that states the grievances the colonists had.
c)
It's where members of Congress signed & pledged their loyalty to one another & declared independence
d)
States why it is being written, which was to break away from Britain.
14.
What is the importance of the 3rd Section, Grievances: Justification for Independence?
a)
States that people have rights that cannot be taken away and the purpose of a government
b)
General statement of why the colonies are just in declaring independence
c)
It's where members of Congress signed & pledged their loyalty to one another & formally declared independence
d)
States why it is being written, which was to break away from Britain.
15.
To whom were the signers writing this "break-up letter"?
a)
The world
b)
King George
c)
George Washington
d)
One Republic & Timabland
16.
By signing the Declaration of Independence, what illegal act were these men committing?
a)
Murder
b)
Treason
c)
Nothing was illegal
d)
Burglery
17.
The phrase "No Taxation without Representation" was shouted by colonist who felt what?
a)
They needed a tax collector
b)
That they had no voice in Parliment
c)
That they wanted their tax check
d)
That Parliament had heard them
18.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain _______, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
Which of the following best completes this excerpt?
Which of the following best completes this excerpt?
a)
unalienable rights
b)
equalities of opportunity
c)
duties and responsibilities
d)
repeated injuries and abuses
19.
In 1776, the Second Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House in __________________.
a)
Philadelphia
b)
Sugar town
c)
Fort Madison
d)
Burlington
20.
Congress picked a committee of five men to write the Declaration of Independence. Who was the main author?
a)
George Washington
b)
Thomas Jefferson
c)
Donald Trump
d)
Donald Duck
21.
Jefferson also wrote that the colonies were no longer bound to what country?
a)
Canada
b)
Brazil
c)
Britain
d)
Australia
22.
In the longest section of the Declaration, Jefferson listed the grievances, or complaints, against the King. Which of these would NOT be one of the complaints?
a)
making the colonists pay taxes
b)
cutting off trade with the rest of the world
c)
giving them stale biscuits for breakfast
d)
making them quarter the soldiers
23.
Jefferson included a section attacking the slave trade. However all mention of slavery was removed from the Declaration because delegates from Georgia and __________ would not sign it if it was in there.
a)
South Carolina
b)
Iowa
c)
Hawaii
d)
Alaska
24.
Congress added these words to the end of the Declaration: "That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and Independent ________."
a)
cities
b)
countries
c)
schools
d)
states
25.
When Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration he joked, "We must all hang together or we will all ___________ separately."
a)
sing
b)
walk
c)
dance
d)
hang
26.
As time went by, Jefferson’s words “all men are created equal” grew in importance. Northern states used them to free _____________ in their states.
a)
cows
b)
flowers
c)
tea
d)
slaves
27.
What are unalienable rights?
a)
Rights that government cannot take away
b)
Rights that government takes away
c)
rights for aliens
d)
Government is needed to promote equality
28.
According to the Declaration, what causes a government to be just?
a)
powerful institutions
b)
a Bill of Rights
c)
ease of altering
d)
Consent of the people being governed
29.
How could the British have prevented the American Revolution?
a)
By forcing King George III to give up the throne
b)
By overruling the decisions of the colonial legislatures
c)
By increasing taxes on the colonists
d)
By allowing colonists to elect representatives to Parliament
30.
The Declaration of Independence is most like a what?
a)
Love Letter
b)
Treaty
c)
Break-up letter
d)
Constitution
31.
What is the purpose of the following lines from the declaration?
"He has dissolved our legislative assemblies"
“ He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies ” “For imposing taxes on us without consent”
“ For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury”
a)
To justify independence by giving examples of complaints about rights violated by King George and the British government
b)
To give examples of complaints against the American government, asking King George III to fix them
c)
To request that the king protect certain rights and complain about rights that colonists didn't have
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