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Civics Unit 2: Foundation of American Government

Total questions: 29

Worksheet time: 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The people who came to the American colonies in the 17th century had already been exposed to the idea of limited government thanks mainly to

a)

the Magna Carta

b)

the Constitution

c)

Council of Trent

d)

Articles of Confederation

2.

The "Rule of Law" states that

a)

there should be no barres to the right to vote

b)

a just government derives its power from the governed

c)

all people, including those who govern, must obey the law.

d)

a country's citizens are the source of the government's power

3.

What was the purpose of the English Bill of Rights?

a)

to reinstate King Jame II

b)

To weaken the road of parliament

c)

to establish the british cabinet system

d)

To limit the power of the British monarch

4.

What forced King John of England to grant rights to the nobility, respect the rights of his subjects, and accept limitations to his powers as king?

a)

The Magna Carta

b)

The Writ of Habeas Corpus

c)

Statement of Liberties

d)

English Bill of Rights

5.

XXIX. NO Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the Land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.

The Magna Carta, 1215 Article 29 of the Magna Carta established the concept of

a)

freedom of speech

b)

due process of law

c)

freedom of religion

d)

freedom of petition

6.

How does a system of checks and balances protect against abuse of power?

a)

It gives each branch powers over other branches

b)

it divides government responsibilities into three branches

c)

it creates separate governments for countries and states/provinces

d)

it allows constitutions to be changed to meet the needs of the people

7.

•The Magna Carta•The English Bill of Rights•The Petition of RightsThese documents have had a lasting impact on American democracy by providing a foundation for

a)

the federalist papers

b)

the us constitution

c)

declaration of independence

d)

Virginia declaration of rights

8.

Transparency Stability

EnforcementAccountability

Due Process

All of these are characteristics of

a)

monarchy

b)

rule of man

c)

rule of law

d)

authoritarianism

9.

The Petition of Right is an important document in Great Britain's history and in the development of their political system. This document was presented to King Charles 1 by Parliament in 1628. Some of the important ideas presented to the monarch included punishments to violations of laws could not be excessive, no forced quartering of soldiers by citizens, the right to "habeas corpus" and that taxes must be approved by Parliament.

Using the prompt, which ideas are most influenced by the Petition of Right?

a)

common law

b)

bill of rights

c)

divine right of kings

d)

declaration of independence

10.

The phrase in the Declaration of Independence stating "that governments are instituted among Men,deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" illustrates the principle of

a)

federalism

b)

judicial review

c)

equality before the law

d)

the social contract theory

11.

John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Jean Jacques Rousseau all were

a)

advocated american independence

b)

french enlightenment philosophers

c)

proponents of a constitutional monarchy

d)

influences on the ideals that shaped American government.

12.

Montesquieu is credited with devising the basic Constitutional principle of

a)

natural rights

b)

popular sovereignty

c)

separation and balance of government power

d)

government was created by man for his own purposes

13.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,-That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." from -- The Declaration of Independence

This passage MOST accurately reflects the democratic ideals taken from

a)

the enlightenment

b)

ancient legalist doctrine

c)

portestant reformation

d)

observations of machiavelli

14.

The Declaration of Independence and the "Social Contract Theory" both arose from which philosophical movement?

a)

realism

b)

humanism

c)

enlightenment

d)

existentialism

15.

Which, European philosopher believed that the purpose of government is to protect natural rights?

a)

John Locke

b)

Adam Smith

c)

Baron de Montesquieu

d)

Jean-Jacques Rosseau

16.

What did the ideas of John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Jean Jacques Rousseau have in common?

a)

the philosophies challenged the traditional role of women

b)

The philosophies inspired the American and French revolutions.

c)

the theories promoted fairness in the criminal justice system

d)

the theories encouraged the establishment of absolute monarch

17.

According to John Locke, if the government failed to protect natural rights, what did citizens have a right to do?

a)

to divide the government into three separate parts

b)

to elect a new government leaders to rule the country

c)

to overthrow the government and establish a new one

d)

to create a direct democracy and allow individuals to govern

18.

Which European philosopher proposed that dividing the government into three branches would preventany one person or group from gaining total control?

a)

voltaire

b)

rousseau

c)

thomas hobbes

d)

Baron de Montesquieu

19.

Which statement best describes a political theory of John Locke?

a)

men and women are born free and entitled to equality

b)

there should be a separation between church and state

c)

A government's power comes from the consent of the people.

d)

the government should b divided into three separate branches

20.

The ideas contained in the Declaration of Independence were MOST influenced by

a)

absolute monarchy

b)

the federalist system

c)

anti-authoritization

d)

social contract theory

21.

Which of these was a major philosophy expressed in the Declaration of Independence?

a)

support for states' rights and slavery

b)

a belief in the natural rights of citizens

c)

the need for a federal system of government

d)

a belief in the benefits of a laissez-faire economy

22.

"He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation"

From Declaration of Independence

In this passage, who does Thomas Jefferson make a case against when he uses the word their?

a)

the british parliament

b)

house of burgesses

c)

continental congress

d)

committees of correspondence

23.

One of the major philosophical principles in the Declaration of Independence was that of

a)

natural rights

b)

freedom of speech

c)

abolition of slavery

d)

separation of powers

24.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat

out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our

legislatures. The Declaration of Independence

In this passage from the Declaration of Independence, the primary complaint of the colonists is

centered around Parliament's passage of the

a)

tea act

b)

stamp act

c)

sugar act

d)

quartering act

25.

In the Declaration of Independence, whom did the Americans indict for *repeated injuries and userpations"?

a)

King George Ill, because of the crown's apparent intention to establish despotism

b)

Parliament, because of the oppressive legislation that it had passed over ten years

c)

British merchants, because their drive for personal profits had caused them to ignore the greater good of the empire

d)

The King's Ministers, because they had refused to compromise and had turned the king and Parliament against the colonies

26.

Both John Locke and Thomas Jefferson wrote about the natural rights of man. In what document arethese "unalienable rights" specifically mentioned?

a)

bill of rights

b)

mayflower compact

c)

preamble to the constitution

d)

declaration of independence

27.

The Founding Fathers believed that all people are born with "natural rights." Which line from the Declaration of Independence BEST represents the idea of "natural rights"?

a)

"...we mutually pledge to reach other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor"

b)

"...that these united colonies are, and of right ought to bet free and independent states"

c)

"...it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security"

d)

"...all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights."

28.

"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."- The Declaration of Independence

This statement is MOST closely connected to

a)

the social contract theory

b)

the invisible head theory

c)

separation of powers

d)

checks and balances

29.

Loyalty to WHICH governing model was displaced by ideas advanced in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution?

a)

the dictatorship

b)

the oligarchy

c)

the monarchy

d)

the democracy