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Foundations of American Government

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The founding document that officially separated us from Great Britain was the

a)

Constitution

b)

Declaration of Independence

c)

Articles of Confederation

d)

Bill of Rights

2.

The primary author of the Declaration of Independence was

a)

Thomas Jefferson

b)

John Adams

c)

Thomas Paine

d)

George Washington

3.

Which of the following terms means, an implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits?

a)

Anarchy

b)

Natural Rights

c)

Democracy

d)

Social Contract

4.

Whose ideas had the greatest impact on the writing of the Declaration of Independence?

a)

John Locke

b)

Aristotle

c)

Cesare Beccaria

d)

King George

5.

Which of these was NOT one of the natural rights listed by John Locke?

a)

Life

b)

Liberty

c)

Property

d)

Happiness

6.

The ______________ was the final attempt by the Continental Congress to avoid war with Great Britain.

a)

Olive Branch Petition

b)

Intolerable Acts

c)

Boycotting of goods

d)

Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

7.

Thomas Jefferson borrowed many of his ideas from which Enlightenment Philosopher?

a)

John Locke

b)

Thomas Hobbes

c)

Thomas Paine

d)

John Adams

8.

According to the Declaration of Independence who institutes or creates governments?

a)

The King

b)

The People

c)

The Pope

d)

The President

9.
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.
10.

Which of the following is the central idea put forth in the Declaration of Independence?

a)

The American people will fight to the death to protect themselves from attacks by Britain.

b)

The American colonies are justified in rejecting British rule and setting up a new government.

c)

The people of Great Britain should claim their own independence from the rule of the current king.

d)

Americans who support the idea of independence from Great Britain greatly outnumber those who do not.

11.
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
12.

What was the name of the war that started the American Revolution?

a)

British Parliament

b)

The French and Indian War

c)

Lexington and Concord

d)

The Civil War

13.

Why did the British put a tax on paper materials in the colonies?

a)

The British did not like the colonists

b)

The British would use that money to buy weapons

c)

King George needed money to pay the soldiers

d)

The British were in debt because of the war

14.

The Declaration of Independence has 27 grievances against King George III. What is a grievance?

a)

reasons for the "break-up" (a complaint)

b)

a last ditch effort to get back together (last chance)

c)

reasons why the colonies like King George (a positive review)

d)

peace treaty between US and England

15.
Finish this American Colonist Motto, "No Taxation without..."
a)
Transportation
b)
Relaxation
c)
Sensation
d)
Representation