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WorksheetsUnit 1 Exam
Total questions: 112
Worksheet time: 2hrs 52mins
In English history, the Magna Carta (1215) and the English Bill of Rights (1689) both reinforced the concept of
universal suffrage.
religious toleration.
a laissez-faire economy
a limited monarchy
A federal government is one which
grants broad legislative powers to a bicameral legislature.
concentrates all power in the hands of the central government
states ally together in order to form a political alliance to prevent the possible invasion from outside forces
divides powers between the state and national government with the national government being supreme or sovereign.
Both John Locke and Thomas Jefferson wrote about the natural rights of humans. In what document are these "unalienable rights" specifically mentioned?
the Bill of Rights
the Mayflower Compact
the Preamble to the Constitution
the Declaration of Independence
Montesquieu is credited with devising the basic Constitutional principle of
natural rights.
popular sovereignty.
separation and balance of governmental power.
government was created by man for his own purposes.
The Magna Carta is MOST important for which reason?
it created Parliament
it was the "great charter"
it created the first democracy in England
it put limits on the monarch's powers
The ancient Greek city-state of Sparta was run as an oligarchy, meaning
the economy was controlled by the masses.
a small group of citizens controlled things.
all adult males enjoyed equal political rights.
foreigners were not allowed to participate in trade.
Canada has a Queen as its head of state, but also has a formal set of laws that is overseen by a Parliament and a Prime Minister. This means that its government could be classified as
an autocracy.
a dictatorship.
a federal republic.
constitutional monarchy.
Nearly all of Latin American governments use a presidential system of government. This means
the president's power cannot be stopped by the judicial branch.
an executive branch exists and has power separate from the legislature.
a president must work closely with the parliament who chooses him or her.
the executive branch is more powerful than the other branches of government.
Australia is a parliamentary democracy, so its political leader
is whoever is the eldest child of the current reigning monarch.
is elected by the majority of the popular votes of its citizens.
is chosen by the party with the majority of members in the legislature.
is elected by an electoral college chosen by the unicameral legislature.
According to John Locke, if the government failed to protect natural rights, what did citizens have a right to do?
To divide the government into three separate parts
To elect new government leaders to rule the country
To overthrow the government and establish a new one
To create a direct democracy and allow individuals to govern
How does a dictatorship MOST differ from a democracy?
In a dictatorship, the power of the government is restricted.
In a democracy, citizens share in governing and being governed.
In a dictatorship, individuals have the final say in government.
In a democracy, no limits are placed on individual freedoms and rights.
Which statement BEST describes why the United States government can be called a representative democracy?
People elect members of Congress to make laws.
All citizens debate issues and vote on the laws.
Power is shared between the nation and the states.
Division of power exists among the three branches.
Which nation provided the foundation for the concept of limited government that is embodied in the U.S. Constitution?
England
France
Greece
Spain
Which statement BEST describes a republic?
The people elect representatives to make laws.
The king or queen has absolute political power.
Religious leaders rule the nation and make laws.
Government officials gain power by military force.
In which form of government is the opportunity for citizen involvement the HIGHEST?
Theocracies
Absolute Monarchies
Constitutional Monarchies
Parliamentary Democracies
A government in which all citizens can participate is called a(an)
autocracy.
confederation.
democracy
oligarchy.
At one time the Union of African States (1961 - 1963) was considered a confederation.
Which choice listed describes the distribution of power in the Union of African States?
Power is shared equally by the central and regional authorities
The power is held by one central authority and no regional authorities.
Strong central government, were the central authority holds most of the power.
Weak central government, where the regional authorities hold most of the power.
Most countries in Africa have a government with a strong central authority. Local governments- like cities, counties, states, or provinces- have only the powers given to them by the central government. In fact, the central government may change those powers at will, without consultation of the regional areas.
What system of government is being described?
Confederal
Federal
Federal
Unitary
"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, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. " - Declaration of Independence
According to this passage from the Declaration of Independence, who gives government the power to exist?
the king
the people
their creator
their government
Which of these was a major philosophy expressed in the Declaration of Independence?
support for states' rights and slavery
a belief in the natural rights of citizens
the need for a federal system of government
a belief in the benefits of a laissez-faire economy
Choose which of the following is NOT one of the four characteristics of a "State":
Population
Territory
Sovereignty
Government
Taxes
Can a country exist and not be a state?
Yes
No
Countries like Puerto Rico and Guam are not consider to be true states because they:
are too far away.
too small in size.
not large enough in population.
not sovereign.
Force theory is:
One person or group claimed control over an area and forced all within it to obey.
Developed out of an early family.
God given right to rule. Ex: Kings, pretty much all monarchies in Europe or other places!
State developed voluntarily. People created government therefore government serves the people.
This type of government gets its power from the people who believe in individual liberty and majority rule with minority rights.
Autocracy
Oligarchy
Democracy
Anarchy
This system of government has all the key powers and decisions given to the national/central government.
Unitary
Binary
Federal
Confederate
This system of government has all the key powers and decisions divided between the national, state, and local government.
Unitary
Binary
Federal
Confederate
This system of government is a loose union of independent states.
Unitary
Binary
Federal
Confederate
When citizens choose their representatives for government, and those representatives would do all of the governing for them it's called a _____?
Republic
Constitutional Monarchy
Dictatorship
Citizenship
The Magna Carte, signed in 1215, introduced the concept of _________ government.
Limited
Absolute
Unlimited
Constitutional
Many political philosophers met and discussed their ideas on government during the 1600's and 1700's. The was also known as the _______________ Period.
Enlightenment
Lighted
Victorian
Revolutionary
What kind of congress was created by the AOC?
Unicameral
Bicameral
Tricameral
Quid Pro Quo
True or False: The AOC provided a strong central government.
True
False
Which of these was NOT one of the main problems with the AOC?
Many boundary & tariff disputes between states
States not national govt. dealing w/foreign states
Country in debt due to revolutionary war.
Individual States holding the most power
Shay's Rebellion was due to which of the following issues?
Low ammunition during the war.
Farmers not guaranteed promised land
High government regulations after the war on farmers
Farmers' debt from non-payment for joining war.
Which of the following are one of the five (5) functions of Government?
Maintain a National Defense
Maintain Order
Fund Private Education
Build Businesses and Private Organizations
A Monarchy means power is given to how many people?
1
2
3
Many
The United States is an example of a __________________ Democracy.
Direct
Representative
Divided
Reassigned
The ________ _______ was signed in 1215 and limited the power of King John in England.
Magna Carte
Declaration of Independence
U.S. Constitution
Petition of Rights
This document was signed on July 4, 1776, and was our "letter" to England telling them we were breaking away from them to be our own country.
Declaration of Independence
Magna Carta
U.S. Constitution
Bill of Rights
What was the main purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
To establish a monarchy in America.
To declare the American colonies' separation from Great Britain.
To create the Articles of Confederation.
To ratify the U.S. Constitution.
What is the term for the act of giving official approval to the Constitution by the states?
Federalism
Ratification
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 accomplish?
It established the U.S. Constitution.
It created the first national bank.
It set up a process for creating new states.
It abolished slavery in all states.
What is the primary role of the United States Constitution?
To establish social programs.
To define the roles of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
To create a system of direct democracy.
To grant individual rights to citizens.
What was the main concern of the Anti-Federalists regarding a strong central government?
They believed it would lead to tyranny by the wealthy.
They wanted a monarchy instead.
They thought it would create a perfect democracy.
They wanted a strong executive branch.
What did the Articles of Confederation emphasize?
A strong central government.
The power to levy taxes.
The sovereignty of individual states.
A powerful executive branch.
Which key principle of the Constitution divides power between the national government and the states?
Separation of Powers
Federalism
Checks and Balances
Popular Sovereignty
What was the initial government of the United States before the Constitution?
The Federal Government
The Articles of Confederation
The Constitutional Convention
The Declaration of Independence
What event took place in 1787 to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
The ratification of the Articles of Confederation.
The adoption of the United States Constitution.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The Constitutional Convention.
Why did the framers of the Constitution include a system of checks and balances?
To limit the power of the President.
To ensure that Congress had the final say on all matters.
To prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
To increase the power of the judiciary.
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as one of the branches of government in the Constitution?
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
Military
What challenges did the Articles of Confederation face?
Economic stability and effective national governance.
Inability to address national issues and coordination among states.
Strong central government and military strength.
Lack of power to regulate commerce and collect taxes.
How were disputes between states with large populations and states with small populations resolved at the Constitutional Convention?
By giving each state equal representation in Congress.
By establishing a unicameral legislature.
By creating a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives.
By appointing a monarch to govern.
What did the 3/5ths compromise refer to in the context of the Constitution?
It allowed each state to count 3/5ths of its population for representation purposes.
It granted 3/5ths of all citizens the right to vote.
It ensured that 3/5ths of the Senate members would be from small states.
It abolished slavery completely.
Why did the Articles of Confederation fail as a form of government?
It had a strong executive branch.
It allowed for the collection of taxes.
It lacked the power to enforce laws.
It had a unicameral legislature.
What theory is this? -- God created the state and that God had given those of royal birth the right to rule
(a)
What theory is this? -- One person or a small group claimed control over an area and forced all within to submit to that person’s or group’s rule
(a)
What theory is this? -- Claims the state developed naturally out of the earliest group unit, the family
(a)
What theory is this? -- People voluntarily came together and created the state.
(a)
A government in which all the powers are held by a central agency which then gives out the remainder of the powers to local government for its own convenience
Unitary
Democracy
Oligarchy
Parliamentary
Autocracy
A government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite group
Presidential
Confederation
Oligarchy
Parliamentary
Autocracy
A government in which the president is directly elected by the people
Presidential
Confederation
Oligarchy
Parliamentary
Democracy
A government in which a single person holds unlimited political power
Autocracy
Confederation
Oligarchy
Parliamentary
Democracy
The supreme political authority rest with the people and the citizens themselves
Parliamentary
Presidential
Unitary
Confederation
Democracy
An alliance of independent states.
Parliamentary
Presidential
Unitary
Confederation
Democracy
A government in which the legislative branch elects the president
Parliamentary
Presidential
Unitary
Oligarchy
Democracy
T or F -- The United States is a direct Democracy
True
False
T or F -- South Korea is considered a Autocracy
True
False
T or F -- A country refers to a population who may or may not be homogeneous.
True
False
________ is a Geographic term: Discusses particular place, region or area of land
Country
Nation
State
What is the term for a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government?
State
Government
Unitary System
Confederation
Which term describes the idea that people agree to give up certain rights in order to create a government to protect others?
Social Contract Theory
Divine Right of Kings
Autocratic
Oligarchy
What is the term for a system where power is shared between the central and regional governments?
Federal System
Unitary System
Autocratic
Oligarchy
Which term refers to a government of one leader with no citizen participation?
Autocratic
Oligarchy
Democracy
Parliamentary System
What is the term for a system where people vote directly on each issue?
Direct Democracy
Presidential Democracy
Parliamentary System
Monarchy
Which document did King John sign to give the barons certain rights?
Magna Carta
Petition of Right
English Bill of Rights
Social Contract Theory
What is the term for a system where the head of government is selected by the legislative body?
Parliamentary System
Presidential Democracy
Direct Democracy
Monarchy
Which term describes a system where all of the power is located with the central government?
Unitary System
Federal System
Confederation
Oligarchy
What is the term for a government ruled by a few people?
Oligarchy
Autocratic
Democracy
Monarchy
Which term refers to the idea that God gave kings the right to rule?
Divine Right of Kings
Social Contract Theory
Petition of Right
English Bill of Rights
What is the term for a system where people vote and have a lot of participation in government?
Democracy
Autocratic
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Which document did the English Parliament send to King Charles I to restore certain freedoms?
Petition of Right
Magna Carta
English Bill of Rights
Social Contract Theory
What is the term for a system where the head of government is elected by the people?
Presidential Democracy
Parliamentary System
Direct Democracy
Monarchy
Which document created England as a constitutional monarchy and gave Parliament power?
English Bill of Rights
Magna Carta
Petition of Right
Social Contract Theory
The type of system where one person holds unlimited power, usually by force
Dictatorship
Government
Monarchy
Confederal System
King or Queen Rules
Monarchy
Dictatorship
Oligarchy
Dictatorship
A loose union of states, states or regional territories have the most of the power
Confederal System
Federal System
Oligarchy
Democracy
The governing body of a nation, state, or community
Government
Democracy
State
Monarchy
Identify which enlightenment thinker is associated with the following concepts that influenced the creation of the Constitution:
a. Popular sovereignty: John Locke
b. Social contract theory: Jean-Jacques Rousseau
c. Natural law: Thomas Hobbes
d. Separation of powers: Montesquieu
Which amendment guarantees the right to free speech?
1st Amendment
4th Amendment
5th Amendment
9th Amendment
10th Amendment
What goals did the writers of the Constitution include in the Preamble?
To form a more perfect union
To establish justice
To ensure domestic tranquility
All of the above
Which of the following is a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
Lack of a strong central government
Establishment of a strong executive branch
Creation of a national judiciary
Provision for a standing army
Which of the following best explains the Federalist arguments in favor of the ratification of the Constitution?
A strong central government to provide order and stability
A loose confederation of states with limited central power
Complete independence for each state
A monarchy to ensure consistent leadership
Which of the following best explains the Anti-Federalist arguments against ratification of the Constitution?
They believed it gave too much power to the national government at the expense of the states.
They thought it provided insufficient power to the national government.
They argued it would lead to anarchy and disorder.
They felt it would create a weak central government.
The Bill of Rights satisfied the Anti-Federalist concerns by:
Providing a strong central government
Ensuring individual liberties
Establishing a monarchy
Creating a national bank
The Virginia Plan proposed to set up the United States Congress by:
Creating a unicameral legislature
Establishing a bicameral legislature
Forming a confederation of states
Implementing a parliamentary system
The New Jersey Plan proposed to set up the United States Congress by:
Creating a bicameral legislature with representation based on population
Establishing a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state
Forming a federal government with a strong executive branch
Implementing a system of checks and balances among three branches of government
How did the Constitutional delegates find a compromise between those two plans?
By creating the Great Compromise
By rejecting both plans
By adopting only one plan
By delaying the decision
Define the following terms: a. public policy b. unitary government
Which of the following is NOT one of the 6 basic principles of the US Government?
Checks and Balances
Monarchy
Separation of Powers
Limited Government
Popular Sovereignty
What was the importance of the Mayflower Compact?
It established a form of self-government.
It was the first constitution of the United States.
It declared independence from Britain.
It created the first American colony.
What is the difference between expressed and implied powers of government? List examples.
What powers are denied to the federal government and state governments?
Powers to grant titles of nobility
Powers to regulate interstate commerce
Powers to establish post offices
Powers to coin money
What powers are shared between the federal government and state governments? What are they called?
Concurrent powers
Exclusive powers
Reserved powers
Enumerated powers
Explain the Necessary and Proper Clause (Implied Powers) found in the Constitution.
Which Supreme Court case established the process of Judicial Review?
Marbury v. Madison
Brown v. Board of Education
Roe v. Wade
Plessy v. Ferguson
What was the primary purpose of the Federalist Papers?
To support the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
To argue against the Bill of Rights.
To promote the Articles of Confederation.
To establish the first political parties.
Which event highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and led to the Constitutional Convention?
The Boston Tea Party
The War of 1812
Shay's Rebellion
The signing of the Declaration of Independence
What is the main difference between a direct democracy and a representative democracy?
In a direct democracy, citizens vote on all laws directly.
In a representative democracy, a monarch makes all decisions.
In a direct democracy, only elected officials can vote.
In a representative democracy, there are no elections.
Which document established the first form of national government for the United States?
U.S. Constitution
Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
Bill of Rights
What is the primary function of the legislative branch of the U.S. government?
To interpret laws
To enforce laws
To make laws
To veto laws
Which principle of the Constitution allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches?
Federalism
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Popular Sovereignty
