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Declaration of Independence Quiz

Total questions: 68

Worksheet time: 1hrs 4mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which argument most logically follows from Jefferson's expressed ideas in the Declaration of Independence?

a)

The rights of men should be supported over those of women.

b)

Monarchy is a bad form of government because rulers ar enot elected.

c)

All forms of government destroy human rights and should be abandoned.

d)

Any form of government that suppresses people's freedoms should be overthrown.

2.
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
3.
What are our natural rights according to Jefferson?  (He got the idea from John Locke, but he changed the last right.)
a)

Freedom of speech, religion, and press

b)

Life, liberty, and property

c)

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

d)

Voting, rebelling, and health

4.
Why was the Declaration of Independence written?
a)
To stop taxes from the British Empire.
b)
To make a United States army.
c)
To gain independence from the British Empire
d)
To install their own king in America
5.

Read the following sentence from paragraph 2 of the selection.


"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."


As used in this sentence, what does the word unalienable mean?

a)

F. There are expectations of lawful citizens in America.

b)

G. That religious beliefs dictate how free a person really is in a society.

c)

H. There are certain natural privileges all people have that cannot be taken away.

d)

J. That persons born in the colonies should not be held to the same laws as British citizens.

6.

Read the following sentence from paragraph 2 of the selection.


"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."


As used in this sentence, what does the word unalienable mean?

a)

F. There are expectations of lawful citizens in America.

b)

G. That religious beliefs dictate how free a person really is in a society.

c)

H. There are certain natural privileges all people have that cannot be taken away.

d)

J. That persons born in the colonies should not be held to the same laws as British citizens.

7.

Whose actions does Jefferson criticize most in the document?

a)

A. the “British brethren”

b)

B. his political rival, John Adams

c)

C. George III, the British king

d)

D. colonists who refuse to rebel

8.

What was Jefferson’s opinion about changing long-established governments?

a)

People should first encourage government leaders to resign from office.

b)

Governments should change whenever people disagree with a policy.

c)

Governments should continue unless the problems they cause are insufferable.

d)

Long-established governments should never change their policies.

9.

Whom would most likely demonstrate "tyranny?"

a)

a rebel

b)

a dictator

c)

a member

d)

a challenger

10.

Which of the following statements from the Declaration of Independence makes the strongest emotional appeal to readers?

a)

He has called together legislative bodies … for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

b)

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly…

c)

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection...

d)

He is at this time transporting large armies … to complete the works ofdeath, desolation, and tyranny.…

11.

Which of the following is NOT an unalienable right mentioned in the Declaration?

a)

Life

b)

Liberty

c)

Education

d)

Happiness

12.

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

a)

John Locke

b)

Thomas Hobbes

c)

Thomas Paine

d)

John Adams

13.

What was the date the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence?

a)

July 4,1776

b)

August 2, 1776

c)

April 18, 1776

d)

December 16, 1773

14.

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

a)

The King

b)

The People

c)

The Pope

d)

The President

15.

According to the Declaration of Independence, where does government get its power from? Where it's derived from.

a)

The King

b)

Religion

c)

The People

d)

The President

16.
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.
17.

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

18.

Who is considered to be the main author of the Declaration of Independence?

a)
Benjamin Franklin
b)
Samuel Adams
c)
Thomas Jefferson
d)
Paul Revere
19.

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.

20.

Why did Thomas Jefferson say that King George III was an unfit ruler?

a)

He denied the colonists their rights.

b)

He was not born in Great Britain

c)

He was not elected by Parliament

d)

He lived far away from the colonies.

21.
What two groups of people were not included in the Declaration of Independence?
a)
Men and Women
b)
Women and Slaves
c)
Indentured Servants and Slaves
22.

What do they mean by "self-evident"?

a)

secret

b)

unknown

c)

special

d)

obvious

23.
What is the connection between natural rights and government? 
a)
government is meant to provide services 
b)
people have the right to alter government 
c)
people have certain unalienable rights
d)
government is meant to protect rights
24.

Which of the following is NOT part of the Declaration of Independence?

a)

a list of grievances against the King

b)

a set up of a national government

c)

a list of natural rights

25.

According to the Declaration, governmental changes should occur after:

a)

nature dictates

b)

a long train of abuses

c)

a king gets sick

26.

 Besides King George III, whom else do the colonist recognize in 10 of the 

      grievances in the Declaration of Independence.

a)

Citizens of England

b)

House of Commons

c)

Parliament

27.

People have the responsibility to ________ when they abolish their 

      government.

a)

nature

b)

provide new safeguards

c)

absolve allegiances

28.

The purpose of the last section of the Declaration of Independence was to:

a)

State the Colonist's determination

b)

Petition the King

c)

Absolve all political connections with England and establish the U.S.A.

29.

Which of the following items were NOT pledged by the signers of the 

       Declaration

a)

Lives

b)

Character

c)

Sacred Honor

30.

How many Colonies eventually signed the Declaration of Independence?

a)

13

b)

11

c)

12

31.
How do natural rights, as described in the Declaration of Independence, differ from other rights?
a)
People are born with natural rights.
b)
People can vote to choose natural rights
c)
Natural rights are given only to citizens.
d)
Natural rights come from the government.
32.

What led to Great Britain's war with France in 1754?

a)

The French wanted the land that the colonists owned - Ohio Valley and Canada

b)

The English wanted the land that the French owned - Ohio River Valley and Canada

c)

The Indians wanted the land that the French owned - Ohio River Valley and Canada

d)

Great Britain was fighting with France for taxes

33.

What was the name of the war between Great Britain and France in 1754?

a)

The British and French War

b)

The British Revolution

c)

The American Revolution

d)

The French and Indian War

34.

Why were the colonists angered by the Stamp Act of 1765?

a)

They did not like the stamp.

b)

They wanted to design the stamp.

c)

They were being taxed more than they agreed to.

d)

They were being taxed without being asked first.

35.

Why didn't colonial leaders want representatives in the British Parliament?

a)

The colonial leaders didn't like Parliament.

b)

The colonial leaders wanted to be able to make their own laws and taxes without the say of England. Also, they thought it was too far away for representation in England.

c)

The colonial leaders wanted the king to represent them not Parliament.

d)

The colonial leaders wanted John Locked to represent them no Parliament.

36.

Why did the British government send troops to North America?

a)

4,000 troops were sent to North America to prevent the unrest over the taxes.

b)

4,000 troops were sent to North America to force the payment of the taxes.

c)

4,000 troops were sent to North America to collect the payment of the taxes.

d)

4,000 troops were sent to North America to fight the Indians.

37.

What was the Boston Tea Party?

a)

A party in the Boston Harbor with tea to celebrate the tea tax.

b)

A rebellion of the tea tax where the colonists threw tea into the Boston Harbor.

c)

A tax on tea that came into the Boston Harbor.

d)

None of these

38.

The Boston Tea Party, lead to the Intolerable Acts. What were the Intolerable Acts?

a)

A law passed requiring every official document, newspaper, or pamphlet in the colonies have a government stamp on it.

b)

A group of strict laws that closed the Boston Harbor, closed the Massachusetts legislature, and said if an official was going to be tried for a crime it would be in England not in the colonies.

c)

A series of laws that taxed paper, paint, glass, lead, and tea.

39.

They were representatives from the 13 American colonies who met in Philadelphia in 1774 and sent protests to Britain and agreed to boycott British goods. Who was this?

a)

The Continental Congress

b)

The Congressional Delegate

c)

The Colonial Representatives

d)

The Washington Delegates

40.

People who fight to protect their country are called what?

a)

Mercenaries

b)

Patriots

c)

Citizens

d)

Governed

41.

Who wrote the Common Sense document January 1776?

a)

John Locke

b)

Abraham Lincoln

c)

Thomas Paine

d)

George Washington

42.

What was the main argument of the Common Sense document?

a)

Ask for more land from the British government

b)

Pay your taxes to the king

c)

Always be loyal to the king

d)

The colonists should seek independence

43.

Which is not a section contained in the Declaration of Independence?

a)

Preamble

b)

Thank you

c)

List of Grievances

d)

Proclamation of Government idea

e)

Explained the reason for the declaring independence

44.

Complete the sentence below with the correct word.


...citizens have the right to ____________ that government and create a new one.

a)

stop

b)

overthrow

c)

abolish

d)

elect

45.

What is the document called that was written by the colonists to tell Great Britain that the colonists no longer wanted to be under their rule, why they no longer wanted to be under their rule and they were now going to be independent?

a)

The Constitution

b)

The Bill of Rights

c)

The Common Sense

d)

The Declaration of Independence

46.

From the Declaration of Independence, what can a reader infer about Jefferson's general attitude toward revolution?

a)

Revolution is a method of last resort.

b)

All cases of injustice justify a revolution.

c)

People often revolt as their first course of action.

d)

Revolution is a very poor way of dealing with conflict.

47.

In the Declaration of Independence, what does Jefferson mean when he say that the king has "refused his assent to laws... necessary for the public:?

a)

The king knows what is best for the colonists.

b)

The king is too busy to listen to the colonists.

c)

The king enjoys his absolute rule over the colonists.

d)

The king has not allowed changes that would benefit the colonists.

48.

England is the same country as

a)

Great Britain

b)

Australia

c)

France

49.

What holiday do we celebrate because of the Declaration on Independence?

a)

Christmas

b)

Fourth of July

c)

Veteran's Day

d)

Easter

50.

who signed the Declaration with the largest signature?

a)

George Washingtion

b)

John Hancock

c)

Thomas Jefferson

51.

Which state was NOT a part of the original 13 colonies?

a)

Georgia

b)

New York

c)

Pennsylvania

d)

Indiana

52.

Before he was President of the United States, George Washington was a ______ of the Continental Army?

a)

General

b)

Colonal

c)

Soldier

d)

Lieutenant

53.

Where did the Tea Party take place?

a)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

b)

Boston, Massachusetts

c)

New York, New York

d)

Concord, Massachusetts

54.

Who told the colonists that the British were coming?

a)

Thomas Jefferson

b)

George Washington

c)

Paul Revere

d)

John Hancock

55.

Who was the first group that got to hear the reading of The Declaration of Independence?

a)

The First Continental Congress

b)

The Soldiers

c)

The Second Continental Congress

d)

The Delegates

56.

What was the cause of all of the acts and The Boston Tea Party?

a)

Soldiers

b)

Religion

c)

Taxes

d)

War

57.

What is one thing that Thomas Jefferson wanted in the Declaration of Independence that was voted against?

a)

Freedom

b)

No taxes

c)

Free tea

d)

Antislavery language

58.

When The Declaration of Independence was finished, and the new government was created, people knew they would need something to start their new government... which was:

a)

The Federalist Papers

b)

The Constitution

c)

The Bill of Rights

d)

The Preamble

59.

In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson accuses Britain of "quartering large bodies of armed troops among us." Which of the following best defines the word quartering as Jefferson uses it here?

a)

providing board for extra charges

b)

acting at fifteen minute intervals

c)

housing in assigned dwellings

d)

dividing into four equal parts

60.

What is the main idea of the Declaration of Independence?

a)

The colonies are willing to fight to the death against Britain

b)

The colonies are justified in rejecting British rule

c)

The king should be removed from power forcefully

d)

The king treats his other subjects better than the colonies

61.

The letters between John and Abigail Adams valuable to historians because they show...

a)

How men treated their wives

b)

The workings of a country at war

c)

That women knew how to read and write

d)

That cell phones did not exist in the 1770s

62.

What is the term for someone who continued to follow King George?

a)

Colonist

b)

Loyalist

c)

Separatist

d)

Patriot

63.

Who is famous for being a traitor?

a)

John Hancock

b)

George Washington

c)

Thomas Jefferson

d)

Benedict Arnold

64.

We know a lot about John and Abigail Adams because they wrote...

a)

books.

b)

letters.

c)

journals and diaries.

d)

newspaper articles.

65.

"that among these are . . . "

a)

Consent of the governed

b)

Self-Evident

c)

Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

d)

Unalienable Rights

66.

What did Thomas Paine argue in Common Sense?

a)

The colonies should declare immediate independence from England and start a democracy.

b)

Monarchy (Kings & Queens) is the best form of government.

c)

The colonists could never win a war against England.

d)

It is reasonable for a government to tax its people for any purpose.

67.

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to . . . it."

a)

Abolish

b)

Just Powers

c)

Self-Evident

d)

Unalienable Rights

68.

To prove [that England has

interfered with colonial rights], let the facts be

submitted to a candid world: he has refused to

assent to laws the most wholesome and necessary

for the public good.”

a)

The King has been gracious to the colonists in providing for their needs.

b)

In a world full of tyrants, the king has graced his people with benevolence: his laws have been imposed on the people for their benefit.

c)

Here is proof that England had

interfered with colonial rights: the King has not

allowed laws that help colonists the most.

d)

Colonies are created for subjugation: mother country historically has known what is best for its people