WorksheetsGovernment Systems Quiz
Total questions: 109
Worksheet time: 2hrs 37mins
What is the main characteristic of a democracy?
Citizens have direct say or elect representatives.
Power is held by a king or queen.
Government is led by religious authorities.
Power is held by a small elite group.
In which type of government does a king or queen have unlimited power?
Absolute monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Republic
Theocracy
Which theory suggests that governments started when the strong took control by force?
Evolutionary Theory
Divine Right Theory
Force Theory
Social Contract Theory
What are Natural Rights according to the document?
Rights given by the government
Rights that people are born with
Rights that are earned through service
Rights that are granted by leaders
What was Voltaire known for defending?
Freedom of speech and religion
Taxation without representation
The monopoly on tea
The settlement west of the Appalachians
Which event led Britain to begin taxing the colonies?
Boston Tea Party
French & Indian War
Intolerable Acts
Tea Act
What was the main purpose of the Proclamation of 1763?
To tax sugar and molasses
To forbid colonists from settling west of the Appalachians
To impose taxes on imports
To punish Boston
What was the result of the Boston Tea Party in 1773?
Colonists were forced to house British soldiers
Colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor
British soldiers killed 5 colonists
Taxes were imposed on imports
Who was the author of the Declaration of Independence, and which philosophers influenced him?
Thomas Jefferson; influenced by Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu
George Washington; influenced by Voltaire, Rousseau, Locke
Benjamin Franklin; influenced by Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau
John Adams; influenced by Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu
Which part of the Declaration of Independence lists complaints against King George III?
Preamble
Declaration of Natural Rights
List of Grievances
Resolution of Independence
What event is referred to as the "shot heard 'round the world"?
First Continental Congress
Battles of Lexington & Concord
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
Boston Tea Party
What was the first U.S. government system called?
The Constitution
The Articles of Confederation
The Bill of Rights
The Declaration of Independence
Which of the following was a strength of the Articles of Confederation?
Established a strong executive branch
Created the first national government
Allowed for easy amendments
Established national courts
What was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
It had a strong central government
It could enforce laws effectively
It had no power to tax
It had a powerful executive branch
Which type of government is described as a representative democracy where citizens elect leaders to make laws?
Monarchy
Dictatorship
Republic
Oligarchy
What is a Monarchy?
A government controlled by a small, powerful group.
A government ruled by a king or queen (absolute or constitutional).
A government with no functioning authority.
A government based on religion.
What is the idea behind Popular Sovereignty?
Government's power comes from the people.
Leaders are chosen by God.
Government grows naturally out of families.
People are naturally selfish.
What does the Rule of Law imply?
Only citizens must obey the law.
Everyone, including leaders, must obey the law.
Leaders are above the law.
Laws are optional for leaders.
What is meant by Consent of the Governed?
Citizens agree to be ruled in exchange for protection of their rights.
Leaders are chosen by divine right.
Government is formed by force.
People are naturally selfish.
What does the Force Theory suggest about the origin of government?
Government started when stronger groups took control by force.
Government grew naturally out of families.
Government is formed by divine right.
Government is based on a social contract.
According to the Evolutionary Theory, how did government originate?
Government started by force.
Government grew naturally out of families and tribes.
Government is based on divine right.
Government is formed by a social contract.
What is the Divine Right Theory?
The belief that rulers are chosen by God.
The belief that government is formed by force.
The belief that government grows naturally out of families.
The belief that government is based on a social contract.
What did Jean-Jacques Rousseau believe about government power?
It comes from the consent of the governed.
It is based on divine right.
It is formed by force.
It grows naturally out of families.
Which philosopher believed in the separation of powers in government?
Voltaire
John Locke
Baron de Montesquieu
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
What was the purpose of the Proclamation of 1763?
To tax sugar and molasses
To forbid colonists from settling west of the Appalachians
To tax all printed materials
To force colonists to house British soldiers
Which act imposed a tax on all printed materials in 1765?
Sugar Act
Stamp Act
Townshend Acts
Tea Act
What was the significance of the Lexington and Concord battles in 1775?
They were the first battles of the American Revolution
They marked the end of British rule
They were a peaceful protest against taxes
They resulted in the signing of the Declaration of Independence
What is the purpose of the Preamble in the Declaration of Independence?
To list complaints against King George III
To introduce the document and state its purpose
To declare independence formally
To establish a new government
What does the term "Grievances" refer to in the context of the Declaration of Independence?
Formal statement declaring independence
Introduction stating the purpose of the document
Complaints listed against King George III
Peace treaty ending the Revolutionary War
What does it mean to "Ratify" a law or agreement?
To introduce a new government
To formally approve it
To declare independence
To create a loose alliance of states
Who is credited with the idea of natural rights such as life, liberty, and property?
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
Baron de Montesquieu
Voltaire
Which document officially ended the American Revolutionary War?
The Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Federalist Papers
The Bill of Rights
The Magna Carta
What is the main purpose of the separation of powers in government?
To allow one branch to control the others
To eliminate the need for laws
To prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful
To give all power to the executive branch
Which document replaced the Articles of Confederation as the framework for the U.S. government?
The Bill of Rights
The Constitution
The Magna Carta
The Mayflower Compact
Who is credited with the idea of natural rights, which influenced the Declaration of Independence?
Voltaire
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
Baron de Montesquieu
What was the main purpose of the Stamp Act of 1765?
To require colonists to house British soldiers
To tax tea imported to the colonies
To raise revenue by taxing printed materials
To prohibit settlement west of the Appalachians
What system of government has strong local or state government, but a weak central government?
Confederate System
Unitary System
Federal System
Monarchy System
What are the major types of government?
Authoritarian, Monarchy, and Democratic.
Monarchy, Democratic, and Dictatorship
Totalitarian, Democracy, and Republic
Monarchy, Dictatorships, and Republic
What economic system has the central government have total control over the economy?
Capitalism
Communism
Socialism
Mixed Economy
What is an institution that makes and enforces its public policies and laws in a society?
State
Country
President
Government
In the development of American government, which of the following has been most significant?
Force theory
Social contract theory
Evolutionary Theory
Divine Right Theory
According to the divine right theory, what gave kings the right to rule?
the people
a constitution
God
their own strength
Which is a characteristic of every state?
democracy
a constitution
a population
a legislature
Which is the same as government by popular consent or indirect democracy?
representative democracy
autocracy
oligarchy
unitary democracty
When a small group of elite rule a government it is called a(n)...
confederation
parliament
oligarchy
democracy
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a state?
Population
Orderliness
Territory
Sovereignty
In Ancient China, the emperor came to be viewed as the “Son of Heaven” who had a mandate, or order, from heaven to rule. But if he ruled poorly, the people believe heaven had withdrawn its mandate and sought a different leader. Which theory would best explain how this government originated?
The Force Theory
The Evolutionary Theory
The Divine Right Theory
The Social Contract Theory
More than 2,000 years ago in the Middle East, Assyrian King Ashurnasirpal inscribed in stone, “Ashurnasirpal, the Great King, the Mighty King, King of the Universe, has brought into submission at his feet the whole of the land.” Which theory would best explain how this government originated?
The Force Theory
The Evolutionary Theory
The Divine Right Theory
The Social Contract Theory
In his Second Treatise of Government, John Locke argued, “The only way whereby any one divests [surrenders] himself of his natural liberty, and puts on the bonds of civil society, is by agreeing with other men to join and unite into a community...” Which theory would best explain how this government originated?
The Force Theory
The Evolutionary Theory
The Divine Right Theory
The Social Contract Theory
Based on your knowledge of American history, which theory best describes the creation of the United States?
The Force Theory
The Evolutionary Theory
The Divine Right Theory
The Social Contract Theory
In YOUR opinion, which theory best describes how the state first came into being?
The Force Theory
The Evolutionary Theory
The Divine Right Theory
The Social Contract Theory
rights people are born with
pursuit of happiness
just powers
natural rights
self-evident
permission of those under the government's rule
just powers
self-evident
pursuit of happiness
consent of the governed
rights that cannot be taken away
unalienable rights
speech rights
just powers
consent of the governed
A list of the colonists' complaints.
Preamble
Natural Rights
Grievances
Resolution of Independence
An introduction explaining why the Declaration is being written.
Preamble
Natural Rights
Grievances
Resolution of Independence
The natural rights included in the Declaration of Independence are...
life.
liberty.
the pursuit of happiness.
all of these
Question 1: The Declaration of Independence was signed & approved on July 4, 1776.
True
False
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”
To justify independence by giving examples of complaints about rights violated by King George and the British government
To request that taxes were needed in the colonies
A letter of thanks to the King for his loyalty to the colonies
Who wrote the pamphlet Common Sense that urged separation from Britain?
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Paine
Thomas Jefferson
Who wrote The Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Paine
John Locke
Thomas Jefferson
Wrote published the political cartoon, Join or Die, urging the colonies to unite in the cause for independence?
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Franklin
George Washington
Which is a part of the Declaration of Independence?
Preamble
List of Complaints against the King
Rights of the People
Declaration of separation from Britain
All of these
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Explain what this means.
A delegate is:
a representative to a meeting
a meeting place
The meeting of delegates in Philadelphia to discuss whether or not to declare independence.
House of Burgesses
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress met where?
House of Burgesses in Virginia
Boston, Massachusetts
Independence Hall in Philadelphia
Explain why we celebrate the 4th of July every year.
What is the name of the first written plan of government for the newly independent U.S.A.?
The Constitution
The Declaration of Independence
The Treaty of Paris
The Articles of Confederation
Under the Articles of Confederation, the government consisted of _______________ branch of government.
Three
One
Four
Two
Which branch of government existed when the Articles of Confederation was created?
Legislative (Congress)
Executive (President)
Judicial (Supreme Court)
All of the above
Congressional representation was based upon a state's population.
True
False
Under the Articles of Confederation Congress could only pass a law if ____________ out 13 states agreed.
Thirteen
Nine
Eight
Ten
In order to change (amend) the Articles of Confederation, __________ out of 13 states had to agree.
Nine
Ten
Thirteen
Twelve
Under the Articles of Confederation, which government had the MOST power?
Legislative Branch
State Governments
The President
National Government
Which of the following weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation does this picture represent?
No common currency
No power to tax
No Executive Branch
One vote per state
Under the Articles of Confederation, how many votes did each state get?
Zero
Two
One
Depends on population
Which of the following is an example of a weakness in the Articles of Confederation?
Congress could not tax
Weak national government
provided no common currency
All of the above
Why was this first U.S. government so weak?
King George III was still in charge of the US
The American army did not win their independence from Great Britain
Americans were afraid to give their new government too much power
None of the above
The Articles of Confederation created a ________ national government.
Weak
Strong
3 branch
Bicameral
Because of the Articles of Confederation the government could NOT regulate(control) ______ among the states.
Food quality
Travel
Laws
commerce (trade)
What is one reason Americans wanted to change the Articles of Confederation?
They opposed the Land Ordinance of 1785
National Government was weak, state governments were too powerful, states were not working together, no leadership
They did not want the government to have only one branch
State governments were weak and unsuccessful
