FCLEPractice

Topic 1 · Competency 1: Principles of American Democracy

Foundations of Government: Practice Questions

125 practice questions on social contract, natural rights, popular sovereignty, and the difference between a democracy and a republic. Answers are hidden until you click "Show answer."

Take the 10-question topic quiz Read the lesson Quiz on all 125 Printable worksheet

Original practice questions written to the FCLE competencies, not actual exam items.

Popular Sovereignty (25)

Read this section →

  1. Use the excerpt below, from the Mayflower Compact, to answer the question that follows.

    "...to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices... as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. right to petition
    2. property rights
    3. self-government
    4. protection against unlawful imprisonment
    Show answer

    C. self-government: The excerpt from the Mayflower Compact reflects self-government.

  2. In which way do citizens most directly exercise popular sovereignty in the United States?

    1. by reading newspapers
    2. by serving in the military
    3. by paying sales tax
    4. by voting in elections
    Show answer

    D. by voting in elections: Voting is how the people grant authority to government.

  3. Which statement best describes the principle of popular sovereignty?

    1. The principle that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.
    2. The principle that laws apply equally to all people, without guaranteeing equal outcomes.
    3. The idea that government is limited by and must follow a written constitution.
    4. The principle that the majority decides while the basic rights of smaller groups are protected.
    Show answer

    A. The principle that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.: Popular sovereignty is the principle that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.

  4. Ratification of the Constitution by state conventions elected by the people reflected which principle?

    1. federal supremacy
    2. separation of powers
    3. judicial review
    4. popular sovereignty
    Show answer

    D. popular sovereignty: The people, through conventions, approved the Constitution.

  5. Which of the following is the best example of popular sovereignty?

    1. A public university must hold a hearing before expelling a student for misconduct.
    2. Congress overrides a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in each house.
    3. Voters approve a new state constitution in a statewide vote.
    4. A state and the federal government both collect income taxes from the same citizens.
    Show answer

    C. Voters approve a new state constitution in a statewide vote.: Popular sovereignty is the principle that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.

  6. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    The Preamble to the Constitution begins with the words 'We the People.'

    Which principle of American government is best illustrated by the scenario?

    1. checks and balances
    2. popular sovereignty
    3. due process
    4. natural rights
    Show answer

    B. popular sovereignty: This scenario illustrates popular sovereignty: the principle that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.

  7. The phrase 'We the People' at the start of the Constitution shows that the government's authority comes from

    1. the people
    2. the Continental Congress
    3. the British Parliament
    4. the states alone
    Show answer

    A. the people: It expresses popular sovereignty.

  8. Use the excerpt below, from the Declaration of Independence, to answer the question that follows.

    "For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. consent of the governed
    2. protection against unreasonable searches
    3. protection against unlawful imprisonment
    4. freedom of the press
    Show answer

    A. consent of the governed: The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence reflects consent of the governed.

  9. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Voters approve a new state constitution in a statewide vote.

    Which principle of American government is best illustrated by the scenario?

    1. limited government
    2. equality under the law
    3. popular sovereignty
    4. individual liberty
    Show answer

    C. popular sovereignty: This scenario illustrates popular sovereignty: the principle that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.

  10. Use the excerpt below, from the Declaration of Independence, to answer the question that follows.

    "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. controlling factions
    2. limited government
    3. consent of the governed
    4. protection of private homes from soldiers
    Show answer

    C. consent of the governed: The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence reflects consent of the governed.

  11. Use the excerpt below, from the Virginia Declaration of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "That all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; that magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to them."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. a confederation of states
    2. popular sovereignty
    3. right to petition
    4. rule of law
    Show answer

    B. popular sovereignty: The excerpt from the Virginia Declaration of Rights reflects popular sovereignty.

  12. A state requires that any change to its constitution be approved by a majority of voters in a statewide election. Which principle does this requirement best reflect?

    1. Judicial review
    2. Separation of powers
    3. Popular sovereignty
    4. Full faith and credit
    Show answer

    C. Popular sovereignty: Popular sovereignty means the people are the source of government's authority. Requiring voter approval of constitutional changes puts that final authority in the people's hands.

  13. Which of the following is the clearest example of popular sovereignty in action?

    1. A judge interpreting a statute
    2. The president appointing an ambassador
    3. Citizens voting to elect their governor
    4. A governor's staff drafting a budget
    Show answer

    C. Citizens voting to elect their governor: Elections are the most direct way the people exercise their sovereign power to choose who governs them.

  14. Which phrase from the Declaration of Independence most directly expresses popular sovereignty?

    1. "a decent respect to the opinions of mankind"
    2. "He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies"
    3. "deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"
    4. "For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world"
    Show answer

    C. "deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed": If government's just powers come from the consent of the governed, then the people are the ultimate source of authority: popular sovereignty.

  15. According to the Preamble, who ordained and established the Constitution?

    1. The state legislatures
    2. The people of the United States
    3. The Continental Congress
    4. The Supreme Court
    Show answer

    B. The people of the United States: The Preamble begins "We the People of the United States... do ordain and establish this Constitution," grounding the government in popular sovereignty.

  16. Article VII called for the Constitution to be ratified by special conventions elected by the people, rather than by state legislatures. Supporters argued this method showed that

    1. the states would keep complete sovereignty.
    2. the Constitution could never be amended.
    3. the new government's authority came directly from the people.
    4. Congress would choose the delegates to the conventions.
    Show answer

    C. the new government's authority came directly from the people.: Madison and others wanted the Constitution to rest on the people's consent, so ratification went to conventions chosen by voters.

  17. When Florida voters approve a state constitutional amendment on the ballot, they are exercising

    1. popular sovereignty
    2. judicial review
    3. executive privilege
    4. the supremacy clause
    Show answer

    A. popular sovereignty: Voters directly approving their constitution reflects the people as the source of authority.

  18. Which term describes the idea that the people are the ultimate source of the government's authority?

    1. Natural rights
    2. Popular sovereignty
    3. Social contract
    4. Representative democracy (republic)
    Show answer

    B. Popular sovereignty: Popular sovereignty is the idea that the people are the ultimate source of the government's authority.

  19. Which statement best defines "popular sovereignty"?

    1. A system in which citizens vote on laws and policies themselves.
    2. The guarantee that government will treat people in similar situations equally under the law.
    3. The idea that the people are the ultimate source of the government's authority.
    4. The legal process by which an immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen.
    Show answer

    C. The idea that the people are the ultimate source of the government's authority.: Popular sovereignty: the idea that the people are the ultimate source of the government's authority.

  20. Which term describes the principle that a government's just powers come from the agreement of the people it rules?

    1. Representative democracy (republic)
    2. Natural rights
    3. Consent of the governed
    4. State of nature
    Show answer

    C. Consent of the governed: Consent of the governed is the principle that a government's just powers come from the agreement of the people it rules.

  21. Which statement best defines "consent of the governed"?

    1. Citizenship based on being born on a country's soil.
    2. The principle that a government's just powers come from the agreement of the people it rules.
    3. A primary in which only voters registered with a party may vote for that party's candidates.
    4. An election in which voters choose a party's candidates for the general election.
    Show answer

    B. The principle that a government's just powers come from the agreement of the people it rules.: Consent of the governed: the principle that a government's just powers come from the agreement of the people it rules.

  22. Which principle is best illustrated by this situation? Voters approve a new state constitution in a statewide election.

    1. Due process
    2. Popular sovereignty
    3. Individual liberty
    4. Rule of law
    Show answer

    B. Popular sovereignty: This situation illustrates popular sovereignty.

  23. The Constitution opens with the words "We the People." This is an example of which principle?

    1. Due process
    2. Popular sovereignty
    3. Limited government
    4. Separation of powers
    Show answer

    B. Popular sovereignty: This situation illustrates popular sovereignty.

  24. Read the scenario: Florida voters approve a constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by citizen petition. Which principle of American government does it reflect?

    1. Natural rights
    2. Rule of law
    3. Popular sovereignty
    4. Federalism
    Show answer

    C. Popular sovereignty: This situation illustrates popular sovereignty.

  25. Each of the following is an example of popular sovereignty EXCEPT

    1. The president vetoes a bill that Congress has passed.
    2. Voters approve a new state constitution in a statewide election.
    3. The Constitution opens with the words "We the People."
    4. Florida voters approve a constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by citizen petition.
    Show answer

    A. The president vetoes a bill that Congress has passed.: That situation illustrates checks and balances, not popular sovereignty.

The Social Contract and Consent of the Governed (28)

Read this section →

  1. Which idea from John Locke appears most directly in the Declaration of Independence?

    1. Government power should be absolute.
    2. Kings rule by divine right.
    3. Only property owners have rights.
    4. People may alter or abolish a government that violates their rights.
    Show answer

    D. People may alter or abolish a government that violates their rights.: The Declaration echoes Locke's right of revolution.

  2. A country whose ruler claims authority comes directly from God and not from the people is based on which principle?

    1. social contract theory
    2. popular sovereignty
    3. federalism
    4. divine right of kings
    Show answer

    D. divine right of kings: Divine right holds that monarchs answer only to God.

  3. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Settlers agree to form a government and obey its laws in exchange for order and the protection of their rights.

    Which principle of American government is best illustrated by the scenario?

    1. social contract
    2. federalism
    3. limited government
    4. constitutionalism
    Show answer

    A. social contract: This scenario illustrates social contract: the idea that people agree to give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their rights.

  4. Which thinker argued that people may alter or abolish a government that violates their natural rights?

    1. Polybius
    2. John Locke
    3. Aristotle
    4. William Blackstone
    Show answer

    B. John Locke: John Locke argued that people may alter or abolish a government that violates their natural rights.

  5. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke differed most in that Locke believed

    1. government should be run by the church
    2. natural rights do not exist
    3. people may resist a government that violates their rights
    4. people must always obey an absolute ruler
    Show answer

    C. people may resist a government that violates their rights: Hobbes favored an absolute sovereign; Locke defended a right of resistance.

  6. Which statement best reflects social contract theory?

    1. Government's authority comes from an agreement among the people it governs.
    2. Government's authority comes from military strength alone.
    3. Government's authority is inherited from royal ancestors.
    4. Government's authority comes from religious leaders.
    Show answer

    A. Government's authority comes from an agreement among the people it governs.: Social contract theorists held that legitimate government rests on the people's agreement.

  7. Which thinker argued in Leviathan that people should give up their freedom to an absolute ruler to escape a life that is 'nasty, brutish, and short'?

    1. William Blackstone
    2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    3. Thomas Paine
    4. Thomas Hobbes
    Show answer

    D. Thomas Hobbes: Thomas Hobbes argued in Leviathan that people should give up their freedom to an absolute ruler to escape a life that is 'nasty, brutish, and short'.

  8. Which thinker argued that people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property and that government rests on the consent of the governed?

    1. Baron de Montesquieu
    2. Thomas Hobbes
    3. John Locke
    4. Cicero
    Show answer

    C. John Locke: John Locke argued that people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property and that government rests on the consent of the governed.

  9. Which statement best describes the principle of social contract?

    1. The idea that government is limited by and must follow a written constitution.
    2. The principle that government may only exercise the powers granted to it.
    3. A system in which each branch of government can limit the powers of the other branches.
    4. The idea that people agree to give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their rights.
    Show answer

    D. The idea that people agree to give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their rights.: Social contract is the idea that people agree to give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their rights.

  10. Which of the following is the best example of social contract?

    1. Settlers agree to form a government and obey its laws in exchange for order and the protection of their rights.
    2. Voters approve or reject a proposed law placed directly on the ballot by petition.
    3. The Senate rejects a president's nominee to the Supreme Court.
    4. A government official refuses to act beyond the powers listed in the written constitution.
    Show answer

    A. Settlers agree to form a government and obey its laws in exchange for order and the protection of their rights.: Social contract is the idea that people agree to give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their rights.

  11. Which principle of American government is best described as the idea that people agree to give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their rights?

    1. constitutionalism
    2. natural rights
    3. social contract
    4. checks and balances
    Show answer

    C. social contract: Social contract is the idea that people agree to give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their rights.

  12. Which thinker argued in The Social Contract that legitimate government expresses the 'general will' of the people?

    1. Polybius
    2. William Blackstone
    3. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    4. Aristotle
    Show answer

    C. Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued in The Social Contract that legitimate government expresses the 'general will' of the people.

  13. Use the excerpt below, from the Mayflower Compact, to answer the question that follows.

    "[We] solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. a confederation of states
    2. protection against unreasonable searches
    3. property rights
    4. social contract
    Show answer

    D. social contract: The excerpt from the Mayflower Compact reflects social contract.

  14. In Leviathan (1651), Thomas Hobbes described life without government as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." What conclusion did Hobbes draw from this?

    1. People should give up some freedom to a strong ruler in exchange for security and order.
    2. Government should be abolished so people can return to the state of nature.
    3. Only property owners should be allowed to take part in government.
    4. Power should be divided among three equal branches of government.
    Show answer

    A. People should give up some freedom to a strong ruler in exchange for security and order.: Hobbes argued that people agree to a social contract and accept a powerful sovereign because the alternative, a state of nature, is a war of all against all.

  15. According to John Locke's Second Treatise of Government, what may the people do when a government repeatedly violates their natural rights?

    1. Nothing, because a ruler's authority comes from God
    2. Ask a foreign monarch to take control of the country
    3. Only petition the ruler, whose decision is final
    4. Alter or replace the government
    Show answer

    D. Alter or replace the government: Locke held that government rests on the consent of the governed. When it breaks its trust by violating natural rights, the people may resist it and form a new one, an idea Jefferson used in the Declaration of Independence.

  16. Which statement best describes social contract theory?

    1. Rulers inherit the right to govern from their ancestors.
    2. Government exists mainly to spread an official religion.
    3. Laws apply only to people who personally signed the constitution.
    4. Government gets its authority from an agreement among the people, who accept its rules in exchange for protection of their rights.
    Show answer

    D. Government gets its authority from an agreement among the people, who accept its rules in exchange for protection of their rights.: Social contract theorists such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau argued that legitimate government is created by the people's agreement, not by birthright or divine right.

  17. Settlers in a new territory meet and agree in writing to create rules, choose leaders, and obey the laws those leaders make. This most directly illustrates which idea?

    1. Judicial review
    2. The social contract
    3. Federalism
    4. The separation of powers
    Show answer

    B. The social contract: When people voluntarily agree to form a government and accept its laws, they are forming a social contract, as the Pilgrims did in the Mayflower Compact.

  18. In Locke's political philosophy, what does the "state of nature" refer to?

    1. The laws that govern the physical world
    2. The condition of people before any government exists
    3. Land set aside as public wilderness
    4. A colony ruled directly by a king
    Show answer

    B. The condition of people before any government exists: Locke and Hobbes both began by imagining people in a state of nature, without government, to explain why people create governments.

  19. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke disagreed about many things. On which point did they agree?

    1. The people may overthrow any ruler for any reason.
    2. A government should have unlimited power over its people.
    3. Natural rights do not exist.
    4. Governments are formed through a social contract among the people.
    Show answer

    D. Governments are formed through a social contract among the people.: Both thinkers used social contract theory. Hobbes favored a powerful sovereign; Locke argued for limited government that protects natural rights.

  20. Which Enlightenment idea did Thomas Jefferson borrow most directly from John Locke when writing the Declaration of Independence?

    1. Kings rule by divine right.
    2. Governments are created to protect natural rights and may be replaced if they fail to do so.
    3. An absolute ruler is needed to prevent a war of all against all.
    4. Liberty is best protected by a single all-powerful legislature.
    Show answer

    B. Governments are created to protect natural rights and may be replaced if they fail to do so.: The Declaration's claim that people may "alter or to abolish" a government that becomes destructive of their rights closely follows Locke's Second Treatise.

  21. Thomas Hobbes believed that without government, life in the state of nature would be

    1. peaceful and cooperative
    2. "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short"
    3. governed by a written constitution
    4. ruled by a democratic assembly
    Show answer

    B. "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short": In Leviathan (1651), Hobbes argued people accept a strong ruler to escape the war of all against all.

  22. How did John Locke's view of the social contract differ from Thomas Hobbes's?

    1. Locke said people must obey an absolute ruler no matter what
    2. Locke rejected the idea of natural rights
    3. Locke said government comes from the divine right of kings
    4. Locke said people keep their natural rights and may replace a government that violates them
    Show answer

    D. Locke said people keep their natural rights and may replace a government that violates them: Hobbes favored an absolute sovereign; Locke argued government protects life, liberty, and property and can be replaced.

  23. Which term describes an agreement in which people consent to form a government and accept its authority in exchange for protection of their rights?

    1. Direct democracy
    2. Representative democracy (republic)
    3. Popular sovereignty
    4. Social contract
    Show answer

    D. Social contract: Social contract is an agreement in which people consent to form a government and accept its authority in exchange for protection of their rights.

  24. Which statement best defines "social contract"?

    1. A primary in which only voters registered with a party may vote for that party's candidates.
    2. The principle that an accused person is considered innocent until proven guilty.
    3. A system in which citizens elect officials to make laws and decisions on their behalf.
    4. An agreement in which people consent to form a government and accept its authority in exchange for protection of their rights.
    Show answer

    D. An agreement in which people consent to form a government and accept its authority in exchange for protection of their rights.: Social contract: an agreement in which people consent to form a government and accept its authority in exchange for protection of their rights.

  25. Which term describes the condition of people living without any government, as imagined by philosophers such as Hobbes and Locke?

    1. Popular sovereignty
    2. Representative democracy (republic)
    3. State of nature
    4. Natural rights
    Show answer

    C. State of nature: State of nature is the condition of people living without any government, as imagined by philosophers such as Hobbes and Locke.

  26. Which statement best defines "state of nature"?

    1. An agreement in which people consent to form a government and accept its authority in exchange for protection of their rights.
    2. A process in which voters approve or reject a law or constitutional change directly.
    3. Something a citizen is required by law to do, such as obeying laws, paying taxes, or serving on a jury.
    4. The condition of people living without any government, as imagined by philosophers such as Hobbes and Locke.
    Show answer

    D. The condition of people living without any government, as imagined by philosophers such as Hobbes and Locke.: State of nature: the condition of people living without any government, as imagined by philosophers such as Hobbes and Locke.

  27. Which principle is best illustrated by this situation? Settlers agree to give up some freedom and obey common rules in exchange for safety and order.

    1. Limited government
    2. Social contract
    3. Due process
    4. Direct democracy
    Show answer

    B. Social contract: This situation illustrates social contract.

  28. Philosophers argue that government exists because people agreed to create it to protect themselves. This is an example of which principle?

    1. Social contract
    2. Federalism
    3. Equal protection
    4. Checks and balances
    Show answer

    A. Social contract: This situation illustrates social contract.

Democracy, the Republic, and Representative Government (47)

Read this section →

  1. The United States is best described as a

    1. parliamentary monarchy
    2. unitary dictatorship
    3. direct democracy
    4. constitutional republic
    Show answer

    D. constitutional republic: Power comes from the people, is exercised by elected representatives, and is limited by a written constitution.

  2. In ancient Athens, which reform by Cleisthenes around 508 B.C.E. is considered a foundation of democracy?

    1. giving women and enslaved people the vote
    2. organizing citizens into new tribes that participated in a citizen assembly and council
    3. creating a hereditary monarchy
    4. establishing a written Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    B. organizing citizens into new tribes that participated in a citizen assembly and council: Cleisthenes broadened citizen participation in Athenian government.

  3. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Citizens in a New England town meeting vote directly on the town budget.

    Which principle of American government is best illustrated by the scenario?

    1. due process
    2. equality under the law
    3. individual liberty
    4. direct democracy
    Show answer

    D. direct democracy: This scenario illustrates direct democracy: a system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives.

  4. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Citizens elect members of Congress who vote on laws on their behalf.

    Which principle of American government is best illustrated by the scenario?

    1. limited government
    2. republicanism
    3. due process
    4. majority rule with minority rights
    Show answer

    B. republicanism: This scenario illustrates republicanism: a system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.

  5. Which thinker wrote Commentaries on the Laws of England, which shaped the Founders' understanding of common law and individual rights?

    1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    2. Baron de Montesquieu
    3. William Blackstone
    4. Thomas Hobbes
    Show answer

    C. William Blackstone: William Blackstone wrote Commentaries on the Laws of England, which shaped the Founders' understanding of common law and individual rights.

  6. Which statement best describes the principle of republicanism?

    1. A system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.
    2. The idea that government is limited by and must follow a written constitution.
    3. The principle that laws apply equally to all people, without guaranteeing equal outcomes.
    4. The division of power between a national government and state governments.
    Show answer

    A. A system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.: Republicanism is a system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.

  7. Why did many Founders distrust a pure democracy?

    1. They believed citizens should never be consulted on laws.
    2. They believed only kings could protect liberty.
    3. They wanted to prevent any elections at all.
    4. They feared that passionate majorities could trample the rights of minorities.
    Show answer

    D. They feared that passionate majorities could trample the rights of minorities.: Madison warned in Federalist No. 10 that pure democracies are prone to majority faction.

  8. Article IV of the Constitution guarantees every state which type of government?

    1. a direct democracy
    2. a confederation
    3. a republican form of government
    4. a constitutional monarchy
    Show answer

    C. a republican form of government: The Guarantee Clause promises each state a republican form of government.

  9. Which thinker praised the Roman republic's mixed government in which consuls, the senate, and the people checked one another?

    1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    2. Thomas Hobbes
    3. Cicero
    4. Polybius
    Show answer

    D. Polybius: Polybius praised the Roman republic's mixed government in which consuls, the senate, and the people checked one another.

  10. Use the excerpt below, from Federalist No. 14, to answer the question that follows.

    "...in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government in person; in a republic, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. representative government
    2. support for public education
    3. due process
    4. a large republic
    Show answer

    A. representative government: The excerpt from Federalist No. 14 reflects representative government.

  11. Use the excerpt below, from Brutus No. 1, to answer the question that follows.

    "In a republic, the manners, sentiments, and interests of the people should be similar... [A] free republic cannot succeed over a country of such immense extent."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. natural rights
    2. opposition to a large republic
    3. social contract
    4. limits on punishment
    Show answer

    B. opposition to a large republic: The excerpt from Brutus No. 1 reflects opposition to a large republic.

  12. Which principle of American government is best described as a system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf?

    1. republicanism
    2. federalism
    3. constitutionalism
    4. individual liberty
    Show answer

    A. republicanism: Republicanism is a system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.

  13. Use the excerpt below, from the Declaration of Independence, to answer the question that follows.

    "He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. representative government
    2. separation of powers
    3. property rights
    4. limited government
    Show answer

    A. representative government: The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence reflects representative government.

  14. Which thinker classified governments by whether one, a few, or many ruled and favored a mixed constitution?

    1. Aristotle
    2. Thomas Hobbes
    3. Thomas Paine
    4. Baron de Montesquieu
    Show answer

    A. Aristotle: Aristotle classified governments by whether one, a few, or many ruled and favored a mixed constitution.

  15. Which of the following ancient civilizations is most associated with the development of direct democracy?

    1. Egypt
    2. Persia
    3. Athens
    4. Rome
    Show answer

    C. Athens: Athenian male citizens voted directly on laws in the Assembly.

  16. Use the excerpt below, from Federalist No. 10, to answer the question that follows.

    "Extend the sphere, and you take in a greater variety of parties and interests; you make it less probable that a majority of the whole will have a common motive to invade the rights of other citizens."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. support for public education
    2. property rights
    3. popular sovereignty
    4. a large republic
    Show answer

    D. a large republic: The excerpt from Federalist No. 10 reflects a large republic.

  17. Which feature best distinguishes a republic from a direct democracy?

    1. A single party controls the government.
    2. Citizens elect representatives to make laws.
    3. A monarch inherits power.
    4. Citizens vote on every law themselves.
    Show answer

    B. Citizens elect representatives to make laws.: In a republic, the people govern through elected representatives.

  18. The Roman Republic influenced the U.S. government chiefly by providing a model of

    1. direct voting by all residents on every law
    2. hereditary rule by a single monarch
    3. elected representatives governing on behalf of citizens
    4. rule by a state religion
    Show answer

    C. elected representatives governing on behalf of citizens: Rome's republic had elected officials such as consuls and a senate.

  19. Which modern U.S. practice most closely resembles a town meeting in ancient Athens?

    1. a governor appointing a cabinet
    2. citizens voting on a ballot referendum
    3. the Senate confirming a judge
    4. the Electoral College choosing a president
    Show answer

    B. citizens voting on a ballot referendum: A referendum lets citizens decide a law directly, as Athenian citizens did.

  20. Use the excerpt below, from Federalist No. 39, to answer the question that follows.

    "...a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. republicanism
    2. an independent judiciary
    3. federalism
    4. limits on punishment
    Show answer

    A. republicanism: The excerpt from Federalist No. 39 reflects republicanism.

  21. Which of the following is the best example of republicanism?

    1. Citizens elect members of Congress who vote on laws on their behalf.
    2. A city council passes a budget by majority vote but cannot use it to deny a religious group the right to worship.
    3. The House impeaches a federal judge for accepting bribes.
    4. A government official refuses to act beyond the powers listed in the written constitution.
    Show answer

    A. Citizens elect members of Congress who vote on laws on their behalf.: Republicanism is a system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.

  22. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Florida voters elect state senators and representatives to pass state laws.

    Which principle of American government is best illustrated by the scenario?

    1. majority rule with minority rights
    2. republicanism
    3. checks and balances
    4. separation of powers
    Show answer

    B. republicanism: This scenario illustrates republicanism: a system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.

  23. Which thinker argued in a widely read pamphlet that monarchy was absurd and the colonies should declare independence?

    1. William Blackstone
    2. Thomas Hobbes
    3. Polybius
    4. Thomas Paine
    Show answer

    D. Thomas Paine: Thomas Paine argued in a widely read pamphlet that monarchy was absurd and the colonies should declare independence.

  24. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Voters approve or reject a proposed law placed directly on the ballot by petition.

    Which principle of American government is best illustrated by the scenario?

    1. social contract
    2. equality under the law
    3. checks and balances
    4. direct democracy
    Show answer

    D. direct democracy: This scenario illustrates direct democracy: a system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives.

  25. Which of the following is the best example of direct democracy?

    1. A member of Congress must resign her seat before accepting a position as a cabinet secretary.
    2. Citizens in a New England town meeting vote directly on the town budget.
    3. States set rules for marriage licenses while the national government prints money.
    4. A citizen chooses which religion to follow, or none, without interference from the government.
    Show answer

    B. Citizens in a New England town meeting vote directly on the town budget.: Direct democracy is a system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives.

  26. Which statement best describes the principle of direct democracy?

    1. The freedom of each person to act, believe, and speak without unreasonable government interference.
    2. A system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives.
    3. The requirement that government follow fair procedures before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property.
    4. Rights that people are born with and that do not come from government.
    Show answer

    B. A system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives.: Direct democracy is a system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives.

  27. Which principle of American government is best described as a system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives?

    1. direct democracy
    2. individual liberty
    3. majority rule with minority rights
    4. federalism
    Show answer

    A. direct democracy: Direct democracy is a system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives.

  28. Use the excerpt below, from the Declaration of Independence, to answer the question that follows.

    "He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. protection of private homes from soldiers
    2. right to petition
    3. federalism
    4. representative government
    Show answer

    D. representative government: The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence reflects representative government.

  29. Which form of government is based on popular sovereignty?

    1. theocracy
    2. absolute monarchy
    3. republic
    4. dictatorship
    Show answer

    C. republic: In a republic, power comes from the people.

  30. What is the main difference between a direct democracy and a representative democracy (a republic)?

    1. A republic has no elections, while a direct democracy does.
    2. A direct democracy is ruled by a monarch.
    3. In a direct democracy, citizens vote on laws themselves; in a republic, they elect representatives to make laws.
    4. In a republic, only judges may make laws.
    Show answer

    C. In a direct democracy, citizens vote on laws themselves; in a republic, they elect representatives to make laws.: The Founders created a republic: the people choose representatives who make laws on their behalf.

  31. Which of the following is an example of direct democracy?

    1. Congress passing a federal budget
    2. Residents at a New England town meeting voting on the town budget
    3. The Senate confirming a federal judge
    4. The Electoral College choosing a president
    Show answer

    B. Residents at a New England town meeting voting on the town budget: In a town meeting, the people themselves make the decision instead of electing someone to decide for them.

  32. Florida voters approve a proposed amendment to the state constitution that appeared on the ballot. This is an example of

    1. judicial review.
    2. direct democracy.
    3. an executive order.
    4. a filibuster.
    Show answer

    B. direct democracy.: When voters decide a ballot measure themselves, they are practicing direct democracy within a representative system.

  33. Which term describes a government in which power is held by a small group, such as wealthy families or military leaders?

    1. Republic
    2. Direct democracy
    3. Confederation
    4. Oligarchy
    Show answer

    D. Oligarchy: Oligarchy means rule by the few. The Founders rejected both rule by one (monarchy) and rule by a narrow elite in favor of a republic.

  34. Which form of government gives one person unlimited power that is not checked by law, courts, or elections?

    1. Constitutional republic
    2. Federal system
    3. Autocracy
    4. Parliamentary democracy
    Show answer

    C. Autocracy: In an autocracy (such as an absolute monarchy or dictatorship), one ruler holds unchecked power. The U.S. Constitution limits power through law and elections.

  35. Why did many of the Founders distrust pure democracy?

    1. They believed only kings should rule.
    2. They wanted to end all elections.
    3. They feared a majority acting on passion could violate the rights of the minority.
    4. They thought the country had too few people to vote.
    Show answer

    C. They feared a majority acting on passion could violate the rights of the minority.: Madison warned in Federalist No. 10 that pure democracies are prone to factions and "have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention." A republic filters public opinion through representatives.

  36. Which statement best describes the United States as a constitutional republic?

    1. Citizens vote directly on every federal law.
    2. A monarch shares power with an elected parliament.
    3. A single political party controls all branches by law.
    4. Elected representatives govern within limits set by a written constitution.
    Show answer

    D. Elected representatives govern within limits set by a written constitution.: The United States is a republic because the people elect representatives, and it is constitutional because those representatives' powers are limited by the Constitution.

  37. Which clause of the Constitution requires the United States to guarantee every state a republican form of government?

    1. The Guarantee Clause in Article IV
    2. The Supremacy Clause in Article VI
    3. The Commerce Clause in Article I
    4. The Establishment Clause in the First Amendment
    Show answer

    A. The Guarantee Clause in Article IV: Article IV, Section 4 says the United States "shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government."

  38. Ancient Athens' assembly, where citizens voted on laws themselves, is an example of

    1. representative democracy
    2. monarchy
    3. oligarchy
    4. direct democracy
    Show answer

    D. direct democracy: Athenian citizens voted directly in the assembly.

  39. Which feature makes the United States a republic rather than a direct democracy?

    1. Citizens vote on every law
    2. A king inherits power
    3. Judges make all laws
    4. Citizens elect representatives who make laws
    Show answer

    D. Citizens elect representatives who make laws: In a republic the people govern through elected representatives.

  40. Which term describes a system in which citizens vote on laws and policies themselves?

    1. Natural rights
    2. State of nature
    3. Social contract
    4. Direct democracy
    Show answer

    D. Direct democracy: Direct democracy is a system in which citizens vote on laws and policies themselves.

  41. Which statement best defines "direct democracy"?

    1. An official who currently holds the office and is running for reelection.
    2. A system in which citizens vote on laws and policies themselves.
    3. Rights such as life, liberty, and property that people have simply because they are human, not because government grants them.
    4. The idea that the people are the ultimate source of the government's authority.
    Show answer

    B. A system in which citizens vote on laws and policies themselves.: Direct democracy: a system in which citizens vote on laws and policies themselves.

  42. Which term describes a system in which citizens elect officials to make laws and decisions on their behalf?

    1. Popular sovereignty
    2. Direct democracy
    3. State of nature
    4. Representative democracy (republic)
    Show answer

    D. Representative democracy (republic): Representative democracy (republic) is a system in which citizens elect officials to make laws and decisions on their behalf.

  43. Which statement best defines "representative democracy (republic)"?

    1. A system in which citizens vote on laws and policies themselves.
    2. A system in which citizens elect officials to make laws and decisions on their behalf.
    3. Citizenship based on being born on a country's soil.
    4. An organization that raises and contributes money to candidates, subject to contribution limits.
    Show answer

    B. A system in which citizens elect officials to make laws and decisions on their behalf.: Representative democracy (republic): a system in which citizens elect officials to make laws and decisions on their behalf.

  44. Citizens elect members of Congress to vote on federal laws for them. This is an example of which principle?

    1. Limited government
    2. Representative democracy
    3. Federalism
    4. Social contract
    Show answer

    B. Representative democracy: This situation illustrates representative democracy.

  45. Read the scenario: Residents of a district elect a state representative to speak for them in Tallahassee. Which principle of American government does it reflect?

    1. Direct democracy
    2. Federalism
    3. Representative democracy
    4. Due process
    Show answer

    C. Representative democracy: This situation illustrates representative democracy.

  46. Which principle is best illustrated by this situation? Every adult resident of a small town meets to vote on the town budget.

    1. Limited government
    2. Popular sovereignty
    3. Direct democracy
    4. Federalism
    Show answer

    C. Direct democracy: This situation illustrates direct democracy.

  47. Ancient Athenian citizens gathered in an assembly to vote directly on laws. This is an example of which principle?

    1. Due process
    2. Limited government
    3. Separation of powers
    4. Direct democracy
    Show answer

    D. Direct democracy: This situation illustrates direct democracy.

Natural Rights and Natural Law (24)

Read this section →

  1. Which statement best describes the principle of natural rights?

    1. A system in which citizens vote on laws themselves rather than through representatives.
    2. The principle that government may only exercise the powers granted to it.
    3. Rights that people are born with and that do not come from government.
    4. The idea that government is limited by and must follow a written constitution.
    Show answer

    C. Rights that people are born with and that do not come from government.: Natural rights is rights that people are born with and that do not come from government.

  2. According to John Locke, the main purpose of government is to

    1. protect people's natural rights to life, liberty, and property
    2. maintain the power of the monarch
    3. expand the territory of the nation
    4. establish an official church
    Show answer

    A. protect people's natural rights to life, liberty, and property: Locke taught that governments are formed to secure natural rights.

  3. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Colonists argue that their rights to life and liberty come from their Creator, not from the king.

    Which principle of American government is best illustrated by the scenario?

    1. checks and balances
    2. natural rights
    3. due process
    4. constitutionalism
    Show answer

    B. natural rights: This scenario illustrates natural rights: rights that people are born with and that do not come from government.

  4. Which of the following is the best example of natural rights?

    1. Citizens in a New England town meeting vote directly on the town budget.
    2. The Constitution gives lawmaking power to Congress, enforcement power to the president, and the power to interpret laws to the courts.
    3. Colonists argue that their rights to life and liberty come from their Creator, not from the king.
    4. The Senate rejects a president's nominee to the Supreme Court.
    Show answer

    C. Colonists argue that their rights to life and liberty come from their Creator, not from the king.: Natural rights is rights that people are born with and that do not come from government.

  5. Use the excerpt below, from the Virginia Declaration of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights... namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. state sovereignty
    2. checks and balances
    3. natural rights
    4. religious liberty
    Show answer

    C. natural rights: The excerpt from the Virginia Declaration of Rights reflects natural rights.

  6. Use the excerpt below, from the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, to answer the question that follows.

    "All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. a confederation of states
    2. federal supremacy
    3. natural rights
    4. limits on slavery
    Show answer

    C. natural rights: The excerpt from the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 reflects natural rights.

  7. Use the excerpt below, from the Bill of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. limits on punishment
    2. a large republic
    3. natural rights
    4. limited government
    Show answer

    C. natural rights: The excerpt from the Bill of Rights reflects natural rights.

  8. Natural law, as understood by the Founders, is best described as

    1. the set of laws passed by Parliament
    2. a code written by the king
    3. a universal moral standard that is above human-made law
    4. the laws of a particular state
    Show answer

    C. a universal moral standard that is above human-made law: The Founders believed natural law bound governments as well as people.

  9. Which principle of American government is best described as rights that people are born with and that do not come from government?

    1. majority rule with minority rights
    2. federalism
    3. natural rights
    4. checks and balances
    Show answer

    C. natural rights: Natural rights is rights that people are born with and that do not come from government.

  10. Which statement reflects the Founders' view of natural rights?

    1. Natural rights may be sold to the government.
    2. Natural rights are granted by Congress.
    3. Natural rights apply only to property owners.
    4. Government does not grant natural rights; it exists to protect them.
    Show answer

    D. Government does not grant natural rights; it exists to protect them.: The Declaration says governments are instituted to secure rights.

  11. According to the Declaration of Independence, where do unalienable rights come from?

    1. the Constitution
    2. the Creator
    3. Parliament
    4. the king
    Show answer

    B. the Creator: The Declaration states that people are 'endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.'

  12. Use the excerpt below, from the Declaration of Independence, to answer the question that follows.

    "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."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. natural rights
    2. opposition to a large republic
    3. limited government
    4. protection against unreasonable searches
    Show answer

    A. natural rights: The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence reflects natural rights.

  13. Which right did John Locke list among natural rights that the Declaration of Independence replaced with 'the pursuit of Happiness'?

    1. voting
    2. education
    3. property
    4. trial by jury
    Show answer

    C. property: Locke's trio was life, liberty, and property.

  14. John Locke identified which three natural rights?

    1. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
    2. Life, liberty, and property
    3. Speech, press, and religion
    4. Voting, petition, and assembly
    Show answer

    B. Life, liberty, and property: Locke wrote of life, liberty, and estate (property). Jefferson adapted the list in the Declaration of Independence as "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

  15. Which statement best describes natural rights?

    1. They are privileges granted by Congress that can be withdrawn by majority vote.
    2. They belong only to citizens who pay taxes.
    3. They are rights that the president may suspend at will.
    4. They are rights people have simply because they are human, and government does not grant them.
    Show answer

    D. They are rights people have simply because they are human, and government does not grant them.: Natural rights philosophy holds that rights come from nature (or a Creator) and exist before government; government's job is to secure them.

  16. The Declaration of Independence calls certain rights "unalienable." What does this word mean?

    1. They are reserved to the states.
    2. They can be sold or transferred to others.
    3. They cannot be taken away or given up.
    4. They apply only during wartime.
    Show answer

    C. They cannot be taken away or given up.: Unalienable rights cannot be surrendered or taken away by government. The Declaration names life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as examples.

  17. What is the term for the idea that universal moral principles, discoverable through reason, stand above any government's laws?

    1. Common law
    2. Statutory law
    3. Martial law
    4. Natural law
    Show answer

    D. Natural law: Natural law is a higher standard of right and wrong. The Declaration of Independence appeals to "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" to justify independence.

  18. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson replaced Locke's word "property" with which phrase?

    1. due process of law
    2. the right to vote
    3. the pursuit of Happiness
    4. freedom of religion
    Show answer

    C. the pursuit of Happiness: Locke listed life, liberty, and property. Jefferson wrote "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

  19. Which founding document most directly uses natural rights philosophy to justify separating from Great Britain?

    1. The Articles of Confederation
    2. The Northwest Ordinance
    3. Federalist No. 70
    4. The Declaration of Independence
    Show answer

    D. The Declaration of Independence: The Declaration argues that all people have unalienable rights and that a government that destroys them may be abolished, then lists the king's violations.

  20. Which right did John Locke list among natural rights?

    1. Voting at age 18
    2. A public education
    3. Property
    4. A government job
    Show answer

    C. Property: Locke named life, liberty, and property as natural rights.

  21. Which term describes rights such as life, liberty, and property that people have simply because they are human, not because government grants them?

    1. Popular sovereignty
    2. Natural rights
    3. Consent of the governed
    4. Direct democracy
    Show answer

    B. Natural rights: Natural rights is rights such as life, liberty, and property that people have simply because they are human, not because government grants them.

  22. Which statement best defines "natural rights"?

    1. An official who currently holds the office and is running for reelection.
    2. The legal process by which an immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen.
    3. Rights such as life, liberty, and property that people have simply because they are human, not because government grants them.
    4. An election held outside the normal schedule, such as to fill a vacant seat.
    Show answer

    C. Rights such as life, liberty, and property that people have simply because they are human, not because government grants them.: Natural rights: rights such as life, liberty, and property that people have simply because they are human, not because government grants them.

  23. Read the scenario: A speaker argues that people's right to life and liberty exists before any government and cannot be taken away by it. Which principle of American government does it reflect?

    1. Social contract
    2. Natural rights
    3. Limited government
    4. Popular sovereignty
    Show answer

    B. Natural rights: This situation illustrates natural rights.

  24. Which principle is best illustrated by this situation? The Declaration of Independence says people are endowed with certain "unalienable Rights."

    1. Federalism
    2. Representative democracy
    3. Checks and balances
    4. Natural rights
    Show answer

    D. Natural rights: This situation illustrates natural rights.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) (1)

Read this section →

  1. Before the Civil War, "popular sovereignty" also meant letting settlers in a territory vote on whether to allow slavery. Which law applied this idea to two new territories in 1854?

    1. The Missouri Compromise
    2. The Kansas-Nebraska Act
    3. The Northwest Ordinance
    4. The Homestead Act
    Show answer

    B. The Kansas-Nebraska Act: Stephen Douglas's Kansas-Nebraska Act let settlers in Kansas and Nebraska decide the slavery question, which led to violence in "Bleeding Kansas."