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Topic 10 · Competency 3: Founding Documents

English and Colonial Roots: Practice Questions

83 practice questions on magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, the English Bill of Rights, and colonial grievances. Answers are hidden until you click "Show answer."

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

The Mayflower Compact (1620) (19)

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  1. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.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 document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Mayflower Compact
    2. Northwest Ordinance
    3. Brutus No. 1
    4. English Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    A. Mayflower Compact: This excerpt is from the Mayflower Compact.

  2. The Mayflower Compact is an example of which idea that later shaped American government?

    1. a confederation of nations
    2. judicial review
    3. the divine right of kings
    4. a social contract creating government by consent
    Show answer

    D. a social contract creating government by consent: Settlers agreed to form a 'civil Body Politick.'

  3. 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."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1215
    2. 1689
    3. 1781
    4. 1620
    Show answer

    D. 1620: The Mayflower Compact dates from 1620.

  4. Which statement accurately describes the Mayflower Compact?

    1. It was written in 1620 by Pilgrims before they landed at Plymouth.
    2. It was published in New York newspapers to persuade voters to ratify the Constitution.
    3. It was a state constitution, ratified by the people, that established a bicameral legislature, a governor with veto power, and an independent judiciary.
    4. It was a list of grievances against King George III used to justify separation from Britain.
    Show answer

    A. It was written in 1620 by Pilgrims before they landed at Plymouth.: The Mayflower Compact was written in 1620 by Pilgrims before they landed at Plymouth.

  5. 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."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1776
    2. 1620
    3. 1215
    4. 1780
    Show answer

    B. 1620: The Mayflower Compact dates from 1620.

  6. Which founding-era or earlier document was written in 1620 by Pilgrims before they landed at Plymouth?

    1. Mayflower Compact
    2. Anti-Federalist Papers
    3. Land Ordinance of 1785
    4. Articles of Confederation
    Show answer

    A. Mayflower Compact: The Mayflower Compact was written in 1620 by Pilgrims before they landed at Plymouth.

  7. The Mayflower Compact set a precedent for which founding document by creating a government based on the agreement of the people?

    1. Treaty of Paris
    2. U.S. Constitution
    3. English Bill of Rights
    4. Magna Carta
    Show answer

    B. U.S. Constitution: It was an early written agreement to form a government.

  8. Based on its pledge to promote 'the general good of the Colony,' the Mayflower Compact contributed to the modern understanding that

    1. government should establish religious unity
    2. government should serve the elite
    3. government should protect only influential citizens
    4. government should serve the common good and treat people equally under the law
    Show answer

    D. government should serve the common good and treat people equally under the law: The Compact pledged just and equal laws for the general good.

  9. Which founding-era or earlier document was an early example of colonial self-government by agreement of the governed?

    1. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    2. Mayflower Compact
    3. Common Sense
    4. Northwest Ordinance
    Show answer

    B. Mayflower Compact: The Mayflower Compact was an early example of colonial self-government by agreement of the governed.

  10. Which statement accurately describes the Mayflower Compact?

    1. It was the law that created a process for territories to become states on an equal footing with the original states.
    2. It was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.
    3. It was the source of the principle that even the king was subject to the law.
    4. It was an early example of colonial self-government by agreement of the governed.
    Show answer

    D. It was an early example of colonial self-government by agreement of the governed.: The Mayflower Compact was an early example of colonial self-government by agreement of the governed.

  11. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, 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 document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Bill of Rights
    2. Mayflower Compact
    3. U.S. Constitution
    4. Brutus No. 1
    Show answer

    B. Mayflower Compact: This excerpt is from the Mayflower Compact.

  12. The Mayflower Compact was signed in 1620 because the Pilgrims

    1. had declared independence from England.
    2. landed outside the territory granted by their charter and needed a basis for government.
    3. wanted to create a national bank.
    4. were ordered to do so by Parliament.
    Show answer

    B. landed outside the territory granted by their charter and needed a basis for government.: The Pilgrims landed near Cape Cod, outside the Virginia Company's grant, so they agreed to form a "civil Body Politick."

  13. In the Mayflower Compact, the signers promised to

    1. abolish all taxes.
    2. obey "just and equal laws" made for the general good of the colony.
    3. elect a king from among themselves.
    4. separate themselves from the English Crown.
    Show answer

    B. obey "just and equal laws" made for the general good of the colony.: The Compact is an early example of self-government and consent of the governed, though the signers stayed loyal subjects of King James.

  14. Which phrase from the Mayflower Compact shows that the signers still considered themselves English subjects?

    1. "We the People of the United States"
    2. "the loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James"
    3. "these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States"
    4. "Give me liberty, or give me death"
    Show answer

    B. "the loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James": The Compact created self-government under the king, not independence.

  15. The Mayflower Compact is most closely associated with which principle?

    1. Judicial review
    2. Separation of powers among three branches
    3. Federalism
    4. Self-government based on the consent of the governed
    Show answer

    D. Self-government based on the consent of the governed: The colonists agreed together to make and obey laws.

  16. The Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact in 1620 in order to

    1. declare independence from England
    2. establish a national church for all colonies
    3. agree to form a government and obey laws made for the general good of the colony
    4. create a bill of rights for Massachusetts
    Show answer

    C. agree to form a government and obey laws made for the general good of the colony: Before landing, the settlers agreed to "combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick" and make just laws for the colony's general good.

  17. The Mayflower Compact is an early American example of which idea?

    1. Separation of powers among three branches
    2. Judicial review
    3. A federal system of states
    4. Self-government based on the consent of the governed
    Show answer

    D. Self-government based on the consent of the governed: The settlers created their own government by mutual agreement, an early example of self-government and consent.

  18. Which phrase best describes the Mayflower Compact?

    1. A treaty between England and France
    2. A charter granted by the king to a trading company
    3. A list of grievances against the king
    4. A covenant among settlers to make and obey just laws
    Show answer

    D. A covenant among settlers to make and obey just laws: The Compact was an agreement among the settlers themselves to form a "civil Body Politick."

  19. "...covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation..." This passage comes from which document?
    1. The Mayflower Compact
    2. The Northwest Ordinance
    3. The Virginia Declaration of Rights
    4. The U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    A. The Mayflower Compact: The passage is from the Mayflower Compact (1620).

The English Bill of Rights (1689) (26)

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  1. Which founding-era or earlier document was adopted in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution, limiting the powers of the monarch and strengthening Parliament?

    1. U.S. Constitution
    2. Federalist Papers
    3. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    4. English Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    D. English Bill of Rights: The English Bill of Rights was adopted in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution, limiting the powers of the monarch and strengthening Parliament.

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

    "That levying money for or to the use of the Crown... without grant of Parliament... is illegal."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1803
    2. 1689
    3. 1215
    4. 1780
    Show answer

    B. 1689: The English Bill of Rights dates from 1689.

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

    "That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed; nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. social contract
    2. limited government
    3. limits on punishment
    4. checks and balances
    Show answer

    C. limits on punishment: The excerpt from the English Bill of Rights reflects limits on punishment.

  4. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "That the raising or keeping a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with consent of Parliament, is against law."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Articles of Confederation
    2. Common Sense
    3. English Bill of Rights
    4. Magna Carta
    Show answer

    C. English Bill of Rights: This excerpt is from the English Bill of Rights.

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

    "That it is the right of the subjects to petition the king, and all commitments and prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1689
    2. 1791
    3. 1781
    4. 1780
    Show answer

    A. 1689: The English Bill of Rights dates from 1689.

  6. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "That levying money for or to the use of the Crown... without grant of Parliament... is illegal."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Northwest Ordinance
    2. English Bill of Rights
    3. Land Ordinance of 1785
    4. Articles of Confederation
    Show answer

    B. English Bill of Rights: This excerpt is from the English Bill of Rights.

  7. The Glorious Revolution in England led to which document?

    1. English Bill of Rights
    2. Magna Carta
    3. Mayflower Compact
    4. Petition of Right
    Show answer

    A. English Bill of Rights: William and Mary accepted the Bill of Rights in 1689.

  8. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed; nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. English Bill of Rights
    2. Anti-Federalist Papers
    3. U.S. Constitution
    4. Federalist Papers
    Show answer

    A. English Bill of Rights: This excerpt is from the English Bill of Rights.

  9. Which earlier document's protection against 'excessive bail' and 'cruel and unusual punishments' was copied almost exactly into the Eighth Amendment?

    1. Magna Carta
    2. Mayflower Compact
    3. Declaration of Independence
    4. English Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    D. English Bill of Rights: The English Bill of Rights of 1689 used nearly identical words.

  10. Which statement accurately describes the English Bill of Rights?

    1. It was the framework that gave Congress no power to levy taxes or regulate interstate commerce.
    2. It was a source of the ban on cruel and unusual punishment in the Eighth Amendment.
    3. It was proposed by James Madison in the First Congress and ratified in 1791.
    4. It was the first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781.
    Show answer

    B. It was a source of the ban on cruel and unusual punishment in the Eighth Amendment.: The English Bill of Rights was a source of the ban on cruel and unusual punishment in the Eighth Amendment.

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

    "That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed; nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1781
    2. 1787
    3. 1776
    4. 1689
    Show answer

    D. 1689: The English Bill of Rights dates from 1689.

  12. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "That it is the right of the subjects to petition the king, and all commitments and prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Magna Carta
    2. Anti-Federalist Papers
    3. Declaration of Independence
    4. English Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    D. English Bill of Rights: This excerpt is from the English Bill of Rights.

  13. Which founding-era or earlier document was a source of the ban on cruel and unusual punishment in the Eighth Amendment?

    1. U.S. Constitution
    2. Common Sense
    3. Bill of Rights
    4. English Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    D. English Bill of Rights: The English Bill of Rights was a source of the ban on cruel and unusual punishment in the Eighth Amendment.

  14. Which document limited the English monarch's power and required that laws be suspended only with Parliament's consent?

    1. English Bill of Rights
    2. Mayflower Compact
    3. Common Sense
    4. Magna Carta
    Show answer

    A. English Bill of Rights: The 1689 Bill of Rights strengthened Parliament.

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

    "That the raising or keeping a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with consent of Parliament, is against law."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1791
    2. 1780
    3. 1215
    4. 1689
    Show answer

    D. 1689: The English Bill of Rights dates from 1689.

  16. Which statement accurately describes the English Bill of Rights?

    1. It was the framework that created a one-house Congress in which each state had one vote.
    2. It was an attack on monarchy and hereditary succession written in plain language for ordinary readers.
    3. It was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.
    4. It was adopted in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution, limiting the powers of the monarch and strengthening Parliament.
    Show answer

    D. It was adopted in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution, limiting the powers of the monarch and strengthening Parliament.: The English Bill of Rights was adopted in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution, limiting the powers of the monarch and strengthening Parliament.

  17. The English Bill of Rights (1689) was adopted after which event?

    1. The signing of Magna Carta
    2. The French and Indian War
    3. The American Revolution
    4. The Glorious Revolution, in which James II was replaced by William and Mary
    Show answer

    D. The Glorious Revolution, in which James II was replaced by William and Mary: Parliament required William and Mary to accept the Bill of Rights, limiting the power of the monarchy.

  18. Which phrase in the U.S. Constitution was borrowed almost word for word from the English Bill of Rights?

    1. "We the People"
    2. "necessary and proper"
    3. "excessive bail" not required, nor "cruel and unusual punishments" inflicted
    4. "full faith and credit"
    Show answer

    C. "excessive bail" not required, nor "cruel and unusual punishments" inflicted: The Eighth Amendment echoes the English Bill of Rights of 1689.

  19. Under the English Bill of Rights, the monarch could not do which of the following without Parliament's consent?

    1. Levy taxes or keep a standing army in peacetime
    2. Attend church
    3. Appoint servants to the royal household
    4. Travel outside England
    Show answer

    A. Levy taxes or keep a standing army in peacetime: These limits on the Crown influenced American ideas about the legislature's control of taxes and armies.

  20. All of the following were protections in the English Bill of Rights EXCEPT

    1. freedom of religion for all faiths, with no established church
    2. the right of subjects to petition the king
    3. free elections of members of Parliament
    4. freedom of speech and debate in Parliament
    Show answer

    A. freedom of religion for all faiths, with no established church: England kept an established church. The Bill of Rights protected petitioning, free elections, and parliamentary speech.

  21. The English Bill of Rights influenced which right in the U.S. First Amendment?

    1. The right to petition the government
    2. The right to a jury in civil cases
    3. The right to bear arms only in the militia
    4. Freedom from quartering of soldiers in peacetime
    Show answer

    A. The right to petition the government: It declared "the right of the subjects to petition the King."

  22. The English Bill of Rights was adopted after which event?

    1. The signing of Magna Carta
    2. The French and Indian War
    3. The Boston Tea Party
    4. The Glorious Revolution of 1688
    Show answer

    D. The Glorious Revolution of 1688: After the Glorious Revolution removed James II, Parliament adopted the English Bill of Rights in 1689.

  23. Which U.S. constitutional protection echoes the English Bill of Rights' ban on "excessive bail" and "cruel and unusual punishments"?

    1. The Eighth Amendment
    2. The Fourth Amendment
    3. The First Amendment
    4. The Tenth Amendment
    Show answer

    A. The Eighth Amendment: The Eighth Amendment repeats nearly word for word the English Bill of Rights' protection against excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishments.

  24. The English Bill of Rights strengthened Parliament by declaring that the monarch could not

    1. choose a religion
    2. levy taxes or keep a standing army in peacetime without Parliament's consent
    3. marry without a vote of the people
    4. appoint any judges
    Show answer

    B. levy taxes or keep a standing army in peacetime without Parliament's consent: The 1689 Bill of Rights barred the Crown from taxing or keeping a standing army in peacetime without Parliament's consent.

  25. The right of subjects "to petition the King" in the English Bill of Rights is most similar to which American right?

    1. The Second Amendment right to bear arms
    2. The Sixth Amendment right to counsel
    3. The First Amendment right to petition the government
    4. The Seventh Amendment right to a civil jury
    Show answer

    C. The First Amendment right to petition the government: The right to petition passed from the English Bill of Rights to the First Amendment.

  26. "That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed; nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." This passage comes from which document?
    1. The English Bill of Rights
    2. The Declaration of Independence
    3. The Mayflower Compact
    4. The Northwest Ordinance
    Show answer

    A. The English Bill of Rights: The passage is from the English Bill of Rights (1689).

Magna Carta (1215) (20)

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  1. Use the excerpt below, from the Magna Carta, to answer the question that follows.

    "No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions... except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1215
    2. 1791
    3. 1620
    4. 1689
    Show answer

    A. 1215: The Magna Carta dates from 1215.

  2. Which founding-era or earlier document was the source of the principle that even the king was subject to the law?

    1. Land Ordinance of 1785
    2. Magna Carta
    3. Articles of Confederation
    4. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    Show answer

    B. Magna Carta: The Magna Carta was the source of the principle that even the king was subject to the law.

  3. Which earlier document's call for 'the lawful judgment of his equals' most influenced the Constitution's guarantee of jury trials?

    1. Mayflower Compact
    2. Magna Carta
    3. Articles of Confederation
    4. Common Sense
    Show answer

    B. Magna Carta: Magna Carta's chapter 39 influenced jury and due process rights.

  4. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions... except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    2. Brutus No. 1
    3. Articles of Confederation
    4. Magna Carta
    Show answer

    D. Magna Carta: This excerpt is from the Magna Carta.

  5. Which founding-era or earlier document was signed by King John of England in 1215, limiting the power of the monarch?

    1. Articles of Confederation
    2. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    3. Common Sense
    4. Magna Carta
    Show answer

    D. Magna Carta: The Magna Carta was signed by King John of England in 1215, limiting the power of the monarch.

  6. The Magna Carta influenced which right in the U.S. Constitution?

    1. the right to bear arms
    2. due process of law
    3. freedom of the press
    4. the right to vote at 18
    Show answer

    B. due process of law: Its 'law of the land' language evolved into due process.

  7. Which statement accurately describes the Magna Carta?

    1. It was drafted primarily by John Adams and the oldest written constitution still in effect in the world.
    2. It was signed by King John of England in 1215, limiting the power of the monarch.
    3. It was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another.
    4. It was proposed by James Madison in the First Congress and ratified in 1791.
    Show answer

    B. It was signed by King John of England in 1215, limiting the power of the monarch.: The Magna Carta was signed by King John of England in 1215, limiting the power of the monarch.

  8. Which statement accurately describes the Magna Carta?

    1. It was the law that divided western land into townships six miles square for sale and set aside a section for public schools.
    2. It was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.
    3. It was the source of the principle that even the king was subject to the law.
    4. It was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another.
    Show answer

    C. It was the source of the principle that even the king was subject to the law.: The Magna Carta was the source of the principle that even the king was subject to the law.

  9. Use the excerpt below, from the Magna Carta, to answer the question that follows.

    "To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1776
    2. 1620
    3. 1803
    4. 1215
    Show answer

    D. 1215: The Magna Carta dates from 1215.

  10. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Magna Carta
    2. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    3. Land Ordinance of 1785
    4. Brutus No. 1
    Show answer

    A. Magna Carta: This excerpt is from the Magna Carta.

  11. Magna Carta was sealed in 1215 by which English king?

    1. King John
    2. King George III
    3. King James II
    4. King Henry VIII
    Show answer

    A. King John: Rebellious barons forced King John to agree to Magna Carta at Runnymede in June 1215.

  12. Who forced King John to accept Magna Carta?

    1. The colonial legislatures
    2. The Pope
    3. A group of rebellious English barons
    4. The House of Commons alone
    Show answer

    C. A group of rebellious English barons: The barons were angry about heavy taxes and arbitrary rule.

  13. Magna Carta's promise that no free man would be punished except "by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land" is an early source of which American principle?

    1. Separation of church and state
    2. Judicial review
    3. Federalism
    4. Due process of law
    Show answer

    D. Due process of law: The "law of the land" idea evolved into the due process guarantees of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

  14. Which idea from Magna Carta most influenced the American colonists' complaint of "no taxation without representation"?

    1. Certain taxes could not be imposed without the consent of the kingdom's common counsel.
    2. The king could tax freely during war.
    3. Only the church could levy taxes.
    4. Taxes must be equal in every county.
    Show answer

    A. Certain taxes could not be imposed without the consent of the kingdom's common counsel.: Magna Carta required the "common counsel of the kingdom" for certain levies, an early limit on the power to tax.

  15. Which statement best explains the lasting importance of Magna Carta?

    1. It created the first written constitution in America.
    2. It abolished the English monarchy.
    3. It established that even the monarch was subject to the law.
    4. It granted voting rights to all English people.
    Show answer

    C. It established that even the monarch was subject to the law.: Magna Carta is a landmark in the development of the rule of law and limited government.

  16. King John agreed to Magna Carta in 1215 mainly because

    1. rebellious barons forced him to accept limits on his power
    2. Parliament voted to remove him from the throne
    3. the colonists in America demanded it
    4. the pope ordered him to create a republic
    Show answer

    A. rebellious barons forced him to accept limits on his power: English barons, angry over heavy taxes and arbitrary rule, forced King John to seal Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215.

  17. A modern student argues that even a president must follow the law. Which early English document first established that the ruler is not above the law?

    1. The Mayflower Compact
    2. Magna Carta
    3. Common Sense
    4. The Northwest Ordinance
    Show answer

    B. Magna Carta: Magna Carta (1215) established that the king, too, was bound by law, an early form of the rule of law.

  18. Which modern American protection can be traced most directly to Magna Carta's promise that no free man would be punished except by "the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land"?

    1. The Electoral College
    2. The right to bear arms
    3. Due process of law and trial by jury
    4. The power of judicial review
    Show answer

    C. Due process of law and trial by jury: The "law of the land" language is an ancestor of due process, and "judgment of his peers" anticipates trial by jury.

  19. Which statement about Magna Carta is NOT accurate?

    1. It limited the power of the English king
    2. It created a democratic government elected by all English adults
    3. It protected certain rights of free men
    4. It influenced the idea of due process in the U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    B. It created a democratic government elected by all English adults: Magna Carta limited the king and protected some rights of nobles and free men; it did not create a democracy.

  20. "No free man shall be seized or imprisoned... except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land." This passage comes from which document?
    1. The English Bill of Rights
    2. The U.S. Constitution
    3. Magna Carta
    4. The Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    C. Magna Carta: The passage is from Magna Carta (1215).

From Loyal Subjects to Revolutionaries (1763–1776) (17)

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  1. Which British law required colonists to buy stamps for newspapers, legal documents, and playing cards?

    1. The Stamp Act (1765)
    2. The Tea Act (1773)
    3. The Quartering Act (1765)
    4. The Sugar Act (1764)
    Show answer

    A. The Stamp Act (1765): The Stamp Act was a direct tax on the colonies and led to the Stamp Act Congress and boycotts. Parliament repealed it in 1766.

  2. The Stamp Act Congress of 1765 is significant because it

    1. was one of the first times colonies acted together to protest British policy.
    2. declared American independence.
    3. wrote the Articles of Confederation.
    4. started the French and Indian War.
    Show answer

    A. was one of the first times colonies acted together to protest British policy.: Delegates from nine colonies argued that only their own assemblies could tax them.

  3. When Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766, it also passed the Declaratory Act, which stated that

    1. the colonies were independent.
    2. colonists would elect members of Parliament.
    3. Parliament had the power to make laws for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever."
    4. no new taxes would ever be passed.
    Show answer

    C. Parliament had the power to make laws for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever.": The Declaratory Act showed that Britain had not given up its claim to authority over the colonies.

  4. The Proclamation of 1763 angered many colonists because it

    1. taxed tea.
    2. closed Boston Harbor.
    3. forbade settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.
    4. banned colonial newspapers.
    Show answer

    C. forbade settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.: Britain issued the proclamation after the French and Indian War to reduce conflict with Native Americans.

  5. The Townshend Acts (1767) placed duties on which imported goods?

    1. Stamps and legal documents
    2. Sugar and molasses only
    3. Guns and gunpowder
    4. Glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea
    Show answer

    D. Glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea: Colonists answered with boycotts. Most duties were repealed in 1770, except the tax on tea.

  6. After the Boston Massacre (1770), who served as defense lawyer for the British soldiers, showing a commitment to the right to a fair trial?

    1. Samuel Adams
    2. John Adams
    3. Paul Revere
    4. Patrick Henry
    Show answer

    B. John Adams: Adams, a patriot, defended the soldiers because he believed everyone deserved legal counsel. Most were acquitted.

  7. Parliament passed the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts in 1774 in response to

    1. the Battle of Saratoga.
    2. the Boston Tea Party.
    3. the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
    4. the Stamp Act Congress.
    Show answer

    B. the Boston Tea Party.: The acts closed Boston Harbor and limited self-government in Massachusetts.

  8. How did the colonies respond to the Intolerable Acts in 1774?

    1. They ratified the Constitution.
    2. They elected George Washington president.
    3. They repealed the Stamp Act.
    4. They sent delegates to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
    Show answer

    D. They sent delegates to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia.: Twelve colonies met and organized a boycott of British goods (Georgia did not attend).

  9. Established in 1619, which was the first elected representative assembly in the English colonies?

    1. The Massachusetts General Court
    2. The Virginia House of Burgesses
    3. The Continental Congress
    4. The Mayflower Council
    Show answer

    B. The Virginia House of Burgesses: The House of Burgesses gave colonists experience in representative self-government.

  10. In 1775, the Second Continental Congress sent King George III the Olive Branch Petition. What did it ask for?

    1. A peaceful reconciliation between the colonies and Great Britain
    2. Immediate independence
    3. An alliance with France
    4. Repeal of the Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    A. A peaceful reconciliation between the colonies and Great Britain: The king rejected the petition and declared the colonies in rebellion.

  11. Which sequence of events is in the correct chronological order?

    1. Boston Tea Party, Stamp Act, Proclamation of 1763, Boston Massacre
    2. Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party, Proclamation of 1763, Boston Massacre
    3. Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party
    4. Boston Massacre, Proclamation of 1763, Boston Tea Party, Stamp Act
    Show answer

    C. Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party: 1763, 1765, 1770, 1773.

  12. Fighting between colonial militia and British soldiers began in April 1775 at

    1. Yorktown.
    2. Lexington and Concord.
    3. Saratoga.
    4. Bunker Hill.
    Show answer

    B. Lexington and Concord.: British troops marched to seize colonial weapons at Concord. The fighting began the Revolutionary War.

  13. Colonists objected to the Stamp Act of 1765 mainly because

    1. they were taxed by a Parliament in which they had no representatives
    2. it banned all trade with England
    3. it required soldiers to be quartered in homes
    4. it ended trial by jury in the colonies
    Show answer

    A. they were taxed by a Parliament in which they had no representatives: "No taxation without representation": colonists argued only their own elected assemblies could tax them.

  14. Which British policy led directly to the Third Amendment?

    1. The Stamp Act
    2. The Proclamation of 1763
    3. The Tea Act
    4. The Quartering Acts requiring colonists to house British troops
    Show answer

    D. The Quartering Acts requiring colonists to house British troops: The Quartering Acts forced colonists to house soldiers; the Third Amendment bars quartering in peacetime without the owner's consent.

  15. Writs of assistance, which let British officials search colonial property without a specific warrant, influenced which amendment?

    1. The Second Amendment
    2. The Fourth Amendment
    3. The Fifth Amendment
    4. The Ninth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. The Fourth Amendment: Writs of assistance were general search warrants. The Fourth Amendment requires warrants based on probable cause that describe the place and items.

  16. Put these events in order from earliest to latest.

    1. Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Stamp Act
    2. Mayflower Compact, Magna Carta, Stamp Act, English Bill of Rights
    3. English Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Stamp Act
    4. Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Mayflower Compact, Stamp Act
    Show answer

    A. Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Stamp Act: Magna Carta 1215; Mayflower Compact 1620; English Bill of Rights 1689; Stamp Act 1765.

  17. The Intolerable (Coercive) Acts of 1774 were Britain's response to

    1. the Declaration of Independence
    2. the Boston Tea Party
    3. the Battle of Yorktown
    4. Shays' Rebellion
    Show answer

    B. the Boston Tea Party: Parliament passed the Coercive Acts, including closing Boston Harbor, to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party (1773).

Natural Rights and Natural Law (1)

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  1. John Locke's Second Treatise of Government, published in 1689, argued that

    1. kings rule by divine right.
    2. people should give up all rights to an absolute ruler.
    3. governments are created to protect life, liberty, and property, and people may change a government that fails to do so.
    4. government should own all property.
    Show answer

    C. governments are created to protect life, liberty, and property, and people may change a government that fails to do so.: Locke's ideas strongly influenced the Declaration of Independence.