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Topic 11 · Competency 3: Founding Documents

The Road to Independence: Practice Questions

106 practice questions on common Sense, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. 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 Declaration of Independence (1776) (60)

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 Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Federalist Papers
    2. Bill of Rights
    3. Declaration of Independence
    4. Articles of Confederation
    Show answer

    C. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

  2. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Patrick Henry
    2. George Mason
    3. Thomas Jefferson
    4. John Jay
    Show answer

    C. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

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 Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

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

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Declaration of Independence
    2. Brutus No. 1
    3. Anti-Federalist Papers
    4. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    Show answer

    A. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

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

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

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. James Madison
    2. Alexander Hamilton
    3. Thomas Jefferson
    4. Patrick Henry
    Show answer

    C. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

  5. Why did colonists protest British tax policies such as the Stamp Act?

    1. They wanted to join France.
    2. They opposed all forms of government.
    3. They wanted Britain to raise their taxes.
    4. They argued that taxation without representation violated their rights as Englishmen.
    Show answer

    D. They argued that taxation without representation violated their rights as Englishmen.: Colonists had no representatives in Parliament.

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

    "He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Land Ordinance of 1785
    2. U.S. Constitution
    3. Federalist Papers
    4. Declaration of Independence
    Show answer

    D. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

  7. Which committee member was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence?

    1. Roger Sherman
    2. John Adams
    3. Benjamin Franklin
    4. Thomas Jefferson
    Show answer

    D. Thomas Jefferson: Jefferson drafted it; Adams and Franklin edited.

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

    "For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Mayflower Compact
    2. Declaration of Independence
    3. English Bill of Rights
    4. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    Show answer

    B. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

  9. Which body approved the Declaration of Independence?

    1. the House of Burgesses
    2. the Constitutional Convention
    3. the Second Continental Congress
    4. the First Congress under the Constitution
    Show answer

    C. the Second Continental Congress: It was adopted in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.

  10. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Thomas Jefferson
    2. James Madison
    3. John Jay
    4. Patrick Henry
    Show answer

    A. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

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

    "He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. self-government
    2. an independent judiciary
    3. independence
    4. limits on punishment
    Show answer

    B. an independent judiciary: The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence reflects an independent judiciary.

  12. Which document influenced the aims and strategies of the authors of the 1848 Declaration of Sentiments?

    1. Declaration of Independence
    2. Articles of Confederation
    3. Northwest Ordinance
    4. Mayflower Compact
    Show answer

    A. Declaration of Independence: It rephrased the Declaration: 'all men and women are created equal.'

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

    1. English Bill of Rights
    2. Anti-Federalist Papers
    3. Declaration of Independence
    4. Land Ordinance of 1785
    Show answer

    C. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

  14. Which founding-era or earlier document was a list of grievances against King George III used to justify separation from Britain?

    1. Declaration of Independence
    2. Common Sense
    3. Magna Carta
    4. Land Ordinance of 1785
    Show answer

    A. Declaration of Independence: The Declaration of Independence was a list of grievances against King George III used to justify separation from Britain.

  15. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. John Adams
    2. Alexander Hamilton
    3. Thomas Jefferson
    4. Patrick Henry
    Show answer

    C. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

  16. The Declaration's grievance that the king 'made Judges dependent on his Will alone' led the Framers to

    1. abolish the courts
    2. give federal judges tenure during good behavior and protected salaries
    3. elect judges every year
    4. let the president remove judges at will
    Show answer

    B. give federal judges tenure during good behavior and protected salaries: Article III protects judicial independence.

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

    "For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. self-government
    2. federal taxing power
    3. protection of private homes from soldiers
    4. federalism
    Show answer

    C. protection of private homes from soldiers: The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence reflects protection of private homes from soldiers.

  18. Which Enlightenment idea is reflected in the Declaration's claim that governments derive 'their just powers from the consent of the governed'?

    1. absolute monarchy
    2. mercantilism
    3. popular sovereignty
    4. divine right of kings
    Show answer

    C. popular sovereignty: Legitimate authority comes from the people.

  19. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Thomas Jefferson
    2. Alexander Hamilton
    3. George Mason
    4. Benjamin Franklin
    Show answer

    A. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

  20. Use the excerpt below 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."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Patrick Henry
    2. Alexander Hamilton
    3. Thomas Paine
    4. Thomas Jefferson
    Show answer

    D. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

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

    "For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Magna Carta
    2. Articles of Confederation
    3. Declaration of Independence
    4. U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    C. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

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

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

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. a large republic
    2. limits on punishment
    3. separation of powers
    4. the right of revolution
    Show answer

    D. the right of revolution: The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence reflects the right of revolution.

  23. Use the excerpt below 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."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Thomas Paine
    2. Thomas Jefferson
    3. Alexander Hamilton
    4. Patrick Henry
    Show answer

    B. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

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

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

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Alexander Hamilton
    2. George Mason
    3. James Madison
    4. Thomas Jefferson
    Show answer

    D. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

  25. The Declaration's grievance that the king imposed 'Taxes on us without our Consent' was answered in the Constitution by

    1. letting the president levy taxes
    2. giving the power to tax to Congress, the people's elected representatives
    3. banning all taxes
    4. letting each city tax foreign nations
    Show answer

    B. giving the power to tax to Congress, the people's elected representatives: Article I places taxing power in Congress.

  26. In his 1963 'I Have a Dream' speech, Martin Luther King Jr. described the Declaration's promise of unalienable rights as

    1. a list of royal privileges
    2. a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir
    3. an outdated idea
    4. a document only for property owners
    Show answer

    B. a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir: King called on the nation to honor the Declaration's promise for all.

  27. Which statement accurately describes the Declaration of Independence?

    1. It was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another.
    2. It was written at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 and ratified in 1788.
    3. It was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.
    4. It was the framework that created a one-house Congress in which each state had one vote.
    Show answer

    C. It was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.: The Declaration of Independence was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.

  28. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. John Jay
    2. Thomas Jefferson
    3. Thomas Paine
    4. George Mason
    Show answer

    B. Thomas Jefferson: The excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence, written principally by Thomas Jefferson.

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

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

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. U.S. Constitution
    2. Declaration of Independence
    3. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    4. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    Show answer

    B. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

  30. Which founding-era or earlier document was drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson and adopted on July 4, 1776?

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

    A. Declaration of Independence: The Declaration of Independence was drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson and adopted on July 4, 1776.

  31. Which statement accurately describes the Declaration of Independence?

    1. It was the framework that gave Congress no power to levy taxes or regulate interstate commerce.
    2. It was the framework that created a one-house Congress in which each state had one vote.
    3. It was the law that divided western land into townships six miles square for sale and set aside a section for public schools.
    4. It was a list of grievances against King George III used to justify separation from Britain.
    Show answer

    D. It was a list of grievances against King George III used to justify separation from Britain.: The Declaration of Independence was a list of grievances against King George III used to justify separation from Britain.

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

    1. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    2. Mayflower Compact
    3. Declaration of Independence
    4. Federalist Papers
    Show answer

    C. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

  33. The Declaration of Independence primarily served to

    1. explain and justify the colonies' separation from Great Britain
    2. end the Revolutionary War
    3. create the structure of a national government
    4. list the powers of Congress
    Show answer

    A. explain and justify the colonies' separation from Great Britain: It set out the philosophical case and grievances for independence.

  34. The Declaration's idea that 'all men are created equal' contributed to the expansion of civil rights over time because

    1. it created the Fourteenth Amendment
    2. later reformers used it to demand that the nation live up to its ideals
    3. it gave women the right to vote in 1776
    4. it immediately ended slavery
    Show answer

    B. later reformers used it to demand that the nation live up to its ideals: Abolitionists, suffragists, and civil rights leaders invoked it.

  35. The section of the Declaration of Independence that lists the king's 'repeated injuries and usurpations' is known as the

    1. resolution of independence
    2. bill of rights
    3. preamble
    4. list of grievances
    Show answer

    D. list of grievances: The grievances justify separation.

  36. Which political philosopher's ideas are best represented in the Declaration of Independence?

    1. Thomas Hobbes
    2. Niccolò Machiavelli
    3. John Locke
    4. Karl Marx
    Show answer

    C. John Locke: The Declaration reflects Locke's natural rights and consent theory.

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

    "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Land Ordinance of 1785
    2. Declaration of Independence
    3. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    4. Bill of Rights
    Show answer

    B. Declaration of Independence: This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

  38. Which founding-era or earlier document was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights?

    1. Common Sense
    2. U.S. Constitution
    3. Declaration of Independence
    4. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    Show answer

    C. Declaration of Independence: The Declaration of Independence was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.

  39. Which statement accurately describes the Declaration of Independence?

    1. It was drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson and adopted on July 4, 1776.
    2. It was the framework that created a one-house Congress in which each state had one vote.
    3. It was the law that divided western land into townships six miles square for sale and set aside a section for public schools.
    4. It was the first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781.
    Show answer

    A. It was drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson and adopted on July 4, 1776.: The Declaration of Independence was drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson and adopted on July 4, 1776.

  40. Which members served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence?

    1. George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and George Mason
    2. Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Thomas Paine, and Paul Revere
    3. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston
    4. John Marshall, Aaron Burr, James Monroe, John Dickinson, and Richard Henry Lee
    Show answer

    C. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston: The committee gave Jefferson the job of writing the first draft.

  41. On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted for independence by approving

    1. the Olive Branch Petition.
    2. Richard Henry Lee's resolution.
    3. the Articles of Confederation.
    4. the Treaty of Paris.
    Show answer

    B. Richard Henry Lee's resolution.: The Lee Resolution declared the colonies "free and independent States." Congress approved the final text of the Declaration on July 4.

  42. What is the main purpose of the long list of grievances in the Declaration of Independence?

    1. To list the powers of Congress
    2. To prove that the king had repeatedly violated the colonists' rights, justifying independence
    3. To describe the structure of the new government
    4. To apologize to King George III
    Show answer

    B. To prove that the king had repeatedly violated the colonists' rights, justifying independence: The Declaration says "a long train of abuses and usurpations" gave the people the right to throw off the government.

  43. Most grievances in the Declaration of Independence are directed at

    1. Parliament alone.
    2. the colonial legislatures.
    3. King George III.
    4. France.
    Show answer

    C. King George III.: The Declaration repeatedly says "He has...", referring to the king.

  44. Which grievance from the Declaration of Independence is most directly addressed by the Sixth Amendment?

    1. "For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world"
    2. "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury"
    3. "He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly"
    4. "For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent"
    Show answer

    B. "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury": The Sixth Amendment guarantees an impartial jury in criminal cases.

  45. "For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us" is a grievance in the Declaration that is most directly addressed by which amendment?
    1. The First Amendment
    2. The Third Amendment
    3. The Tenth Amendment
    4. The Fourteenth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. The Third Amendment: The Third Amendment bars quartering soldiers in homes without consent in peacetime.

  46. According to the Declaration, "Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes." What does this show?

    1. Governments should be changed every few years.
    2. Revolution is justified only after a long series of serious abuses.
    3. Governments can never be changed.
    4. Only the king may change a government.
    Show answer

    B. Revolution is justified only after a long series of serious abuses.: The authors wanted to show that they had tried patience and petitions before declaring independence.

  47. Which signer of the Declaration of Independence, then president of the Continental Congress, signed first and largest?

    1. Thomas Jefferson
    2. Benjamin Franklin
    3. John Adams
    4. John Hancock
    Show answer

    D. John Hancock: His name became a common expression for a signature.

  48. What did the Continental Congress remove from Jefferson's draft of the Declaration?

    1. A passage blaming the king for the slave trade
    2. The list of grievances
    3. The statement about unalienable rights
    4. The section declaring independence
    Show answer

    A. A passage blaming the king for the slave trade: Delegates from South Carolina and Georgia, and some Northern merchants, objected to the passage.

  49. The Declaration of Independence is organized into which main parts?

    1. Seven articles and twenty-seven amendments
    2. A bill of rights and a list of state powers
    3. A preamble (introduction), a statement of rights and principles, a list of grievances, and a formal declaration of independence
    4. A treaty with France and a plan of war
    Show answer

    C. A preamble (introduction), a statement of rights and principles, a list of grievances, and a formal declaration of independence: Each part builds the case for independence.

  50. "...that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it." Which idea does this express?
    1. Judicial review
    2. The right of revolution
    3. Federalism
    4. The divine right of kings
    Show answer

    B. The right of revolution: Drawing on Locke, the Declaration argues that people may replace a government that destroys their rights.

  51. Which part of the Declaration of Independence states the philosophy that governments get their just powers from the consent of the governed?

    1. The list of grievances
    2. The closing resolution of independence
    3. The signers' list
    4. The preamble's second paragraph
    Show answer

    D. The preamble's second paragraph: The second paragraph states the theory of government: equality, unalienable rights, and consent of the governed.

  52. According to the Declaration of Independence, when a government becomes destructive of people's rights, the people have the right to

    1. appeal to Parliament for relief
    2. alter or abolish it and institute new government
    3. elect a new king
    4. ask the Supreme Court to intervene
    Show answer

    B. alter or abolish it and institute new government: The Declaration says "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government."

  53. The ideas in the Declaration of Independence about unalienable rights and the right of revolution came most directly from

    1. Thomas Hobbes
    2. Niccolò Machiavelli
    3. King George III
    4. John Locke
    Show answer

    D. John Locke: Locke argued that people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property and may replace a government that violates them.

  54. Which of the following is a grievance listed in the Declaration of Independence?

    1. Refusing to let colonists elect a president
    2. Denying the colonists a Supreme Court
    3. Cutting off the colonies' trade with all parts of the world
    4. Forcing colonists to adopt the Articles of Confederation
    Show answer

    C. Cutting off the colonies' trade with all parts of the world: Among the grievances: "For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world" and "For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent."

  55. The Second Continental Congress formally voted for independence on July 2, 1776, and adopted the Declaration of Independence on

    1. September 17, 1787
    2. June 21, 1788
    3. December 15, 1791
    4. July 4, 1776
    Show answer

    D. July 4, 1776: Congress approved the Lee Resolution for independence on July 2 and adopted the Declaration's text on July 4, 1776.

  56. "...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..." This passage comes from which document?
    1. Common Sense
    2. The Bill of Rights
    3. The U.S. Constitution
    4. The Declaration of Independence
    Show answer

    D. The Declaration of Independence: The passage is from the Declaration of Independence (1776).

  57. The Declaration of Independence lists this grievance: "For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us". Which amendment most directly answers it?

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

    C. The Third Amendment: The Third Amendment protects against this abuse.

  58. The Declaration of Independence lists this grievance: "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury". Which amendment most directly answers it?

    1. The Sixth Amendment
    2. The Tenth Amendment
    3. The Eighth Amendment
    4. The Third Amendment
    Show answer

    A. The Sixth Amendment: The Sixth Amendment protects against this abuse.

  59. The Declaration of Independence lists this grievance: "For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences". Which amendment most directly answers it?

    1. The Fourth Amendment
    2. The Eighth Amendment
    3. The Sixth Amendment
    4. The Second Amendment
    Show answer

    C. The Sixth Amendment: The Sixth Amendment protects against this abuse.

  60. The Declaration of Independence lists this grievance: "In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury". Which amendment most directly answers it?

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

    C. The First Amendment: The First Amendment protects against this abuse.

Common Sense (1776) (21)

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  1. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "...in America THE LAW IS KING. For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Thomas Paine
    2. Thomas Jefferson
    3. Benjamin Franklin
    4. Patrick Henry
    Show answer

    A. Thomas Paine: The excerpt is from Common Sense, written principally by Thomas Paine.

  2. Use the excerpt below, from Common Sense, to answer the question that follows.

    "Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation... 'TIS TIME TO PART."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. independence
    2. checks and balances
    3. controlling factions
    4. due process
    Show answer

    A. independence: The excerpt from Common Sense reflects independence.

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

    "Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation... 'TIS TIME TO PART."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

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

    D. Common Sense: This excerpt is from Common Sense.

  4. Which founding-era or earlier document was a 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine urging colonists to declare independence from Britain?

    1. Bill of Rights
    2. Magna Carta
    3. Common Sense
    4. Northwest Ordinance
    Show answer

    C. Common Sense: Common Sense was a 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine urging colonists to declare independence from Britain.

  5. Which statement accurately describes Common Sense?

    1. It was an attack on monarchy and hereditary succession written in plain language for ordinary readers.
    2. It was the law that divided western land into townships six miles square for sale and set aside a section for public schools.
    3. It was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.
    4. It was drafted primarily by John Adams and the oldest written constitution still in effect in the world.
    Show answer

    A. It was an attack on monarchy and hereditary succession written in plain language for ordinary readers.: Common Sense was an attack on monarchy and hereditary succession written in plain language for ordinary readers.

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

    "Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation... 'TIS TIME TO PART."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Thomas Paine
    2. James Madison
    3. John Adams
    4. John Jay
    Show answer

    A. Thomas Paine: The excerpt is from Common Sense, written principally by Thomas Paine.

  7. Use the excerpt below to answer the question that follows.

    "Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Benjamin Franklin
    2. George Mason
    3. John Adams
    4. Thomas Paine
    Show answer

    D. Thomas Paine: The excerpt is from Common Sense, written principally by Thomas Paine.

  8. Which author's pamphlet sold hundreds of thousands of copies in 1776 and turned public opinion toward independence?

    1. Thomas Paine
    2. Benjamin Franklin
    3. Samuel Adams
    4. John Locke
    Show answer

    A. Thomas Paine: Common Sense was a best seller.

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

    "...in America THE LAW IS KING. For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Bill of Rights
    2. Common Sense
    3. Land Ordinance of 1785
    4. Brutus No. 1
    Show answer

    B. Common Sense: This excerpt is from Common Sense.

  10. Which statement accurately describes Common Sense?

    1. It was cited by the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and by Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equal rights.
    2. It was a 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine urging colonists to declare independence from Britain.
    3. It was a collection of essays, such as those by 'Brutus,' warning that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government.
    4. It was the plan of government that created three separate branches of government with checks on one another.
    Show answer

    B. It was a 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine urging colonists to declare independence from Britain.: Common Sense was a 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine urging colonists to declare independence from Britain.

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

    "Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Brutus No. 1
    2. Common Sense
    3. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    4. U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    B. Common Sense: This excerpt is from Common Sense.

  12. Thomas Paine argued in Common Sense that

    1. monarchy was the best form of government
    2. the colonies should join France
    3. it was absurd for an island to rule a continent and the colonies should be independent
    4. the colonies should remain loyal to the king
    Show answer

    C. it was absurd for an island to rule a continent and the colonies should be independent: Paine attacked monarchy and urged independence.

  13. Thomas Paine's Common Sense was published in

    1. July 1776.
    2. 1765.
    3. January 1776.
    4. 1787.
    Show answer

    C. January 1776.: Common Sense sold widely and helped turn public opinion toward independence months before the Declaration.

  14. Why was Common Sense so effective at persuading ordinary colonists?

    1. It was written in Latin for educated elites.
    2. It was written in plain, direct language that ordinary readers could understand.
    3. It was required reading in schools.
    4. It was issued as an official act of Parliament.
    Show answer

    B. It was written in plain, direct language that ordinary readers could understand.: Paine wrote for a general audience, using simple arguments and Bible references.

  15. Paine argued in Common Sense that it was absurd for

    1. a continent to trade with an island.
    2. the colonies to have their own assemblies.
    3. an island to rule a continent.
    4. farmers to vote.
    Show answer

    C. an island to rule a continent.: Paine wrote that there was "something very absurd, in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island."

  16. Which of the following did Thomas Paine argue in Common Sense?

    1. The colonies should seek representation in Parliament.
    2. Hereditary monarchy is unnatural, and the colonies should declare independence.
    3. A king is necessary to protect liberty.
    4. The colonies should remain under British rule until 1800.
    Show answer

    B. Hereditary monarchy is unnatural, and the colonies should declare independence.: Paine attacked monarchy itself, not just particular policies.

  17. "These are the times that try men's souls" comes from which work by Thomas Paine?
    1. Common Sense
    2. The Rights of Man
    3. The Federalist
    4. The American Crisis
    Show answer

    D. The American Crisis: Paine wrote The American Crisis in December 1776 to boost morale during the war. Washington had it read to his troops.

  18. Thomas Paine's Common Sense (1776) was important because it

    1. was the first written constitution in America
    2. ended the Revolutionary War
    3. persuaded many ordinary colonists to support independence and a republic
    4. created the Articles of Confederation
    Show answer

    C. persuaded many ordinary colonists to support independence and a republic: Common Sense, written in plain language, sold widely and turned public opinion toward independence.

  19. Which argument did Thomas Paine make in Common Sense?

    1. The colonies should seek a compromise with the king
    2. It is absurd for an island to rule a continent, and hereditary monarchy is unjust
    3. Parliament has the right to tax the colonies
    4. A strong monarchy best protects liberty
    Show answer

    B. It is absurd for an island to rule a continent, and hereditary monarchy is unjust: Paine attacked monarchy and hereditary succession and argued that it made no sense for a small island to govern a continent.

  20. "Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil..." This passage comes from which document?
    1. The Northwest Ordinance
    2. Common Sense
    3. The Articles of Confederation
    4. The Virginia Declaration of Rights
    Show answer

    B. Common Sense: The passage is from Common Sense (1776).

  21. Who was the principal author of Common Sense?

    1. Patrick Henry
    2. Thomas Paine
    3. Alexander Hamilton
    4. John Adams
    Show answer

    B. Thomas Paine: Thomas Paine was the principal author of Common Sense (1776).

The Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) (18)

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  1. Which statement accurately describes the Virginia Declaration of Rights?

    1. It was written by George Mason in June 1776 and a model for the Bill of Rights.
    2. It was amendable only with the consent of all thirteen states.
    3. It was a list of grievances against King George III used to justify separation from Britain.
    4. It was the law that created a process for territories to become states on an equal footing with the original states.
    Show answer

    A. It was written by George Mason in June 1776 and a model for the Bill of Rights.: The Virginia Declaration of Rights was written by George Mason in June 1776 and a model for the Bill of Rights.

  2. Which earlier document most directly served as a model for the Bill of Rights?

    1. Mayflower Compact
    2. Articles of Confederation
    3. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    4. Common Sense
    Show answer

    C. Virginia Declaration of Rights: George Mason's 1776 declaration influenced Madison's draft.

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

    "That the freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotic governments."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. George Mason
    2. John Jay
    3. John Adams
    4. Patrick Henry
    Show answer

    A. George Mason: The excerpt is from the Virginia Declaration of Rights, written principally by George Mason.

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

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

    B. Virginia Declaration of Rights: This excerpt is from the Virginia Declaration of Rights.

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

    1. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    2. Virginia Declaration of Rights
    3. Bill of Rights
    4. Articles of Confederation
    Show answer

    B. Virginia Declaration of Rights: This excerpt is from the Virginia Declaration of Rights.

  6. The Virginia Declaration of Rights influenced the Declaration of Independence by stating that

    1. all men are by nature equally free and independent and have inherent rights
    2. kings rule by divine right
    3. states should have no constitutions
    4. Parliament may tax the colonies
    Show answer

    A. all men are by nature equally free and independent and have inherent rights: Mason's words closely parallel Jefferson's.

  7. Use the excerpt below 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."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. Alexander Hamilton
    2. Benjamin Franklin
    3. George Mason
    4. John Adams
    Show answer

    C. George Mason: The excerpt is from the Virginia Declaration of Rights, written principally by George Mason.

  8. Which Founder refused to sign the Constitution partly because it lacked a bill of rights?

    1. James Madison
    2. George Washington
    3. George Mason
    4. Alexander Hamilton
    Show answer

    C. George Mason: Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, declined to sign.

  9. Use the excerpt below 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."

    Who was the principal author of the document containing this excerpt?

    1. George Mason
    2. Patrick Henry
    3. Thomas Jefferson
    4. Thomas Paine
    Show answer

    A. George Mason: The excerpt is from the Virginia Declaration of Rights, written principally by George Mason.

  10. Which founding-era or earlier document was written by George Mason in June 1776 and a model for the Bill of Rights?

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

    A. Virginia Declaration of Rights: The Virginia Declaration of Rights was written by George Mason in June 1776 and a model for the Bill of Rights.

  11. Who was the principal author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)?

    1. Thomas Jefferson
    2. George Mason
    3. Patrick Henry
    4. James Madison
    Show answer

    B. George Mason: Adopted June 12, 1776, it influenced the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

  12. The Virginia Declaration of Rights called freedom of the press

    1. "one of the great bulwarks of liberty."
    2. a danger to good order.
    3. a privilege granted by the king.
    4. a matter for Parliament alone.
    Show answer

    A. "one of the great bulwarks of liberty.": It added that the press "can never be restrained but by despotic governments."

  13. Which idea in the Virginia Declaration of Rights was later reflected in the Declaration of Independence?

    1. Kings have the right to rule by birth.
    2. Only property owners have rights.
    3. All men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights.
    4. Rights come from Parliament.
    Show answer

    C. All men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights.: Mason's opening section influenced Jefferson's language about equality and unalienable rights weeks later.

  14. The Virginia Declaration of Rights warned that standing armies in peacetime

    1. are necessary for liberty.
    2. should be paid for by Britain.
    3. should be controlled by the church.
    4. "should be avoided as dangerous to liberty."
    Show answer

    D. "should be avoided as dangerous to liberty.": It also stated that the military should be subordinate to civil power.

  15. All of the following rights were included in the Virginia Declaration of Rights EXCEPT

    1. the right of women to vote
    2. freedom of the press
    3. trial by jury
    4. freedom of religion
    Show answer

    A. the right of women to vote: It protected the press, jury trial, protections for the accused, and the free exercise of religion, but not voting rights for women.

  16. George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) most directly influenced

    1. the Articles of Confederation's taxing rules
    2. the Mayflower Compact
    3. the Monroe Doctrine
    4. the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence
    Show answer

    D. the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence: Mason's declaration of natural rights influenced Jefferson's Declaration and later the federal Bill of Rights.

  17. Which right did the Virginia Declaration of Rights protect?

    1. Freedom of the press as "one of the great bulwarks of liberty"
    2. The right of the king to tax colonists
    3. The right of states to secede
    4. The right to own enslaved people as stated in the text
    Show answer

    A. Freedom of the press as "one of the great bulwarks of liberty": The Virginia Declaration called freedom of the press "one of the great bulwarks of liberty" and protected jury trial and religious exercise.

  18. "That all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; that magistrates are their trustees and servants..." This passage comes from which document?
    1. The Virginia Declaration of Rights
    2. The Northwest Ordinance
    3. Common Sense
    4. The U.S. Constitution
    Show answer

    A. The Virginia Declaration of Rights: The passage is from the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776).

The Declaration and the Expansion of Civil Rights (7)

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  1. The Declaration of Sentiments, adopted at Seneca Falls in 1848, used the Declaration of Independence as a model to argue for

    1. the end of the Electoral College.
    2. the rights of women.
    3. the annexation of Texas.
    4. independence for Southern states.
    Show answer

    B. the rights of women.: It declared that "all men and women are created equal."

  2. In the Gettysburg Address (1863), Lincoln echoed the Declaration of Independence when he described the nation as

    1. "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
    2. "a city upon a hill."
    3. "a house divided against itself."
    4. "the last best hope of earth."
    Show answer

    A. "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.": Lincoln traced the nation's founding to 1776 ("Four score and seven years ago").

  3. In his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, Martin Luther King Jr. described the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as

    1. outdated documents that should be discarded.
    2. a "promissory note" that America had defaulted on for its citizens of color.
    3. laws that applied only to Southern states.
    4. documents written by the Supreme Court.
    Show answer

    B. a "promissory note" that America had defaulted on for its citizens of color.: King called on the nation to live up to the promises of its founding documents.

  4. In his 1852 speech "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?", Frederick Douglass argued that

    1. celebrations of liberty were hypocritical while millions remained enslaved.
    2. the Declaration should be abolished.
    3. slavery was protected by the Bill of Rights.
    4. July 4 should be replaced by Constitution Day.
    Show answer

    A. celebrations of liberty were hypocritical while millions remained enslaved.: Douglass praised the Declaration's principles while condemning the nation's failure to apply them.

  5. Which document from 1776 begins with the words "When in the Course of human events"?

    1. Common Sense
    2. The Virginia Declaration of Rights
    3. The Declaration of Independence
    4. The Articles of Confederation
    Show answer

    C. The Declaration of Independence: The opening explains that the colonists owe the world an explanation for separating from Britain.

  6. Speakers such as Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. cited the Declaration of Independence mainly to

    1. argue that the colonies should return to British rule
    2. defend the Articles of Confederation
    3. oppose the Bill of Rights
    4. call on the nation to live up to its promise that all men are created equal
    Show answer

    D. call on the nation to live up to its promise that all men are created equal: Reformers pointed to "all men are created equal" to demand equal rights for all Americans.

  7. The 1848 Declaration of Sentiments at Seneca Falls modeled its language on the Declaration of Independence to argue that

    1. women should not vote
    2. states may nullify federal laws
    3. all men and women are created equal
    4. slavery was constitutional
    Show answer

    C. all men and women are created equal: Elizabeth Cady Stanton's document declared "all men and women are created equal" and listed grievances against unequal treatment.