Government Lesson 3 Study Guide

Question 1

Which of the following best defines the principle of popular sovereignty
A. The power of a government are limited by the people
B. Government is based on laws that apply to all the people
C. The ultimate source of governmental authority is the people
D. Elected leaders work through government to serve the people

Answer 1

The ultimate source of government authority is the people

Question 2

The idea of representative government first developed in ancient
A. Egypt
B. Greece
C. Israel
D. Rome

Answer 2

Rome

Question 3

Who is known as the father of the Constitution and as the principal author of the Bill of Rights?
A. Benjamin Franklin
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. James Madison
D. George Washington

Answer 3

James Madison

Question 4

Which of these historic documents first established the principle of the rule of law
A. Magna Carta
B. Mayflower Compact
C. English bill of Rights
D. Second Treatise on Government

Answer 4

Magna Carta

Question 5

Which complaint was the greatest barrier to ratifying the Constitution
A. It did not include the bill of Rights
B. It had to be approved by all 13 states
C. It allowed too many people to vote
D. It created a weak central government

Answer 5

It did not include the Bill of Rights

Question 6

“Life, Liberty, and property” John Locke
“Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” Declaration of Independence

Both quotes list what our nation's founders believed to be...
A. civil virtues
B. Natural Rights
C. the general will
D. the rights of Englishmen

Answer 6

Natural Rights

Question 7

Which of these issues at the Constitutional Convention was resolved by what is known as the Great Compromise?
A. the representation of the states in Congress
B. the eventual abolition of slavery in the South
C. the power of Congress to regulate foreign trade
D. the method for choosing the president of the United States

Answer 7

the representation of the states in Congress

Question 8

The Articles of Confederation reflected Americans' fear of 
A. a permanent standing army
B. a strong central government
C. a threatened foreign invasion
D. a breakdown in law and order

Answer 8

a strong central government

Question 9

Which political philosopher favored separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches?
A. Thomas Hobbes
B. John Locke
C. Baron de Montesquieu
D. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Answer 9

Baron de Montesquieu

Question 10

Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense, was influenced by Rousseau's argument that a government should be dissolved if it
A. was too weak to be effective
B. acted contrary to the general will
C. depended on inherited leadership
D. could not keep the economy stable

Answer 10

acted contrary to the general will

Question 11

What did Hobbes and Locke mean by a social contract

Answer 11

agreement to provide protection

Question 12

Why did Hobbes think people would choose to enter into a social contract

Answer 12

Peace in exchange for control

Question 13

Why did Locke thing people would choose to enter into a social contract

Answer 13

All people would be equal (equality)

Question 14

What key idea from Locke’s Second Treatise on Government and Rousseau’s The Social Contract appear in the Declaration of Independence

Answer 14

Everyone is created equal

Question 15

What key idea from Montesquieu’s “The Spirit of Laws” helped to shape the US Constitution

Answer 15

The three branches of government: Executive, Legislative, Judicial

Question 16

Where did colonial thinkers get their ideas about representative democracy
A. Roman republic
B. ancient Athens
C. Christian doctrine
D. ancient Judaism

Answer 16

Roman Republic

Question 17

Why did some people want George Washington to be King?
A. Some regretted severing ties with Britain and it monarchy
B. Some feared that a nation built on democracy could not endure
C. Some believed congress was incapable of governing the new nation
D. All of the above

Answer 17

Some believed congress was incapable of governing the new nation

Question 18

How did the Three-Fifths Compromise contradict the founding ideal of equality
A. Each slave counted as three-fifths of a free person for purposes of representation and taxation
B. A women’s vote counted as only three fifths of a man’s vote
C. Free states had three representatives for every five representatives that slave states had
D. the states could only give the vote to 60 percent of adult male property owners

Answer 18

Each slave counted as three-fifths of a free person for purposes of representation and taxation

Question 19

When was the Bill of Rights finally ratified
A. in 1788, when the constitution went into effect
B. In 1790, after nine states approved the Bill of Rights
C. In 1791, after Virginia ratified the Bill of Rights
D. In 1939, after Georgia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut voted for fatification

Answer 19

In 1791, after Virginia ratified the Bill of Rights

Question 20

How did the Federalists try to build support for the Constitution
A. by holding a series of pere-constitution rallies across the new nation
B. by publishing a series of essays explaining the strengths of the Constitution
C. by censoring the press to suppress anti-Federalists publicity
D. All of the above

Answer 20

by publishing a series of essays explaining the strengths of the Constitution

Question 21

Which principles did Jefferson include in the Declaration of Independence
A. a Government must protect citizens rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of
B. government derives its power from the consent of the people
C. if a government does not protect people’s rights, the people may overthrow the government
D. All of the above

Answer 21

all of the above

Question 22

Minnesota has how many electoral votes
A. 4
B. 8
C. 10
D. 12

Answer 22

10

Question 23

In what city was the Constitutional convention held in?
A. Boston
B. New York
C. Albany
D. Philadelphia

Answer 23

Philadelphia

Question 24

Who came up with a compromise about the makeup of the bicameral federal legislative branch that both the large and small stated agreed to?
A. Ben Franklin
B. Roger Sherman
C. John Adams
D. William Penn

Answer 24

Roger Sherman

Question 25

What part of the Constitution does the federal government use for most of its regulations?
A. Commerce Clause
B. past precedent
C. original jurisdiction
D. preamble

Answer 25

commerce clause

Question 26

During which time frame did the federal government really grow in strength, according to our video
A. early 1800's
B. post Civil War
C. 1970's
D. Great Depression

Answer 26

Great Depression