How must the concept of "majority rule" be tempered by respect for the opinion of the "minority?"
A. The majority does not have the right to abuse the minority
B. The majority can do whatever they want because they are the majority
C. The majority should
A. The majority does not have the right to abuse the minority
Why is Democracy on its purest sense not practical?
A. a single leader makes all of the decisions within the government
B. people do not have time to consider and vote on every law that could be drafted
C. people are not interested in electing leaders to
B. people do not have time to consider and vote on every law that could be drafted
In such condition there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain . . . no arts, no letters, no society, and, which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, an
B. the state of nature
Which of the following is MOST likely a part of a limited government?
A. little to no official government structure
B. power in the hands of a single leader
C. lack of government protections of citizens
D. written restraints on government power
D. written restraints on government power
In a presidential form of government, the head of the Executive Branch is
A. elected independently and serves a fixed term
B. selected from the Legislative Branch and serves an indefinite term
C. elected to become the ruling member of a legislature an ser
A. elected independently and serves a fixed term
I have never believed that man's freedom consisted in doing what he wants, but rather in never doing what he does not want to do." - Jean Jacques Rousseau
This quote mirrors a common Enlightenment view that
A. humans can reason and choose their own desti
A. humans can reason and choose their own destiny
How did Enlightenment philosophies impact the American Revolution?
A. The revolutionists were inspired to take action against England
B. Enlightened philosophies gave colonists a sense of self-awareness
C. Colonists began to believe in their ability to wi
D. It motivated the colonists to unite and stand up for their rights
The PRIMARY purpose of the Declaration of Independence is to
A. establish the basic law of the land in the US
B. guarantee civil and political rights for all Americans
C. provide a clear plan for a meaningful and effective political system
D. explain and
D. explain and justify why the colonists revolted against Britain
Which statement reflects an argument of Enlightenment philosophers against the belief in the divine right of kings?
A. god has chosen all government rulers
B. independence is built by military might
C. a capitalist economic system is necessary for democra
D. the power of the government is derived from the governed
Which of the following ARE characteristics of a state?
A. population and sovereignty
B. sovereignty and a military
C. public projects and a government
D. a territory and a legal system
A. population and sovereignty
Speaker A: The story of history is the story of class struggles. Revolution is necessary to overthrow the ruling class and eventually create a classless society in which no one will be exploited.
Speaker B: The royal power is absolute and the prince need
A. Speaker A
The ideals of the Athenian State, Roman law and the Mayflower Compact contributed MOST significantly to the growth of the principles of
A. government under law and the consent of the governed
B. religious freedom and women's suffrage
C. checks and balance
A. government under law and the consent of the governed
Louis XIV's quote "I am the State" reflected his belief in the idea that kingship was of divine origin and not to be challenged. What is this theory called?
A. Laissez-faire
B. Enlightenment
C. Democracy
D. Divine Rights of Kings
D. Divine Rights of Kings
The supreme power of a state to act within its territory and have absolute authority over its internal and external affairs is called
A. policy
B. legitimacy
C. sovereignty
D. legislative power
C. sovereignty
John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau would be most likely to support
A. a return to feudalism in Europe
B. a society in which the people chose the ruler
C. government ruled by divine right monarchy
D. society ruled by Catholic Church
B. a society in which the people chose the ruler
I did not consider it any part of my charge to invent new ideas, but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent . . . It was intended to be an expression of the American mind." �Thomas Je
D. The Declaration of Independence would state the reasons for the American Revolution
The writers and philosophers of the Enlightenment believed the government decisions should be based on
A. fundamental religious beliefs
B. the concept of divine right of kings
C. laws of nature and reason
D. traditional values
C. laws of nature and reason
A unitary system of government is different from a federal system of government in that a federal government
A. has an elected legislature which chooses the prime minister
B. is a coalition of states unified by common interests
C. is divided among differe
D. has a single leader in charge of all government functions
Writers of the Enlightenment were primarily interested in
A. changing the relationship between people and their government
B. supporting the divine right theory
C. debating the role of the church in society
D. promoting increased power for European monarc
A. changing the relationship between people and their government
Which statement is MOST accurate about the movement for independence in the thirteen colonies?
A. The independence movement began soon after the founding of the Plymouth Colony.
B. Protests against British colonial policies gradually led to demands for in
B. Protests against British colonial policies gradually led to demands for independence.
Which statement below accurately assesses the impact of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut?
A. This document made the Virginia House of Burgesses the center of colonial government
B. This document served as the first constitution in North America
C. Th
B. This document served as the first constitution in North America
Which statement BEST describes the influence Locke's Second Treatise on Government had on the US Constitution?
A. Locke demanded that the new government formed in the US should be a democracy
B. Locked believed that government as a whole was a just instit
D. Locke believed that political society was created to protect individual rights
The principles of government that Thomas Jefferson included in the Declaration of Independence were most influenced by
A. Adam Smith's ideas of free enterprise
B. Rousseau's social contract theory
C. Louis XIV's belief in divine right
D. William Penn's vi
B. Rousseau's social contract theory
Many ideals that are important in the US government today came to prominence for political thinkers of the American Revolution. Which philosophy became VERY important to Americans during this time? A. Citizens do not have the right to rebel against a corr
B. Governments only gain the authority to rule from the consent of their people
John Locke's theory of natural rights, as reflected in the Declaration of Independence, states that
A. government is the source of all individual rights
B. power should be concentrated in the monarchy
C. power to govern belongs to the people
D. individual
D. individual liberties are should be protected by a strong government
Which phrase from the Declaration of Independence most clearly reflects the idea that the people are the source of government?
A. ". . . that all men are created equal,..."
B. ". .. all men are . . . endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable right
C. ". . . deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . .
Direct democracy is different from a republican government in that
A. one leader has absolute power over the government
B. governmental power is in the hands of a small minority
C. people elect officials to represent them in government
D. every person can
D. every person can vote directly on issues in government
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; . . ."
This quotation is evidence that some
D. reflections of the philosophies of the European Enlightenment
Thomas Hobbes was an Enlightenment thinker considered to be the originator of the social contract theory. According to Hobbes and his ideas on the social contract, which of the following would be TRUE?
A. People give up certain rights to a government in o
A. People give up certain rights to a government in order to maintain social order
An oligarchy differs from an autocracy in that
A. Oligarchies have one ruler while an autocracy is ruled by an elected monarch
B. Autocracies are ruled by one person while oligarchies are ruled by a few people
C. Oligarchies are loosely aligned states wit
B. Autocracies are ruled by one person while oligarchies are ruled by a few people
Which BEST describes the Enlightenment's impact on democracy?
A. Enlightenment ideals caused the downfall of some democracies
B. The Enlightenment inspired democratic ideals about the rights of man
C. Democracy was not impacted by the Enlightenment until
B. The Enlightenment inspired democratic ideals about the rights of man
What function of government is most concerned with protecting a nation's people from external threats?
A. providing for the public good
B. providing services
C. ensuring national security
D. resolving conflict
C. ensuring national security
The 50 individual states lack which basic characteristic of a state (country)?
A. Sovereignty
B. Population
C. Territory
D. Government
A. Sovereignty
The English Bill of Rights and the political philosophy of John Locke both support a
A. limited government
B. fascist dictatorship
C. Marxist dictatorship
D. coalition government
A. limited government
Which definition best describes the term government?
A. the authority and ability to get things done
B. the formal institutions and processes through which decisions are made for a group of people
C. the supreme power to act within a territory
D. any deci
B. the formal institutions and processes through which decisions are made for a group of people
Read the following quote and select the best answer for the question below.
"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it" is a quote from which American document that expresse
C. Declaration of Independence; Social Contract Theory
Enlightenment era political philosophers such as Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Montesquieu __________________.
A. rejected governmental policies that allowed the expansion of property rights
B. adhered to traditional social customs in the creation of govern
C. emphasized governmental structures based on reason and social progress
The states hereby enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their Liberties, and their mutual and general welfare..." is a quotation which BEST reflects which system of government?
A. Confederation
A. Confederation
Which of the following series of words can apply to a dictatorship?
A. autocracy, oligarchy, authoritarian, totalitarian
B. totalitarian, unitary, confederal, authoritarian
C. parliamentary, presidential, oligarchy, monarchy
D. constitutional, revolutiona
A. autocracy, oligarchy, authoritarian, totalitarian
Solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant [pledge] and combine ourselves together into a Body Politck, for our better Ordering and Preservation and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid. . . ." �The Mayflower Compact, 1620
Acc
B. to help govern themselves, choose their own leaders and create their own laws
Why was the Magna Carta (1215) historically significant in the development of democratic governments?
A. The document established a new parliamentary body to balance the British king's power
B. The document established the principle that no person was abo
B. The document established the principle that no person was above the law and that the government must follow its own laws in its dealings with citizens
Which of the following types of government closely resembles the government practiced by America?
A. Roman Republic
B. Soviet Communism
C. Nazi Fascism
D. English Absolutism
A. Roman Republic
The European Union is to a confederal system as the United States is to a
A. unitary system
B. parliamentary system
C. oligarhic system
D. federal system
D. federal system
Which of the following explains the significance of the Mayflower Compact as it relates to US history?
A. It was the first document to declare the colonies should not be able to govern themselves
B. It was the first document to establish a government that
B. It was the first document to establish a government that ruled with the consent of the governed
In 1922, Benito Mussolini seized control of the Italian government. Labor unions were abolished, strikes were forbidden and political opponents were silenced. Mussolini gave free reign to big business and reduced workers' wages. Mussolini's rule is an exa
C. totalitarian rule
Which of the following is NOT a reason why the Magna Carta, Petition of Rights and English Bill of Rights are important documents in the development of limiting the power of absolute monarchs? A. Led to the idea of a representative government
B. Direct ch
C. Established new principles giving kings more power
A totalitarian rule differs from a democracy because
A. only one person has power in a totalitarian rule
B. totalitarian rules are more common in times of prosperity
C. democracies rely on birthright when choosing a leader
D. democracies do not allow peop
A. only one person has power in a totalitarian rule
Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws influenced which core democratic value in the US Constitution?
A. the rights of the majority to revolt against tyrannical government
B. the separation of powers between branches of government
C. the right of any state to s
B. the separation of powers between branches of government
No freeman shall be taken, or imprisoned,...or in any way harmed...save by the lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land...To none will we sell, to none deny or delay, right or justice." Magna Carta 1215
According to the statement above, wh
B. Rights of the Accused
Which statement of representative democracy distinguishes it from a direct democracy?
A. The state government makes all laws
B. The federal government makes all laws
C. The whole population votes and passes laws
D. An elected group of people make laws
D. An elected group of people make laws
Speaker A: Good government stresses the importance of the nation and accepts the rights of the individual only if the interests of the individual are the same as those of the nation.
Speaker B: The person of the king is sacred and to attack him in any way
C. Speaker C
According to John Locke, why do people enter into a social contract?
A. to escape the violent "state of nature"
B. to protect the general will
C. to place limits on the power of the state
D. to protect their natural rights
D. to protect their natural rights
Which of the following documents stripped English monarchs of any real power, established Parliament as Britain's center of government, no standing army in peacetime, no ability to suspend laws, no cruel and unusual punishment, no excessive bail, fair and
C. English Bill of Rights
It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried." Sir Winston Churchill
What is the significance of the above quote?
A. Totalitarian governments will always triumph over democracies
B. Every
B. Every government has problems and imperfections, but democracy is the best form of government compared to all other forms
Which of the following documents was established the principle that the English monarchy was not absolute, included fundamental rights like trial by jury and sought protection against arbitrary actions of the King?
A. Petition of Rights
B. Magna Carta
C.
B. Magna Carta
The Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence all
A. argue for the divine rights of kings to rule
B. express principles that helped to shape the US government
C. argue in favor of the creation of three branches of government
D. e
B. express principles that helped to shape the US government
All of the following are principles of a democracy EXCEPT
A. promoting respect for the law
B. recognizing the worth and dignity of each person
C. providing justice without mercy
D. allowing people to make choices
C. providing justice without mercy
The Virginia House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact had a SIMILAR effect in that BOTH
A. reinforced the English Parliament's control over the colonies
B. gave settlers the power to establish colonies
C. contributed to the development of representati
C. contributed to the development of representative democracy
- Government is legitimate only if the people consent to its authority
- If consent is not given to the government by the people, the people have the right to rebel
-Government must protect natural rights (rights all people are born with)
The ideas above
B. John Locke
When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehensions may arise, lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyra
A. Multiple branches of government
Which theory states that a ruler's power stems directly from the will of God?
A. natural rights
B. the social contract
C. the divine right of kings
D. natural law
C. the divine right of kings
Absolute arbitrary power, or governing without settled laws, can neither of them be consistent with the ends of society and government." Which of the following statements is MOST consistent with the Locke quotation?
A. Weak government is worse than no go
C. Governmental power should be limited
A government in which powers are divided between a national government and state governments with the national government being supreme is called a
A. confederate government.
B. republican government.
C. unitary government.
D. federal government
D. federal government
The Magna Carta required the King to be bound by law. Which of these statements BEST reflects how this idea applies to the idea of limited government?
A. The government is not above the law and the will of the people
B. People are better off without a gov
A. The government is not above the law and the will of the people
I answer, such revolutions happen not upon every little mismanagement in public affairs...but if a long train of abuses...all trending the same way, make the design visible to the people, and they cannot but feel what they lie under, and see where they a
D. It argues that people have the right to overthrow their government for any reason
Which of the following is the best example of a theocracy?
A. In Iran, government laws and decisions are closely tied to Islamic teachings in the Koran
B. At the end of the Roman Republic, Julius Caesar was declared dictator for life
C. In the United Stat
A. In Iran, government laws and decisions are closely tied to Islamic teachings in the Koran
In Country A, the elected officials run the government according to a constitution that guarantees the rights and liberties of the citizens. Which of the following best describes the system of government in Country A?
A. an absolute monarchy
B. an aristoc
C. a representative democracy
John Locke wrote that every person is entitled to the natural rights of life, liberty and estate (property). How does that differ from the text of the Declaration of Independence?
A. The Declaration of Independence does not list "estate" as a natural righ
A. The Declaration of Independence does not list "estate" as a natural right
According to Locke, why do people choose to live under governmental rule?
A. The government will protect citizens from foreign enemies
B. The government will provide justice for all citizens
C. The government will protect the life, liberty and property of
C. The government will protect the life, liberty and property of all citizens
Which statement BEST describes the underlying principle of the Declaration of Independence?
A. Government power should be controlled by Parliament
B. Government power should be exercised by a monarch
C. Government power belongs to a select group of people
D. Government power comes from consent of the governed