topic 2: the beginings of the American Goverment

which of the following help lead to growing self-goverment in the colonies?

a. the colonist depended on Great Britain for their defense

b. England had recently defeated France in the French and Indaian War

c. The colonist no longer wished to be British citizens

d. England was far away and travel and communication were slow

d. England was far away, leading to increased local governance by colonists.

Many of the colonist believed that people have the right to resist an unfair or illegitimate government. Which of the following actions best reflects their beliefs?

a. the passage of the stamp act and its later appeal

b. the Boston tea party protest against British polices

c. the rejection of Benjamin Franklins Albany plan by the colonies and the crown

d.the formation of the New England Confederation and British Board of trade

b. the Boston Tea Party protest against British policies, which demonstrated active resistance to perceived injustices.

The concept of limited government holds that

government power should be restricted.

Which of the following is one factor that led to the signing of the Magna Carta?

• A.

  the settling of Jamestown in 1607

• B.

  the crowning of William and Mary

• C.

  the confiscation of Connecticut's royal charter

• D.

  the heavy taxes imposed by King John

D. the heavy taxes imposed by King John, which prompted barons to demand limitations on the king's authority.

What was the significance of the Petition of Right?

It limited the kings power

How were the members of the lower house of the legislature in the royal colonies chosen?

They were elected by property owners allowed to vote

How did the government of the charter colonies differ from those of the royal and proprietary colonies?

The governors were elected by male property owners, and laws made by their bicameral legislatures were not subject to the governor's veto.

How did political cartoons contribute to the debates about taxes and trade restrictions in the years leading up to the Declaration of Independence?

they expressed a point of view in a way that could be widely distributed and understood.

Which of the following led to the meeting of the First Continental Congress?

• A.

  Parliament had called for a meeting of colonial legislatures.

• B.

  The colonists had begun to boycott British goods.

• C.

  Parliament had passed the Intolerable Acts.

• D.

  The British refused to repeal the Stamp Act.

Parliament had passed the Intolerable Acts

Once the delegates had agreed to declare independence from Great Britain, which of the following issues did they vigorously debate?

• A.

  Should the Declaration criticize the king?

• B.

  Was a Declaration really necessary?

• C.

  Should the Declaration condemn the slave trade?

• D.

  Who should write the Declaration?

C. Should the Declaration condemn the slave trade?

What was the authority behind both the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence?

The consent of the governed is a principle that government must obtain power from the people it rules.

 In what way was the Stamp Act Congress the first step leading to the First (1774) and Second (1775–1781) Continental Congresses?

It was the first time the colonies came together to discuss the problems of the British policies. This established precedent for collective action and a shared political identity by drafting the Declaration of Rights and Grievances.

Why were the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party important events on the road to independence?

A.

They were evidence that citizens of other colonies were indifferent to British tax and trade policies.

B.

They were evidence that colonists wished to gain the sympathies of British soldiers.

C.

They were evidence of the colonists’ growing ability to govern themselves.

D.

They were evidence of increasing tensions between Great Britain and the colonies.

They were evidence of increasing tensions between Great Britain and the colonies.

Why was the Declaration of Independence issued AFTER the 1775 battles of Lexington and Concord?

A.

At the time of the battles, the colonists had not yet made the final decision to break with Great Britain.

B.

The British won them easily, so the colonists had to wait over a year to declare independence.

C.

They were the final battles of the Revolutionary War.

D.

It was issued in response to the deaths of five colonists during the Boston Massacre.

At the time of the battles, the colonists had not yet made the final decision to break with Great Britain.

How might the ideas about equality expressed in the Declaration of Independence have influenced later historical movements, such as the abolitionist movement and the women’s suffrage movement?

When it was stated that all men were created equal, the Declaration of Independence was only talking about white men. If it really were ALL men, it would include people of color, and women are also equal. If everyone were truly equal, there would be no need for the abolitionist or suffrage movement at all.

Why was the Declaration of Independence a necessary document for the founding of the new nation?

Without the Declaration of Independence, there would be no framework for how our government should run. The declaration officially separated the colonies from Britain and gave America principles for its own nation

English philosopher John Locke wrote that government should protect “life, liberty, and estate.” How do you think Locke’s writing influenced ideas about government put forth in the Declaration of Independence? 

John Locke had the idea of natural rights. The Declaration of Independence has the words life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are the natural rights of a human that no one should be able to take away

How does the declaration organize its key points from beginning to end? 

Starts with the introduction (the purpose), then the preamble ( the principles), then the body ( the grievances-everything the British crown did wrong), then the conclusion (formally declaring the states independent)