US Government Honors Final Exam
questions and answers
Use this quote written by the English jurist William Blackstone about the common
law to ANSWER the question.
"For it is an established rule to abide by former precedents, where the same
points come again ... to keep the scales of justice even and steady."
Which of the following statements is an accurate rephrasing of Blackstone's
argument?
a. The common law is based upon the will of the people who decide what is just
and what is not.
b. Courts should interpret each new case based mainly on the judge's personal
opinions.
c. Only laws that are written down can be considered by the courts.
d. Judges have a duty to look at previous legal decisions when deciding new cases.
- ANSWER>>D. Judges have a duty to look at previous legal decisions when
deciding new cases
Use this quote by the French Enlightenment thinker Baron de Montesquieu to
ANSWER the question.
"In every government there are three sorts of power; the legislative; the
executive, in respect to things dependent on the law of nations; and the
executive, in regard to things that depend on the civil law."
What principle of government presented by the U.S. Constitution is Montesquieu
describing?
a. federalism
b. republicanism
c. separation of power
d. sovereignty - ANSWER>>C. separation of power
,According to John Locke, political society is created when individuals voluntarily
form a government to create and enforce laws, thereby protecting the people
who form that government. In this social contract, people give up some of their
power to the government, which then rules in their interest. This is the basis of
which of the following concepts?
a. separation of powers
b. government by consent
c. common law
d. absolute monarchy - ANSWER>>B. government by consent
Which of the following lists the three basic powers a government must have?
a. executive power, legislative power, military power
b. legislative power, executive power, judicial power
c. economic power, judicial power, legislative power
d. judicial power, diplomatic power, executive power - ANSWER>>B. legislative
power, executive power, judicial power
What is government?
a. the services provided a community, such as police protection, fire protection,
and public health programs
b. the laws that protect peoples' rights and ensure the safety of a state's citizens
c. the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
d. the process by which public officials are elected to and removed from office -
ANSWER>>C. the institution through which a society makes and enforces its
public policies
According to the lesson text, "Thomas Jefferson called the [Declaration of
Independence] 'pure Locke,'" referring to the English philosopher John Locke.
Which of the following ideas shows Locke's influence on the Declaration of
Independence?
a. The king of England has a divine right to rule the colonists, so only God can
remove his authority.
b. By violating the social contract with the colonists, the king has lost his authority
to rule.
, c. Without a king, the colonists will be able to return to a state of nature in which
all men are free.
d. The king rules by right of force, so it is just for the colonists to overthrow the
king using force. - ANSWER>>B. By violating the social contract with the colonists,
the king has lost all authority to rule
Read the excerpt and ANSWER the question.
"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, . . ."
—The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America
Which of the following BEST paraphrases this statement?
a. People must show allegiance to their king and country throughout their lives.
b. People need to help others understand their basic rights as citizens.
c. People owe their allegiance first to God, then to the monarch.
d. People are born with certain rights that no one can take from them. -
ANSWER>>D. people are born with certain rights that no one can take from them.
Which of the following was one compromise related to the Declaration of
Independence that was agreed to by the delegates to the Second Continental
Congress?
a. Language condemning the slave trade was removed.
b. Language criticizing the English people was strengthened.
c. A list of grievances against the king was removed.
d. A list of grievances against tax collectors was strengthened. - ANSWER>>A.
language condemning the slave trade was removed.
Use the following quotation to ANSWER the question.
"If men were angels, no government would be necessary." —James Madison,
Federalist No. 51
Which of the following BEST summarizes this idea?
a. Government is necessary to make policy, but should not control people.
b. Government is necessary, because people do not always behave perfectly.
c. Government is not necessary, but people are better off when it exists.
questions and answers
Use this quote written by the English jurist William Blackstone about the common
law to ANSWER the question.
"For it is an established rule to abide by former precedents, where the same
points come again ... to keep the scales of justice even and steady."
Which of the following statements is an accurate rephrasing of Blackstone's
argument?
a. The common law is based upon the will of the people who decide what is just
and what is not.
b. Courts should interpret each new case based mainly on the judge's personal
opinions.
c. Only laws that are written down can be considered by the courts.
d. Judges have a duty to look at previous legal decisions when deciding new cases.
- ANSWER>>D. Judges have a duty to look at previous legal decisions when
deciding new cases
Use this quote by the French Enlightenment thinker Baron de Montesquieu to
ANSWER the question.
"In every government there are three sorts of power; the legislative; the
executive, in respect to things dependent on the law of nations; and the
executive, in regard to things that depend on the civil law."
What principle of government presented by the U.S. Constitution is Montesquieu
describing?
a. federalism
b. republicanism
c. separation of power
d. sovereignty - ANSWER>>C. separation of power
,According to John Locke, political society is created when individuals voluntarily
form a government to create and enforce laws, thereby protecting the people
who form that government. In this social contract, people give up some of their
power to the government, which then rules in their interest. This is the basis of
which of the following concepts?
a. separation of powers
b. government by consent
c. common law
d. absolute monarchy - ANSWER>>B. government by consent
Which of the following lists the three basic powers a government must have?
a. executive power, legislative power, military power
b. legislative power, executive power, judicial power
c. economic power, judicial power, legislative power
d. judicial power, diplomatic power, executive power - ANSWER>>B. legislative
power, executive power, judicial power
What is government?
a. the services provided a community, such as police protection, fire protection,
and public health programs
b. the laws that protect peoples' rights and ensure the safety of a state's citizens
c. the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
d. the process by which public officials are elected to and removed from office -
ANSWER>>C. the institution through which a society makes and enforces its
public policies
According to the lesson text, "Thomas Jefferson called the [Declaration of
Independence] 'pure Locke,'" referring to the English philosopher John Locke.
Which of the following ideas shows Locke's influence on the Declaration of
Independence?
a. The king of England has a divine right to rule the colonists, so only God can
remove his authority.
b. By violating the social contract with the colonists, the king has lost his authority
to rule.
, c. Without a king, the colonists will be able to return to a state of nature in which
all men are free.
d. The king rules by right of force, so it is just for the colonists to overthrow the
king using force. - ANSWER>>B. By violating the social contract with the colonists,
the king has lost all authority to rule
Read the excerpt and ANSWER the question.
"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, . . ."
—The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America
Which of the following BEST paraphrases this statement?
a. People must show allegiance to their king and country throughout their lives.
b. People need to help others understand their basic rights as citizens.
c. People owe their allegiance first to God, then to the monarch.
d. People are born with certain rights that no one can take from them. -
ANSWER>>D. people are born with certain rights that no one can take from them.
Which of the following was one compromise related to the Declaration of
Independence that was agreed to by the delegates to the Second Continental
Congress?
a. Language condemning the slave trade was removed.
b. Language criticizing the English people was strengthened.
c. A list of grievances against the king was removed.
d. A list of grievances against tax collectors was strengthened. - ANSWER>>A.
language condemning the slave trade was removed.
Use the following quotation to ANSWER the question.
"If men were angels, no government would be necessary." —James Madison,
Federalist No. 51
Which of the following BEST summarizes this idea?
a. Government is necessary to make policy, but should not control people.
b. Government is necessary, because people do not always behave perfectly.
c. Government is not necessary, but people are better off when it exists.
