WGU C963
Module Questions (Lessons 1-23)
1. What is it called when people make an agreement between themselves andthe
government ANS : -A social contract
-A contract is an agreement between two parties, the terms of the agreementbetween a
government and its people are an ongoing negotiation
2. According to the social contract theory, what is the origin of society ANS : -so-
ciety is the product of human desire and effort
-Social contract theory argues that we create society to meet particular needs weindividually
possess and share with others.
3. Which of the following did John Locke view as the most important protec-
tion(s) under the social contract ANS : -Liberty and property
-John Locke believed that liberty and property are both natural rights and it is the
governments job to protect them
4. Which of these accurately describes John Locke's view of the state of nature
ANS : -The state of nature was peaceful and consisted of rational human beings
-Even though John Locke's belief, he also argued that life in the state of nature was
"inconvenient"
5. According to John Locke, how much authority should society have overits
citizens under the social contract ANS : -Limited Authority
-Locke believed that the social contract should provide a society in which the society has
no more power than is necessary to regulate the natural rights andco-existence of its
citizens.
,6. Which natural right was explicitly protected in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence ANS : -Liberty
-Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence based on the ideas ofJohn Locke
who argued that one of our most important natural rights is liberty.
7. Which Constitutional principle, suggested by Montesquieu, lessens the
potential harm of the national government over the people ANS : -Separation of
powers
-By separating the legislative, executive, and judicial power and placing each branch into the
control of different political actors this would prevent government tyranny over the people
by limiting the harm any one branch of government mightdo on its own.
8. Which Constitutional mechanism, suggested by Montesquieu, balances the
national government and prevents any one section of government fromhaving
sole/complete power ANS : -checks and balances
-The Constitutional principle of checks and balances is meant to prevent anyone branch
of government from gaining complete power and control over the
, government by allowing each branch to monitor and influence what happens inother
branches of government.
9. Which of the following protects Locke's idea of natural rights and provides
Montesquieu's protections known as due process of law ANS : -Bill of Rights
-This addition to the Constitution focuses on protecting the liberties or freedoms by
protecting such rights as freedom of speech and providing due process of lawwhen citizens
must interact with the government over legal matters.
10. How is the unicameral Congress different from a bicameral Congress ANS : -
-A unicameral Congress has one chamber while a bicameral Congress has two.
-Under the Articles of Confederation there was a unicameral Congress, which con-sisted of one
chamber known as the Confederation. Today, Congress is bicameral and consists of two
chambers -- the House of Representatives and the Senate.
11. What was the basis of representation in Congress under the Articles of
Confederation ANS : -each state had one vote in the congress
-all the states were considered to be equal
12. Why were the powers of the national government severely limited underthe
Articles of Confederation ANS : -To prevent the national government from be- coming
too powerful or abusing the rights of individual citizens and states.
-This was a concern when creating the Articles of Confederation as the U.S. government did
not want to create a government similar to the oppressive Britishgovernment they had just
declared independence from.
13. Why was limiting the powers of the national government under the Arti-cles
of Confederation a major concern ANS : -It maintained the sovereignty of state
Module Questions (Lessons 1-23)
1. What is it called when people make an agreement between themselves andthe
government ANS : -A social contract
-A contract is an agreement between two parties, the terms of the agreementbetween a
government and its people are an ongoing negotiation
2. According to the social contract theory, what is the origin of society ANS : -so-
ciety is the product of human desire and effort
-Social contract theory argues that we create society to meet particular needs weindividually
possess and share with others.
3. Which of the following did John Locke view as the most important protec-
tion(s) under the social contract ANS : -Liberty and property
-John Locke believed that liberty and property are both natural rights and it is the
governments job to protect them
4. Which of these accurately describes John Locke's view of the state of nature
ANS : -The state of nature was peaceful and consisted of rational human beings
-Even though John Locke's belief, he also argued that life in the state of nature was
"inconvenient"
5. According to John Locke, how much authority should society have overits
citizens under the social contract ANS : -Limited Authority
-Locke believed that the social contract should provide a society in which the society has
no more power than is necessary to regulate the natural rights andco-existence of its
citizens.
,6. Which natural right was explicitly protected in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence ANS : -Liberty
-Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence based on the ideas ofJohn Locke
who argued that one of our most important natural rights is liberty.
7. Which Constitutional principle, suggested by Montesquieu, lessens the
potential harm of the national government over the people ANS : -Separation of
powers
-By separating the legislative, executive, and judicial power and placing each branch into the
control of different political actors this would prevent government tyranny over the people
by limiting the harm any one branch of government mightdo on its own.
8. Which Constitutional mechanism, suggested by Montesquieu, balances the
national government and prevents any one section of government fromhaving
sole/complete power ANS : -checks and balances
-The Constitutional principle of checks and balances is meant to prevent anyone branch
of government from gaining complete power and control over the
, government by allowing each branch to monitor and influence what happens inother
branches of government.
9. Which of the following protects Locke's idea of natural rights and provides
Montesquieu's protections known as due process of law ANS : -Bill of Rights
-This addition to the Constitution focuses on protecting the liberties or freedoms by
protecting such rights as freedom of speech and providing due process of lawwhen citizens
must interact with the government over legal matters.
10. How is the unicameral Congress different from a bicameral Congress ANS : -
-A unicameral Congress has one chamber while a bicameral Congress has two.
-Under the Articles of Confederation there was a unicameral Congress, which con-sisted of one
chamber known as the Confederation. Today, Congress is bicameral and consists of two
chambers -- the House of Representatives and the Senate.
11. What was the basis of representation in Congress under the Articles of
Confederation ANS : -each state had one vote in the congress
-all the states were considered to be equal
12. Why were the powers of the national government severely limited underthe
Articles of Confederation ANS : -To prevent the national government from be- coming
too powerful or abusing the rights of individual citizens and states.
-This was a concern when creating the Articles of Confederation as the U.S. government did
not want to create a government similar to the oppressive Britishgovernment they had just
declared independence from.
13. Why was limiting the powers of the national government under the Arti-cles
of Confederation a major concern ANS : -It maintained the sovereignty of state
