Founding Documents
This 1215 English document helped establish the idea that the government's power should be limited by law.
Magna Carta
This Enlightenment thinker argued that people have natural rights and that government exists to protect those rights.
John Locke
On what date did the Continental Congress adopt the Declaration of Independence?
July 4, 1776
Which founding document is most closely connected to the idea of self-government?
Mayflower Compact
What should you do before asking for the answer?
Try before asking.
In 1620, settlers agreed to create a political community and make laws for the general good. What document did they create?
Mayflower Compact
This writer published Common Sense in 1776 and argued that the American colonies should become independent.
Thomas Paine
The Declaration says people have certain "unalienable Rights." What does this mean in simple terms?
Rights that people have naturally and that should not be taken away by government.
Which Enlightenment thinker is most closely connected to natural rights?
John Locke
Name TWO of Mr. Thompson's Five Things
A government official claims that the king can ignore laws whenever he wants. Which founding document provides an early example of the idea that government officials must follow the law?
Magna Carta / rule of law and limited government.
A government divides its power among legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Which thinker is most closely connected to this idea, and what is the idea called?
Montesquieu — separation of powers.
Name two natural rights identified in the Declaration of Independence.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Which thinker is most closely connected to separation of powers?
Montesquieu
Classes are competing for a trophy. What is the competition called?
The Civics Cup
A group of settlers arrives in a place where their original government does not have authority. They agree to form a political community and create laws for the good of the colony.
Identify the historical document represented by this situation and explain the principle it demonstrates.
Mayflower Compact — self-government/consent of the governed.
Locke argued that people are naturally free and equal and should not be placed under political power without their consent. What principle of government does this support?
Consent of the governed.
The Declaration states that governments receive their "just powers" from the consent of the governed. What does this mean?
Government gets its legitimate authority from the people.
Connect these two ideas:
Mayflower Compact → Consent of the Governed. Explain the connection.
The settlers agreed to form a political community and create laws, demonstrating the idea that government is based on the agreement/consent of the people.
Mr. Thompson has family in which country
Scotland
The English Bill of Rights challenged the idea that a monarch could suspend laws without the consent of Parliament. What principle of government does this demonstrate, and why is that principle important?
Limited government/rule of law. Government officials are not above the law and cannot exercise unlimited power.
Paine argued that the American colonies should not remain politically dependent on a distant king. What form of government did Paine support instead?
Representative self-government / representative government.
Why does the Declaration list grievances against King George III?
To provide evidence supporting the colonists' argument that British government had violated their rights and failed in its responsibilities.
Complete the historical connection:
John Locke → Natural Rights → __________
Declaration of Independence / government's purpose to secure rights.
Your Civics Cup team earns 27 points out of a possible 30. What percentage did the team earn?
90%
A student says: "The Mayflower Compact is important because it created a government where everyone had equal voting rights." What part of this statement should be challenged or clarified?
The Mayflower Compact demonstrated self-government and consent, but it did not create modern democracy or equal voting rights for everyone.
Explain the connection between John Locke's idea of natural rights and the purpose of government.
People have natural rights, so government is created to protect those rights.
The Declaration argues that people have a right to alter or abolish a government that becomes destructive of their rights. What earlier Enlightenment idea does this connect to, and why?
John Locke/social contract. Government exists to protect rights, and people may change government when it fails that purpose.
Explain how the Magna Carta and John Locke contributed different pieces to the development of the idea of limited government.
Magna Carta provided an early example of limiting government by law. Locke developed the idea that government exists to protect natural rights and is based on consent.
Mr. Thompson says: "I am not going to give you the answer." What is he actually expecting you to do?
Use the directions, resources, research, and your own thinking to find the answer.
Compare the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights. Identify one similarity and explain how that similarity influenced American government.
Both limited government power and supported rights/rule of law.
Imagine a government gives one person the power to make laws, enforce laws, and decide whether laws were broken. Using Montesquieu's ideas, explain the problem with this system.
Too much power is concentrated in one person/body. Separation of powers helps prevent abuse of government power.
"The Declaration of Independence was mainly a list of complaints against King George III." Do you agree or disagree? Use two parts of the Declaration to support your answer.
Montesquieu → separation of powers → three branches → prevents concentration of power
Explain why this chain is historically and civically significant to the United States.
The U.S. Constitution divides government power among branches, helping prevent one person or branch from controlling all government power.
Scotland has a famous blue-and-white flag called the Saltire and a national animal that is a little more mythical. Name BOTH:
🏴 The Saltire
🦄 The Unicorn
A historian argues: "The American system of government did not suddenly invent the idea that government power should have limits." Use TWO of the three documents in this category to support the historian's claim.
Explain how Common Sense, John Locke, and Montesquieu each contributed an important idea that influenced the development of American government.
Put the Declaration's argument in logical order:
A. The government violates these principles.
B. People have natural rights.
C. People have a right to change the government.
D. Government exists to protect those rights.
B → D → A → C
Using at least THREE sources or thinkers, explain how ideas developed over time and eventually influenced the Declaration of Independence.
The Magna Carta helped establish the idea that government power should be limited by law. The Mayflower Compact demonstrated self-government and consent. John Locke developed ideas about natural rights and the social contract. These ideas influenced the Declaration of Independence, which argued that people have natural rights, government exists to protect those rights, and legitimate government depends on the consent of the governed.
Mr. Thompson often says, “We are in school to learn to think.” What does he mean by that?
Students should be able to read information, think about what it means, understand it, and explain their answer in their own words.