What document, signed in 1215, limited the power of the English king?
Magna Carta
What phrase became the rallying cry against British taxes?
No taxation without representation
What was America's first written constitution?
Articles of Confederation
What does ratified mean?
Officially Approved
What was the first representative assembly in the English colonies?
House of Burgesses
What principle says that everyone, including government leaders, must obey the law?
Rule of Law
Who was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
How many branches of government existed under the Articles of Confederation?
ONE
What is mercantilism?
Answer:
An economic system where Britain controlled colonial trade.
Which colony document established self-government and majority rule aboard the Mayflower?
Mayflower Compact
Which English document guaranteed free elections, freedom of speech in Parliament, and no cruel and unusual punishment?
English Bill of Rights
Which war left Britain in debt and led to higher taxes on the colonies?
French and Indian War
Name two weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
What is a bicameral legislature?
A legislature with two houses
Which Enlightenment thinker proposed Separation of Powers?
Baron de Montesquieu
Which Enlightenment thinker believed people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property?
John Locke
What was the main purpose of the First Continental Congress?
To protest British policies, defend colonial rights, and organize boycotts.
Who led the rebellion that showed the weaknesses of the Articles?
Daniel Shays
Who were the Patriots?
Colonists who supported American independence.
What event occurred on July 4, 1776?
The Declaration of Independence was adopted.
Name the three types of English colonies (government wise).
Charter, Proprietary, and Royal
List two principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
Why did Shays' Rebellion convince many Americans a stronger government was needed?
Because the national government could not raise an army or effectively respond, showing it was too weak.
What is Shays' Rebellion?
An uprising by Massachusetts farmers led by Daniel Shays that exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
Name three powers Congress had under the Articles of Confederation.