Influential Foundations
Which 1215 document signed by King John was the first to establish that the monarchy was not above the law?
What is Magna carta
Which British monarch took the throne in 1760, marking "the beginning of the end" for peaceful colonial relations?
Who is King George III
In which city did both the First and Second Continental Congresses meet to discuss the conflict with Britain?
What is Philadelphia
Which Virginian was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence?
Who is Thomas Jefferson
The Articles of Confederation established what type of "league" among the 13 sovereign states?
What is a "Firm League of Friendship"
What is often described as a "government of, by, and for the people"?
What is Representative Government
Which 1765 Act angered colonists by taxing almost all printed paper, including legal documents and newspapers
What is the Stamp Act
What was the name of the 1775 petition drafted as a final attempt to make peace with King George III, which was ultimately rejected?
What is the Olive Branch Petition
According to the Declaration of Independence, from what specific source do governments derive their "just powers"?
What is the Consent of the Governed
Which two essential branches of government were completely missing under the Articles of Confederation?
What are the Executive and Judicial branches?
Which 1689 document established parliamentary sovereignty and guaranteed free elections?
What is the English Bill of Rights?
Which specific type of colony was organized by a land grant holder and was one of the three main colonial structures?
What is a Proprietary Colony
Which body served as the first national government of the United States from July 1776 until March 1781?
What is the Second Continental Congress
Which English philosopher's ideas on natural rights and the "Social Contract" heavily influenced Thomas Jefferson?
Who is John Locke
What term describes the single-house legislature created by the Articles of Confederation?
What is a Unicameral Legislature
In the context of limited government, what do you call the rights that every individual is born with and that a government cannot take away?
What are Unalienable Rights
What was the name of Benjamin Franklin’s failed 1754 proposal for unified colonial defense and government?
What is the Albany Plan (of Union)
Which was the only one of the original 13 colonies that did not send delegates to the First Continental Congress in 1774?
What is Georgia
What 1776 document was sent by the First Continental Congress to formally protest British policies?
What is the Declaration of Rights
How many states (out of 13) were required to consent before Congress could exercise its powers?
What is 9
Which document, signed by Charles I in 1628, challenged the "divine right of kings" and insisted the monarch obey the law of the land?
What is the Petition of Right
Which 1767 acts taxed glass, lead, paint, and paper, and were met with widespread colonial resistance?
What were the Townshend Acts
Which notable Founding Father and "President" of the Second Continental Congress is famously known for his large signature on the Declaration of Independence?
Who is John Hancock
Which principle, found in the first state constitutions, means that the people are the ultimate source of any and all governmental power?
What is Popular Sovereignty
What critical financial power did Congress lack under the Articles, making the government notoriously weak?
What is the Power to Tax