Kings in Check
Enlightenment Think Tank
Breaking Away
From Articles to Action
Constitution Under Fire
100

This 1215 charter limited King John's power and gave nobles rights like trial by jury.

What is the Magna Carta?

100

This philosopher wrote Leviathan and argued that people are selfish, needing a strong ruler.

Who is Thomas Hobbes?

100

This Virginian was the main author of the Declaration of Independence.

Who is Thomas Jefferson?

100

This was the first written plan of government for the United States.

What are the Articles of Confederation?

100

Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison wrote these essays to defend the Constitution.

What are the Federalist Papers?

200

Signed in 1628, this document protected habeas corpus and banned cruel punishments.

What is the Petition of Right?

200

John Locke believed all people had these natural rights.

What are life, liberty, and property?

200

The Declaration claims that "all men are created" this way and guaranteed this. (You need BOTH answers!)

What is "equal" and "certain inalienable (natural) rights"?

200

The Northwest Ordinance was a strength of the Articles because it created this process for new states.

What is admission to the Union?

200

Anti-Federalists demanded this addition before agreeing to ratify the Constitution.

What are the Bill of Rights?

300

The Petition of Right challenged this political theory that claimed kings ruled with God's authority.

What is Divine Right?

300

This Enlightenment thinker rejected representative government and favored direct democracy.

Who is Jean Jacques Rousseau?

300

Jefferson accused King George III of doing this by taxing colonists without consent.

What is taxation without representation?

300

This 1786 farmer-led revolt showed the weakness of the Articles of Confederation and led to the Philidelphia Constitutional Convention.

What is Shay's Rebellion?

300

The principle that the government only has the power people give it is known as this.

What is limited government?

400

In 1689, William and Mary had to accept this document before taking the throne in this event.  (You need BOTH the document and event!)

What is The English Bill of Rights in the Glorious Revolution?

400

The U.S. Constitution's separation of powers was inspired by this French philosopher.

Who is Montesquieu?

400

The Declaration reflects John Locke's social contract by saying people can do this if the government fails them.

What is overthrow or abolish the government?

400

This compromise created a bicameral legislature with the Senate having equal representation and the House of Representatives based on state population.

What is the Great (Connecticut) Compromise?

400

Dividing power between state and national governments is known as this principle.

What is federalism?

500

The rights to bear arms and protection from cruel punishments appeared in this English document and were later echoed in the US Bill of Rights. 

What is the English Bill of Rights?

500

Unlike Hobbes, this thinker argued that people could rebel if the government failed to protect their rights.

Who is John Locke?

500

Jefferson drew on the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights to argue that Britain failed to protect these.

What are the colonists' rights?

500

This compromise counted 3/5ths of enslaved persons for taxation and representation purposes and created tensions that led to this future conflict in the United States. (You need BOTH the compromise and the conflict!)

What is the 3/5ths Compromise and the Civil War?

500

This compromise banned Congress from taxing exports and delaying action on the slave trade for 20 years.

What is the Commerce Compromise (Clause)?