Question 1

What is the social contract?

Accepted Answer

A voluntary agreement between the people and their government

Government is created through the consent of the people

(supported by Enlightenment philosopher John Locke)

Question 2

What did Locke believe about natural rights?

Accepted Answer

People are born with natural rights to life, liberty, and property

Governments are created to support these rights

Question 3

What is separation of powers?

Accepted Answer

Dividing a government into branches, so that each branch is independent

(Montesquieu believed this could help prevent corruption)

Question 4

What is limited government?

Accepted Answer

The idea that the government's power is limited by the law, rather than being all-powerful

(separation of powers helps achieve this)

Question 5

What is popular sovereignty?

Accepted Answer

The idea that people are the source of the government's power, and all power must come from "we the people"

Question 6

What is republicanism?

Accepted Answer

A system where people elect representatives, while also having protection for the minority group

(similar to representative democracy, but also has protection for minority voter groups)

Question 7

Why did the colonies want to separate from Britain?

Accepted Answer

Britain increased taxes on the colonies to pay for the French and Indian War

Colonists protested, resulting in violence, and eventually the colonies united to rid themselves of Britain

Question 8

What were the Continental Congresses?

Accepted Answer

The first organized attempts to unite the colonies and provide leadership during the American Revolution

The Second Continental Congress was the US's first real government and was responsible for creating the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation

Question 9

What was the Declaration of Independence?

Accepted Answer

The document passed by the Second Continental Congress to declare independence from Britain

Question 10

What were the main principles of the Declaration of Independence?

Accepted Answer

"All men are created equal"

People are born with inalienable rights of "life, liberty, & the persuit of happiness"

Governments are formed by the "consent of the governed"

People have a duty to "alter or abolish" a tyrannical government

(heavily inspired by Locke's ideas)

Origins of US Government, AP U.S. Government and Politics Flashcards