8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
++ announced our independence (from Great Britain)
++ declared our independence (from Great Britain)
++ said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
The Declaration of Independence contains important
ideas about the American system of government. The
Declaration of Independence states that all people are
created equal and have “certain unalienable rights.”
These are rights that no government can change or
take away. The author of the Declaration, Thomas
Jefferson, wrote that the American colonies should
be independent because Great Britain did not respect
the basic rights of people in the colonies. Jefferson
believed that a government exists only if the people
think it should. He believed in the idea that the
people create their own government and consent,
or agree, to follow laws their government makes.
This idea is called “consent of the governed.” If the
government creates laws that are fair and protect
people, then people will agree to follow those laws.
In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson wrote
a list of complaints the colonists had against the King
of England. Jefferson ended the Declaration with the
statement that the colonies are, and should be, free and
independent states. The Second Continental Congress
voted to accept the Declaration on July 4, 1776.
9. What are two rights in the Declaration of
Independence?
++ life
++ liberty
++ pursuit of happiness
The Declaration of Independence lists three rights that
the Founding Fathers considered to be natural and
“unalienable.” They are the right to life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness. These ideas about freedom
and individual rights were the basis for declaring
America’s independence. Thomas Jefferson and the
other Founding Fathers believed that people are born
with natural rights that no government can take away.
Government exists to protect these rights. Because the
people voluntarily give up power to a government,
they can take that power back. The British government
was not protecting the rights of the colonists, so the
colonies took back their power and separated from
Great Britain.
10. What is freedom of religion?
++ You can practice any religion, or not practice a
religion.
Colonists from Spain, France, Holland, England, and
other countries came to America for many different
reasons. One of the reasons was religious freedom. The
rulers of many of these countries told their citizens
that they must go to a certain church and worship in
a certain way. Some people had different religious
beliefs than their rulers and wanted to have their own
churches. In 1620, the Pilgrims were the first group
that came to America seeking religious freedom.
Religious freedom was also important to the Framers.
For this reason, freedom of religion was included in
the Constitution as part of the Bill of Rights. The First
Amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of
religion. The First Amendment states, “Congress shall
make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The First
Amendment also prohibits Congress from setting up
an official U.S. religion, and protects citizens’ rights to
hold any religious belief, or none at all.
11. What is the economic system in the United
States?*
++ capitalist economy
++ market economy
The economic system of the United States is
capitalism. In the American economy, most businesses
are privately owned. Competition and profit motivate
businesses. Businesses and consumers interact in the
marketplace, where prices can be negotiated. This is
Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson in
“Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1776,” by Jean Leon
Gerome Ferris.
Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC-USZC4-9904.
4 *If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years,
you may study just the questions marked with an asterisk.
Learn About the United States
called a “market economy.” In a market economy,
businesses decide what to produce, how much to
produce, and what to charge. Consumers decide what,
when, and where they will buy goods or services. In
a market economy, competition, supply, and demand
influence the decisions of businesses and consumers.
12. What is the “rule of law”?
++ Everyone must follow the law.
++ Leaders must obey the law.
++ Government must obey the law.
++ No one is above the law.
John Adams was one of the Founding Fathers and
the second president of the United States. He wrote
that our country is, “a government of laws, and not
of men.” No person or group is above the law. The
rule of law means that everyone (citizens and leaders)
must obey the laws. In the United States, the U.S.
Constitution is the foundation for the rule of law.
The United States is a “constitutional democracy”
(a democracy with a constitution). In constitutional
democracies, people are willing to obey the laws
because the laws are made by the people through
their elected representatives. If all people are governed
by the same laws, the individual rights and liberties
of each person are better protected. The rule of law
helps to make sure that government protects all people
equally and does not violate the rights of certain
people.
B: System of Government
13. Name one branch or part of the government.*
++ Congress
++ legislative
++ President
++ executive
++ the courts
++ judicial
The Constitution