Florida Civic Literacy Exam - Study Guide IRSC What historic document (17th century) created a "civil body politic"? - ANSWER Mayflower Compact What was the Magna Carta? - ANSWER document that started to limit the power of the king, establish habeas corpus and limit taxation What document did American colonists, protesting the Stamp Act in 1766, claim gave them rights such as "no taxation without representation"? - ANSWER British Constitution Americans, especially by the 19th and 20th centuries, claimed what about the Magna Carta? - ANSWER the people's reassertion of rights against an oppressive ruler What was Thomas Paine's Common Sense? - ANSWER a 47-page pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775-1776 advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies What was the influence of Common Sense? - ANSWER inspired American colonists to declare independence from England. 1 / 3
What is the Declaration of Independence? - ANSWER It is a document that declared independence from Britain and the formation of a new country, the USA.What are the three rights mentioned in the Declaration of Independence? - ANSWER Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness Which of the following was a weakness of the Articles of Confederation? - ANSWER Congress did not have the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce.What did Shay's Rebellion and an economic crisis lead to? - ANSWER the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. The Convention elected Washington as its president and ultimately produced the Constitution of the United States.The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? - ANSWER We the people What is the Supreme Law of the Land? - ANSWER The constitution What were the 88 essays published in newspaper to support ratification of the Constitution are known as? Who wrote those essays? - ANSWER The Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison What type of government does the US have? - ANSWER representative democracy 2 / 3
What is federalism? - ANSWER sharing of powers between federal and state governments.What type of economic system does the U.S. have? - ANSWER capitalism and a mixed market system In a representative democracy (republic), who is sovereign? - ANSWER The people Under the U.S. Constitution, what has the power to declare war, conduct foreign policy, and coin currency? - ANSWER Congress Under the U.S. Constitution, what usually has the power to regulate local safety, schools, and grant driving licenses? - ANSWER States What is the highest court in the US? - ANSWER Supreme Court What does the judicial branch do? - ANSWER reviews laws explains laws resolves disputes (disagreements) decides if a law goes against the Constitution What are the two houses of Congress? - ANSWER Senate and House of Representatives
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