SOL CE 2B - Founding Documents 2015 Standards

What document does the political cartoon refer to?

• U.S. Constitution

• Declaration of Independence

• Charters of the Virginia Company of London

• Virginia Declaration of Rights

Answer explanation

The Declaration of Independence is the world's most famous break up letter. Besides describing all the problems we had with the King and saying that we wanted to end our relationship with England, it listed the rights that each of us should have. It stated all men are created equal and that every man had the right to life, liberty, and to pursue their own happiness.

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CE.2.b

The Articles of Confederation failed as a form of government for which of the following reasons?

• The people did not support it being written.

• It gave too little power to the individual states.

• It failed to establish a lawmaking body such as a Congress.

• The central government it created was too weak.

Answer explanation

The Articles of Confederation was the result of a fear of creating a government too much like the one we had just overthrown. However the central government had so little power that the nation almost fell apart. When the Constitution was written to replace it they made the central or national government much stronger.

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CE.2.b

Which of the following statements should go on the chart? Make sure to place them in order from smallest to largest.

b

d

a

(1) Structure of Our Government Today

(2) 1st Form of Government for the US

(5) Freedoms of Speech, Religion, Press

(4) Gave Englishmen their Rights

(3) Established Majority Rule

Answer explanation

The Constitution was not the first form of government, that was the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution didn't give Englishmen rights we had been independent from England for 13 years when the Constitution was adopted.

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CE.2.b

Organize these options into the right categories

Groups:

(a) Charters of the Va Company of London

,

(b) Virginia Declaration of Rights

,

(c) Magna Carta

,

(d) Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom

• Served as a model for the U.S. Bill of Rights.

• Separated church and state meaning their is no official faith and none can be supported.

• Ended the belief that Kings ruled by divine right and didn't have to follow rules.

• Encouraged Englishmen to travel to New World by granting them the same rights as Englishmen.

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CE.2.b

Organize these options into the right categories

Groups:

(a) U.S. Constitution

,

(b) Declaration of Independence

,

(c) Articles of Confederation

• Created a weak central government with no power to tax or enforce Congress's laws.

• Structure of our government today.

• Listed grievances (problems) with the King of England.

• Established inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

• Protects freedoms of speech, press, religion, and petition.

• Declared independence from Great Britain.

• Replaced by the U.S. Constitution.

• Established majority rule.

• Gave most of the power to the individual states.

• Affirmed individual worth of all people.

• Established the idea that all men are created equal.

• First form of government for the United States.

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CE.2.b

Answer this released question from the Virginia Civics and Economics SOL.

• A

• B

• C

• D

Answer explanation

The charters of the Virginia Company of London were a means of encouraging individuals to travel to the New World in the name of England. James I (Jamestown) guaranteed if you went to the New World you would still have a voice in government and all the same rights as if you lived here.

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CE.2.b

Answer the following released question from the Virginia Civics and Economics SOL.

• A

• B

• C

• D

Answer explanation

The Articles of Confederation only lasted for eight years before people knew we needed a change. When the Continental Congress met and decided to get rid of the Articles they knew they needed to explain why. That is why they list the first purpose to "form a more perfect union" as the states didn't work together under the Articles of Confederation and our nation was on the verge of quickly falling apart.

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CE.2.b