Colonial Government Quiz

What document first established the protection of people's rights in the English system of government?

• The Bill of Rights

• The Magna Carta

• The Declaration of Independence

• The English Constitution

Answer explanation

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is the foundational document that established the principle of protecting individual rights against the arbitrary authority of the king, making it the first significant step in the English system of government.

What is the significance of the Magna Carta in the context of English government?

• It established the monarchy's absolute power.

• It gave English people protection against unjust treatment.

• It created the first English Parliament.

• It abolished the feudal system.

Answer explanation

The Magna Carta is significant because it established the principle that everyone, including the king, is subject to the law, thus providing English people protection against unjust treatment.

What was the role of the English Parliament in the representative government?

• It had no power to make laws.

• It was a representative assembly with the power to legislate.

• It was a ceremonial body with no real authority.

• It was responsible for enforcing laws only.

Answer explanation

The English Parliament served as a representative assembly with the authority to legislate, meaning it played a crucial role in creating and passing laws, distinguishing it from bodies with no real power.

What did the colonists believe about government and civil liberties?

• Government should have absolute power.

• Government must respect civil liberties or rights.

• Civil liberties should be limited to the nobility.

• Rights are not important in governance.

Answer explanation

The colonists believed that government must respect civil liberties or rights, reflecting their desire for individual freedoms and limitations on governmental power, contrasting with absolute authority.

Who could sit in the House of Lords in England?

• Merchants and property owners

• Eldest sons of England's aristocracy

• Commoners elected by property owners

• Members of the clergy

Answer explanation

The House of Lords is primarily composed of hereditary peers, which includes the eldest sons of England's aristocracy. Other groups, like merchants or commoners, do not have the right to sit in the House.

What did the English Bill of Rights aim to do?

• Increase the king's power

• Set clear limits on a ruler's powers

• Abolish Parliament

• Establish a new monarchy

Answer explanation

The English Bill of Rights aimed to set clear limits on a ruler's powers, ensuring that the monarchy could not act without the consent of Parliament, thus protecting individual liberties and establishing a constitutional framework.

What type of colony was Massachusetts?

• Royal colony

• Charter colony

• Proprietary colony

• Independent colony

Answer explanation

Massachusetts was a charter colony, meaning it was established by a charter granted by the king, allowing it self-governance. This set it apart from royal colonies, which were directly controlled by the crown.

What was a characteristic of proprietary colonies?

• Owned by the English monarch

• Property of an owner or group of owners

• Governed by elected officials

• Free from English control

Answer explanation

Proprietary colonies were characterized as being owned by an individual or a group, unlike royal colonies which were directly controlled by the English monarch. This ownership allowed for more personal governance and land management.

Which group was generally not allowed to vote in the colonies?

• White men

• Indentured servants

• Property owners

• Merchants

Answer explanation

Indentured servants were typically bound by contracts and did not have the rights of free citizens, including the right to vote, unlike white men, property owners, and merchants who could participate in elections.

What was a key feature of charter colonies?

• Governed by the English monarch

• Based on a grant of rights by the English monarch

• Owned by a single proprietor

• Independent from English law

Answer explanation

Charter colonies were established based on a grant of rights from the English monarch, allowing them a degree of self-governance. This distinguishes them from royal colonies, which were directly governed by the crown.