Why governments exist, and the main forms they take

Grade 12 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Cards A to E on why governments exist and when people may change them (the excerpts are exact; card D is in our words; card E is made up). Card A, "Hobbes, Leviathan (1651)". Who made it: Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher. For whom: English readers. Why: to argue that people need a sovereign. The spelling is Hobbes's. Excerpt 1 (chapter XIII): "In such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain; … and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short." Excerpt 2 (chapter XIII): "Where there is no common Power, there is no Law: where no Law, no Injustice." Excerpt 3 (chapter XVII): "And Covenants, without the Sword, are but Words, and of no strength to secure a man at all." Excerpt 4 (chapter XVIII): "it followes, that whatsoever he doth, it can be no injury to any of his Subjects; nor ought he to be by any of them accused of Injustice." Excerpt 5 (chapter XXI): "The Obligation of Subjects to the Soveraign is understood to last as long, and no longer, than the power lasteth, by which he is able to protect them." Card B, "Locke, Second Treatise of Government (1689, dated 1690)". Who made it: John Locke, an English philosopher. For whom: English readers. Why: to explain why people form governments and what limits them. Excerpt 1 (chapter IX, section 123): "for the mutual preservation of their lives, liberties and estates, which I call by the general name, property." Excerpt 2 (chapter IX, section 124): "The great and chief end, therefore, of men’s uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of their property." Excerpt 3 (chapter XI, section 137): "whatever form the commonwealth is under, the ruling power ought to govern by declared and received laws, and not by extemporary dictates and undetermined resolutions" Excerpt 4 (chapter XIII, section 149): "there remains still in the people a supreme power to remove or alter the legislative, when they find the legislative act contrary to the trust reposed in them: for all power given with trust for the attaining an end, being limited by that end, whenever that end is manifestly neglected, or opposed, the trust must necessarily be forfeited" Card C, "The Declaration of Independence (1776)". Who made it: the Second Continental Congress; Thomas Jefferson drafted it. When: adopted July 4, 1776. For whom: the world and the people of the states. Why: to explain why the states were separating from Britain. Second paragraph, from the National Archives transcription. Excerpt 1: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Excerpt 2: "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," Excerpt 3: "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government," Excerpt 4: "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;" Excerpt 5: "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government," Card D, historians (in our words, not a quotation). Many historians believe Locke's ideas influenced the Declaration's authors, and they differ over how much. Locke lists "lives, liberties and estates" under the name property; the Declaration lists "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Card E, Ostrel and Marden (made up). Who made it: written for this sheet. Summary in our words: In Ostrel, after raiders burned three villages, the council gave a regent sole power to make, enforce and judge every law. She now jails two critics for questioning her, with no hearing, and says the council's gift means her orders cannot be called unjust. In Marden, one harvest failed and the council raised the grain tax once, from 1 measure in 10 to 1 in 8. A petition with 40 names, out of 6,000 residents, says the council has become destructive of the ends of government and must be abolished.

2. 1.

   Zee sets card A beside card B. Which difference between Hobbes and Locke do the two cards show?

   • Hobbes says a sovereign cannot be accused of injustice, while Locke says a ruling power may govern only by declared laws
   • Hobbes fears violent death without a ruler, while Locke fears only theft, so they disagree on why people leave nature
   • Hobbes binds subjects to a sovereign whatever happens, while Locke lets the people remove a ruler who fails them
   • Locke says a sovereign cannot be accused of injustice, while Hobbes says any ruling power must govern by declared and received laws
3. 2.

   Ostrel's regent on card E says the council's gift means her orders cannot be unjust. Ari answers from Locke on card B. Which reply is strongest?

   • Locke agrees the people feared raiders, so the regent may rule without limit for as long as the raids last
   • Power given in trust is limited by the end it was given for, so a ruler who neglects that end forfeits the trust
   • A council may give power for the people's good alone, so the regent's grant was void from the start and her laws did not count
   • Obedience lasts as long as a ruler can protect the people, and no longer, so the regent loses her power the day raiders return
4. 3.

   A report says the Declaration's list of rights was simply copied from Locke. Luz tests the claim against cards B, C and D. What is the best verdict?

   • Refuted: the Declaration lists the pursuit of Happiness where Locke lists property, so Locke's ideas did not shape it
   • Supported: Locke's book came first, in 1689, so Jefferson must have taken the rights from it
   • Weakly supported: the lists overlap but differ in wording, and card D says historians disagree on how much Locke mattered
   • Supported: both lists name life and liberty, and card D says many historians believe Locke influenced the Declaration's authors
5. 4.

   Marden's petition on card E calls the council destructive. Pia reads card C. Which reading of the Declaration is best supported?

   • It does not reach Marden, since it speaks of governments that rule far-off colonies, not of towns
   • It lets the people abolish any government they dislike, since power comes from consent and consent can be withdrawn
   • It allows the petition, since a council that raises a tax after a failed harvest has stopped securing rights and become destructive of these ends
   • It lets people change a government that destroys the ends it exists for, but warns against light causes, which one tax rise resembles

6. Use this

   Cards A to C on republics and democracies (the excerpts are exact; card C is made up). Card A, "Federalist No. 10 (1787)". Who made it: James Madison, writing as Publius. When: November 22, 1787. For whom: the people of New York. Why: to urge ratification of the Constitution. Excerpt 1: "a pure democracy, by which I mean a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person" Excerpt 2: "A republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place" Excerpt 3: "The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are: first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended." Excerpt 4: "The effect of the first difference is, on the one hand, to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country, and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations. Under such a regulation, it may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the representatives of the people, will be more consonant to the public good than if pronounced by the people themselves, convened for the purpose. On the other hand, the effect may be inverted. Men of factious tempers, of local prejudices, or of sinister designs, may, by intrigue, by corruption, or by other means, first obtain the suffrages, and then betray the interests, of the people. The question resulting is, whether small or extensive republics are more favorable to the election of proper guardians of the public weal; and it is clearly decided in favor of the latter by two obvious considerations:" Card B, "Federalist No. 39 (1788)". Who made it: James Madison, writing as Publius. When: January 16, 1788. For whom: the people of New York. Why: to test whether the proposed government was a republic. Excerpt 1: "we may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior. It is ESSENTIAL to such a government that it be derived from the great body of the society, not from an inconsiderable proportion, or a favored class of it;" Excerpt 2: "It is SUFFICIENT for such a government that the persons administering it be appointed, either directly or indirectly, by the people; and that they hold their appointments by either of the tenures just specified;" Card C, "Sorrel, Elmsford and Pell (made up)". Who made it: written for this sheet. Summary in our words: Sorrel has 30,000 residents. A 40-member council makes every law and serves four-year terms. The 800 families that own at least 20 acres of land elect it; no one else votes. Elmsford: every adult elects a 60-member parliament every four years, and it makes every law. A king, whose throne passes to his eldest child, names the ministers who carry out the laws, and they serve while he pleases. Pell governs itself by a meeting of its 400 voters, who gather each spring and vote on every law. As the town grows to 12,000 voters, two plans are proposed. Plan 1 moves the meeting to a stadium where all 12,000 can vote on each law. Plan 2 has the voters elect 30 delegates to make the laws.

7. 5.

   Jun tests Sorrel's council on card C against Madison's definitions on cards A and B. Which conclusion is best supported?

   • Not a republic: card B says its power must come from the great body of the society, and 800 landowning families are a favored class
   • A republic: card B asks that officeholders serve for a limited period, which the council's four-year terms meet
   • Not a republic: card A says delegation must go to a small number, and 40 members for 30,000 residents are too few
   • A republic: card A defines one by representation, and Sorrel's 40-member council is a chosen body with four-year terms that makes the laws for the whole town
8. 6.

   Noah applies cards A and B to Elmsford on card C. Which conclusion is best supported?

   • Elmsford is a republic: card A defines one by representation, and the adults of Elmsford elect the parliament that makes its laws
   • Card A's test is met, since an elected parliament makes the laws, but card B asks that those who administer be appointed by the people
   • Neither test can be applied, because both cards describe governments with no king and Elmsford is a kingdom
   • Elmsford is not a republic: card B names a limited period or good behavior, and ministers serving at the king's pleasure have neither, as that test would require
9. 7.

   Tala applies card A to Pell's two plans on card C. Which statement is best supported?

   • Plan 2 would cure the mischiefs of faction, since card A says representation refines the public views of the people and ensures a better voice
   • Plan 2 would make Pell a republic; Madison expects representatives may refine public views but warns the effect may be inverted
   • Plan 1 would make Pell a republic, since card A says a republic extends over a greater number of citizens and a greater sphere of country
   • Plan 2 would keep Pell a pure democracy, because the voters would still choose the delegates in person at the spring meeting

10. Use this

    Cards A to D on limits on rulers (the excerpts are exact; card D is made up). Card A, "Locke, Second Treatise (1689, dated 1690)". Who made it: John Locke, an English philosopher. For whom: English readers. Why: to explain what government is for and what kinds are not true governments. Excerpt 1 (chapter VII, section 90): "absolute monarchy, which by some men is counted the only government in the world, is indeed inconsistent with civil society, and so can be no form of civil-government at all: for the end of civil society, being to avoid, and remedy those inconveniencies of the state of nature, which necessarily follow from every man’s being judge in his own case, by setting up a known authority, to which every one of that society may appeal upon any injury received, or controversy that may arise" Excerpt 2 (section 91): "there is no judge to be found, no appeal lies open to any one, who may fairly, and indifferently, and with authority decide" Card B, "Locke, chapter XI, section 137". Same maker, readers and aim as card A. Excerpt 1: "Absolute arbitrary power, or governing without settled standing laws, can neither of them consist with the ends of society and government" Excerpt 2: "whatever form the commonwealth is under, the ruling power ought to govern by declared and received laws, and not by extemporary dictates and undetermined resolutions" Card C, "The English Bill of Rights (1689)". Who made it: the Lords and Commons of England, in a declaration the king and queen accepted. When: 1689. For whom: the king and queen, and the people of England. Why: to state the rights and liberties the Parliament claimed. Excerpt 1: "That the pretended power of suspending the laws or the execution of laws by regal authority without consent of Parliament is illegal;" Excerpt 2: "That the raising or keeping a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with consent of Parliament, is against law;" Excerpt 3: "That election of members of Parliament ought to be free;" Card D, "Kelmar, Veldra and Drel (made up)". Who made it: written for this sheet. Summary in our words: Kelmar's king inherits the throne. Its charter says he may not suspend a law without the parliament's consent and may not keep an army in peacetime without it. The charter also lets a royal order alone hold any person for up to a year; no law says who may be held, and no court may review the order. Veldra: voters elect a president and an 80-member assembly in free elections every five years. The president may suspend any law for six months by decree, and the assembly cannot overrule a decree. The president names all judges. Drel: a queen inherits the throne, and a parliament elected by landowners advises her. A court of judges with life tenure hears complaints against any order, including the queen's own, and its rulings bind her. Her orders are published.

11. 8.

    Esme applies cards B and C to Kelmar on card D. Which conclusion about Kelmar's king is best supported?

    • Kelmar is an absolute monarchy under card A, since any king who inherits a throne lacks an authority to appeal to
    • Kelmar passes card B so long as each royal order is written down and shown to the public
    • Kelmar meets two limits in card C, yet card B would still call its detention power arbitrary rule, not governing by declared laws
    • Kelmar's king is limited like the English crown, because its charter accepts two of the limits listed in card C and so ends arbitrary rule
12. 9.

    Veldra on card D elects its rulers. Milo compares its decree power with card C. Which conclusion is best supported?

    • Veldra meets card C, since its assembly is chosen in free elections, which card C lists as a right of the people
    • Card C does not apply, because it limits a king and Veldra's president is elected by the voters, not inherited
    • Free elections do not remove the problem card C names: Veldra's president can suspend laws without the assembly's consent
    • Veldra is an absolute monarchy under card A, since its president can suspend laws and the assembly cannot overrule
13. 10.

    Is Drel on card D an absolute monarchy in Locke's sense? Ren reads card A. Which conclusion is best supported?

    • Yes: an inherited queen who may name her ministers is the sole judge of her own orders, as card A describes
    • No: any monarch whose orders are published escapes card A, since published orders are the known authority that card A requires
    • No: card A turns on having no authority to appeal to, and Drel's court hears complaints against the queen's own orders
    • No: card A exempts any monarch who has a parliament, and Drel's parliament of landowners advises the queen