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We the People Lesson Review
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Lesson 1: We the People Colonies Qs # 1-5 p. 12
1. In what ways were people's lives in the British colonies of the 1770s different from those
of people living in Europe?
2. What diversity of people and ideas existed in the British colonies in the 1770s?
3. What difference did gender, race, and wealth make to people in colonial society?
4. What rights did the colonists value?
5. Who were the Founders?
Lesson 2: We the People Government Qs # 1-5 p. 20
1. What are natural rights? How do people get their natural rights?
2. What might life be like for people living in a state of nature? Explain.
3. Where does government get its right to govern, according to the natural rights
philosophy?
4. What is a social contract?
5. What is the main purpose of government according to John Locke?
Lesson 3: We the People Republican Qs # 1-5 p. 30
1. What is republican government? What are the advantages and disadvantages of
republican government?
2. What is the meaning of the term "common good"?
3. What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy?
4. What is civic virtue? Why is it important that citizens and their representatives have civic
virtue?
5. How were the values of republican government promoted in the colonies? Why were
these values promoted?
Lesson 4: We the People Constitutional Qs # 1-4 p. 40
1. What is a constitution? What can you learn about a nation's government by studying its
constitution?
2. Explain the differences between a constitutional government and an autocratic or
dictatorial government.
3. What are the characteristics that define a constitution as a "higher law?"
4. Identify two areas of private life in which you think government should not interfere.
Explain why you think government should not intrude in these areas.
Lesson 5: We the People Branches Qs # 1-4 p. 46
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2.
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4.
How does a system of separation of powers work?
What are three branches of government and what power does each hold?
How does a system of checks and balances work? Give some examples.
The separation and sharing of powers means that government cannot reach decisions
quickly. Why might this be an advantage? Why might it be a disadvantage?
Lesson 6: We the People British Qs # 1-3 p. 56
1. Explain how the feudal system promoted the idea that government is a contract between
government and the governed.
2. Explain the importance of each of these documents: 1) Magna Carta, 2) Petition of Right,
3) English Bill of Rights.
3. Explain how the struggles between the monarchy and the nobility led to limited
government in Great Britain.
Lesson 7: We the People Revolution Qs # 1-6 p. 66
1. Why was it necessary for the colonists to create their own colonial governments?
2. What ideas of constitutional government did the colonists use in creating their
governments?
3. Why did the British begin to tighten control over the colonies after 1763?
4. What tax and trade laws did Parliament pass? What was the purpose of these laws?
What effects did the laws have on the colonists?
5. Why did the colonists feel that the laws passed by Parliament violated their rights?
6. Why did the British believe that the tax and trade laws were fair?
Lesson 8: We the People Declaration Qs # 1-7 p. 74
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What were the reasons for writing the Declaration of Independence?
What are the four parts of the Declaration of Independence?
What arguments does the Declaration make in support of the colonies' independence?
What complaints did the colonists have against the king of Great Britain?
What is the purpose of government as described in the Declaration of Independence?
What does the Declaration say people have the right to do if the government does not
protect their rights?
7. What do the following phrases from the Declaration mean: "all men are created equal,"
"consent of the governed," "self-evident," "unalienable rights?"
Lesson 9: We the People Revolution Government Qs # 1-7 p. 82
1. What was the significance of the Revolutionary War for the world?
2. How did the American army stay together during the worst times of the early part of the
Revolutionary War?
3. What problems did the Second Continental Congress have during the war; and how did
Congress deal with them?
4. How did the Congress attempt to provide a legal basis for its authority?
5. What role did diplomacy play in the war?
6. How important was the assistance of France in the American victory?
7. What military campaigns led up to the end of the Revolutionary War?
Lesson 10: We the People States Qs # 1-6 p. 92
1. What basic ideas about good government were included in the State constitutions?
2. Why did Americans believe that the legislature was the most democratic branch of
government?
3. Why did some Americans distrust the executive and judicial branches of government?
4. How did the Massachusetts constitution differ from the constitutions of other States? Why
was this important?
5. What was the Virginia Declaration of Rights? What rights of citizens did it include?
6. What rights did the State constitutions protect?
Lesson 11: We the People Articles Qs # 1-6 p. 102
1. Why did the people in the newly independent States fear a strong national government?
2. What were the Articles of Confederation? How did the Articles organize the national
government to address the fears of the people and of the States?
3. What parts of government were not included in the Articles of Confederation?
4. What did the national government achieve under the Articles of Confederation?
5. What were the weaknesses of the national government under the Articles?
6. Why was Shay's Rebellion an important event?
Lesson 12: We the People Convention Qs # 1-4 p. 112
1. What did Congress ask the delegates to do during the Philadelphia Convention? Did the
delegates accomplish what Congress asked them to do? Explain your answer.
2. In what ways were the delegates at the Philadelphia Convention representatives of the
American people? In what ways were they not representative?
3. What rules did the Framers establish for the convention? What was the purpose of these
rules?
4. What basic ideas about government did the Framers agree should be included in the new
constitution?
Lesson 13: We the People Representation Qs # 1-4 p. 120
1. What is the difference between equal representation and proportional representation?
Why did the small states want equal representation? Why did the large states want
proportional representation?
2. What was the Virginia Plan?
3. What was the New Jersey Plan?
4. How did the Great Compromise solve the conflict about representation? What did the
small states and the large states gain as a result of the Great Compromise?
Lesson 14: We the People North & South Qs # 1-5 p. 128
1. In what ways were the economic interests of the Northern and Southern states different?
2. What was the position of the Northern states on the issue of tariffs? What was the
position of the Southern states?
3. What was the position of the Northern states on the issue of slavery? What was the
position of most of the Southern states?
4. What compromise did the Framers reach on the issue of tariffs and slavery?
5. What reason did the Framers have for compromising on the issue of slavery? Do you
agree or disagree that the compromise violated fundamental principles that you have
been studying in this text? Why?
Lesson 15: We the People Legislative Qs # 1-5 p. 136
1. What disagreements about the powers of Congress did the Framers have? How did they
resolve these disagreements?
2. What enumerated powers does Article I, Section 8 grant to Congress?
3. What general powers does Article I, Section 8 grant to Congress? Why are these general
powers necessary?
4. What limits does Article I place on the powers of Congress? Explain how these limitations
protect the rights of citizens?
5. Explain some ways in which the executive and judicial branches can check the powers of
Congress.
Lesson 16: We the People Executive & Judicial Qs # 1-6 p. 144
1. What challenges did the Framers face in creating the executive branch?
2. What powers does the Constitution grant to the president?
3. Explain how the system of checks and balances limits the powers of the president. Give
specific examples.
4. Explain the process for selecting a president.
5. What are the powers of the judicial branch? Why is it important that judges are appointed
to office rather than elected and that they cannot be removed from office unless
impeached?
6. What branch of the federal government has the power to overrule state laws that violate
the U.S. Constitution?
Lesson 17: We the People Federal Qs # 1-9 p. 154
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Explain the major differences between a unitary form of government and a confederation.
What is a federal system?
What powers does the Constitution delegate to the federal government?
What powers belong to the states?
What powers do the state and federal government share?
What powers did the people keep for themselves?
What powers does the Constitution deny to the federal government?
What powers does the Constitution deny to the state governments?
What is the supremacy clause? Why is it important?
Lesson 18: We the People Ratification Qs # 1-6 p. 164
1. Why did the Framers oppose submitting the Constitution to the existing Congress or state
governments for ratification?
2. What process did the Framers select for ratifying the Constitution? How did the Preamble
to the Constitution help them decide on this method?
3. What arguments did the Anti-Federalists make against ratifying the Constitution?
4. How did the Federalists respond to the criticisms of the Constitution made by the AntiFederalists?
5. The Anti-Federalists lost their battle to prevent adoption of the Constitution. Their
struggle, however, permanently shaped the Constitution. Explain how the ideas and
concerns of the Anti-Federalists accomplished this. Why was this struggle important?
Why is it relevant today?
6. Explain how the ratification process provided a widespread public debate about an
important political decision.
Lesson 19: We the People New Government Qs # 1-5 p. 170
1. The Constitution describes the organization of the executive and judicial branches only in
general terms. Explain how the first Congress and the president organized the executive
branch.
2. How did the first Congress organize the judicial branch?
3. What is the president's cabinet and what does it do?
4. What was the purpose of the Bill of Rights? Why was it included in our Constitution?
5. What rights are guaranteed in the Ninth and Tenth Amendments? How do these
amendments differ from the other amendments in the Bill of Rights?
Lesson 20: We the People Political Parties Qs # 1-7 p. 180
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Why were the Framers of the Constitution against having political parties?
What was the disagreement over the meaning of the words in the Constitution?
What was the disagreement about the creation of the Bank of the United States?
What was the disagreement about foreign affairs?
What were the Alien and Sedition Acts? Why were they passed?
Explain how the disagreements about how to solve the new nation's problems led to the
rise of political parties.
7. Why was the election of 1800 important?
Lesson 21: We the People Judicial Review Qs # 1-6 p. 186
1. What is judicial review?
2. How does judicial review apply to the laws passed by the state governments?
3. What was the case of Marbury v. Madison? How did the U.S. Supreme Court decide this
case?
4. Why was Marbury v. Madison such an important case?
5. How does judicial review protect the rights of the people?
6. How might judicial review override the will of the majority?
Lesson 22: We the People Constitution Meaning Qs # 1-3 p. 194
1. Why is it sometimes difficult to determine the meaning of the words in the Constitution?
2. What does it mean "to interpret" the Constitution?
3. What are the four methods that justices might use to interpret the Constitution? What are
the advantages and disadvantages of each method?
Lesson 23: We the People Expression Qs # 1-4 p. 206
1. How would you define freedom of expression?
2. What are the benefits of freedom of expression to the individual and to society?
3. What are some circumstances that might cause government to limit the right to freedom
of expression?
4. What rights and interests are involved when limiting freedom of expression in the public
schools?
Lesson 24: We the People Religion Qs # 1-7 p. 214
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4.
What is the establishment clause?
What is the free exercise clause?
Why was freedom of religion an important principle in early America?
What conflicts exist over the freedom of religion clauses in the First Amendment? Give
examples of each?
5. Can government limit your right to freedom of belief? Why or why not?
6. Can government limit your right to practice your religious beliefs? If so, under what
circumstances?
7. What conflicts exist between freedom of religion and public education?
Lesson 25: We the People Voting Qs # 1-5 p. 224
1. What were some of the restrictions on voting rights that kept various groups of people
from voting?
2. Explain how each of the following groups of people gained the right to vote. 1) African
Americans, 2) Eighteen-year-olds, 3) Native Americans, 4) Women.
3. What amendments were added to the Constitution so that more people would have the
right to vote?
4. What laws did Congress pass to protect the constitutional right of citizens to vote?
5. What actions did citizens take to expand the right to vote to most Americans?
Lesson 26: We the People Equal Protection Qs # 1-7 p. 232
1. What was the purpose of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution?
2. What is the meaning of the equal protection clause? Why is this clause important?
3. What did the U.S. Supreme Court decide in the Plessy v. Ferguson case? What effects
did the decision have on the lives of African Americans?
4. What did the U.S. Supreme Court decide in the Brown v. Board of Education case? Why
was this an important decision?
5. What actions did ordinary citizens take to help end unfair discrimination?
6. What laws did Congress pass to help end unfair discrimination?
7. What actions did the executive branch take to help end unfair discrimination?
Lesson 27: We the People Due Process Qs # 1-4 p. 240
1. Where in the Constitution will you find the two due process clauses? In what ways are the
two clauses different?
2. What is the meaning of due process?
3. Why do you think the guarantee of due process is important?
4. Why must all agencies of government protect the individual's right of due process of law?
Lesson 28: We the People Nations Qs # 1-4 p. 252
1. What is a nation-state?
2. List some ways in which countries interact with each other.
3. What powers does the U.S. Constitution give the national government to deal with other
countries?
4. List some ideas in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution and Bill of
Rights that have influenced government in other countries.
Lesson 29: We the People Citizenship Qs # 1-6 p. 262
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What does the term citizen mean?
Who is a citizen of the United States?
How can noncitizens acquire citizenship in this country?
What are the personal, political, and economic rights of citizens?
What responsibilities accompany our basic rights?
What are some consequences to consider when deciding whether to challenge a law that
you think is unjust?
Lesson 30: We the People Civic Affairs Qs # 1-4 p. 274
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How is political action different from social action?
Why are both political and social action necessary?
How is citizen participation in political action related to the purposes of our government?
Explain why participating in government is in our self-interest.
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