Significant Historical Documents
& Fundamental Principles Study Guide
1. What are the five fundamental principles of American government?(2a)
Make sure you understand the definition of each principle.
Limited Government- Government is not all-powerful and may only do those
things people have given it the power to do
Democracy- Government where the people rule
Rule of Law- The government and those who govern are bound by the law
Consent of the Governed- People are the source of any and
all governmental power.
Representative Government- People elect public officeholders to make laws
and conduct government on their behalf
2. Name 2 weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.


no power to tax
no power to enforce the laws (no Judicial & Executive)
3. Why were the Articles of Confederation important?
They were the first form of government and first Constitution of the
nation. They were very weak and this lead to the creation of the
Constitution.
4. The Articles of Confederation gave power to whom? Why would this be a
problem?
It gave power to the individual states. This meant there was no consistency
between the states.
5. Why are the Charters of the Virginia Company of London important? What
did it guarantee?
It guaranteed the colonists the rights of Englishmen. It inspired the
Founding Fathers to guarantee rights for citizens.
6.What did the VA Declaration of Rights do?
It protected individual rights of citizens in Virginia.
7. The Bill of Rights was modeled after what document?
Virginia’s Declaration of Rights
8. What was the purpose of the VA Statute of Religious Freedoms?
It provided for freedom of religious beliefs and opinions. **Became the basis
for religious freedom in the Constitution
9. What are “unalienable rights”?
Rights you are born with. They can only be taken away with due process.
10. What TWO things did the Declaration of Independence say about people?
That each person has certain unalienable rights (life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness) they are born with that can only be taken away through due
process. All people are equal under the law.
Define the following terms:
Law-a rule of conduct established
by a governing authority of a
community, state, or nation
Constitution the nation’s most
important document that set
up our system of government
Bill of Rights-the first 10
Amendments to the Constitution
& secures individual rights