When was the US Declaration of Independence adopted?
a) July 1, 1776
b) July 2, 1776
c) July 4, 1776
d) July 6, 1776
Answer: c
Who was the primary author of the US Declaration of Independence?
a) Thomas Jefferson
b) Benjamin Franklin
c) John Adams
d) George Washington
Answer: a
What important concept is outlined in the opening words of the Declaration: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”?
a) Religious freedom
b) Freedom of the press
c) The right to bear arms
d) Natural rights
Answer: d
Which British monarch was reigning at the time the Declaration was adopted?
a) King George II
b) King George III
c) King James I
d) King Charles II
Answer: b
What was the primary purpose of the US Declaration of Independence?
a) To establish a new government structure
b) To declare war on Great Britain
c) To outline the grievances against the British Crown
d) To request foreign aid from France
Answer: c
Which committee was appointed by the Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence?
a) Committee of Correspondence
b) Committee of Five
c) Committee of Safety
d) Committee of the Whole
Answer: b
What rights are mentioned as “unalienable” in the Declaration?
a) Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
b) Property, freedom, and equality
c) Justice, peace, and prosperity
d) Religion, education, and democracy
Answer: a
Which document served as a significant influence on the language and ideas expressed in the Declaration?
a) The English Bill of Rights
b) The Magna Carta
c) The Mayflower Compact
d) The Articles of Confederation
Answer: b
Who was the president of the Continental Congress when the Declaration was adopted?
a) Thomas Jefferson
b) John Hancock
c) George Washington
d) Benjamin Franklin
Answer: b
Which colony abstained from voting on the adoption of the Declaration?
a) Massachusetts
b) Rhode Island
c) New York
d) Georgia
Answer: c
What event is often considered a significant precursor to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence?
a) The Boston Tea Party
b) The Battle of Bunker Hill
c) The Stamp Act Congress
d) The Intolerable Acts
Answer: a
What specific charge did the Declaration level against King George III?
a) Violating trade agreements
b) Oppressing religious freedom
c) Imposing unfair taxes
d) Establishing absolute rule
Answer: d
In the Declaration, what is the term used for the people’s right to alter or abolish a government that becomes destructive of their rights?
a) Sovereignty
b) Obedience
c) Rebellion
d) Self-determination
Answer: d
Which other Founding Father played a significant role in editing and revising the draft of the Declaration?
a) Alexander Hamilton
b) James Madison
c) John Adams
d) Patrick Henry
Answer: c
Which American philosopher’s ideas on government and natural rights influenced the writing of the Declaration?
a) John Locke
b) Thomas Hobbes
c) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
d) Voltaire
Answer: a
Who was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence?
a) Thomas Jefferson
b) John Adams
c) Benjamin Franklin
d) John Hancock
Answer: d
What term is used in the Declaration to refer to the support and consent of the governed as the basis of government authority?
a) Divine right
b) Social contract
c) Popular sovereignty
d) Aristocracy
Answer: c
How many grievances against the British Crown are listed in the Declaration?
a) 13
b) 20
c) 27
d) 30
Answer: c
Which famous phrase is often associated with the Declaration and expresses the idea that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed?
a) “We the People…”
b) “E Pluribus Unum”
c) “Of the people, by the people, for the people”
d) “…unalienable Rights…”
Answer: c
What event is commemorated by the Fourth of July holiday in the United States?
a) The signing of the Constitution
b) The adoption of the Declaration of Independence
c) The end of the Revolutionary War
d) The ratification of the Bill of Rights
Answer: b
In the Declaration, what term is used for the act of breaking away from one’s country to form a new nation?
a) Revolution
b) Rebellion
c) Independence
d) Secession
Answer: c
Who were the main audience and intended readers of the Declaration of Independence?
a) British citizens
b) European monarchs
c) American colonists
d) Native American tribes
Answer: a
What did the Second Continental Congress do to indicate its unanimous approval of the Declaration?
a) Each member signed the document
b) Members shouted in agreement
c) Members raised their hands in support
d) The president of the Congress affixed his signature
Answer: a
Which phrase in the Declaration acknowledges that governments are established to secure citizens’ rights and can be altered if they fail to do so?
a) “…with liberty and justice for all”
b) “…to form a more perfect Union”
c) “…to promote the general Welfare”
d) “…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive”
Answer: d
What is the significance of the closing words of the Declaration: “…we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor”?
a) It expresses the Founding Fathers’ loyalty to the British Crown
b) It symbolizes their willingness to risk everything for independence
c) It outlines their plan for future negotiations with Great Britain
d) It emphasizes their commitment to religious freedom
Answer: b
What is the name of the building where the Declaration of Independence is displayed for public viewing?
a) The White House
b) Independence Hall
c) The National Archives
d) The Smithsonian Institution
Answer: c
What document was inspired by the principles of the Declaration and outlines the framework for the structure and functions of the US government?
a) The Emancipation Proclamation
b) The Bill of Rights
c) The Articles of Confederation
d) The Constitution of the United States
Answer: d
What document did John Adams say would be celebrated with “pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations?
a) The Magna Carta
b) The Emancipation Proclamation
c) The Bill of Rights
d) The Declaration of Independence
Answer: d
What was the initial reaction of the British government to the Declaration of Independence?
a) Immediate recognition of American independence
b) Denouncement and military retaliation
c) Diplomatic negotiations for reconciliation
d) Indifference and lack of response
Answer: b
What role did John Hancock play in the adoption of the Declaration?
a) He was the primary author of the document
b) He chaired the Continental Congress session
c) He provided financial support for the printing of the document
d) He delivered the Declaration to King George III
Answer: b
What event marked the end of the American Revolutionary War and solidified American independence from Great Britain?
a) The signing of the Treaty of Paris
b) The adoption of the Bill of Rights
c) The Battle of Bunker Hill
d) The drafting of the US Constitution
Answer: a
In what city was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
a) New York City
b) Philadelphia
c) Boston
d) Washington, D.C.
Answer: b
What is the name of the Continental Congress delegate who first proposed the idea of American independence?
a) John Adams
b) Samuel Adams
c) Richard Henry Lee
d) Patrick Henry
Answer: c
Which colony was the first to officially call for independence from Great Britain?
a) Massachusetts
b) Virginia
c) Pennsylvania
d) Rhode Island
Answer: b
What famous painting depicts the signing of the Declaration of Independence and includes many of the Founding Fathers?
a) “American Gothic”
b) “Liberty Leading the People”
c) “The Birth of Venus”
d) “Declaration of Independence”
Answer: d
Who was the British monarch that American colonists felt violated their rights and liberties, leading to the call for independence?
a) King George II
b) King George III
c) King James I
d) Queen Victoria
Answer: b
How many of the original thirteen colonies voted in favor of adopting the Declaration of Independence?
a) 7
b) 9
c) 11
d) 13
Answer: b
What term is used in the Declaration to refer to the act of submitting to the authority of the British Crown?
a) Allegiance
b) Submission
c) Dominion
d) Vassalage
Answer: a
What individual, known for his influential pamphlet “Common Sense,” argued for complete independence from Britain and influenced public opinion?
a) Thomas Jefferson
b) Benjamin Franklin
c) John Adams
d) Thomas Paine
Answer: d
In the Declaration, what phrase is used to refer to the citizens’ right to overthrow a government that becomes abusive?
a) “Right to Revolution”
b) “Sovereign Rule”
c) “Divine Mandate”
d) “Popular Consent”
Answer: a
What is the term for the official handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence that was signed by the delegates?
a) The Original Manuscript
b) The Official Copy
c) The Royal Parchment
d) The Engrossed Copy
Answer: d
What rights does the Declaration state are endowed by the Creator and cannot be taken away by governments?
a) Legal rights
b) Civil rights
c) Natural rights
d) Constitutional rights
Answer: c
Which Founding Father was the second person to sign the Declaration of Independence?
a) Benjamin Franklin
b) John Adams
c) Samuel Adams
d) John Hancock
Answer: d
What colony was the last to agree to the Declaration of Independence, finally giving it unanimous support?
a) Virginia
b) New York
c) Rhode Island
d) Georgia
Answer: b
What principle expressed in the Declaration influenced the drafting of the US Constitution’s system of checks and balances?
a) Popular sovereignty
b) Separation of powers
c) Divine right
d) Majority rule
Answer: b
What term refers to the practice of trading goods for services without using money, as a form of protest against British taxation?
a) Barter system
b) Non-importation agreement
c) Coinage defiance
d) Exchange economy
Answer: b
What philosophical movement of the Enlightenment era influenced the ideas and language used in the Declaration?
a) Romanticism
b) Realism
c) Humanism
d) Rationalism
Answer: d
What term refers to the act of openly criticizing or protesting against a government’s policies or actions?
a) Treason
b) Rebellion
c) Sedition
d) Dissent
Answer: d
How many men signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776?
a) 39
b) 44
c) 56
d) 63
Answer: c
What vision of American society is expressed in the Declaration’s call for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”?
a) A society with a rigid social hierarchy
b) A society where everyone is equal in wealth and status
c) A society with individual rights and opportunities
d) A society governed by divine authority
Answer: c
