GED Social Studies
Founding Documents & Principles
Three documents anchor American government, and each answers a different question. The Declaration says WHY we broke away. The Constitution says HOW the government works. The Bill of Rights says what the government may NOT do to you. Match the question to the document and most items solve themselves.
The words first
- Declaration of Independence (1776)
- the breakup letter — rights come from nature, governments rule by consent
- Constitution (1787)
- the rulebook — structure and powers of government
- Bill of Rights (1791)
- the first ten amendments — limits protecting individuals
- popular sovereignty
- power comes from the people
- rule of law
- everyone, including leaders, is under the same law
The method
WHICH DOCUMENT ANSWERS WHICH QUESTION
why independence? natural rights? → Declaration
how is government built? powers? → Constitution
what can't government do to me? → Bill of Rights
THE CORE PRINCIPLES (test favorites)
popular sovereignty the people are the source of power
limited government government has ONLY listed powers
separation of powers three branches, split jobs
checks and balances each branch restrains the others
federalism power split national ↔ state
KEY DECLARATION PHRASES
"all men are created equal" · "unalienable rights" ·
"consent of the governed" — governments get power FROM the people
Worked all the way through
The problem
A quote says government derives "just powers from the consent of the governed." Which document, and which principle?
- Step 1 — Read what the quote claims.Government power is legitimate only when the people agree to it.
- Step 2 — Match the job.Justifying why rule-without-consent is illegitimate is the breakup letter's job: the Declaration.
- Step 3 — Name the principle.Power flowing from the people is popular sovereignty.
On the board
"consent of the governed"
the quote's core
justifying independence
the Declaration's job
power comes from the people
popular sovereignty
Answer
The Declaration of Independence — popular sovereignty
A second one, in a different form
A citizen claims a new law violates her freedom of speech. Which document does she point to?
a limit on what government may do to a person
that is the Bill of Rights' job
First Amendment
Bill of Rights ✓
Answer
The Bill of Rights (the First Amendment)
The usual mistake
Crediting the Declaration with creating the three branches.
Check yourself
Ask what job the quote or claim is doing — justifying a breakup, building a structure, or shielding a person — and let the job name the document. Dates are rarely needed; jobs are.
Practice it
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