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7th grade · Social Studies · Unit 5 of 18

Founding Ideals

Declaration, Constitution and their roots

What your child practices

The Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights and Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the debates of 1787, the Federalist Papers, and the principles of the Constitution.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 7.3c; 7.4c; 7.5a; 7.5b · Enlightenment ideas in the Declaration, the debate over ratification and the principles of the Constitution

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Roots of the founding: the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights and the Mayflower Compact.
  2. Rule of law means everyone, including leaders, must obey the law.
  3. Separation of powers and checks and balances let each branch limit the others, such as courts striking down laws (judicial review).

Example: What does checks and balances mean? Power is split into branches. Each branch can limit the powers of the other two. Answer: Each branch can limit the powers of the other two

Founding Ideals in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 5 of 18 in 7th grade Social Studies, after Building a Government and before Rights & Amendments.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    The Constitution replaced which earlier plan of government?

    • The Declaration of Independence
    • The Magna Carta
    • The Articles of Confederation
    • The Mayflower Compact

  2. Question 2

    The Federalist Papers were written to persuade New York to…

    • declare war
    • ratify the Constitution
    • join Canada
    • reject the Constitution

  3. Question 3

    The idea that government is limited and everyone, including leaders, must obey the law is called…

    • Divine right of kings
    • Isolationism
    • Rule of law
    • Manifest Destiny

  4. Question 4

    Anti-Federalists worried the Constitution would…

    • make the national government too strong
    • end elections
    • make states too strong
    • create a king

  5. Question 5

    Republicanism, as the founders used the word, means…

    • Rule by the army
    • Citizens elect representatives to govern
    • Rule by one party
    • Rule by a king

  6. Question 6

    Which principle is shown when the Supreme Court rules a law unconstitutional?

    • Popular sovereignty only
    • Manifest Destiny
    • Checks and balances (judicial review)
    • Mercantilism

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