2025 civics test · Question 10 · Principles of American Government

Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Give 2 of these answers

  • Equality
  • Liberty
  • Social contract
  • Natural rights
  • Limited government
  • Self-government

What this means

This question asks you to name two important ideas found in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Any two of these are accepted:

  • Equality - all people are created equal.
  • Liberty - people are free to live and speak as they choose.
  • Social contract - people agree to form a government, and that government gets its power from their consent.
  • Natural rights - rights people are born with that the government cannot take away, such as life and liberty.

These ideas came from the founders’ reading of Enlightenment thinkers, and they are the reason the government answers to the people rather than the other way around.

You only need to name two. The easiest pair to remember is “equality and liberty.”

Why this is on the test

This question asks for the big ideas behind the founding documents, and knowing them helps you understand why the government is built the way it is.

How this question is asked

On the 2025 civics test, the officer asks up to 20 of the 128 questions out loud and you pass by answering 12 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion. This question is one where you must give 2 correct answers, not just one.

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