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Consent of the Governed is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on where a government's power comes from, in the founding documents, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Civ.3.3-5. It prints 6 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 13 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Consent of the Governed

D2.Civ.3.3-5

NameDate

Read the founding document, answer its questions, then circle the best answers.

1.Look at the source, then answer the questions.

The Declaration of Independence

From the Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776, when thirteen American colonies broke away from the king of Great Britain. These are its exact words. The word help was written for this worksheet. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government… Word help: unalienable = cannot be taken away. instituted = set up. consent = agreement. the governed = the people a government rules.

  1. 1. Which three rights does this part of the Declaration name?
  2. 2. Why would the writers say power comes from the consent of the governed?
  3. 3. What does the Declaration say about how all men are created?
2.What can citizens do if they disagree with a law?
  • A.Break the law
  • B.Vote, write to leaders or speak at a public meeting
  • C.Hide from the police
3.How do people in a US city give their consent to the city government today?
  • A.By voting for city leaders
  • B.By moving to a new street
  • C.By buying a library card
4.In 1776 the Declaration said all men are created equal. Who was still denied those rights?
  • A.Enslaved people and most women
  • B.Only the king
  • C.No one at all
5.Why do elected leaders have to face voters again after a few years?
  • A.So the people can keep them or choose someone new
  • B.So the leaders can take a rest
  • C.So all the laws are erased
6.Why does a city council hold public meetings before deciding big plans?
  • A.So the plans stay secret
  • B.So people can share their views with the leaders they chose
  • C.So leaders can avoid voters

LessonPrint · D2.Civ.3.3-5 · Set 13 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Consent of the Governed

Set 13. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 2. To show that a government's power comes from the agreement of the people, not from a king. 3. That all men are created equal.
  2. 2.Vote, write to leaders or speak at a public meeting
  3. 3.By voting for city leaders
  4. 4.Enslaved people and most women
  5. 5.So the people can keep them or choose someone new
  6. 6.So people can share their views with the leaders they chose

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Civ.3.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.