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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 16 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 Preamble to the Constitution

The Preamble, the opening sentence of the Constitution of the United States, written in Philadelphia in 1787. These are its exact words. The word help was written for this worksheet. We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Word help: Tranquility = peace and calm. defence = an older spelling of defense. Welfare = well-being. Posterity = the people who come after us. ordain = order or set up.

  1. 1. Why does the Preamble begin with the words We the People?
  2. 2. Who does the Preamble say is setting up the Constitution?
  3. 3. Whose Blessings of Liberty is the Constitution meant to secure?
2.In 1776 the Declaration said all men are created equal. Who was still denied those rights?
  • A.Only the king
  • B.No one at all
  • C.Enslaved people and most women
3.A town wants a new tax for parks. What would show the people's consent?
  • A.Voters approve it in an election
  • B.The mayor's friends like it
  • C.A sign goes up in the park
4.What happens to a government that has lost the people's consent, in a democracy?
  • A.It stays in power forever
  • B.The people must leave the country
  • C.Voters can choose new leaders at the next election
5.Why does a city council hold public meetings before deciding big plans?
  • A.So the plans stay secret
  • B.So leaders can avoid voters
  • C.So people can share their views with the leaders they chose
6.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

LessonPrint · D2.Civ.3.3-5 · Set 16 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Consent of the Governed

Set 16. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. To show that the people of the United States give the government its power. 2. We the People of the United States. 3. Ourselves and our Posterity, the people who come after us.
  2. 2.Enslaved people and most women
  3. 3.Voters approve it in an election
  4. 4.Voters can choose new leaders at the next election
  5. 5.So people can share their views with the leaders they chose
  6. 6.By voting for city leaders

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