GED Social Studies TestCivics and GovernmentMedium
A group of citizens in a small town is concerned about a proposal to build a new landfill near their homes. They decide to attend the next town hall meeting to voice their opposition and present an alternative plan. Which principle of American democracy are these citizens primarily exercising?
- ASeparation of Powers
- BFederalism
- CJudicial Review
- DPopular Sovereignty
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Popular Sovereignty
Popular sovereignty is the principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives, who are the source of all political power. By attending a town hall and voicing their concerns, these citizens are directly participating in their government and asserting their role as the ultimate source of its authority.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Separation of Powers divides governmental responsibilities into distinct branches, which is not directly illustrated by citizens participating in a town hall meeting.
- B. Federalism is the division of power between national and state governments, which is not the primary principle demonstrated by local citizen action.
- C. Judicial Review is the power of courts to determine the constitutionality of laws, which is unrelated to citizens directly influencing local policy.
Popular Sovereignty
The principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, who are the source of all political power.
- Power resides in the people.
- Government's legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed.
- Expressed through voting, civic participation, and elections.
Memory trick: People's Power Governs Every Nation, Originating Via Elections.