Florida Civic Literacy Practice Exam

Which document outlines the rights of citizens and limits government power?

1. The Preamble

2. The Constitution

3. The Bill of Rights

4. The Articles of Confederation

The correct answer is: The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights is the correct answer because it specifically enumerates the individual rights of American citizens and serves to limit the power of the government. Ratified in 1791, the Bill of Rights includes the first ten amendments to the Constitution, addressing protections such as freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and the right to a fair trial, among others. By outlining these rights explicitly, it ensures that the government cannot infringe upon them, thereby providing a crucial check on government power. The other documents mentioned in the choices have different functions. The Preamble introduces the Constitution and states the purposes of government but does not detail specific rights or limitations on power. The Constitution itself establishes the framework of the government and the separation of powers, while the Articles of Confederation served as the first governing document for the United States but ultimately created a weak federal government and did not enumerate specific rights for citizens. Thus, the Bill of Rights is distinctly focused on protecting individual liberties against government overreach.