POLI 202 WESTERN POLITICAL HERITAGE — HANCOCK
BYU INDEPENDENT STUDY EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
1. According to Professor Hancock in Thinking Politically, what is the
key difference between ancient (or classical) political philosophy and
modern political philosophy?
A) Ancient philosophy focuses on power while modern philosophy
focuses on justice
B) Modern political philosophy repudiates the classical question of the
good
C) Ancient philosophy is religious while modern philosophy is secular
D) Modern philosophy rejects all forms of government
Correct Answer: B — Hancock identifies the repudiation of the classical
question of the good as the defining break between ancient and
modern political philosophy.
2. Which of the following features of the Declaration of Independence
makes it a more "conservative" document?
A) The appeal to natural rights as grounded in "laws of nature and
nature's God"
B) The grievances that refer to the traditional rights of Englishmen
C) The basing of government authority on the consent of the governed
D) Only A and B are correct
,Correct Answer: D — The conservative elements are the appeal to
natural rights grounded in divine law and the grievances referencing
traditional English rights, not the consent of the governed.
3. Which citation from Federalist No. 49 represents the clear
departure from modern rationalism?
A) "All men are created equal"
B) "Frequent appeals would... deprive the government of that
veneration which time bestows... The reason of man... acquires
firmness and confidence" from opinions "ancient as well as numerous"
C) "Government is instituted for the common good"
D) "The consent of the governed is the only legitimate basis of
authority"
Correct Answer: B — This passage emphasizes tradition, veneration,
and prejudice over Enlightenment rationalism.
4. According to Hancock, in what framework is the American assertion
of rights set that makes those rights more than "simply human
assertions"?
A) The social contract tradition
B) The laws of nature and nature's God
C) The English common law
D) The consent of the governed
Correct Answer: B — The Declaration grounds rights in "the laws of
nature and nature's God," giving them transcendent authority.
,5. According to Bénéton in the prologue of Equality by Default, what is
the main obstacle to true education in the contemporary world?
A) Lack of funding for schools
B) The decline of religious instruction
C) Knowledge has become separated from life, and is seen as merely
utilitarian
D) The influence of social media
Correct Answer: C — Bénéton argues that knowledge has been
divorced from life and reduced to mere utility.
6. According to Luther in Concerning Christian Liberty, what is needed
for justification and salvation?
A) Good works and charity
B) Faith—that is, belief in God's promises
C) Participation in the sacraments
D) Obedience to ecclesiastical authority
Correct Answer: B — Luther teaches that justification comes through
faith alone, not works.
7. How does Elder Oaks define the term "moral relativism"?
A) The belief that all moral truths are absolute
B) The philosophy that holds that each person is free to choose for
himself what is right and wrong
, C) The view that morality is determined by majority vote
D) The rejection of all moral principles
Correct Answer: B — Elder Oaks defines moral relativism as the belief
that each individual is free to determine right and wrong for himself.
8. According to Beneton, what is the basis of "substantive" (or
"substantial") equality?
A) Legal equality before the law
B) The Christian idea that all humans are worthy of God's sacrifice and
the natural sense represented in great literature that we share a
common humanity
C) Equal distribution of material goods
D) Equal political representation
Correct Answer: B — Substantive equality is grounded in Christian
anthropology and the shared human experience reflected in great
literature.
9. What two spheres or domains does John Calvin refer to in the
quotation: "Now, these two, as we have divided them, are always to
be viewed apart from each other"?
A) Church and state
B) The spiritual and the temporal jurisdictions
C) Faith and reason
D) Heaven and earth
BYU INDEPENDENT STUDY EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
1. According to Professor Hancock in Thinking Politically, what is the
key difference between ancient (or classical) political philosophy and
modern political philosophy?
A) Ancient philosophy focuses on power while modern philosophy
focuses on justice
B) Modern political philosophy repudiates the classical question of the
good
C) Ancient philosophy is religious while modern philosophy is secular
D) Modern philosophy rejects all forms of government
Correct Answer: B — Hancock identifies the repudiation of the classical
question of the good as the defining break between ancient and
modern political philosophy.
2. Which of the following features of the Declaration of Independence
makes it a more "conservative" document?
A) The appeal to natural rights as grounded in "laws of nature and
nature's God"
B) The grievances that refer to the traditional rights of Englishmen
C) The basing of government authority on the consent of the governed
D) Only A and B are correct
,Correct Answer: D — The conservative elements are the appeal to
natural rights grounded in divine law and the grievances referencing
traditional English rights, not the consent of the governed.
3. Which citation from Federalist No. 49 represents the clear
departure from modern rationalism?
A) "All men are created equal"
B) "Frequent appeals would... deprive the government of that
veneration which time bestows... The reason of man... acquires
firmness and confidence" from opinions "ancient as well as numerous"
C) "Government is instituted for the common good"
D) "The consent of the governed is the only legitimate basis of
authority"
Correct Answer: B — This passage emphasizes tradition, veneration,
and prejudice over Enlightenment rationalism.
4. According to Hancock, in what framework is the American assertion
of rights set that makes those rights more than "simply human
assertions"?
A) The social contract tradition
B) The laws of nature and nature's God
C) The English common law
D) The consent of the governed
Correct Answer: B — The Declaration grounds rights in "the laws of
nature and nature's God," giving them transcendent authority.
,5. According to Bénéton in the prologue of Equality by Default, what is
the main obstacle to true education in the contemporary world?
A) Lack of funding for schools
B) The decline of religious instruction
C) Knowledge has become separated from life, and is seen as merely
utilitarian
D) The influence of social media
Correct Answer: C — Bénéton argues that knowledge has been
divorced from life and reduced to mere utility.
6. According to Luther in Concerning Christian Liberty, what is needed
for justification and salvation?
A) Good works and charity
B) Faith—that is, belief in God's promises
C) Participation in the sacraments
D) Obedience to ecclesiastical authority
Correct Answer: B — Luther teaches that justification comes through
faith alone, not works.
7. How does Elder Oaks define the term "moral relativism"?
A) The belief that all moral truths are absolute
B) The philosophy that holds that each person is free to choose for
himself what is right and wrong
, C) The view that morality is determined by majority vote
D) The rejection of all moral principles
Correct Answer: B — Elder Oaks defines moral relativism as the belief
that each individual is free to determine right and wrong for himself.
8. According to Beneton, what is the basis of "substantive" (or
"substantial") equality?
A) Legal equality before the law
B) The Christian idea that all humans are worthy of God's sacrifice and
the natural sense represented in great literature that we share a
common humanity
C) Equal distribution of material goods
D) Equal political representation
Correct Answer: B — Substantive equality is grounded in Christian
anthropology and the shared human experience reflected in great
literature.
9. What two spheres or domains does John Calvin refer to in the
quotation: "Now, these two, as we have divided them, are always to
be viewed apart from each other"?
A) Church and state
B) The spiritual and the temporal jurisdictions
C) Faith and reason
D) Heaven and earth
