WGU- C963 Exam Questions Marking
Scheme 2024/2025 New Update (A+
Pass)
John Locke - ✔✔English philosopher who advocated the idea of a "social
contract" in which government powers are derived from the consent of the
governed and in which the government serves the people; also said people have
natural rights to life, liberty and property.
Montesquieu - ✔✔French political philosopher who advocated the separation
of executive and legislative and judicial powers.
Advocated for due process
Adam Smith - ✔✔argued for property rights and minimal gov regulation in
economics.
Social Contracy Theory - ✔✔Agreement between people and government where
citizens are content to be governed as long as government protects natural
rights.
Thomas Hobbes - ✔✔english philosopher who argued society isnt natural or
immutable but created by us, instead of being passive members of society we
are creators.
1|Page
©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
,Implicit contracts - ✔✔never agreed upon, but we find ourselves in.
"Rights imply obligation so when you take from the pot, you are expected to
pay in"
Ex: taxes
State of Nature - ✔✔theory on how people might have lived before societies
Natural Rights - ✔✔society can not interfere with our efforts to obtain
ex: Food, shelter, clothing
Hobbes vs. Locke vs. Roussea - ✔✔Hobbes- seeks physical security as social
contract
Locke- seeks protection from harm and permitting us to pursue our own lives
Rousseau- argues for general will of society using uniformity of existence
Social Contract - ✔✔require continual renegotiation to remain relevant to
present circumstances.
Failure to negotiate can lead to dissolution of society
Declaration of Independence - ✔✔written mainly by Jefferson, expressed ideas
of locke.
-Gov serves to regulate terms of social contract in society and protect our
natural rights and serve as democratic conduit for interests
2|Page
©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
,U.S. Constitution - ✔✔turns to less democratic ideas of Montesquieu and
Rousseau
- separates legislative, executive and judicial powers, works to determine
sovereignty of states
Bill of Rights - ✔✔Constitutional amendments that protect the rights of citizens
Articles of confederation - ✔✔first attempt at structuring the United States.
- established republic that held power and elected representatives to govern
with independent self governing states from a union
bicameral legislature - ✔✔two chambers of legislature; House of
Representatives and Senate
created so the government didnt have too much power
Power to Borrow and coin money - ✔✔federal government can establish
national banking system; also to control national fiscal power
Power to declare war - ✔✔gov can delcare war if deemed appropriate and can
appoint military officials
Power to make Treaties and Alliances with other nations - ✔✔could enter into
treaties or agreements with other nations if deemed appropriate.
3|Page
©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
, Power to Regulate Trade w/ Native Americans - ✔✔negotiate and regulate
trade but, native Americans werent considered citizens of the U.S. and were
treated as foreigners.
Power to settle disputes between states - ✔✔right to settle any and all
boundary disputes that arose between the states, which were bound to happen.
Power to Raise an Army or Navy - ✔✔National government didn't have the
power for its own military so they had to request troops from the states who
could deny. This would leave a lack of defense for the country
Taxation - ✔✔national government had no power to impose or collect taxes;
they had to request it from states- they were negligent and would leave
national government underfunded.
Regulating Trade - ✔✔National gov didnt have the power to regulate trade
causing the economy to suffer; trade was regulated through the states so the
national government couldnt collect taxes.
Virginia Plan - ✔✔"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for
proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. The plan
favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their
own plan for apportioning representation.
4|Page
©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
Scheme 2024/2025 New Update (A+
Pass)
John Locke - ✔✔English philosopher who advocated the idea of a "social
contract" in which government powers are derived from the consent of the
governed and in which the government serves the people; also said people have
natural rights to life, liberty and property.
Montesquieu - ✔✔French political philosopher who advocated the separation
of executive and legislative and judicial powers.
Advocated for due process
Adam Smith - ✔✔argued for property rights and minimal gov regulation in
economics.
Social Contracy Theory - ✔✔Agreement between people and government where
citizens are content to be governed as long as government protects natural
rights.
Thomas Hobbes - ✔✔english philosopher who argued society isnt natural or
immutable but created by us, instead of being passive members of society we
are creators.
1|Page
©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
,Implicit contracts - ✔✔never agreed upon, but we find ourselves in.
"Rights imply obligation so when you take from the pot, you are expected to
pay in"
Ex: taxes
State of Nature - ✔✔theory on how people might have lived before societies
Natural Rights - ✔✔society can not interfere with our efforts to obtain
ex: Food, shelter, clothing
Hobbes vs. Locke vs. Roussea - ✔✔Hobbes- seeks physical security as social
contract
Locke- seeks protection from harm and permitting us to pursue our own lives
Rousseau- argues for general will of society using uniformity of existence
Social Contract - ✔✔require continual renegotiation to remain relevant to
present circumstances.
Failure to negotiate can lead to dissolution of society
Declaration of Independence - ✔✔written mainly by Jefferson, expressed ideas
of locke.
-Gov serves to regulate terms of social contract in society and protect our
natural rights and serve as democratic conduit for interests
2|Page
©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
,U.S. Constitution - ✔✔turns to less democratic ideas of Montesquieu and
Rousseau
- separates legislative, executive and judicial powers, works to determine
sovereignty of states
Bill of Rights - ✔✔Constitutional amendments that protect the rights of citizens
Articles of confederation - ✔✔first attempt at structuring the United States.
- established republic that held power and elected representatives to govern
with independent self governing states from a union
bicameral legislature - ✔✔two chambers of legislature; House of
Representatives and Senate
created so the government didnt have too much power
Power to Borrow and coin money - ✔✔federal government can establish
national banking system; also to control national fiscal power
Power to declare war - ✔✔gov can delcare war if deemed appropriate and can
appoint military officials
Power to make Treaties and Alliances with other nations - ✔✔could enter into
treaties or agreements with other nations if deemed appropriate.
3|Page
©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
, Power to Regulate Trade w/ Native Americans - ✔✔negotiate and regulate
trade but, native Americans werent considered citizens of the U.S. and were
treated as foreigners.
Power to settle disputes between states - ✔✔right to settle any and all
boundary disputes that arose between the states, which were bound to happen.
Power to Raise an Army or Navy - ✔✔National government didn't have the
power for its own military so they had to request troops from the states who
could deny. This would leave a lack of defense for the country
Taxation - ✔✔national government had no power to impose or collect taxes;
they had to request it from states- they were negligent and would leave
national government underfunded.
Regulating Trade - ✔✔National gov didnt have the power to regulate trade
causing the economy to suffer; trade was regulated through the states so the
national government couldnt collect taxes.
Virginia Plan - ✔✔"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for
proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. The plan
favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their
own plan for apportioning representation.
4|Page
©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
