WGU C963
Objective Assessment 2026 | Complete Study Guide,
Practice Questions & Answers with Rationales
RESOURCE FEATURES
• C963 Objective Assessment review
• Practice questions and answers
• Detailed rationales and explanations
• Key constitutional concepts
• Supreme Court case review
• Federalism and government-structure questions
• Civil-rights and civil-liberties review
• Scenario-based practice
• 2026-focused exam preparation
,WGU C963 Objective Assessment 2026 | Complete
Study Guide, Practice Questions & Answers with
Rationales
1. Who were the major contributors to social contract theory?
A) Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau
B) Madison, Hamilton, Jay
C) Jefferson, Adams, Franklin
D) Montesquieu, Voltaire, Locke
Answer: A) Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau
Rationale: Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are
the three primary philosophers associated with social contract theory. They
each developed theories about the relationship between individuals and
government, though they differed on the nature of the state of nature and
the extent of governmental authority. Madison, Hamilton, and Jay were
Federalist Papers authors; Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin were Founding
Fathers; Montesquieu and Voltaire were Enlightenment philosophers but
not primarily social contract theorists.
2. According to social contract theory, what do individuals need to
survive?
A) Money, power, and influence
B) Food, clothing, and shelter
,C) Education, healthcare, and employment
D) Religion, government, and property
Answer: B) Food, clothing, and shelter
Rationale: Social contract theory posits that humans have basic survival
needs—food, clothing, and shelter—and that nothing should interfere with
their ability to obtain these necessities. The theory further suggests that
individuals may choose to believe in a god, and this belief gives definition
to existence, making it important to define ourselves as individuals.
3. Which Enlightenment thinker is most associated with the idea that
people have rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
A) Hobbes
B) Locke
C) Rousseau
D) Montesquieu
Answer: B) Locke
Rationale: John Locke's philosophy heavily influenced the Declaration of
Independence. Locke argued that individuals possess natural rights to "life,
liberty, and property." Thomas Jefferson adapted this to "life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence.
4. The Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment are examples of
which influence on the Constitution?
, A) Federalist influence
B) Enlightenment influence
C) Anti-Federalist influence
D) Articles of Confederation influence
Answer: B) Enlightenment influence
Rationale: The Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment reflect
Enlightenment ideals about individual rights, limited government, and the
protection of citizens against governmental overreach. Enlightenment
thinkers emphasized natural rights and the importance of protecting
individuals from state power.
5. Which document declares that people have rights to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness?
A) The Constitution
B) The Bill of Rights
C) The Declaration of Independence
D) The Articles of Confederation
Answer: C) The Declaration of Independence
Rationale: The Declaration of Independence, drafted primarily by Thomas
Jefferson, famously states that all men are endowed with certain
unalienable rights, including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
This reflects Locke's influence on Jefferson's thinking.
Objective Assessment 2026 | Complete Study Guide,
Practice Questions & Answers with Rationales
RESOURCE FEATURES
• C963 Objective Assessment review
• Practice questions and answers
• Detailed rationales and explanations
• Key constitutional concepts
• Supreme Court case review
• Federalism and government-structure questions
• Civil-rights and civil-liberties review
• Scenario-based practice
• 2026-focused exam preparation
,WGU C963 Objective Assessment 2026 | Complete
Study Guide, Practice Questions & Answers with
Rationales
1. Who were the major contributors to social contract theory?
A) Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau
B) Madison, Hamilton, Jay
C) Jefferson, Adams, Franklin
D) Montesquieu, Voltaire, Locke
Answer: A) Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau
Rationale: Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are
the three primary philosophers associated with social contract theory. They
each developed theories about the relationship between individuals and
government, though they differed on the nature of the state of nature and
the extent of governmental authority. Madison, Hamilton, and Jay were
Federalist Papers authors; Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin were Founding
Fathers; Montesquieu and Voltaire were Enlightenment philosophers but
not primarily social contract theorists.
2. According to social contract theory, what do individuals need to
survive?
A) Money, power, and influence
B) Food, clothing, and shelter
,C) Education, healthcare, and employment
D) Religion, government, and property
Answer: B) Food, clothing, and shelter
Rationale: Social contract theory posits that humans have basic survival
needs—food, clothing, and shelter—and that nothing should interfere with
their ability to obtain these necessities. The theory further suggests that
individuals may choose to believe in a god, and this belief gives definition
to existence, making it important to define ourselves as individuals.
3. Which Enlightenment thinker is most associated with the idea that
people have rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
A) Hobbes
B) Locke
C) Rousseau
D) Montesquieu
Answer: B) Locke
Rationale: John Locke's philosophy heavily influenced the Declaration of
Independence. Locke argued that individuals possess natural rights to "life,
liberty, and property." Thomas Jefferson adapted this to "life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence.
4. The Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment are examples of
which influence on the Constitution?
, A) Federalist influence
B) Enlightenment influence
C) Anti-Federalist influence
D) Articles of Confederation influence
Answer: B) Enlightenment influence
Rationale: The Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment reflect
Enlightenment ideals about individual rights, limited government, and the
protection of citizens against governmental overreach. Enlightenment
thinkers emphasized natural rights and the importance of protecting
individuals from state power.
5. Which document declares that people have rights to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness?
A) The Constitution
B) The Bill of Rights
C) The Declaration of Independence
D) The Articles of Confederation
Answer: C) The Declaration of Independence
Rationale: The Declaration of Independence, drafted primarily by Thomas
Jefferson, famously states that all men are endowed with certain
unalienable rights, including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
This reflects Locke's influence on Jefferson's thinking.
