The idea that government legitimacy comes from the people is called what?

• A. Federalism
• B. Popular Sovereignty
• C. Checks & Balances
• D. Separation of Powers

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that a government’s legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed. This is called popular sovereignty. It means that citizens are the ultimate source of political authority, granting authority through elections, participation, and accountability. The other terms describe how power is organized or limited rather than where legitimacy comes from: federalism deals with power being shared between national and state governments, checks and balances are mechanisms to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful, and separation of powers divides duties among the branches. In American tradition, popular sovereignty is the foundation that authority rests with the people, as reflected in the line We the People.