Which idea states that the government should be limited and must follow the Constitution?

• A. Federalism
• B. Popular Sovereignty
• C. Republicanism
• D. Limited Government

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is limited government: the government’s powers are restricted by the Constitution and officials must act within those bounds. This principle is built into the framework of the Constitution, which sets out what the national government can do, denies other powers, and reserves some powers to the states. The system of checks and balances further ensures no one branch can overstep its authority. That combination—power limited by a written rule book and constrained by other branches—is what keeps government from becoming too powerful.

This differs from federalism, which is about how power is divided between national and state governments; popular sovereignty, which is about the people being the source of governmental authority; and republicanism, which centers on governing through elected representatives.