Which concept asserts all political power comes from the people?

• A. Popular sovereignty
• B. Divine right
• C. Federalism
• D. Direct democracy

Answer: (A)

Popular sovereignty is the idea that the government’s authority comes from the people. It means the people give the government its power and can change or remove leaders through elections and consent. In the United States, the phrase We the People at the start of the Constitution embodies this idea, showing that the government should operate with the people’s approval.

Divine right says rulers derive authority from God, not the people, so it isn’t about where power comes from. Federalism describes how power is shared between national and state governments, not the source of that power. Direct democracy is a way people directly vote on laws themselves; it shows how power is exercised, but the statement about the source of political power points to popular sovereignty as the defining principle.