Divine Right of Kings asserts that?

• A. The monarch's authority comes from the people
• B. The monarch's authority derives from God
• C. The monarch's authority is purely ceremonial
• D. The monarch's authority is limited by law

Answer: (B)

Divine Right of Kings is the belief that a monarch’s authority comes from God, not from the people or from laws. This view holds that the king’s legitimacy is ordained by divine will, making the monarch accountable only to God and not subject to popular consent or constitutional limits. Historically, it supported absolute monarchy by providing a theological justification for centralized, unchecked power and for resisting rebellion as opposing God’s will. The other ideas describe authority stemming from human sources or being constrained by law or ritual, which contradicts the notion that the king’s rule is divinely sanctioned. In American political thought, this contrasts with theories that base political authority on consent, natural rights, or constitutional restraints. So the correct understanding is that the monarch’s authority derives from God.