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Topic 2: Origins of American Government�Events that Led to American Independence �Sections 1-2

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Introduction

What ideas and traditions influenced government in the English Colonies?

English customs and ideas about government, including:

The idea of ordered government
The principle of limited government
The principle of representative government

English historical documents, including:

The Magna Carta
The Petition of Right
The English Bill of Rights

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Key Political Concepts

Ordered government

Local governments should be divided into units and ruled by officers according to law.
City – County – State

Limited government

Individual citizens have basic rights
There are limits on government power

Representative government

Government should serve the will of the people.
People should have a say in what the government does or does not do.

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The Magna Carta

Signed by King John in 1215

Created by English barons to put limits on the once absolute power of the King.

Guaranteed certain fundamental rights for the privileged, such as Due Process, trial by jury and due process of law. Over time, these rights were extended to all English people.

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The Petition of Right

The Petition of Right was signed by King Charles I in 1628.

Banned the king from imprisoning or punishing people without first following the laws of the land.
Kept the king from declaring military rule in times of peace or making people house soldiers.
Required the consent of Parliament for taxation.

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The English Bill of Rights

The English Bill of Rights was drawn up by Parliament in 1689 to prevent the abuse of power by all future monarchs.

Required the consent of Parliament for taxation and suspension of laws.
Promised the right to a fair trial, and to petition the monarchy to correct injustices.

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American Rights

This chart compares the rights guaranteed by the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights with the freedoms listed in the Virginia Bill of Rights and the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution.

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The Thirteen Colonies

The colonies were established over a span of 125 years.

Virginia was the first colony, founded in 1607.
Georgia was the last, formed in 1733.

The similarities among the colonies ultimately outweighed their differences.

Each colony was established on the basis of a charter granted by the king.

These charters granted some governing authority to the colonies and kept some for the king.

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Three Types of Colonies

Royal colonies were directly controlled by the king.

Proprietary colonies were run by a proprietor chosen by the king.

Charter colonies were run mainly by elected legislatures and were the most independent.

How many royal colonies were left at this time?
How were royal colonies and charter colonies different?

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Colonial Gov. Comparison

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British Colonial Policies

The colonies became used to a large degree of self-rule for many years.

Distance made it hard for Parliament to manage colonial affairs or enforce trade laws.

Colonial legislatures took on broader powers, withholding pay from governors who disagreed with legislative proposals.

Britain provided colonial defense, managed foreign affairs, and provided a common currency and market.

Taxation was low and interference with colonial affairs was minimal.

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British Policies Change

How did Britain’s dealings with the colonies change?

After King George III came to power in 1760, British policies changed.
Parliament expanded and enforced laws to control colonial trade.
Parliament passed new taxes to pay for British troops stationed in North America.

Colonists had no say in these policies and protested “taxation without representation.”
British leaders ignored these complaints.

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Events Leading to Independence

In 1765, Britain passed the Stamp Act.

This law required a stamp to be bought for all legal documents and newspapers.

Nine colonies responded by forming the Stamp Act Congress in New York.

They sent a Declaration of Rights and Grievances to the king. This was the first unified colonial protest.
Parliament repealed the Stamp Act.

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Tensions Grow

New laws continued to anger colonists.

They responded with boycotts and violence

Events like the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party raised tensions.

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First Continental Congress

Met in Philadelphia in 1774 in response to the Intolerable Acts
Included delegates from every colony but Georgia. Among them were John Adams, George Washington, and John Jay.

Sent a Declaration of Rights to King George that protested Britain’s colonial policies.
Urged colonists to boycott trade with England until hated laws were repealed.
Gained the support of all 13 colonial legislatures and called for a second Congress to meet the following May.

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Second Continental Congress

This Congress became America’s first national government, from 1776-1781.

It had 1 Branch of Government with both legislative and executive powers made up of delegates from each state
During the war, it raised a military, printed and borrowed money, and made foreign treaties.
Benjamin Franklin (right) was a leading member.

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State Constitutions

The Congress urged colonies to write their own constitutions.

A constitution sets out the principles, structures, and processes of government.

First State Constitutions had 4 common features

Popular Sovereignty – government exists only with the consent of the people. Power to the People!
Limited Government – Constitution would limit the state government’s powers
Civil Rights & Liberties – There are certain rights all people have that the state must respect and not take away.
Separation of Powers/Checks & Balances – Power in the government is divided among different branches (executive, legislative, judiciary).

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Breaking from Britain

Congress resolved to break away from Britain in 1776.

Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson were named to write a proclamation of independence.

The delegates declared independence on July 2, 1776 and adopted the Declaration on July 4.

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John Locke – �Social Contract Theory

Believed that people had Natural Rights simply because they were human.
These rights were not granted by kings or governments.
Social Contract Theory – People form a government to protect their natural rights but this doesn’t mean the government has total control over the people.
If government fails to do what is best for the people, the people have the right to revolt and form a new government.
This is the basis for America breaking from England.

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Declaration of Independence

What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration severed ties with Great Britain and created a unique nation

No political system had ever been formed on the principles of equality, human rights, and representative government that derived its authority from the will of the people.

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Basic Principles of the

Declaration of Independence

Natural Rights – Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness

Popular Sovereignty – People are the source of political authority

Order – Importance of stability - Overthrowing a government is only a last resort

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Declaration of Independence Functions

We needed to prove our case to other nations why we had the right to break away from Britain. We did this by…

Inform European nations why we are fighting
List of charges against King of England
Provide common statement of beliefs and ideals held by colonists

World Jury…Here are our reasons for leaving Britain

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Basic Natural Rights

All People have the rights of Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness
Government gets is power from the people
Government cannot take away these rights.
If a government does violate those rights, the people can form a new one.

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List of Wrongs by Britain

27 complaints listed to prove that…
King George had chosen to rule as a tyrant rather than for the people.
Colonists had no representation in the British government
Colonists forced to house soldiers
Colonists taxed without having a say

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All Men Are Created Equal?

Did the words, “All Men are Created Equal” apply to all those who lived in the colonies?

NO!

Why aren’t we included?

Thanks for all the rights Pale Face

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Key Terms

limited government: the idea that government is restricted in what it may do and that every individual has certain rights that government cannot remove
representative government: the idea that government should both serve and be guided by the will of the people
Magna Carta: the Great Charter signed in 1215 that limited the powers of the English king and guaranteed certain fundamental rights

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Key Terms, cont.

due process: protection against the unjust taking of life, liberty, or property
Petition of Right: a document signed in 1628 that required the English king to obey the law of the land and increased the influence of Parliament
English Bill of Rights: a document signed in 1689 that required free elections and guaranteed many basic rights, such as due process and trial by jury, to all English citizens

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Key Terms, cont.

charter: a written grant of authority from the king
bicameral: having two houses, as in a two-house legislature
proprietary: the name given to colonies organized and governed according to the will of a proprietor, a person granted land and authority by the king
unicameral: having only one house, as in a one house legislature

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Key Terms

confederation: a joining of several different groups for a common purpose
Albany Plan of Union: Benjamin Franklin’s proposal that the 13 colonies form a congress to raise armed forces, regulate trade, and deal jointly with Native Americans
delegate: a representative
popular sovereignty: the principle that government exists only with the consent of the governed

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