The Origins of American Government: A Primer Anthony Fitzpatrick

The Magna Carta O 1215: King John agrees to – O Preserve the Freedom of the Church and to hear petitions from the barons. O Remove foreign armies from England. O Not to seize land to pay for debts. O Not to take life or liberty without due process or repayment. O Not to delay court proceedings or punish without hearings from witnesses O Repay unjust fines and not issue extreme punishments

Tested: The Petition of Right O King Charles disbands parliament. Sir Edward Coke presents a list of complaints: O Denying due process O Unjustly taking property O Denying trial by jury O Unjust punishments and fines Charles is beheaded in 1649 = Law over monarch.

The Glorious Revolution provides the English Declaration of Rights and Toleration Act O 1688 – William and Mary accept the laws as a condition of ascending to the throne. O Freedom of Religion (for Non-Anglican protestants) O Freedom of Speech for Parliament (during debate) O Peaceful assembly and right to petition. O Bear arms. O Protection of property and liberty O Rights of the accused and criminals

The Mayflower Compact and the Body of Liberties O 1620 – Compact establishes a social contract. O 1641 – Body of Liberties O Free Speech and Petition O Just compensation for property taken for public use O Protection from Double Jeopardy O Trial by Jury and right to counsel O Protection from cruel punishment and excessive bail.

John Locke: Two Treatises of Government (1690) O Men are by nature FREE and EQUAL and they own their own person and possessions. O People must unite into a community for their comfortable, safe, and peaceable living” in order to defend their rights. O The purpose of government is to protect individual natural rights (life, liberty, property)

Baron de Montesquieu O A divided and balanced government was the best way to safeguard against tyranny and a consolidation of power into one particular interest. O Montesquieu admires the British construct of government.

Thomas Paine: Common Sense O Asserts the values of an electoral process as a remedy against the problems of heredity as an avenue to hold public office. O A mixed state (as promoted by Locke and Montesqueiu) is not sufficient)

Let’s SPEC! O Let’s first SPEC some of the aSPECts of the key points. O Then – we will examine excerpts of the text to see if our assertions hold true. O Finally – generate lesson ideas.