The American Experience Constitutional Traditions The Mayflower Compact- 1st Self Government House of Burgesses- 1st Representative Government Revolutionary Era Memories of grievances against the king Declaration of Independence Colonial Self-Government Mayflower Compact (1620)- establish basic laws Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- House of Burgesses The Enlightenment Baron de Montesquieu “Spirit of the Laws” Separation of powers Three separate branches John Locke “Two Treatises of Government” All people have natural rights (life, liberty, and property) Government is agreement between ruler and ruled People have the right to rebel if rights are violated English Influence Magna Carta 1215 Limited government Right to trial by jury Protection from unlawful imprisonment Parliament (Middle Ages) National legislature, two houses, has power over taxes English Bill of Rights (1689) Monarch cannot have a standing army Taxes only passed by Parliament Freedom of speech and right to debate The Roman Empire Americans admired the Roman Republic Roman citizens were willing to serve in public office Caesar Augustus Under Caesar Augustus Rome became a dictatorship Rome fails because of greed and corruption Warning Signs Americans view Rome’s collapse as a warning not to value luxury over independence