Beginnings of U.S. Government Section 1 Government of the British Colonies

Original 13 Colonies

Limited Government and representative government were two basic principles of government that the English brought to the colonies.

Limited Government was first expounded in the Magna Carta, which was signed in 1215.

Further limits on the power of the monarchy included the Petition of Rights, signed in 1628, and the Bill of Rights signed in 1689.

Parliament is an example of a representative government.

The colonist developed written plans for government, including the Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. Mayflower Compact was written and signed by the Pilgrims before they came ashore at Plymouth Rock. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was the first formal constitution of the colonies. Male property owners were allowed to vote at this time. In time each colony had had a charted that set up a limited government based on rule by law.

Mayflower Compact

The first colonial legislature, the House of Burgesses was established in Virginia in 1619.

Representative Government The colonist set up their own version of Parliament. 1st colonial legislature met in Virginia Colony in 1619. It was called the House of Burgesses. Representative Government

Representative Government Each of the other 12 colonies also established legislatures. They had 2 houses. The upper house (wealthy land owners appointed by governors) The lower house (was elected) Representative Government

Beginnings of U.S. Government Section 2 Fighting for Independence

Relationship between Britain and the colonies deteriorated after the French and Indian war. Conflict between Britain and France. Peace treaty gave Britain new territories in North America and India.

King George refused to ask the people of England to pay all the cost because they had such a large war debt to pay off. He ask Parliament to make the North American colonists to help pay for their own defense.

Beginning in 1765 Parliament placed new taxes on the colonies to raise revenue or income. Stamp Act Tea Act Intolerable Acts

British revenue taxes angered the colonist to the point hat a group of them dumped tea into the Boston Harbor rather than pay taxes on it.

Parliament, in response passed what is called the four Intolerable Acts. 1- closed the port of Boston until colonist paid for the wasted tea; 2- Outlawed town meetings 3 – required colonist to pay the cost of food and housing for British troops 4- allowed British officials accused of serious offenses while putting down riots to be sent to England for trial. Intolerable Acts

The acts of King George, III and Parliament created the opposite affect of what was expected to happen. Instead of forcing the colonies to obey; the intolerable Acts pushed them towards independence. Colonial Unity

1st Continental Congress 12 colonies sent representatives to a meeting in Philadelphia in September 1774. This meeting was known as the 1st Continental Congress Congress rejected the Intolerable Acts and called for a boycott of British Goods. They would not buy or sell British goods. 1st Continental Congress

Declaration and Resolves Congress sent Parliament a “Declaration and Resolves” that defended the colonist’s right to pass laws for themselves. Congress also refused the right to accept Parliament to tax them. Declaration and Resolves

2nd Continental Congress May 1775, Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. April, colonist and British soldiers had fought the opening battles of the Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord in the Massachusetts Bay Colony The Congress formed an army and chose George Washington as commander in chief. 2nd Continental Congress

2nd Continental Congress Congress and King George traded petitions and proclamations. Congress wanted to find a peaceful solution with the Olive Branch Petition. Asked the king to protect the colonist for Parliament unfair acts. The king refused and declared the colonist in rebillion 2nd Continental Congress

Declaring Independence 1776, support from Great Britain grew rapidly. Thomas Paine pamphlet, Common Sense, persuaded many colonist that the time for independence had come. On July 4, the members of Congress signed the Declaration of Independence . There was no turning back. Congress then prepared to set up the new nation’s government. Declaring Independence

Beginnings of U.S. Government Section 3 The Confederation Government

Once the Declaration was signed, the colonies were no longer colonies Once the Declaration was signed, the colonies were no longer colonies. Each became a state with the powers of a state. The states were joined together in a loose confederation; The states kept most of their powers; They shared few powers with the national government

Confederation Government The new states needed some form of central government Each state alone could not fight Great Britain By 1777, 2nd Conventional Congress drafted the Articles of Confederation. 1781, all the states had ratified the new plan of government. It remained the government of the new nation until it was replaced by the US constitution in 1789. Confederation Government