Political Traditions are Brought from England Page 35-38

Colonization in N. America For 200 years before America declared her independence settlers had been coming France, Spain, England and Holland English eventually won control and brought with them their long-established traditions of politics, law, and government.

France and England Main rivals for colonization in N. America After French and Indian War, England took control of: French territories in Canada and Great Lakes Spanish territory in Florida England had control of all of N. America east of the Mississippi

Four Important Principles from England 1. Limited government 2. Representative government 3. Individual liberty 4. Rule by law These ideas had come from hundreds of years of English history.

Limits on the monarchy Limits were placed on royal power by the Magna Charta Magna Charta is considered the foundation of English constitutional freedom limits on taxation, protection of private property, trial by jury, religious freedom Important in establishing the principle of limited government.

Representative Government A lawmaking body developed from the nobles and bishops - parliament Two houses House of Lords - upper house-bishops and nobles-inherited or appointed House of Commons - lower house- knights and townsmen who were elected by other knights and townspeople Established principle of representative gov’t

Individual Liberty The principal of personal freedom was a part of English history Magna Charta made it clear that the people possessed certain rights that not even the ruler could take away Established the idea of judgement by your peers.

Struggle for Parliamentary Power Parliament fought for more rights for the people Petition of Rights increased the freedoms and rights of the people King ignored it at first but parliament resisted and it turned into civil war. King was defeated and a republic was set up.

English Bill of Rights Signed by William and Mary It recognized certain basic rights of the people Parts of it would later be used to write the Constitution of the U.S. Has stood throughout history as a beacon for citizen rights

Locke and Social Contract Purpose of gov’t is to protect the people’s rights to life, liberty, and property. People have the right to remove the gov’t if it fails to do so. Locke’s ideas were used by Jefferson in the writing of the Declaration of Independence

Rule by Law Common law was built on decisions of judges, based on custom and tradition Was to be the law throughout the country The decisions served as precedent for later judgements English valued common law as a safeguard of rights since it didn’t come from the king English colonist brought the idea of rule by law to America