Chapter 2 Origins of American Government Section 1 Our Political Background

© EMC Publishing, LLC English Settlers Arrive in North America  The British Empire prospers in the New World.  English settlers on the eastern coast keep Dutch and French colonists out.  The eastern seaboard is heavily English by the 1700s.  Eventually England becomes most dominant country in the Americas. Spain was weakened by a shrinking population and lagging economy.

© EMC Publishing, LLC Britain Gradually Dominates the New World in the 1700s

Why Colonists Leave England  To flee religious persecution  To establish a utopian (perfect) society  To become landowners The average person could not get land in England. England granted charters to businesses: Contract between the English crown and a person or company giving the right to establish a colony.  To make their fortunes  To provide raw materials for England Colonies’ mercantile system focused on trade and competition with other nations. Mercantilism: economic system in which the government regulates through absolutism.

© EMC Publishing, LLC Your Turn Which religious groups immigrated to the colonies in hopes of finding religious freedom?

© EMC Publishing, LLC English Political Beliefs: Seeds of Self-Rule  Magna Carta, 1215 One of the first documents to limit a king’s power Provides due process and the rule of law Outlawed jailing subjects without criminal charges  Petition of Right,1628 Establishes that king is not above the law  English Bill of Rights, 1689 Protects rights of the people

© EMC Publishing, LLC English Protections Petition of Right: Limits king’s power  No punishment without peer judgment  No imposition of military rule in peacetime  No requirement that homeowner house troops  No collection of money without consent of Parliament

© EMC Publishing, LLC English Protections English Bill of Rights: Increases citizen’s power  Right to trial by jury of peers  Freedom from excessive bail or fines  Right to keep arms  Right to petition government  Freedom of speech and debate within Parliament  Right to have Parliament make laws  Right to have no standing army without permission of Parliament

© EMC Publishing, LLC Participation in Colonial Government  There were three types of colonial governments: Royal: Leaders chosen by king of England Proprietary: Leaders chosen by person who received grant from king Charter: Leaders elected by white, male property owners in colonies  Some colonies set up colonial representative assemblies (for example, the House of Burgesses in Virginia).  Communities usually made their own decisions about leadership (but the king appointed some governors).

© EMC Publishing, LLC Who Could Vote in the Colonies?  Property: Only property owners–later amended to taxpayers–were allowed to vote.  Religion: Voters had to meet moral or religious standards.  Race: Because blacks were forbidden to own property, they could not vote. Biggest political obstacle.  Gender: Few women were allowed to vote.

© EMC Publishing, LLC Your Turn Colonial leaders wanted to ensure that life in the New World would be better than life in England. 1.If you were a founding father, how would you have ensured that voters were taking the common good into account? 2.What perspective do you think the founders had about the average person and participation in politics?