America’s Political Heritage

 Wrote Common Sense, 1776  Goal – to gain freedom from England & form a new gov.  Goal attained – American colonies fought against England in the American Revolution. They formed the U.S.A. & created the Constitution.

 Nov. 11, 1620  Pilgrim men signed an agreement to make & obey, just & equal laws for the general good of the colony.  Important step towards self-gov..

 13 colonies – elected representatives to form legislature to make laws.  Virginia House of Burgesses (1619) - first legislature ◦ Others soon followed  England had authority but granted authority to colonies through Charters ◦ However, if colonies challenged England’s authority, the charter was revoked (taken away) & a royal gov. was established.

 English governor could reject any laws passed by the colonial legislature. This ensured that England had final authority.  BUT  England was busy fighting wars so the colonists were self-governed for most of the 1600s & early 1700s.

 Colonial citizens resisted the English appointed colonial governors who ignored their rights. ◦ Appointed governors represented the interests of England & proprietors (wealthy nobles or merchants that held charters)

 Colonial legislatures clashed with governors & proprietors. ◦ Virginia House of Burgess- they declared that the governor could not tax the citizens without the approval of the legislature first. ◦ Massachusetts legislature passed laws to protect citizens’ rights.

 American rights & traditions stem from the colonial period.  Differences  ◦ Most people who vote today were not allowed to vote back then.  During the colonial period, only white men who owned land were allowed to vote (they thought that they were the only ones affected by the laws). These white men were thought to be educated & have enough free time.  No slaves were allowed because they were considered property. ◦ However, the American colonies were among the only ones who were allowed to participate in gov.

 Back then, like now- colonists’ main responsibility was to help the common good. ◦ Serve on juries ◦ Volunteer for the armed forces ◦ Supported education  Puritans set up public schools & Harvard.  Set up private schools & home-schooling

 Our freedoms now came about through the efforts of the colonists.  Greater religious freedom- puritans left England because they were persecuted by the Anglican Church. ◦ However, puritans persecuted anyone who disagreed with their religious views.

◦ Roger Williams – a minister who was kicked out of his colony because he criticized other religious leaders. He then formed his own colony called Rhode Island. There he allowed religious freedom. Soon others followed his example.  Colonists definition of religious freedom – all Christian religions – it did not include non-Christian religions. ◦ This was still an important step towards complete religious freedom.

 Early 1700s – colonial newspapers provided colonists with information. ◦ They DID NOT criticize the governor.

 trail of John Peter Zenger ◦ Zenger printed articles criticizing the NY governor (said that the NY governor accepted bribes & interfered with elections) ◦ NY governor burned the articles & accused Zenger of starting a rebellion. ◦ Zenger’s lawyer argued that if Zenger is right then he is innocent. Freedom of the press = basic human right. ◦ Jury said NOT guilty. ◦ Paved the way for other colonies to expose corrupt gov. though there was not complete freedom of the press.

 Mid 1700s  English tightened American colony control & turned them into Royal colonies.  Colonial citizens were angered at the abuse of power - TYRANNY.

 Urged colonists to look into the past for inspiration on gov.

 Athens, Greece – ruled by kings but Athenians believed that the wisdom of the citizens together was superior to that of one ruler. ◦ Created 1 st direct democracy – laws made by citizens. ◦ Citizens met to make life better. ◦ American colonists practiced this by having town meetings.  BUT - citizenship was limited.

 Rome – colonial legislature resembled representative gov. in Rome. ◦ 509 BC – Romans founded a Republic gov. with elected representatives to make laws. ◦ Still had limited citizenship.

 Magna Carta (1215): aka Great Charter ◦ Lists rights that English monarch couldn’t take away. ◦ Signed by King John ◦ 1 st time monarch’s power was limited.

 English Bill of Rights ◦ Late 1200s – parliament established. It eventually became more powerful than the monarch. ◦ 1689 – Bill of Rights passed.  Further limited the monarch  Listed all the rights of the English citizens  Rights include – right to petition & right to trial by jury.  Magna Carta & English Bill of Rights – protected against TYRANNY.

 John Locke – people can recognize their natural rights (life, liberty, & property) that they were born with. No gov. can take them away. ◦ Believed that gov. exists for the people.  Montesquieu – French writer ◦ Preached separation of powers (legislature – make laws, executive – enforces laws, judicial – interprets laws)  No branch can have too much power.

 Amer. Colonists believed that only their legislatures represented them, not the English parliament. ◦ No colonists were members of parliament and could not vote for them. ◦ Parliament didn’t understand colonists’ needs  Colonists wanted to trade with other countries but Parliament said only England.  Still, colonists helped Eng. defeat France in the French and Indian War in 1763.

 War debt caused Parliament to raise colonists’ taxes on trade goods.  Colonists said no – they won’t be taxed unless agreed upon by their own reps.  Par. Gave more power to governors (threw colonists in jail). Par. Ignored protests and complaints.

 Committees of Correspondence – passed news between colonies about England violating their rights.  First Continental Congress – 1774, 12 colonies met in Philadelphia. ◦ Pledged to cut off trade with England  2 nd Continental Congress – 1775, fighting against Eng. had already begun. ◦ Voted for independence  Colonists were still fearful of separating themselves from Eng.

 Written to explain why they should be a free nation.  Thomas Jefferson wrote about “unalienable” rights and how citizens give power to the gov.  Listed ways Eng. Ignored their rights  Adopted by reps. In Philadelphia on July 4, 1776

 State Constitutions – plan of gov. – spelled out the limits of gov. power. – included citizen’s rights. ◦ Limited yrs. Governor holds office ◦ Separation of powers – legislature had most power because it represented the colonists.  Articles of Confederation – 1777 – Continental Congress drew up a loose confederation/alliance between the 13 colonies. ◦ National legislature – each colony had 1 vote. ◦ No executive or judicial branches

 National Legislatures aka congress ◦ Power  To declare war  Make treaties  Work out state trade ◦ No power  To tax  Enforce laws Most power remained with the states.  A of C needed to be ratified/approved by all 13 states – finally ratified in 1781

 Winning the war against England caused economic problems – could not pay off debt ◦ Lost confidence in Amer. $  Shay’s Rebellion ◦ Farmers went into debt because they could not sell crops to Caribbean ◦ State legislatures taxed farmers’ land and many lost their farms because they couldn’t pay. ◦ 1786 – angry Massachusetts farmers, led by Daniel Shays stormed into courtrooms. MA militia was used to crush rebellion ◦ News spread of rebellion and many wanted a new stronger central gov. to keep law and deal with economic problems. ◦ George Washington – thought A of C was weak