  Answer the following questions:  What types of government might have been formed in the early years of colonization?  Why would the settlers feel the need for government? Warm Up

Magna Carta The Mayflower Compact The Virginia House of Burgesses Fundamental Orders of Connecticut Declaration of Rights, 1689

The Signing of the Magna Carta, 1215

  King John, an English King constantly demanded money and men for wars from his feudal barons.  The feudal barons in 1215 forced King John agrees that he had “no right” to demand their property without their consent. Their consent was to be agreed upon in a grand council.  King must now get consent of the people The Magna Carta, 1215

  Two important aspects of the Magna Carta:  there must be a set of laws governing (precedents) how the King and his subjects will deal with each other.  the King is not the highest authority and that he is bound by a higher law that limits his authority. The Magna Carta

Roanoke Island (Lost Colony)  Sir Walter Raleigh asked Queen Elizabeth of England if he could lead a group of people to begin a colony in the USA.  Queen Elizabeth gave Raleigh a charter (a document that allowed colonists to live on land owned by their country.) Picture Credit:

Roanoke Island (1st Time) In 1585, the first English people tried to begin a colony. This became the 1 st English colony in the USA. It failed due to hunger and bad relations with the Native Americans. All but 15 men went back to England on a ship.

Roanoke Island (2nd Time) In 1587, Raleigh sent colonists a second time. The 15 men that had stayed behind the 1 st time had been killed by then. John White was the colony’s governor. This time, the colonist brought their wives and children. John White’s granddaughter, Virginia Dare was born 1 month after they arrived in the USA on August 18 the first English baby born in the USA. Picture Credit: Virginia.html

Spanish Armada  In 1588, King Philip II decided to attack England.  The English defeated the all powerful Spanish Armada because they had quicker ships and a violent storm helped destroy the Spanish ships. Picture Credit:

The Lost Colony  John White returned in August 1590 to find no colonists on Roanoke Island.  On one of the trees was written CROATOAN.  Croatoan was the name of an island nearby as well as the name of the Native Americans living in the area. Picture Credit: banks.com/lost.cfm

Jamestown Colony  In 1606, King James I gave permission to the Virginia Company of London to try a colony.  Christopher Newport led the three ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery to Jamestown. Discovery Godspeed Susan Constant Picture Credit:

Jamestown On May 14, 1607, the settlers began building the first English permanent settlement on the James River in Virginia. Jamestown was named after the King James I and Virginia was named after the Virgin Queen of England. w Click Here to see a Virtual tour of Jamestown Click Here to see a Virtual tour of Jamestown Picture Credit:

  Not educated in how to plant food in Virginia.  Little knowledge of Virginia landscape.  Not enough people in the Jamestown settlement especially hard working people.  Native American Battles Reasons for Jamestown Difficulties

Powhatan Native Americans The Powhatan Native Americans were in control of almost all of Virginia (Eastern Woodland Area). Most of the Powhatan farmed, hunted and fished. They lived in yehakin lodges built by the women.

John Smith  John Smith was the leader of the colony.  He was saved by Pocahontas, a Powhatan Native American.  Smith was a hard leader but his leadership is what kept the colony alive. Picture Credit:

John Rolfe  John Rolfe in 1614 found a way to harvest tobacco.  This quickly became the cash crop of Virginia.  He also married Pocahontas in 1614 and thus created peace with the Powhatan Native Americans for 8 years. Picture Credit: ontas.html

Virginia House of Burgesses, 1619

  1619 the first elected representative government appears in Virginia.  House of Burgesses imposed taxes and ran the colony  It is modeled after the English Parliament.  English Parliament was England’s lawmaking elected government. Virginia House of Burgesses

Plymouth Colony  The King of England, Henry VIII rebelled against the Roman Catholic Church and started his own Church called the Church of England.  These people became known as Protestants.  In 1620, Pilgrims decided to take the Mayflower and settle in the USA.

Pilgrims at Plymouth William Bradford was the leader of the colony. Before landing, they wrote an agreement called the Mayflower Compact. This was the first English legal agreement in the USA.Mayflower Compact They settled in Cape Cod/New England. Picture Credit: honors/amlit/alcolonial.htm

Signing of the Mayflower Compact

  1620, Pilgrims arriving near the New England Coast agree to write a contract that allows for self-government.  The Mayflower Compact promised that every adult male would vote for the Governor and his advisors on a yearly basis.  It supports the idea of majority rule. Mayflower Compact, 1620

Native Americans of New England  The Native Americans had a sachem or leader.  Massasoit was the leader of the Wampanoag.  Squanto and Samoset helped the Pilgrims survive the first hard years.

Thanksgiving  October 1621, The Pilgrims invited the Native Americans to a 3 day feast to thank them for helping them make it through a difficult year.  The first national Thanksgiving was in 1777 for the 13 colonies.  George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789.

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, 1639

  First written constitution in North America. It was the work of a Puritan clergyman, Thomas Hooker.  It was a outline for self-government of the colony. The well being of the community came before the individual.  Adult males elected a governor, assistants, and a legislative assembly to make laws for the community. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, 1639

  Colonial governments like the House of Burgesses elect their own representatives  Representatives impose taxes, fines and managed colonial affairs  Colonists believe they are Englishmen and should have a say in their government  Colonists are used to running their governments on their own, the English have let the colonies get used to this Colonial Government

James II  “Divine Rights” belief that the king was God’s choice to rule on earth  A monarch has absolute power over his nation  A monarch appoints government officials who answer to him not the people  A monarch passed laws without the peoples consent or input

The Glorious Revolution  Glorious because no one died in battle and Revolution because the English overthrow the last Catholic monarch  Parliament takes away many powers from the monarchy  Monarchs William of Orange and Mary agree to give Parliament more power

  Ships from Europe to colonies had to stop in England.  Trade between colonies and Britain had to be on British ships.  Key products could only be sold to England.  Colonists hated Navigation Acts – turned to smuggling Navigation Acts (1651)

  Monarchs William of Orange and Mary agree to give Parliament and people have more power under Bills of rights than the monarchs :  Parliament agrees on laws not the king  Raise taxes  Parliament okays the raising of an army  Parliament and public have free speech against the government  Trial by jury  Elections and debates English Bill of Rights, 1689

Colonial Government  King appointed the governor in his place  Governor appointed by King and had final say on laws  Assemblies made laws, passed taxes, paid governor’s salary which made the governor listen to the assemblies

Freedom of the Press  John Peter Zenger Trial, 1735  Arrested for exposing governor’s corruption in his paper  Charged with seditious libel  Wins freedom of press and papers will begin to address political issues

  What important English Rights did the colonist gain from the following dates. 1215, 1689, 1735?  What is a representative government?  Who had more power in the colonial government system. The king, governor or the assemblies?  Compare and contrast a monarchy and a representative government.  Create an illustrated time line on representative government in colonial America. Colonial Government