Early Foundations of Law and Government

EARLY FOUNDATIONS Magna Carta : (Great Charter) Written in 1215, limited the power of the King -Sets up foundation for limited government- government must follow the law * What does that mean for the kings/queens?

Enlightenment Philosophers John Locke: Natural Rights, Social Contract Voltaire: Freedom of Speech, and Separation of Church and State Montesquieu: Separation of Powers Rousseau: Egalitarianism, Social Contract ( Humans will destroy themselves if they don’t give up some freedoms)

ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHERS Voltaire said: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your RIGHT to say it.”

VIEW Believed too much power in one place is dangerous for others Introduced “Separation of Powers” between branches of government Ex: England’s Government King-enforced laws Parliament-made laws Judges-interpreted laws

Ideas of the enlightenment Social contract theory : says that government comes from the consent of the governed. *People agree to have a government as long as it does not violate their rights and freedoms. In return they agreed to follow the law of the contract…

Ideas continued Natural rights: Rights that are so basic that they cannot be taken away. (you are born with them) -John Locke- Life, LIBERTY,AND PROPERTY -OUR VERSION- LIFE LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

More ideas  Egalitarianism: The spread of equality ○ This is the thought that all men are created equal. (from what document does this come from?) ○ The enlightenment thinkers used this concept to mold the representative governments in which the government comes from the consent of the governed. ○ Which philosopher promoted this idea?

Mayflower compact Social contract of the Pilgrims. Created in 1620 – Became the foundation of law at the Plymouth colony in Massachusetts

House of Burgesses Established in Jamestown, VA in 1619 first representative governing body In the New World. (what does that mean?... Representative governing body)  What is significant about Jamestown?

House of Burgesses

NAVIGATION ACTS Passed in the 1660, restricted the trade of goods to anyone other than England. This created a FAVORABLE BALANCE OF TRADE for England. England is Exporting (selling) more goods than it is importing (buying) What economic philosophy helped keep a favorable balance of trade for England?

French & Indian War War between the British and French (French & Indians alligned) over control of the colonies Between 1754 & 1763, the British government started taxing the colonists to help pay for the war. Spawned a period of *Salutary Neglect between England and the Colonies England was so concerned with the war that they left the colonies alone to govern themselves. They did not try to regain control until after the war was over.

Proclamation of 1763 – British passed this statement that prohibited Colonists from moving West of the Appalachian Mountains. – Red line is proclamation line

Stamp Act Passed in 1765 First Act passed against the colonies Placed a tax on ALL materials printed on paper (newspapers, pamphlets, cards etc.) ‏ – All printed matter had to have a special stamp on it to show the tax had been paid. – In response to this tax, many colonists cried for “no taxation without representation” (representation where?) – MAJOR REASON FOR THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR!!!!

Boston Massacre Background 1770 By the late 1700’s the British government was very alarmed by colonial protests. Britain sent regiments of soldiers (4,000) to keep order. Colonists provoked a British regiment, and they killed five colonists. As word spread through the colonies, it became known as the Boston Massacre, a violent confrontation between British soldiers and colonists.

More on the Boston Massacre… People in Boston were not happy with witnessing soldier life and they were not happy that many of the soldiers tried to supplement their income by taking jobs down on the dock leaving fewer jobs for the colonists. One night the tension escalated and a group of people began throwing snowballs and heckling soldiers in the town square, soon a large crowd had gathered and in the commotion of pushing and shoving at each other one of the soldiers was knocked to the ground. Shots were fired and in the end five colonists were killed. The dead became martyrs for the cause and the Boston press hailed the incident a massacre. Reaction was so intense that the army was moved to an island in the Boston Harbor. The soldiers were later put on trial with John Adams as their attorney and were found not guilty. However, reaction from the colonists was strong. They were now convinced that the army would turn on them and tensions would increase!

Protest against Britain... Boston Tea Party Parliament passed the Tea Act in the hopes of compromising with the colonist. The Tea Act said that Americans could only buy their tea from the East India Company (a British tea company). The company would sell the tea cheaper than it could purchased from anyone else and the government would still be able to collect some revenue. However, colonists did not like the idea of any tax levied by Parliament, they did not like being told who to buy tea from and they did not like that American tea merchants were being put out of business. In Philly and New York when the ships arrived, they refused to allow them to dock and sent them back to England. Boston Tea Party – December 16, 1773 In Boston, the Royal Governor refused to allow the ships to be turned away from the Boston Harbor. So, the colonists refused to unload the tea and so for a few nights the ships sat in the harbor. One evening a group of men dressed as Mohawk Indians boarded the boat and threw the tea overboard to protest the Tea Act. What is a Protest? What are some different types of protest?

British response to Boston Tea Party Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts): 1774 Passed to punish the colonists for the Boston tea party. Made colonists pay back the lost tea Implemented the quartering Act Closed the Boston harbour Stopped town meetings.

”The able Doctor, or America Swallowing the Bitter Draught This British cartoon depicting the Intolerable Acts as an assault upon a Native American woman (a symbol of the American colonies) was copied and distributed throughout the thirteen colonies.

QUARTERING ACT Established in 1765 Under this act, if asked, colonists were required by law to provide temporary housing and food to British soldiers. The colonists considered this an unwanted intrusion of their privacy

COLONIAL RESPONSE= UNITE First Continental Congress Second Continental Congress  Appealed to the King about the taxation, intolerable acts and lack of representation  *agreed to meet again in 1775 if conditions did not improve.  Drafted the declaration of independence. Delegates urged each colony to set up and train its own militia.

KING’S RESPONSE TO COLONISTS? THE FACTS OF WHAT TOOK PLACE…  King George responded to the requests of the delegates with military force!  The 1st two battles of the Revolutionary War took place in April, 1775 in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.  Head of Army: George Washington  1st battle=Breed’s Hill (located in Charlestowne, Mass.)  Colonial Army had 400 soldiers vs. more than 1,000 British troops  COLONIAL ARMY WINS!!!

Declaration of Independence Signed July 4, 1776 by second continental congress Explained why the American Colonies were separating from Great Britain – Listed many abuses the colonies suffered under the British king John Hancock of Massachusetts was the first to put his name down. He did it with a big, bold signature, "so the king doesn't have to put his glasses on," he said. Fifty-six men signed their names on the Declaration of Independence.

4 parts to the Declaration of Independence 1. Preamble (purpose)‏ Introduction Explanation of Separation from England 2. Declaration of Rights General theories of Government People are born with Natural Rights Origin of government was a social contract 3. Grievances **Largest Section Charges against King George III 4. Declaration of Independence Goal was to preserve peace, but forced towards independence

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE HBO: John Adams – Congress approves the DOI.

Other Causes/Influences of the American Revolution  Common Sense- Written by Thomas Paine arguing for independence.  Writs of Assistance- Search warrants that allowed soldiers to search whatever, whenever they wanted.  * what specifically did British soldiers want to search?

Propaganda poster depicting the tar and feathering of the British Commissioner of Customs John Malcolm in Describe what you see in this picture. What does it mean? Propaganda…?

Thomas Jefferson knew just what to say, and he said it in a way that inspired people all over the world. "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed". Thinking point: *This will be an example of an excerpt on the test. You will have to read this passage. What enlightenment term is it trying to express? What philosopher is it referring to?

FIRST PROJECT Create a timeline Must include important documents, ideas, Acts and people (using notes from objective 1.02 – Landmark documents) Use as many pictures and creative ideas as possible to represent ideas in your timeline. – How can you make your timeline original and different from what we think of as a timeline? Must be in order (chronologically) start at 1215 – 1776 (what is everything that falls in between?) ‏ You can use your notes, book, online resources etc.