1. The American Colonies and Their Government Chapter 4

2. Influences on American Colonial Government
Essential Questions:
How did climate and geography influence the development of the colonies?
Why do people create, structure, and change governments?
How did the ideas of the great thinkers from the Enlightenment era influence the Founders who shaped our government in ways that still affect us today?

3. The Foundations of Democracy
Democracy- a government in which the people participate
FORMS/TYPES
Direct Democracy
Representative Democracy
Direct Democracy- a form of democracy in which the people participate directly in all government affairs
Representative Democracy- a government in which citizens choose a smaller group to govern on their behalf
U.S. also called a Republic
Great Britain has a Constitutional Monarchy

4. Ancient Democracies Ancient Greeks created the first direct democracy
400s B.C, Athens
All Men 18 and older could take part in the assembly
Decisions made by council of 500
took turns serving on the council
Members were paid for their services

5. Republic The Romans created the first Republic-
a representative democracy where citizens choose their lawmakers
Government was put in the hands of the senate
Senate members were wealthy upper class members called patricians
Senate elected two members called consuls
The consuls led the government

6. Early English Influences
Since the collapse of the Roman Empire (A.D 476)
Kings and Queens and Lords ruled Europe for the next 700 years
Power also given to Lords or nobles who usually inherited land, wealth and power
Over time the growth of towns as business and trade centers weakened the power of the lords
Kings gained greater control of their kingdoms
Nobles resisted this change
In England they rose up against King John in 1215
He was forced to sign a document called the Magna Carta
Latin for “Great Charter”

7. The Magna Carta Limited the power of the King
Prohibited him from placing certain taxes on nobles without their consent
It gave rights to free men
Right to equal treatment under the law
Right to trial by one’s peers
Right to rebel if the King broke his part of the agreement

8. Idea of Limited Government
Limited Government- a ruler or government should have their power limited
At first the Magna Carta only protected the nobles
Over time those rights came to apply to all English people
The Magna Carta established the first limited government

9. Glorious Revolution Led to the English Bill of Rights
In 1688, Parliament forced King James II from the throne
The son of Charles I
His daughter Mary and husband William were asked to rule
This transfer of power was known as the “Glorious Revolution”

10. The English Bill of Rights
Mary and William had to accept rules set by Parliament
English citizens had rights that no king could violate
Citizens had the right to a fair trial
They could not be taxed unless Parliament agreed
These Rights became known as the English Bill of Rights
The signing of the English Bill of Rights brought an end to the struggles between Parliament and the monarchs

11. Influence of the Enlightenment
Guiding Question: How did ideas from Europe’s Enlightenment influence American government?

12. The Enlightenment
Enlightenment- a large cultural movement in Europe driven by ideas
Scientific discoveries led to the belief that God had created an orderly universe
The laws that controlled the universe could be discovered through human reasoning
Apply the laws that ruled nature to people and society
This time period when a change in thinking about how people saw their position in the world is called the Enlightenment period.
It had a great effect on political thinking in Europe and the Americas

13. Enlightenment Thinkers
John Locke -English
Influenced by the events of the Glorious Revolution
Published “Two Treatises of Government”
A treatise is a long essay
Believed all people are born equal with certain God-given rights called natural rights
Rights to life, liberty and to own property

14. Enlightenment Thinkers
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
wrote “The Social Contract” -1762
Citizens agree to give up some freedoms to follow laws and in return the government would protect their rights to life, liberty, property.
He believed that people should have right to decide how they should be governed

15. Enlightenment Thinkers
Baron de Montesquieu -French
Developed the idea that the power of government should be divided into branches
He believed no one branch should become too strong and threaten peoples rights
The idea of separation of powers

16. The First Colonial Governments
Guiding Question: How were first English colonies in America shaped by earlier ideas about democracy and government?
Colony- an area of land in one place controlled by a country in another place
Early colonists were loyal to England
They brought to America the traditions, beliefs, and changes that had shaped England’s government
Individual rights and representative government

17. Jamestown First permanent English settlement
Located in what is now Virginia
Founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company
A business owned by a group of London merchants
Ruled by a governor and a council
The company appointed the officials

18. Jamestown Government
In 1619 the Virginia Company allowed the colony to make their own laws
This attracted more settlers
Colonists elected leaders to represent them in an assembly
Leaders were called burgesses
The assembly was called the House of Burgesses
This was the beginning of self-government and representative democracy in colonial America

19. Plymouth Settlement Pilgrims arrived in 1620
They set sail for Virginia on the ship Mayflower
seeking religious freedom
Blown off course by a storm
Landed off the coast of Massachusetts and settled the colony of Plymouth
To survive they needed to form their own government

20. Mayflower Compact
Before they went on land they drew up the Mayflower Compact
Written agreement
They agreed to choose leaders and work together to make their own laws for the colony

21. Settlement, Culture, and Government of the Colonies
Essential Question:
How did climate and geography influence the development of the colonies?
What factors influence the creation, and structure of governments?

22. Settling the English Colonies
Settlers mostly came from England
Others came from:
Scotland, Ireland, and Wales
Germany
Africa (Slaves)
Amsterdam (Dutch)
Sweden

23. Economic Opportunity
Most settlers settled for a chance to earn a living or own land
The colonies had land for farming and other jobs
Those who could not afford to pay for the voyage came as indentured servants
Indentured servants- a worker who contracted with American colonists for food and shelter in return for his or her labor
They worked for 4-7 years or until the debt was paid

24. Religious Freedom Escaping Religious persecution in England
Some groups were persecuted or treated harshly because of their religious beliefs
Some groups decided to come to the English colonies for religious freedom
Puritans founded Massachusetts Bay Colony
They were called Puritans because they wanted to reform or purify the church in England which was changing at the time
Puritans were “dissenters”- those who oppose official or commonly held views

25. Religious Freedom Puritans wanted to worship God in their own way
It was only their way…Only church members could participate in government
They forced others to leave the colony if they challenged their form of worship
Rhode Island- founded by Roger Williams
he left Massachusetts for more political participation and religious freedom
Connecticut- founded by Thomas Hooker
Connecticut developed America’s first written constitution
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
Colonists would elect an assembly of representatives from each town
They also elected a governor

26. Life in the Colonies
Guiding Question: How was life in the colonies shaped by where people lived?
People lived in different ways depending on where they settled.
The features of climate and geography influenced each colony’s economy
By 1733 England had 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast
Three different economic regions were developed

27. New England Colonies
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
Located farthest north
Most people lived in towns
Cold climate and rocky soil made farming difficult
Many of the colonists were Puritans or influenced by their work ethic
Their religion stressed the value of thrift and hard work
Worked as shopkeepers, and other small businesses
Shipping and fishing
Hunted for fur, trading with Native Americans

28. Middle Colonies New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
Located south of New England
Climate and soil were better for agriculture
Cash crops- are grown in large quantities to be sold, not just to feed family
“The Breadbasket Colonies”- grew grains- barley, rye, and wheat.
Many businesses were owned by colonists from Germany, Holland and other European countries
Natural Resources
Lumber, metals, saw mills, mines, ironworks and other industries grew

29. The Southern Colonies
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia
Warm climate, long growing season, and rich soil
Large-scale agriculture
Tobacco and rice became the main cash crops
Plantations- large farms
Many workers were needed
Indentured servants were used at first
Plantation owners became dependent on labor of enslaved Africans
Smaller farmers-backcountry
Poorer soil, mainly grew what they needed to feed famliy
Depended less on enslaved labor

30. Colonial Government
Most colonies shared their English heritage and were loyal to England
Distance with England led to Colonists creating their own governments and legislatures
Colonists began to think of themselves as Americans rather than English subjects

31. Governing the Colonies
In the beginning England’s government paid little attention to the colonies
Parliament was in a political struggle with the King
The purpose of the colonies was to exist to benefit England
1650s Parliament began passing laws to regulate the colonies’ trade
These laws were hard to enforce
Colonists began to resent having less rights than people living in Great Britain

32. PART TWO: THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
The next and last portion of this presentation focuses on the events that led American colonists to declare their independence from Britain and the ideas that affected the choices they made and how they would form a new government.

33. Social and Political Changes in the Colonies
Guiding Question: What events and movements affected colonial attitude?
The Great Awakening- religious movement from 1740s to 1760s
Swept across the colonies
Fiery preachers stressed the value of personal religious experience
They rejected the teachings of church leaders
Urged people to build a direct relationship with God
Pressed colonists to question traditional religious, and political authority

34. The Great Awakening and a Spirit of Liberty
The Great Awakening movement created a strong spirit of liberty or personal freedom
Colonists wanted the same rights as people in Great Britain
Parliament created laws for colonists and most governors were appointed by the king
resentment toward British rule began to grow in the 1760s

35. The French and Indian War
Colonists were expanding west in the 1750s
These lands were claimed by France (Ohio River Valley)
In Europe England and France were at war
The war in Europe spread to America- The French and Indian War (American Indians sided with the French)
The British won and took control of French lands
Colonists expected the British troops to leave after war was over but they did not.

36. New Laws and Taxes French and Indian war left Britain in debt
British felt that Colonists caused the war by moving westward into French and Indian land
King George decided the colonists should pay for the war
He issued new taxes
He wanted to keep peace with the Native Americans
He issued Proclamation Line of 1763 official statement that forbade the colonists from settling in the land won from the French and Indian war.
He placed over 10,000 British troops in the colonies to keep order
These actions enraged the colonists

37. War Debt and Taxes
King George asked Parliament to tax the colonies to pay for war debt
In 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act
Colonists had to buy and place tax stamps on many types of legal documents
Colonists protested and called for a boycott, refused to buy British goods
They believed only they had no representatives in Parliament who had the right to tax them
1766 Parliament repealed or canceled the Stamp Act

38. Colonial Anger Grows
Colonial trade was supposed to be for the benefit of Britain
Townshend Acts- placed duties (taxes) on a variety of goods the colonists imported from countries other than Britain
Colonists again resisted with boycott and protests
Parliament repealed all duties except for a tax on tea

39. Search Warrants- Writs of Assistance
One of the Townshend Acts allowed for general search warrants
To combat smuggling- (illegally moving goods in or out of a country)
Search Warrants were called “writs of assistance”
Allowed British officials to enter any business, ship, or home to look for smuggled goods
Colonists were again angered
John Hancock’s ship –The Liberty

40. Tea Act- 1773 The Tea Act of 1773 was not a tax
It allowed a British company that grew tea in India to import tea into the colonies without paying existing taxes
Colonies still had to pay taxes on any other tea
Made the British companies tea cheaper forcing colonies to rely on and trade only with Britain
December Boston Tea Party
A group of Colonists dressed as Native Americans boarded British ships in Boston Harbor
In protest they dumped 342 barrels of the British company’s tea into the water

41. Parliament Response to Boston Tea Party
British Parliament passed the Coercive Acts
These laws were meant to punish Massachusetts, especially Boston for the tea protests
They closed Boston Harbor so no supplies or trade could come in or go out
The laws were so harsh, colonists referred to them as the “Intolerable Acts”

42. Steps Toward Independence
Guiding Question: What ideas about government influenced the Declaration of Independence?
Parliament thought that the Coercive Acts would frighten the colonists
Instead they had the reverse affect
The other colonies banded together to help Massachusetts and challenge British authority
Boston Massacre –Engraving by Paul Revere

43. The First Continental Congress
September Delegates from 12 Colonies met in Philadelphia
They met to plan a united response to the Coercive Acts
What should be done about the issues with Great Britain?
They decided to send a letter to the King
Asked that Britain respect the colonists’ rights as British citizens
They also organized a total boycott of British goods, and a ban on all trade with Britain
King George’s response was for stronger measures
“Blows (a fight) must decide whether they are subject to this country or independent.”

44. Second Continental Congress
The delegates met again in May 1775
April 1775, British troops and colonial militiamen had fought at Lexington and Concord, in Massachusetts
Congress had to decide whether to work towards peace or to split with Great Britain
They debated for months
Support for independence grew in the colonies
January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet titled Common Sense –more than 500,000 sold
He used John Locke’s ideas to make a case for independence
By the spring, more than half of the delegates favored independence

45. The Declaration of Independence
A committee was chosen to explain why the colonies should be free
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman
The committee chose Thomas Jefferson to write the document
He was influenced by the writings of
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, among others
The Declaration of Independence was approved July 4, 1776
John Hancock was the first to sign the document