1. Roots of the U.S. Government

2. Magna Carta 1215 gave rights to noblemen and freedmen
Made King of England subject to the law.

3. Magna Carta 1215
1. Property can not be seized by the king or his officials
2. Can not be taxed unless approved by council
3. Get witness at trial
4. Punished only by a jury of peers
* Over time these rights extended to all English people

4. Parliament
. England representative assembly

5. English Bill of Rights 1. King can’t cancel laws
2. Can not impose taxes without Parliaments approval
3. Free Elections and Frequent meetings of Parliament
4. NO excessive fines or punishments
5. People have a right to complain to monarch or Parliament

6. Mayflower Compact
Establish a government for the Plymouth Colony in 1620
Majority rule

7. Baron de Montesquieu
The only way to achieve liberty was through the separation of powers

8. Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Idea of the separation of church and state
Freedom of Religion

9. John Locke—English Philosopher
people have natural rights
life, liberty, and property
government is created to protect these natural rights
If government fails the people they have the right to replace their government
Leadership is NOT selected by GOD

10. Declaration of Independence
1. June Continental Congress: a Declaration of Independence should be written
2. Committee formed
John Adams, Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson.
3. Committee selects Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration
Excellent writer and from Virginia

11. Declaration of Independence
Stated
Why Americans wanted Independence
What their problems with England were
Spelled out the rights of men and how government should treat its people.

12. 1. July 2, 1776-12 of 13 colonies vote for Independence-New York abstains
2. July 4, 1776 final approval of Declaration-signed by John Hancock
3. Sept 1776 all colonies sign Declaration

13. We hold these truths to be self evident…..
..that all men are create equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; …that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

14. To secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
That whenever any form of government become destructive of these end, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government…”