1. The Colonial Experience

2. Citizens left England to come to America to establish colonies
Colony was under the rule of parliament
However, parliament was not in the colony to enforce
Colonists were not in parliament to voice opinions
Colonists determined that they could not depend on parliament to meet their needs, so they governed themselves

3. Jamestown- 1607 The first permanent English settlement
Located in present day Virginia
Struggled: crop failure, hunger, disease, Indians

4. The House of Burgesses- 1619
People of Jamestown created to deal with pressing problems
Colonists from each town/ plantation choose 2 representatives (burgesses) to meet with colony’s governor
22 total burgesses
Very little power which solved very few problems
First attempt of representative government; first legislature in colonial America

5. The Mayflower Compact- 1620
Plymouth Rock Settlement (now Massachusetts)
Plan of government to direct the settlement
Written and signed by 41 before the ship reached America’s shores
Called for just and equal laws for the good of the community

6. All signers pledged to obey the laws
Set up a direct democracy- all males would vote- majority rule
Held town meetings, so the people could gather , discuss, voice opinions and vote on important issues

7. English Colonial Governments
Success of Jamestown and Plymouth led to 13 colonies by 1733
All colonies established a government
Many differences and similarities
Each colony had a governor (elected or appointed) and a legislature

8. Legislature consisted of upper and lower house
Governor appointed members of upper house
Colonists elected members of lower house

9. A New Sense of Identity
A time passed, colonial governments took on more power and responsibility
Officially British, lived as Americans
Built towns, roads, churches, schools, hospitals, and fire departments
Thriving economy
Solved own problems without British help
Britain saw colonies as source of wealth

10. By the mid-1700s, the actions of parliament made some colonists see themselves as Americans