1. Chapter 2: Roots of American Democracy

2. British influence on colonial government
Colonial government was heavily influenced by our English heritage
Colonists brought with them from England ideas about how a government should work
Instead of creating new ideas, they copied from the British

3. Roots of Am. Government
Enlightenment: Period during 16/1700’s where people began to use science and reason to question many institutions of society
Monarch: King or Queen ruling a country, typical form of leadership for European nations at this time. Usually held absolute or near absolute power
During Enlightenment, many began to question the legitimacy of a monarch in power. Restrictions (England) & Revolutions (France) would take place.

4. Magna Carta From England Nobles forced King James to sign in 1215
Limited the power of the King/Queen
Now the King/Queen is not above the law
Gave rights to the English People

5. Roots of Am. Government
Parliament: British legislative (lawmaking) body.
Gained power from King in England through 1600’s.
English Bill of Rights/Glorious Revolution of 1688/89 established powers of Parliament in writing that King could not take away
Common Law: laws develop out of traditions and previous court rulings, rather than laws made by the legislature

6. Chapter 2 Key Terms
Ordered Government: Has structure, people have positions (President, Congress, etc…)
Limited Government: There are limits on what government can do, people have rights that cannot be taken away
Representative Government: Government should serve the will of the people (people have a voice in govt)

7. English Roots of Government
Rule of law: All people, even the King, must obey the law
Magna Carta (1215): King John of England signed guaranteeing the people basic rights
Limited Government: The power of the King has limits, not all powerful
Individual Rights: rights the people have that can’t be taken away by govt.

8. Documents Influencing Early Government English Bill of Rights: 1688
Magna Carta: 1215
(England)
Barons vs. King John
Petition of Right: 1628
Parliament and Charles I
English Bill of Rights: 1688
England
Parliament and Will/Mary of Orange
Trial by jury for political critics (1st Amend. Speech and 6th Amend.)
Can’t rule by force
No quartering of soldiers (3rd Amend.)
Monarchs must obey law of land (Constitution)
Trial by jury (6th Amend.)
Due process of law (5th Amend.)
Later, All people, not just privileged protected (14th Amend.)
Power of monarch not absolute (limited by the document)
Fair Speedy Trial (6th Amend.)
Parliament approves changes to laws (Art. 1, Sec. 8 Powers of Congress)
Freedom from excessive bail (8th Amend.)
No cruel and unusual punishment (8th Amend.)
Free elections

9. Ideas of the Enlightenment
This was an intellectual movement based on scientific discoveries of the 1600s
Believed that God created an orderly universe and that these ideas could be discovered through reason
These laws were then applied to all aspects of life, including government
These ideas were a strong influence on the creation of governments in America

10. Borrowed from English Enlightenment
Natural Rights: rights that people have by being born human and not government can take away
Life, liberty, property
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John Locke: English writer who supported the idea of natural rights/social contract when government is not protective of the rights of its citizens
Social Contract: People have natural rights that cannot be taken from the by the government
Contract: people give up some freedom, to govt
Govt protects the people’s rights/safety
If govt breaks contract, people can?????

11. Thinkers of the Enlightenment cont’d
Baron de Montesquieu
French philosopher
separation of powers
Divide the government into 3 parts, each with a different role
-legislative branch to make laws
-executive branch to enforce/ carry out laws
-judicial branch to interpret laws

12. Thinkers of the Enlightenment cont’d
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
A French philosopher who wrote The Social Contract
Said that man was born free but is kept in “chains” by oppressive governments
popular sovereignty

13. Early Colonial Governments cont’d
Mayflower Compact
Pilgrims
signed on the Mayflower
It was a written form of government that established a direct democracy
It created the tradition of the town meeting, where citizens could discuss and vote on issues.
Town meetings are still used in New England today

14. The Road to Revolution
Until 1760, colonists left alone Salutary Neglect
1760, George III takes the throne of England
Starts policy of mercantilism towards the colonies
1763 marks the end of the French and Indian War
To cover the costs of the war, England creates the Stamp Act as a tax on the colonists (tax on newspapers and legal documents)

15. The Road to Revolution cont’d
Colonists boycott British goods as a protest to the tax
Parliament repeals the Stamp Act
In 1766, England passes the Declaratory Act saying they will tax the colonists whenever they want to

16. The Road to Revolution cont’d
1767, England passes the Townshend Acts which taxed glass, tea, paper, and lead
Boycott again!
1773 Tea Act passed
Colonists respond with the Boston Tea Party

17. Colonial Protest of the Tea Acts
Boston Tea Party – Dec 16, 1773
Colonial Protest of the Tea Acts

18. Intolerable Acts
Passed as punishment for Boston Tea party and other protests
Closed Boston Harbor (no trade)
No more govt meetings
Criminal trials in Britain (no fair trial)
Forced Colonists to shelter troops

19. 2nd Continental Congress (1775) 1st Continental Congress
The Colonists Respond
2nd Continental Congress (1775)
Revolution War already begun
All 13 colonies sent delegates
Unicameral Congress, John Hancock elected as President of the Congress
Fought war, raised & paid army, made treaties
Legislative & Executive power (could make and enforce laws)
1st Continental Congress
(1774)
To respond to Britain’s passage of Intolerable Acts
Colonists urged to boycott (refuse to buy/trade) with Britain
Set up the Second Continental Congress

20. The Road to Revolution cont’d
England responds… Coercive Acts aka Intolerable Acts
September 1774, 1st Continental Congress
colonists demanded that their rights were restored
King George refuses and sends more troops to the colonies

21. The Road to Revolution cont’d
April 1775, battles of Lexington and Concord
May 1775, 2nd Continental Congress met
January 1776, Thomas Paine writes Common Sense which urged the colonists to fight for independence

22. The Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson
explained to the world why we were fighting for our independence
argued that England was no longer protecting our rights and as a result we had the right to govern ourselves
included a long list of abuses of power by the King
stated that it was up to the people to decide how they would be ruled
approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 4th 1776

23. Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776
Declared Independence from England
Officially created the United States of America
Claimed England had broken Social Contract