1. ENLIGHTENMENT Movement in Europe and America
Late 17th and 18th centuries
Thinkers applied scientific reasoning to better understand the world, especially society and relations.
Enlightenment thinkers attacked the divine right of kings, the power of the Catholic Church, and hereditary privilege.
John Locke – Englishman
Montesquieu – French nobleman

2. Enlightenment Thinkers

3. -Rights that you are born with – no man can take them from you
- Life, liberty and property
-The government is to protect citizens’ natural rights.
- If the government doesn’t protect your rights, citizens have the right to overthrow the government.
- His ideas were used in the Declaration of Independence.

4. The government should be divided into branches.
Each branch should have different powers.
Goal is to prevent tyranny; one branch from becoming too powerful or oppressive.
- Legislative: makes laws
- Executive: enforces laws
- Judicial: interprets laws
- Gave them the idea of our government being organized into three separate branches.

5. Historic Influential Documents
Magna Carta
Mayflower Compact
English Bill of Rights
Common Sense

6. Historical Influential Documents
MAGNA
CARTA
MAYFLOWER
COMPACT
ENGLISH
BILL OF
RIGHTS
COMMON SENSE

7. MAGNA CARTA INSPIRATION FOR THE U.S.
Written by English barons in 1215.
Barons: title of nobility given to those loyal to the King.
Granted rights and liberties to English nobles.
Right to a speedy trial and a trial by jury
Guarantees against the loss of life, liberty and property
INSPIRATION FOR THE U.S.
Limited Government
Rule of Law

8. MAYFLOWER COMPACT INSPIRATION FOR THE U.S.
Written aboard the Mayflower in 1620 before the ship landed in Plymouth, MA
Signed by most of the passengers on the ship.
It created a “Civil Body Politic” for “our better ordering and preservation and
to “enact equal laws….for the general good of the colony.”
INSPIRATION FOR THE U.S.
Self-Government
Consent of the Governed

9. Here is a short video about the Mayflower Compact:
Click video for a short history of the Mayflower Compact.
Should you experience problems with the video, click HERE.
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10. ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS INSPIRATION FOR THE U.S.
Written in 1689 in England
Authored by members of Parliament
It established a limited monarchy and gave more power to Parliament.
INSPIRATION FOR THE U.S.
Limited Monarchy
Rule of Law

11. COMMON SENSE INSPIRATION FOR THE U.S.
Written by American colonist Thomas Paine & published in 1776
Challenged the authority of the British government and the King.
1st published work to openly state the colonies need to be independent from Great Britain and to discuss the purpose of government.
INSPIRATION FOR THE U.S.
Purpose of Government is the security of the people.

12. Historic Influential Documents Timeline
English Bill of Rights
1689
Established a limited monarchy and gave power to the law making body . It also reinforced the idea of Rule of Law.
Magna Carta
1215
Created the first example of a limited monarchy and the rule of law.
Mayflower Compact
1620
Provided for the idea of self government and social contract among the colonists.
Common Sense
1776
Discussed the purpose of government and the need for American independence from the British crown.
This slide gives a brief overview and timeline of the documents that contributed to the Founders’ ideas about good government.
FLREA Copyright 2012

13. Historic Influential Documents
Inspiration for our
Nation
Limited Government
Mayflower Compact
Rule of Law
English Bill of Rights
Self Government
Consent of the Governed
Magna Carta
Limited Monarchy
Purpose of Government
Common Sense
Security of the People
Asked for Independence

14. Hey, King: Get Off Our Backs
iCivics
Hey, King: Get Off Our Backs

15. The British vs. the French & the
Who fought?
Why did they fight?
The British vs. the French & the
Indians
For land in the Ohio Valley.
The French & Indian War
Results of the war.
The British claimed
the land in the
Ohio Valley &
other
lands.

16. D E A C F B

17. evident
equal
rights
life
liberty
happiness
powers
consent
people
abolish

18. compact
Quartering
profit
tax
stamp
Declaration of Independence
search
House of Burgesses
England

19. Things the colonists could not make for themselves.
British laws the colonists were unhappy about.
Raw materials Britain wanted to get from the colonies.
The Stamp Act required tax stamps on these things.
Actions the colonists took to protest Britain’s unfair treatment.

20. D B G H A F C E

21. Forced the colonists to pay tax on anything made from paper.
The colonists began to boycott all British goods.
The British repealed the Stamp Act and replaced it with the Townshend Acts.

22. Taxed tea, glass, paint and other imported supplies
The colonists’ boycotted the British supplies that were being taxed.
They sent troops in to occupy Boston.

23. Why were the colonists angry?
- Boston businessmen asked the British to not send tea
The Boston
Tea Party
- The British didn’t listen and sent tea to Boston.
- The Sons of Liberty dumped the tea into the harbor.
What happened?
- The King decided to punish the Bostonians for what they did.
- Boston businesses were losing money because of the boycotts.
- The King and Parliament passed The Intolerable Acts.
- People were losing their jobs and businesses from lack of money.
Why were the colonists angry?
How did the British react?

24. - The acts took away self-government.
The acts passed taxes directed toward the MA colony.
The
Intolerable
Acts
- The acts took away self-government.
-Colonists were very mad. Many of them did not agree with the Boston Tea Party and wanted to pay back the British for tea.
-They were punishment for the Boston Tea Party.
- The acts pushed many people away from British & toward revolution.