1. Political Traditions are Brought from England
Page 35-38

2. Colonization in N. America
For 200 years before America declared her independence settlers had been coming
France, Spain, England and Holland
English eventually won control and brought with them their long-established traditions of politics, law, and government.

3. France and England Main rivals for colonization in N. America
After French and Indian War, England took control of:
French territories in Canada and Great Lakes
Spanish territory in Florida
England had control of all of N. America east of the Mississippi

4. Four Important Principles from England
1. Limited government
2. Representative government
3. Individual liberty
4. Rule by law
These ideas had come from hundreds of years of English history.

5. Limits on the monarchy
Limits were placed on royal power by the Magna Charta
Magna Charta is considered the foundation of English constitutional freedom
limits on taxation, protection of private property, trial by jury, religious freedom
Important in establishing the principle of limited government.

6. Representative Government
A lawmaking body developed from the nobles and bishops - parliament
Two houses
House of Lords - upper house-bishops and nobles-inherited or appointed
House of Commons - lower house- knights and townsmen who were elected by other knights and townspeople
Established principle of representative gov’t

7. Individual Liberty
The principal of personal freedom was a part of English history
Magna Charta made it clear that the people possessed certain rights that not even the ruler could take away
Established the idea of judgement by your peers.

8. Struggle for Parliamentary Power
Parliament fought for more rights for the people
Petition of Rights increased the freedoms and rights of the people
King ignored it at first but parliament resisted and it turned into civil war.
King was defeated and a republic was set up.

9. English Bill of Rights Signed by William and Mary
It recognized certain basic rights of the people
Parts of it would later be used to write the Constitution of the U.S.
Has stood throughout history as a beacon for citizen rights

10. Locke and Social Contract
Purpose of gov’t is to protect the people’s rights to life, liberty, and property.
People have the right to remove the gov’t if it fails to do so.
Locke’s ideas were used by Jefferson in the writing of the Declaration of Independence

11. Rule by Law
Common law was built on decisions of judges, based on custom and tradition
Was to be the law throughout the country
The decisions served as precedent for later judgements
English valued common law as a safeguard of rights since it didn’t come from the king
English colonist brought the idea of rule by law to America