1. The Roots of Our Democracy

2. First Government
Babylonians develop system of government-write Hammurabi’s code

3. The Bible: Hebrews are freed from slavery by Cyrus the Great
Hebrew prophets developed the idea of all people being equal, created in the image of God.
The idea caring for the weaker members of society.
Wrote Torah, discussing issues of human worth and equality

4. Greeks and Romans
The ancient Greeks and Romans were the first civilizations in history to create governments based on Democracy
DEMOS = PEOPLE
KRATIA = RULE
Athens created a direct democracy in 508 B.C.
Rome later developed an indirect democratic system.

5. Romans Romans write down constitutional principles on Twelve Tablets
Catholic Church redefines power and authority

6. The Magna Carta British Document
King John forced to recognize his power was limited by the Barons
First step toward limited government

7. King John
John ruled England from 1199 to He faced the following problems:
He quarrelled with the Pope about how to run the Church.
John went to war twice against the French king. He lost almost all the land that his father had gained in France!
John raised taxes in England to pay for the wars. This upset his BARONS! He ordered them to pay far more tax than earlier kings had done!
How did Barons strike back?
In 1214 many barons rebelled against John.
In 1215 the barons forced John to grant a charter, which was the first time anyone had expected an English king to obey a set of rules.

8. The Magna Carta
I, King John, accept that I have to govern according to the law.
So I agree:
1. Not to imprison nobles without trial
2. That trials must be in courts; not held in secret by me
3. To have fair taxation for the nobles
4. To let freemen travel wherever they like
5. Not to interfere in Church matters
6. Not to seize crops without paying for them
…. and lot more things too!!

9. Erasmus
It was his lifelong conviction that what was needed to regenerate Europe was sound learning applied frankly and fearlessly to the administration of public affairs in Church and State.
Wrote “In Praise of Folly”
Believed strongly in human rights, equality, and human freedom
"laid the egg that Luther hatched“
Contemporary of Martin Luther and Machiavelli

10. Martin Luther
Luther leads reformation of Catholic Church, nailed 95 Theses to door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany
His letter to the Pope entitled “Freedom of a Christian”, which is what finally got him excommunicated (thrown out of the Church), stated that "there is no basic difference in status and dignity ... between laymen and priests, princes and bishops, religious and secular. Before God all are equal.”

11. John Calvin
Theologian, pastor and political reformer during Protestant Reformation
Calvin takes reformation further
Founded Geneva, Switzerland, to be a self-governing theocracy
Believed in public education, support for the poor, predestination, free will, individual responsibility and equality
Calvinists in France called Huguenots, in Scotland called Presbyterians, in England and the American colonies called Puritans

12. The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first self-governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by English Calvinist colonists (Puritans), later known to history as the Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower. They were a separatist group seeking freedom of religion to practice Christianity according to their own determination and not the will of the English Church. It was signed on November 11, 1620 by 41 of the ship's one hundred and two passengers, in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod

13. The Petition of Right
Meanwhile, back in ENGLAND, English Revolution is starting. The Petition of Right sets out specific liberties that the king is prohibited from infringing. It was passed by Parliament in May 1628, in response to abuses by the King, and agreed to by Charles I
taxes can be levied only by Parliament
martial law can’t be imposed in time of peace
prisoners may challenge their imprisonment through the writ of habeas corpus.
ban on the housing of troops is reflected in the Third Amendment to the United States Constitution.

14. The Bill of Rights
Passed by Parliament in December 1689, signed by William and Mary, protected English Citizens, it defined certain rights to which subjects and permanent residents of a constitutional monarchy were thought to be entitled in the late 17th century.
1. subjects' right to petition the monarch
2. the right to bear arms
3. restates requirements of the Crown to seek the consent of the people, as represented in parliament

15. The Great Awakening

16. Reasons for The Great Awakening
Gave colonists a shared national religious experience
Preachers felt that people needed to be concerned with inner emotions as opposed to outward religious behavior
People in New England could read and interrupt the Bible on their own

17. George Whitefield
Puritan Minister who used raw emotional sermons to reach all classes of colonists
Preached that “good works” and “godly lives” would bring you salvation

18. Jonathan Edwards a Puritan Minister terrified listeners with his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

19. Outcomes of the Great Awakening
Birth of deep religious convictions in the colonies
New churches built to accommodate new members
Colleges founded to train new ministers

20. Outcomes of the Great Awakening
Encouraged ideas of equality and right to challenge authority
Birth of charity and charitable organizations
Spread of ideas of self-government

21. The Enlightenment
A movement in the 1700’s that rejected traditional ways of life and looked for a more rational and scientific way to explain the world we live in
It was an emphasis on the sciences and reason to explain things

22. Enlightenment Arguments
Generally we are good and our environment influences us
The use of science and reason could answer life’s mysteries
Science and reason could also answer man’s questions concerning government and himself

23. Outcomes of the Enlightenment
Great surge of literacy in the colonies
Newspapers and book publications increase
Schools are synonymous with new towns and villages
Deism, God is the great clock maker

24. Outcomes of the Enlightenment
People are born with natural rights
Government has an obligation to protect those natural rights
Kings have no right to govern people, people empower government

25. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1689-1755
John Locke
Life, Liberty and Property
The right to alter or abolish
Baron de Montesquieu
separation of powers
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Social contract
Consent of the governed
Voltaire
freedom

26. Samuel Adams-Instigator
Born in Boston, Massachusetts
Educated at Harvard
Enters politics after he fails in his business venture
Serves in both the 1st and 2nd Continental Congresses
A leading political organizer against the British in the colonies
He is a leader in the Boston Tea Party and of the Sons of Liberty

27. Samuel Adams
At the Boston Massacre it is believed that he played a major hand in inciting the Sons of Liberty to antagonize British troops
He will sign the Declaration of Independence

28. Benjamin Franklin-Diplomat
Born in Boston, Massachusetts leaves school to help father in his business as a soapmaker
Printer in Philadelphia and later an editor for the Pennsylvania Gazette

29. Benjamin Franklin
Writes Poor Richard’s Almanac which becomes popular for it’s American proverbs
Scientist, writer, businessmen, statesman, publisher, represented American Enlightenment and inventor
Responsible for helping get the French to join the colonies against the British

30. Thomas Jefferson-Writer
A Virginia plantation owner
He will write many political pamphlets that criticize British policies in the colonies
Served in the Virginia House of Burgesses several terms

31. Thomas Jefferson He will attend both Continental Congresses
He will write the Declaration of Independence in 1776
He is the third President

32. John Adams-Thinker Educated at Harvard
Delegate from Massachusetts to the Continental Congress
On the Declaration writing committee with Thomas Jefferson
Not a popular leader like his second cousin, Samuel Adams. Instead, his influence emerged through his work as a constitutional lawyer and his intense analysis of historical examples
The second President of the United States (1797–1801)

33. George Washington-Symbol
We can call George Washington the Poster Child of the Revolution.
Commander in Chief of the Continental Army
1st President of the United States
Presided over Committee to write Constitution

34. Thomas Paine-Advertiser
English Quaker who arrives in the colonies in 1775
Writes Common Sense in 1776 , a political pamphlet that criticizes the British monarch, supports colonial rebellion and justifies starting a new government

35. Thomas Paine Common Sense will push colonies to rebel
Writes American Crisis, which inspires colonial soldiers to continue fighting against the British

36. James Madison-Organizer
Having been instrumental in the drafting of the Constitution, he is called Father of the Constitution.
Wrote the Bill of Rights
4th President