1. Origins of American Government
Government Chapter 2
Origins of American Government

2. An English Political Heritage

3. Introduction:
Even though the American colonists got many of their ideas about representative government and freedom from England, that country has no written constitution.
The British constitution, which is one of the oldest in the world, was never set down in writing. Yet the centuries- old traditions of individual rights and limits on government in that unwritten constitution have been powerful forces for democracy in the United States, as well as in other nations.

4. Section 1: The Colonial Period
The Thirteen Colonies, as of 1775, were British colonies on the east coast of North America.
Founded between 1607 (Virginia) and (Georgia), stretching from New England to the northern border of the Floridas.
Virginia House of Burgesses- 1st legislature in the Colonies.
Established by the Virginia Company, to encourage English craftsmen to settle in North America and to make conditions in the colony more agreeable for its current inhabitant.

5. Virginia House of Burgesses

7. Jamestown- first English settlement in N. America, established in 1607.
Virginia Company, an English joint stock company established in 1606 by royal charter by King James I with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.
1990s, archaeologists unearthed nearly 250 feet of lines marking a defensive wall, east cannon, 3 cellars, and many artifacts.
Evidence of the principals of self-governing community first practice in America.

9. Section 1: The Colonial Period cont.
An English Political Heritage- most colonists from England
Limited Government- monarch’s or government’s powers are limited, not absolute.
Magna Carta (1215), first written rights
Petition of Right- 1628, limiting the King’s (Charles I) Power. He wanted to assimilate King Louis XVI of France. He was beheaded.
English Bill of Rights bill is written, after the “Glorious Revolution,” William III and Mary II take the throne, deposing King James II (Second son of Charles I).
It sets limits on the monarchs

10. William III and Mary II James II

11. Major Principals of the English Bill of Rights
Monarchs do not have absolute authority, but rule with the consent of the people’s representatives in Parliament;
The monarchs must have Parliament’s consent to suspend laws, levy taxes, or maintain an army;
The monarchs cannot interfere with parliamentary elections and debates;
The people have a right to petition the government and have a fair and speedy trial by a jury of their peers;
The people should not be subject to cruel and unusual punishment or to excessive fines and bail.

12. The Colonial Period cont.
The English Bill of Rights greatly influenced the American colonies.
Colonists adopted the idea of representative government.
New Political Ideas- late 1600s and 1700s a shift in paradigm, the Enlightenment movement—society and social relations should be base on reason.
Locke and Rousseau- both had theories on social contracts, in that people were born with natural rights.
Locke—government legitimacy dependent upon people’s consent. People could rebel to protect their rights.
Ex. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution

13. Government in the Colonies
Each colony had its own government consisting of a governor, a legislature, and a court system.
Democracy prevails in the colonies-
except for women and slaves, they could not vote.
Farmers could voice concerns and partially vote.
9 out of 13 colonies had an official church
In Puritan towns, only church members could vote

14. Government in the Colonies cont.
Colonial government established practices currently observed in US government:
Written Constitutions
Legislature of elected representatives
Separation of executive/legislative powers

15. Government in the Colonies cont.
Written Constitutions—government according to a written plan (a framework).
Mayflower Compact signed of 1620 by Pilgrims was the first of many plans for self-government.
In the1620s, Puritans established the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
In 1636, they adopted the General Fundamentals, the 1st system of laws in the English colonies.
In 1639, Puritans drew up America’s first form constitution. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.
Gave people right to elect governors, judges, and representatives.

16. Government in the Colonies cont.
Colonial Legislature—
Representative assemblies were established in the colonies.
Ex. The Virginia House of Burgesses in 1619, 12 years after the settlement of Jamestown.
To the north, religion played an important role in government.
Puritan, in search of religious freedom Britain, aimed to organize their government from within their religious circle.
By the 1700s representative government was an established tradition in America.

17. Name the 1st legislature in the English colonies.
The Virginia House of Burgesses

18. Government in the Colonies cont.
Separation of Powers
Divided the powers of government
The governor, the king’s agent, had executive power
The legislative assembly had power to pass laws
The idea stems from Charles-Louis Montesquieu, an Enlightenment thinker, author of The Spirit of Laws.
These practice became the training ground for those who will write the Constitution.

20. Section 2: Uniting for Independence
The Colonies on Their own
First 150 years following the settling of Jamestown in 1607, the colonies governed themselves through their representatives.
All change that changed:

21. Section 2: Uniting for Independence cont.
French and Indian Wars
George III takes over, tightens control
Taxes raised to pay for the war
on tea, sugar, glass, paper…
Stamp Act first direct tax
Taxes on documents, pamphlets, newspapers, dice and playing cards.

22. Section 2: Uniting for Independence cont.
Revenue increased for Britain, colonist upset
Boston Tea Party—colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians, dumped 342 chest of Britain tea into the Boston Harbor.
Coercive Acts/Intolerable Acts- Led to an Embargo
Close Boston Harbor
MA cololny could not govern itself
By 1770s revolution was in sight.

23. Colonial Unity
Before 1770s, colonists viewed themselves as British subjects.
Most thought to be Virginians, New Yorkers or Georgians.
By 1754, French attacks on the frontiers led Benjamin Franklin to propose to unite the colonies through Albany Plan of Union, Franklin.
It was rejected, too much power granted to representatives of the 13 colonies.
By 1760s, British oppression gave rise to an American sense of community.

24. Colonial Unity: Taking Action
1n 1765, nine colonies organized a first meeting in New York
Taking political action against King George
Argued that only colonial legislature could impose direct taxes
By 1773 Committees of Correspondence took shape-
Consisting of colonist organizing themselves urging resistance
Sam Adams led the way in Massachusetts
Within months, 80 committees in MA alone
Virginia joined in, led by Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry.

25. Colonial Unity: First Continental Congress
In Sept. 5, 1774, delegates of all the colonies, save Georgia, met in Philadelphia
1st Continental Congress-
Key leaders:
Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee, and George Washington
they imposed an Embargo with Britain and agreed to meet in a year’s time.
Events unfolded rapidly, in April 19, 1775 Britain responded. Redcoats clashed with minutemen in Lexington and Concord in MA

26. Colonial Unity: Second Continental Congress
Served as a central government
John Hancock of MA as president
Army and navy organized
Issue money
Jorge Washington as commander of the Continental Army
Albeit without constitutional authority, the 2nd Continental Congress served as an acting government throughout the Revolutionary War.

27. Colonial Unity: Independence
Motivation for independence grew
Influences were:
Thomas Paine
 ”a corsetmaker by trade, a journalist by profession, and a propagandist by inclination”
He wrote Common Sense, argued that George III was an enemy of liberty
Samuel Adams
In 1776, Proposed the independence of America

28. Colonial Unity: Independence cont.
In 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declared independence.
After, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingstone, and Roger Sherman set to write a written declaration of independence.
Jefferson, known fro his writing skills wrote the draft.
On July 2, 1776, Congress approved Lee’s proposal.
On July 4, 1776, Congress approved the final draft.
John Hancock, president of Congress, was the 1st out of 56 delegates to sing it.

29. Colonial Unity: Declaration of Independence
Jefferson wrote most of it
Key parts of the Declaration
Locke’s ideas prominent
1st section- purpose and basic human rights
2nd- Specific complaints against George III
3rd- Determination for separation from Britain
The Declaration of Independence gave rise to states as stated in Ch. 1
At the end of 1776, 10 states had adopted written constitutions.

30. Section 3: The Articles of Confederation
The Articles the plan for central government was simple and had weaknesses:
Unicameral/single-chamber legislature
No Executive or Judicial Branch
No ability to tax
No Commerce power/could not regulate trade
Interstate Commerce- Trade amongst States not controlled.
States did not want to give up their sovereignty
Need for Stronger Government
Shays’s Rebellion-closed MA state supreme court
Annapolis Convention fails, 5 States show up

31. Section 4: The Constitutional Convention
55 attend
Elite of the time
Madison, Father of the Constitution
Washington to preside
Abandon the Articles
Decisions and Compromises
The Virginia Plan- Bicameral, based on population
The New Jersey Plan- Equality in the Legislature
Connecticut Compromise- Bicameral, House (population) and Senate (Equality

32. Decisions and Compromises
Three-Fifths Compromise
Commerce Compromise
No Tariffs on exports
Control Interstate Commerce
Slavery Question couldn’t touch, leave it to others
Voting- let the States decide

33. Ratifying the Constitution
Federalists- Strong central government, support the Constitution
Anti-Federalist
Federalist Papers- argue for ratifying
9 of 13 needed
Bill of Rights- limited government, rights of the people
From the Magna Carta and English bill of Rights

34. What changed the political dynamics between Great Britain and the colonies in America?
French and Indian Wars
George III takes over in 1760, tightens control