1. Our Political Beginnings American Government

2. Basic Concepts of Government The earliest English settlers brought ideas for a political system to the Americas. The English brought three ideas that would help shape the U.S. 1. Ordered government Colonists saw a need for an orderly regulation of their relationships with each other. 2. Limited Government The idea that government is not all powerful and each individual has rights that the government can’t take away. 3. Representative Government The idea that government should serve the will of the people. All of these ideas had been developing in England for centuries.

3. Landmark English Documents The ideas of ordered, limited, and representative government can be traced to several landmark English documents. The Magna Carta (1215) King John was forced to sign by English nobles. Limited the rights of the king (no longer absolute power). Rights included trail by jury, due process of law. The Petition of Right (1628) Demanded that the king could not imprison or punish people without lawful judgement of his peers. Challenged the idea of the divine right of kings, declared that monarchs must obey laws.

4. Landmark English Documents The Bill of Rights (1688) Required parliament’s consent to raise an army. Guaranteed right to a fair trial. Freedom from excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment.

5. The English Colonies The 13 colonies were established separately, over the course of 125 years, each out of a particular set of circumstances. Colonies were established through a charter, a written grant of authority from the king. Royal colonies were subject to direct control of the crown. Eventually, the king named a governor for each colony and a council to become the upper house of the legislature. A lower house was elected by property owners qualified to vote, creating a bicameral (two-house) legislature.

6. The English Colonies By 1775, there were proprietary colonies. These were organized by a proprietor, who was granted land by the king. Connecticut and Rhode Island were charter colonies. They were based on charters granted to the colonists themselves. They were largely self-governing.