1. America’s Political Heritage The Colonial Experience

2. Key terms  Heritage  Legislative  Character  Tyranny

3. Section 1 Colonial Experience  Heritage- the traditions passed down to us from generation to generation.  Representative government in America began in 1619

4.  Royal authority  The English monarch established each colony.  Charter- a document giving permission to create a government  Became a Royal colony if you challenged England and would lose your charter

5.  1700’s England paid little attention to the colonies  Largely governed themselves  Governors were appointed and not elected Represented England’s interests  Only white men who owned property were allowed to vote and hold office

6.  Few people allowed to vote  England’s colonies in America one of the few places in the world were people participated in government.

7.  Puritans set up public schools  Citizens worked to common good Served on juries Served in the militia  There were few schools in the south

8.  In the 1700’s travel across the ocean by sailing ship took weeks. How might this fact affected political control of distant colonies?

9.  Difficult to control because of travel time

10.  Who was allowed to vote in the American colonies?

11.  White men who owned property

12.  How was this universal?

13.  Most citizens could not vote at all.

14.  What rights did they have that people in other countries do not have?

15.  England left the colonies to run themselves while it fought elsewhere

16.  Read citizenship in the colonies. P. 86  Ask what does it mean to be a citizen in the American colonies?

17.  Ask map question  On what continent did Great Britain have most of its colonies?

18.  North America

19.  Look at the size and location of the European countries. What made it possible for these countries to be colonized?

20.  Although small colonizing countries were often located near water, rivers to oceans, which allowed then to transport people and goods over vast distances.

21. Roots of Freedom  Freedom of speech and religion unknown in most of the world but colonists had it.  Back in England taxes were paid to the Church  Puritans fled religious persecution  Puritans did not allow other religions

22.  Roger Williams left and founded Rhode island  Charter promised that colonists would not be punished in matters of religion  Religious freedom as long as you belonged to a Christian church Presbyterian or Anglican

23. Freedom of the Press  Publishers not allowed to criticize the government  1735 Zenger criticized NY Governor of abuse of power  Alexander Hamilton was his lawyer  Argued if it was true he was innocent  Hamilton declared freedom of the press is a right

24.  Zenger found not guilty, but law did not change

25. Signs of discontent  Complaints about Royal Governors used power and disregarded rights  Tyranny- means abuse of power  Thought England would strip them of their rights

26.  Why were colonies largely left to govern themselves?

27.  England was busy fighting wars

28.  What affect might this experience of self government have on the colonies?

29.  They would resist and English attempt to take back control of everyday lives.

30.  What were the basic responsibilities of a colonial citizen?

31.  To vote, hold office, to serve on juries and in the militia an to support education

32.  What did the jury find John Zenger innocent of the charges?

33.  Zenger was found innocent because the jury thought he told the truth

34.  Why did the colonists believe inn freedom of the press?

35.  They wanted to be informed about activities in high office.

36.  Describe why did their royal governors activities anger the colonists?

37.  They did not like having their rights infringed on.

38.  Identify cause and effect  How are the colonists likely to respond to the governors actions?

39.  To make formal protest to the legislature.