CHAPTER 4- AMERICA’S POLITICAL HERITAGE

Each colony was granted a charter from Britain but if they challenged English authority that charter could be striped from them.

If that occurred Britain would then appoint a royal governor.

Governors were usually appointed rather than elected and were most often concerned with pleasing British leaders instead of the colonists.

A VOICE IN THE GOVERNMENT

Only white men owning a certain amount of land could vote

During this time though the colonies were one of the few places in the world where citizens participated at all in government.

Citizens participated in trials, volunteered in local armies, and militia.

Puritans set up public schools and many citizens in the middle and southern colonies sent their children to private schools or taught them at home.

CITIZENSHIP IN THE COLONIES

Religiously Puritans had been

persecuted in England because they did not want to pay taxes towards the Church of England.

In 1636 Roger Williams was forced from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for disagreeing with the Puritans.

Roger Williams founded the colony of Rhode Island where any person following any religion was welcome. (Back then freedom of religion is not what it is today, they were free to be a member of any Christian church not a non-Christian church)

- As time goes on people continue to complain about the actions of royal governors and the tyranny begins to be used in the colonies.

- Tyranny- The abuse of power. (Would Britain eventually

strip citizens of their rights and silence their voice in government?)

John Peter ZengerFought for freedom of the press after he wrote an article criticizing the NY royal governor.

Zenger was found not guilty and it helped inspire the colonists to fight for freedom of the press.

Ancient Greece- the 1st establishment of a direct democracy

Ancient Rome- a government in which representatives were elected to make laws.

Both of these were important examples that the colonists would eventually use in creating a new government free from Britain.

ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME

King John was forced by the nobles to sign this document, which established the king’s power had limits and that he too must obey the law.

An English monarch would not have the power to rights away from “nobles” such as the right to a fair trial.

MAGNA CARTA

Developed out of a group of nobles and church officials who advised Henry III. The group became a legislature or law making body.

PARLIAMENT

GLORIOUS REVOLUTION

In a power struggle, Parliament removed the King from the throne. From then on, no ruler would have more power than the legislature

English Bill of Rights• 1689- listed that rights

for all English citizens, not just nobles, could not be limited by a monarch without the approval of Parliament.

• All people had freedom of speech, to not have to pay taxes without approval by Parliament, and that all people, including government leaders had to abide by the laws.

• The colonists in America treasured the protection of these right for themselves.

A system of law based on precedent and customs

Precedent- rulings consistent with earlier cases that were similar Examples??

Customs- unwritten lawsExamples-??

ENGLISH COMMON LAW

John Locke- Locke was an English

writer who argued that representative government is the only reasonable kind. Governments exists to protect the rights of the people and that it’s purpose is to protect certain natural rights.

- Those natural rights were the rights to life, liberty, and property.

- Any government that abuses its power should not be obeyed according to John Locke.

Baron de Montesquieu- Montesquieu was a

French writer who proposed the need to have a separation of powers within government.

- He believed in dividing government into a executive, legislative, and judicial branch.

- Such a system would guard against tyranny because no government official or government could gain too much power.

Thomas Hobbes- Thomas Hobbes was

another English philosopher who for natural equality for men and that all legitimate political power must be “representative” and based upon the consent of the people.”

- What he referred to as a “social contract.”

House of Burgesses1st Legislature in America2 Representatives were chosen from each county

They had very little power and solved few problems

ENGLISH COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS

Established “just and equal laws for the general good of the colony”

Set up a direct democracy that is still evident today in New England (town meetings)

As new settlements developed they formed similar governmentsEach colony had a governor (elected or appointed by the King)

Each colony had a legislature (many modeled after the English Parliament)

MAYFLOWER COMPACT

After a costly war with France, Great Britain needed money to pay off it’s war debts. The King began to use mercantilism in addition to imposing heavy taxes.

Mercantilism- squeezing out as much wealth out of the colonies as possible.

TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE

Required all colonists to attach expensive tax stamps to all legal documents and newspapers

“No taxation without representation”

Colonists began to boycott British goods and the taxes were repealed

STAMP ACT (1765)

Passed the same day the Stamp Act was repealed

Stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions “in all cases” (Proclaimed authority)

DECLARATORY ACTS

Taxes on imported items (basic necessities) that the colonists could not produce on their own

Colonists boycotted as they had for the stamp act

TOWNSHEND ACTS

Allowed direct sale of tea to shopkeepers by the British East India Company, which gave them an economic advantage.

Colonists protested with the Boston Tea Party

THE TEA ACT 1773

Implemented in retaliation to the Boston Tea Party

Restricted the colonist’s rights to trail by jury and allowed British soldiers to search and even move into colonists’ homes

INTOLERABLE ACTS

1774, delegates from 12 colonies met in Philadelphia to attempt to convince the English government to respect colonists’ rights.

They promised to meet one year later if conditions did not improve

1ST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

A year later the delegates meet again and by this time there was already fighting in Massachusetts

Many colonists feared independence but writings such as Common Sense, by Thomas Paine helped turn the public opinion.

2ND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

The 2nd Congress appointed a committee to write a document that would off icially announce America’s independence.- Written mainly by Thomas Jeff erson

- Jefferson was strongly influenced by English philosopher John Locke

- A passionate explanation of why Americans had the “right” to be independent

- Set forth democratic ideals - 1. Governments purpose is to protect the rights of

people- 2. Government is based on the consent of the people- 3. If the government disregards the rights of people

than the people can overthrow it- 4. All people should have the right to life, liberty, and

property

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (1776)

New Hampshire became the first colony to become a state with a written plan of governments.Similarities between states evolved

Bicameral legislatureGovernorJudges and court systemBill of Rights

STATE CONSTITUTIONS

To fight the war against Britain, the states needed a way to band together. The Articles of Confederation created a “league of friendship” among the independent states.

Set up a one house legislature (each state got one vote)

Had the power to control the army and admit new territories Northwest Ordinance and Land Ordinance outlined how new territories would be added to the US

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

3 distinctly different regions:New England (Massachusetts, New

Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut) Farming, ship building ,and fishing allowed these people

to sustain themselves.

Middle Colonies (New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware) Agriculture and industry drove this area particularly

the fabric industry.Southern Colonies (Maryland, Virginia, North

Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia) Heavily dependent on farming and fishing; rice,

greens, and tobacco.

HOW THE ORIGINAL COLONIES WERE SET UP

The Revolutionary War was fought under the Articles of Confederation, the first American Constitution. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris is signed officially ending the war.

The Articles had several weaknesses which created serious problems for the nation.

AMERICA’S FIRST CONSTITUTION

1. Laws could not be passed unless 9 states voted to approve them

2. Amendments required approval by all 13 states

3. If laws were passed, there was no way to enforce them.

4. Congress had no power to tax citizens.

(How would they pay for the war???)

WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLES

Burdened with the war debts, the states began to heavily tax their citizens.

Many farmers lost their farms and rebelled

Daniel Shays (a farmer in danger of losing his land) led an armed uprising of about 1200 men

He felt the state had no right to punish him for a problem the state had created

The men marched on the federal arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts where they were quickly stopped by state troopers

This even was a wake up call for the entire country

SHAY’S REBELLION