1. Origins of AmericanOrigins of American
GovernmentGovernment
Where did we get the idea for theWhere did we get the idea for the
government we have today?government we have today?

2. There are 5 parts to this unit.There are 5 parts to this unit.
1.1. Political HeritagePolitical Heritage
2.2. Colonial GovernmentColonial Government
3.3. Trouble StartsTrouble Starts
4.4. ConfederationConfederation
5.5. ConstitutionConstitution

3. Part 1: Political HeritagePart 1: Political Heritage
 Your goal: Be able toYour goal: Be able to
describe how thedescribe how the
government of the earlygovernment of the early
United States wasUnited States was
established.established.

4. English Political HeritageEnglish Political Heritage
 Limited GovernmentLimited Government
 Representative GovernmentRepresentative Government
 Written ConstitutionsWritten Constitutions
 Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers

5. English Political HeritageEnglish Political Heritage
 Limited GovernmentLimited Government
 Magna Carta - 1215Magna Carta - 1215
 Creation of ParliamentCreation of Parliament
 House of Lords - late 1200’House of Lords - late 1200’ss
 Petition of RightsPetition of Rights
 Parliament - 1628Parliament - 1628
 English Bill of RightsEnglish Bill of Rights
 1689 - List of rights1689 - List of rights
 Representative GovernmentRepresentative Government (Parliament)(Parliament)
 House of CommonsHouse of Commons
 New Political Ideas about rightsNew Political Ideas about rights
 Hobbes and LockeHobbes and Locke

6. Magna CartaMagna Carta
 In 1215, King John ofIn 1215, King John of
England was forcedEngland was forced
to sign theto sign the MagnaMagna
Carta.Carta.
 This was a list ofThis was a list of
limitations for thelimitations for the
king.king.

7.  TheThe Magna CartaMagna Carta
established the ideaestablished the idea
ofof limited governmentlimited government
– the power of the– the power of the
monarch was limited,monarch was limited,
notnot absolute.absolute.

8. Petition of RightPetition of Right
 1625, Charles I took the1625, Charles I took the
English throne.English throne.
 He dissolved Parliament,He dissolved Parliament,
housed soldiers in privatehoused soldiers in private
homes, and placed somehomes, and placed some
areas under martial law.areas under martial law.

9. Petition of RightPetition of Right
 1628, King Charles I1628, King Charles I
needed money, so heneeded money, so he
called Parliament backcalled Parliament back
into session.into session.

10. Petition of RightPetition of Right
 Parliament was fed up with Charles I &Parliament was fed up with Charles I &
refused to give him money unless signedrefused to give him money unless signed
thethe Petition of Right in 1628:in 1628:
 King could not jail people without aKing could not jail people without a
good reasongood reason
 King could not make taxes withoutKing could not make taxes without
Parliament's approvalParliament's approval
 King could not keep his soldiers inKing could not keep his soldiers in
peoples’ homes & could not use armypeoples’ homes & could not use army
to maintain order during peacetimeto maintain order during peacetime

11. William and MaryWilliam and Mary
 1688, William III and1688, William III and
Mary II came to theMary II came to the
English throne.English throne.
 They agreed to ruleThey agreed to rule withwith
Parliament andParliament and
Parliament passed theParliament passed the
English Bill of Rights –English Bill of Rights –
important to the Americanimportant to the American
colonies.colonies.

12. English Bill of RightsEnglish Bill of Rights
 1688, the1688, the English Bill of RightsEnglish Bill of Rights
 Set clear limits on monarchsSet clear limits on monarchs
 Monarchs do not have absoluteMonarchs do not have absolute
powerpower
 Monarchs ruleMonarchs rule withwith ParliamentParliament
 Monarchs cannot interfere withMonarchs cannot interfere with
elections or debateselections or debates
 Citizens have right of petition, fairCitizens have right of petition, fair
and speedy trial; no cruel or unusualand speedy trial; no cruel or unusual
punishments or excessive fines andpunishments or excessive fines and
bail.bail.

13. The colonies beginThe colonies begin
 In 1607, the EnglishIn 1607, the English
settled Jamestown,settled Jamestown,
VirginiaVirginia
 The idea of limitedThe idea of limited
government hadgovernment had
become part of thebecome part of the
English system.English system.

14. The colonies beginThe colonies begin
 American colonistsAmerican colonists
believed inbelieved in
representativerepresentative
democracydemocracy

15. Enlightenment WritersEnlightenment Writers
 Hobbes, Voltaire, Rousseau, and John LockeHobbes, Voltaire, Rousseau, and John Locke
wrote about Social contract.wrote about Social contract.
 Social contract: Agreeing to follow laws andSocial contract: Agreeing to follow laws and
accept duties to be part of the society.accept duties to be part of the society.
Jean-Jacque Rousseau
Give me freedom of speech, and I
promise I wont abuse it by yelling all the
time.
Like – Comment – 10 minutes ago

16. John LockeJohn Locke
 John Locke took socialJohn Locke took social
contract a step further. .contract a step further. .
John Locke
People are born with rights to life, liberty,
and property. To keep these rights, they
willingly contract to give power to a
government. When government fails to
preserve those rights, people have the
right to break the contract and REVOLT!!
Like – Comment – 20 minutes ago

17. Part 2: Colonial GovernmentPart 2: Colonial Government
 Your goal: Be able toYour goal: Be able to
describe the early forms ofdescribe the early forms of
government in the colonies.government in the colonies.

18. Colonial GovernmentColonial Government
 There were 102 men,There were 102 men,
women, and childrenwomen, and children
aboard the Mayflower.aboard the Mayflower.
 They were granted landThey were granted land
by the Virginia Company,by the Virginia Company,
but were blown offbut were blown off
course.course.
 Once outside Virginia,Once outside Virginia,
they were an independentthey were an independent
colony.colony.

19. Colonial GovernmentColonial Government
 Passengers decided toPassengers decided to
establish rules for thisestablish rules for this
new colony.new colony.
 TheThe Mayflower CompactMayflower Compact
(1620) is the first example(1620) is the first example
of colonial plans for selfof colonial plans for self
government.government.

20. Colonial GovernmentColonial Government
 Each American colonyEach American colony
had its own governor,had its own governor,
legislature, and courtlegislature, and court
system.system.
 The British felt theThe British felt the
colonies owed allegiancecolonies owed allegiance
to the monarch, and forto the monarch, and for
years the colonies wereyears the colonies were
loyal to the crown.loyal to the crown.

21. Colonial GovernmentColonial Government
 Colonial governmentsColonial governments
began practices thatbegan practices that
became a key part of thebecame a key part of the
nation’s government:nation’s government:
 1. a written constitution1. a written constitution
guaranteeing basic rightsguaranteeing basic rights
and limited the power ofand limited the power of
governmentgovernment
 2. elected representatives2. elected representatives
 3. separation of powers3. separation of powers
between the governorbetween the governor
and legislature.and legislature.

22. Colonial GovernmentsColonial Governments
 Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers
 Colonies set up governmentsColonies set up governments
that separated powersthat separated powers
 Branches of governmentBranches of government
 Election of localElection of local
representativesrepresentatives

23. Colonial GovernmentsColonial Governments
 Colonial LegislaturesColonial Legislatures
 Circumstances necessitated self-governmentCircumstances necessitated self-government
 Leaders picked by CrownLeaders picked by Crown
 3 requirements for self government3 requirements for self government
 Remain Loyal CitizensRemain Loyal Citizens
 Buy British GoodsBuy British Goods
 Provide Raw MaterialsProvide Raw Materials

24. Colonial GovernmentsColonial Governments
 Written Constitutions (a plan forWritten Constitutions (a plan for
government)government)
 A deal between colonists andA deal between colonists and
crown (Social Contract)crown (Social Contract)
 Reaction to abuses of power byReaction to abuses of power by
rulersrulers
 Each colony had a constitutionEach colony had a constitution
that outlined how the colonialthat outlined how the colonial
government would operate.government would operate.

25. Colonial GovernmentColonial Government
 TheThe Fundamental OrdersFundamental Orders
of Connecticutof Connecticut waswas
America’s first formalAmerica’s first formal
constitution.constitution.
 It laid out a plan forIt laid out a plan for
government that gave thegovernment that gave the
people the right to electpeople the right to elect
the governor, judges, andthe governor, judges, and
representatives to makerepresentatives to make
laws.laws.
Don’t
take
notes.
Just
listen.

26. Colonial GovernmentColonial Government
 Other English coloniesOther English colonies
began to draw up theirbegan to draw up their
own charters setting theown charters setting the
principles of limitedprinciples of limited
government and rule bygovernment and rule by
law in each colonies.law in each colonies.
Don’t
take
notes.
Just
listen.

27. Colonial GovernmentsColonial Governments
 RepresentativeRepresentative
assemblies becameassemblies became
common in the Englishcommon in the English
colonies.colonies.
 1619: Virginia House of1619: Virginia House of
BurgessesBurgesses
 It was the first legislature*It was the first legislature*
in North America.in North America.
*Legislature: the part of government that makes laws

28. Colonial GovernmentsColonial Governments
 Rapid growth- coloniesRapid growth- colonies
needed new laws to copeneeded new laws to cope
with new circumstanceswith new circumstances
such assuch as
 land distributionland distribution
 public workspublic works
 new townsnew towns
 new schoolsnew schools
 new courts.new courts.

29. Colonial GovernmentsColonial Governments
 Colonial charters dividedColonial charters divided
the power of government:the power of government:
 Governor had executiveGovernor had executive
powerpower
 Legislature had the rightLegislature had the right
to pass lawsto pass laws
 Judges heard casesJudges heard cases