The document discusses the origins of democratic principles in England that influenced the American colonies. It describes how the Magna Carta established trial by jury and equal treatment under the law. It then explains how violations of these rights by the Intolerable Acts and King George III influenced the Declaration of Independence. The document also discusses how the Mayflower Compact established a direct democracy and the House of Burgesses created a representative democracy in the colonies.

1. That’s the way we did it in England So that’s the way we’ll do it in the colonies.

2. Are you able to make the connections? The Magna Carta The people who came to the new world were already enjoying certain freedoms and posses a basic understanding of democratic principles. Their freedoms and the democratic principles were directly related to the signing of the Magna Carta. Freedoms: Democratic principle: 1. Trial by jury 1. Rule of Law 2. Equal treatment under the law Kings who came after the Magna Carta was signed consulted with nobles and church officials . They became representatives of the common people. This lead to the idea of representation.

4. Are you able to make the connections? It was important for us to build the House of Burgesses. The House of Burgesses ensures that the citizens living in each of the 13 colonies will be represented. Representation was first established by nobles who began to translate the needs of the common people to the king. It was only natural for colonist to establish representation in American colonies.

5. Are you able to make the connections? Taken off course by a storm the passengers of the Mayflower needed a new compact. A compact is a written agreement among people. The compact given to them by the king did not include the area they were forced to land on. Therefore the citizens (All white males who owned land) came together and wrote a document that outlined the rules to how the people would be governed. Each citizen who signed The Mayflower Compact agreed to make decisions on the day to day affairs concerning government. This type of government is called a Direct Democracy In a Direct Democracy the citizens (white males with land) decide on all laws that govern the people.