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1. Self-
Majority Government
Rule
Elected
Representatives
Constitution
s
Fundamental
Orders of
Connecticut 1639
Virginia House of
Burgesses 1619
Magna Carta
1215
Mayflower
Compact 1620
English Bill
of Rights
1689
Protection of
Rights
The Growth of
Representative Government

2. The type of government we have today began
with the people questioning their leaders and
demanding fairness.
Essential Questions
• How does Representative Government (Self-
Government) develop in English History and how
did this growth influence the 13 Colonies?
• How did the idea of the “The People” evolve over
time?

3. Magna Carta 1215
• King John of England was forced to sign by
the nobles of England
• Required King to recognize the rights of
English nobles (citizens)
• King’s power was LIMITED
Which Principles
of Government
are illustrated in
this example?

4. British Parliament
• Created during the
Middle Ages (1200s)
and made up of
nobles and elected
representatives
• Became the legislative
part of British
Government
• Power to approve
certain laws and taxes

5. English Bill of Rights 1689
• Put more limits on the power of the King
– No new taxes without Parliaments consent
• Identified more rights of the people (“Free
men were mostly the nobles and property
owners)
• Gave powers to Parliament
Which Principles
of Government
are illustrated in
this example?
William and Mary in March
1689, were invited to
become joint sovereigns of
England. This meant they
had to share power with
parliament.

6. With a partner, List all the things you see going on in this picture.
What are people doing? Where could they be? What could be
happening?

7. Virginia House of Burgess 1619
• The first elected
representative
government in the
Colonies.
• House of Burgesses
creates laws and
taxes for the colony
Which Principles
of Government
are illustrated in
this example?

8. Mayflower Compact 1620
• First government
document in the colonies
• Colonists agreed to
choose leaders and for all
of them to follow laws that
were created
• Majority Rule
Which Principles
of Government
are illustrated in
this example?

9. What do you notice about the signers of the
Mayflower Compact?
John Carver
William Bradford
Edward Winslow
William Brester
Isaac Allerton
Miles Standish
John Alden
Samuel Fuller
Christopher Martin
William Mullins
William White
James Chilton
John Craxton
John Billington
Richard Warren
John Howland
Steven Hopkins
Edward Tilly
John Tilly
Francis Cook
Thomas Rogers
Thomas Tinker
John Rigdale
Edward Fuller
John Turner
Francis Eaton
Moses Fletcher
Digery Priest
Thomas Williams
Gilbert Winslow
Edmond
Margeson
Peter Brown
Richard Bitteridge
Richard Clark
Richard Gardiner
John Allerton
Thomas English
Edward Doten
Edward Liester
John Goodman
George Soule

10. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut 1639
• First written constitution in
the Colonies.
• It was written by, Thomas
Hooker, founder of
Connecticut.
• Leaders and laws chosen
by the people.
Which Principles
of Government
are illustrated in
this example?
“The foundation of authority is laid
in the free consent of the people.“
Thomas Hooker

11. Colonial Town Meetings
• Most common in
New England
• Members of the
community would
meet to discuss
issues with
“selectmen” to
make decisions
• Representatives
went to Colony
assembly

12. Least People and Most Power
Government
in the
13 Colonies
King:
owns all
land,
approves laws 3,000
Parliament: law-making
Governor: the king's representative
who was appointed by the king to
rule the colony
***Reports directly to the King
Assemblies: men elected from the colony
form a law-making group
***Representative Government***
Land-owning Colonists created self-government and
documents to organize it
Town meetings: gathering of land-owning colonists to talk
about taxes, money, and laws and elect representatives
Most People and Least Power
group in
England that creates
laws approved by king
miles of
distance
Voters: land-owning,
white
men
Non-voters:
women,
Africans, those
who didn’t own
land (artisans,
workers,
indentured
servants)