3. Colonial Period
In 1607, the English settled
Jamestown, Virginia – the first
permanent English colony in
North America.
They brought ideas about
government with them
learned from centuries of
practice – limited government
and representative
government were the heart of
the English system.
The idea that the government
was not all powerful had
become part of the English
system.
4. Magna Carta
In 1215, King John of
England was forced to
sign the Magna Carta.
This was a list of do
and do nots for the
king.
It established the idea
of limited government
– the power of the
monarch was limited
not absolute.
5. Cha-Cha-Cha Changes
1625, Charles I took the
English throne. He dissolved
Parliament, housed soldiers
in private homes, and placed
some areas under martial
law.
1628, Parliament was called
back into session and passed
the Petition of Right which
severely limited the power of
the king: he could not tax
without Parliament’s
consent, house soldiers in
private homes, declare
martial law unless at war, or
imprison people without just
6. English Bill of Rights
1688, William III and Mary II came to
the English throne. They started the
“Glorious Revolution.”
They agreed to rule with Parliament
and Parliament passed the English
Bill of Rights – important to the
American colonies.
It set clear limits on what the
monarch could and could not do:
monarchs do not have absolute
power; rule with Parliament; cannot
fool with elections or debates; right
of petition; fair and speedy trial; no
cruel or unusual punishments or
excessive fines and bail.
8. Philosophers
Hobbes, Voltaire, Rousseau, and
John Locke wrote about Social
contract.
John Locke took social contract a
step further.
People were endowed with the
right of life, liberty, and property.
To keep these rights, they willingly
contracted to give power to a
governing authority. When
government failed to preserve the
rights of the people, the people
had the right to break the
contract.
He influenced the American
Declaration of Independence with
his beliefs.
9. Early Colonial Government
Each American colony had its
own governor, legislature, and
court system.
The British felt the colonies
owed allegiance to the
monarch, and for years the
colonies were loyal to the
crown.
The colonial governments did
begin practices that became a
key part of the nation’s
government; a written
constitution guaranteeing basic
rights and limited the power of
government; elected
representatives; and a
separation of powers between
10. Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact
(1620) is the first example of
colonial plans for self
government.
The Pilgrim leaders realized
they needed rules to govern
themselves if they were to
survive.
They also agreed to pick
their own leaders and make
their own laws, which they
would design for their own
benefit.
11. Rules to live by
1636, Massachusetts –
Plymouth colony -adopted
the Great Fundamentals .
A general court made up of
2 deputies from each town
chosen by freemen and a
governor with assistants to
make up the governing
council
These were the first basic
system of laws in the
English colonies.
12. Other Fundamentals
The Fundamental Orders of
Connecticut was America’s
first formal constitution.
It laid out a plan for
government that gave the
people the right to elect the
governor, judges, and
representatives to make laws.
Other English colonies
began to draw up their own
charters setting the
principles of limited
government and rule by law
in each colonies.
13. Representative assemblies
became big in the English Avengers Assemble
colonies.
1619, the Virginia House of
Burgesses came into existence.
Puritan leaders used their
experience in selecting church
officials in electing
representatives to the
legislature.
It was the first legislature in
North America.
Rapid growth meant the
colonies needed new laws to
cope with new circumstances –
land distribution, public works,
new towns, new schools, and
new courts.
14. Division of Power
Colonial charters divided
the power of government.
The governor had
executive power, the
colonial legislatures had
the right to pass laws, and
colonial courts heard
cases.
This principle of
separation of powers was
popularized by
Montesquieu The Spirit of
the Law and proved vital
to the U.S. Constitution.
16. Drama- yo
The colonies were
accustomed to ruling
themselves. But, 2
things made the
British tighten up their
control of North
America – (1.) the
French and Indian War
and (2.) George III’s
view on how to govern
the colonies.
17. Battleship
The French and Indian
War (1754 – 1763) gave the
British control of the
eastern part of North
America.
The colonies no longer
needed protection from
the French.
The war did leave the
British government in
large debt that the
colonies were expected to
help repay.
18. Tax Me? What the…?
New taxes were placed on
the colonists to help repay
this debt.
The first was the Stamp
Act – it required a tax on
legal documents,
pamphlets, newspapers,
dice, and playing cards.
It was the first direct tax
on the colonists.
19. Revenue
British revenue – the
money a government
collects from taxes or other
resources – from the
colonies increased.
Colonial resentment grew
with the revenues.
Colonists protested and
boycotted British goods.
Parliament repealed the
Stamp Act but replaced it
with other tax laws.
20. That is Intolerable!
The British responded
with the Coercive Acts,
which were called the
Intolerable Acts by
colonists.
The colonies began to
pull together – not
Virginians, New
Yorkers, or Georgians –
in response.
21. Plan of Union
In June 1754 delegates from most of the northern colonies
and representatives from the Six Iroquois Nations met in
Albany, New York. There they adopted a "plan of union"
drafted by Benjamin Franklin. Under this plan each
colonial legislature would elect delegates to an American
continental assembly presided over by a royal governor.
The plan is noteworthy in several respects. First, Franklin
anticipated many of the problems that would beset the
government created after independence, such as finance,
dealing with the Indian tribes, control of commerce, and
defense. In fact, it contains the seeds of true union, and
many of these ideas would be revived and adopted in
Philadelphia more than thirty years later.
22. Protest
The Stamp Act Congress met in
1765 to protest the actions of
George III. They sent a petition
to the king protesting direct
taxes on the colonies.
Committees of Correspondence
were started so colonists could
keep in touch about events.
Samuel Adams began the first
one in Boston, and the idea
soon spread throughout the
colonies.
23. 1 Continental Congress
st
September 5, 1774, the First
Continental Congress met in
Philadelphia to discuss how to
deal with the relationship with
Britain.
They agreed on an embargo –
an agreement to prohibit
trade – on Britain and agreed
to meet one year later if
British policies had not
changed.
George III declared New
England in a state of rebellion.
24. Bang Bang Sucka’
April 19, 1775, “the
shot heard ‘round the
world” was fired
beginning the
American Revolution.
British redcoats
clashed with American
minutemen at
Lexington and
Concord.
25. 2 Continental Congress
nd
Three weeks later, the
Second Continental Congress
took the powers of central
government.
John Hancock was made
President.
They voted to organize an
army and navy, issue money,
and made George
Washington commander of
the Continental Army.
It purchased supplies,
negotiated treaties, and
rallied support for the
colonists’ cause.
26. Lee Resolution
July 2, 1776, Richard
Henry Lee issued the
“Lee Resolution” –
“that these united
colonies are, and of
right ought to be, free
and independent
states.”
27. Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776, Congress
passes Thomas Jefferson’s
Declaration of
Independence .
Key parts of the
Declaration: preamble
(why); declaration of
natural rights (political
philosophy); grievances
against George III; and
resolution.
29. Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation
were ratified, passed, to carry on
the system of government set up
by the 2nd Continental Congress.
They had a unicameral, or single
chamber, Congress from which
executive positions were chosen;
no federal court system;
congress decided on issues
between states; each state had 1
vote no matter its size or
population; and states could
recall representatives whenever
they wanted.
30. Weaknesses
Weaknesses in the Articles
: Congress could not levy
or collect taxes; could not
regulate trade; could not
enforce laws; needed 9 of
13 votes to pass laws;
amending the Articles
required consent of all the
colonies; no executive
branch; and, no national
court system.
31. Article Achievements
Achievements: (1.) a fair policy
for development of lands west of
the Appalachian Mountains –
states ceded, gave up, lands to
the central government and
passed ordinances, laws that
provided for the organization of
territories; (2.) peace treaty with
Great Britain; set up
departments of foreign affairs,
treasury, war, and marine; and
(3.) encourage cooperation
among states.
32. oopsie
Despite its accomplishments of
the Articles of Confederation,
the country faced problems –
the central government could
not coordinate the actions of the
states.
Growing problems: boundary
lines, taxes, finances, and
protection.
Shay’s Rebellion was an uprising
led by Massachusetts farmers
against the foreclosures of farms
brought on by the economic
depression after the American
Revolution.
33. Fixin’ the cracks
With the problems facing
the nation, delegates met
to revise the Articles of
Confederation. (5 states
had discussed commerce
at the Annapolis
Convention.)
The Constitutional
Convention met May, 25,
1787.
55 delegates out of 74
showed up and 39 signed
the Constitution
35. Daddy Constitution
James Madison was a
strong advocate of a
strong national
government.
He is called “the father
of the Constitution”
because he was the
author of the basic
plan of government
that was eventually
adopted.
36. Rebirth
The delegates came to the
agreement that they should
begin a new government.
They agreed that the new
government should be
limited and representative; 3
branches of government;
limit the state’s power when
coining money or interfering
with creditor’s rights; and
they agreed the national
government should be
strengthened.
37. The VIRGINIA PLAN
The Virginia Plan proposed a
government based on 3 principles: (1.) a
strong national legislature with 2
chambers – lower house chosen by the
people and an upper house chosen by
the lower house; (2.) a strong national
executive chosen by the national
legislature; and (3.) a national judiciary
chosen by the legislature.
It became the basis for the
Constitution.
It favored the larger states population
wise.
38. Dirty Jerz’s Plan
The New Jersey Plan wanted
to keep the unicameral
legislature, with one vote
each state; Congress could
levy taxes and regulate
trade; a weak executive with
more than one person would
be picked by congress; and a
national judiciary would
appointed by the executive.
This plan favored the
smaller states – gave
equality. The Va. Plan
favored larger states.
39. Compromise brings peace
The Connecticut Compromise
suggested the legislative
branch have 2 houses – a
House of Representatives
based on population, and a
Senate with 2 rep. per state
picked by the legislature.
All revenue laws – spending
and taxes – began in the
House.
Larger states had the
advantage in the House;
smaller were protected in the
Senate with equal
representation.
40. Compromise this!
The Three-fifths
Compromise ended the
debate on the number of
representatives a state
would get in the House.
Three-fifths of the
enslaved peoples would be
counted for taxes and the
purpose of representation.
41. Hey- we got ourselves a
Constitution
June 21, 1788, the
Constitution goes into
effect when New
Hampshire became the
ninth state to ratify it.
The political debate
ended may 29, 1790
when Rhode Island
agreed to approve it.
42. And drama again…
Two opposing viewpoints arose
about the Constitution: Anti-
federalists and Federalists.
The Anti-federalists said the
Constitution was drafted in
secrecy and was extralegal, not
sanctioned by law. They were
against it.
The Federalists argued that a
strong national government was
to stop anarchy, political
disorder. They were for the
Constitution. They promised a
Bill of Rights added to it.
