The Enlightenment and English Heritage: Rights, Government, and Reason

1. Our English Heritage Goal 1-Chapter 2

2. The Enlightenment • The Enlightenment: Cultural movement that spread the idea that reason and science could improve society • The English brought with them a history of limited and representative government and new ideas about law, society, and rights people possessed

3. The Magna Carta (1215) • In 1215, English nobles rebelled against King John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta What did it do? • It protected nobles’ privileges and also granted rights that eventually applied to all English, including equal treatment under the law and a trial by jury • Limited the power of the monarch by guaranteeing no one was above the law, not even the King or Queen

4. Parliament • Legislature= a lawmaking body • Britain’s legislature it is known as Parliament

5. The Glorious Revolution (1688) • In 1688, Parliament removed King James II, this was known as the, Glorious Revolution, from now on no ruler would have more power than Parliament

6. English Bill of Rights (1689) • Protected rights of English citizens • Established: free elections to Parliament, the right to a fair trial, and the elimination of cruel and unusual punishment • (Connection: US Constitution, Bill of Rights (1791))

7. English Common Law • In its earliest days, England had no written laws, people developed rules, and they began to have the force of law • A court system developed and when judges decided cases they would look for a precedent or a ruling in an earlier case that was similar, to be consistent

8. Common Law • This system of law is known as common law, it based on court decisions rather than regulations written by lawmakers • Laws about property, contracts, and personal injury are based on English common law **Today the above types of law fall under Civil disputes

9. The Enlightenment Period • Cultural movement that spread the idea that reason and science could improve society • Known as the “Age of Reason”

10. (1) John Locke - Natural Rights • John Locke was an English writer who argued people were born free, equal, and independent • Natural Rights: life, liberty, and property that no government could take away

11. The Social Contract • Another notable thinker: Jean Jacques Rousseau • Social Contract Theory Agreement between citizens and government • People agree to give up part of their freedom to government in exchange for protection of natural rights • People agree to obey the government as long as it protects their rights

12. Separation of Powers • Baron de Montesquieu • Dividing the branches of government into different parts to balance each other so one part cannot become too strong or threaten peoples rights • (1) Legislative Branch (Congress, General Assembly, Town government- Make laws) • (2) Executive Branch (President/VP, Gov./Lt. Gov., Mayor- Enforce laws) • (3) US and NC Federal Courts (Interpret laws)

13. Jamestown, VA (1607)Representative Government • The 1st permanent English settlement in North America was Jamestown in Virginia, it was founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company • It was organized as a joint-stock company which provided investors partial ownership and a share in future profits

14. Charters & Government • The merchants received a charter, from King James I which was a written document granting land and the authority to set up colonial governments

15. The VA House of Burgesses (1619) • In 1619, colonists formed the House of Burgesses, the 1st legislature in the English colonies, it marked the beginning of self government

16. The Mayflower Compact (1620) • In 1620, the Pilgrims arrived in America and built a settlement called Plymouth in Massachusetts • On board their ship, the Mayflower, they drew up a written plan for government known as the Mayflower Compact

17. The Mayflower Compact (1620) • Compact= an agreement, or contract among a group of people

18. What did we learn from the Pilgrims: Town Meetings • The Mayflower Compact established a tradition of direct democracy citizens held town meetings to address local problems and issues • Everyone in town could attend and express their opinions but voting was limited to men who owned property (WHITE MALE LANDOWNERS) (15, 19,26) What do you notice in the picture?

19. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639) • Some Pilgrims were being persecuted for their religious beliefs, as a result, they left Massachusetts and colonized the area that is now Connecticut

20. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639) • There they developed America’s first written constitution, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut The Fundamental Orders of Conn. called for: • an assembly of elected representatives from each town to make laws • for the popular election of a governor and judges

21. Early Legislatures • By 1733, thirteen English colonies stretched from Massachusetts in the north to Georgia in the south • Each colony had a governor elected by the colonists or appointed by the king; they each had a legislature with representatives elected by free adult males

22. Salutary Neglect • As the years passed colonial governments took on more responsibility while the King and Parliament dealt with matters in Great Britain; colonists became used to making their own decisions; this policy was known as Salutary Neglect A Tyrant 3,000 miles away….Salutary Neglect will NOT last