1 / 6

Origins of American Government

Origins of American Government. The Colonial Period . Combined English ideas with native groups Magna Carta English document signed in 1215 Started the idea that the monarch was not all-powerful Provided the basis for limited government , power of the government was limited, not absolute.

mandek
Download Presentation

Origins of American Government

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Origins of American Government

  2. The Colonial Period • Combined English ideas with native groups • Magna Carta • English document signed in 1215 • Started the idea that the monarch was not all-powerful • Provided the basis for limited government, power of the government was limited, not absolute

  3. English Bill of Rights • Set clear limits on what a ruler could and couldn’t do • Monarchs do not have absolute authority • Monarch must have consent to end law • Monarch cannot interfere with elections • People have the right to a fair and speedy trial and petition the government • People cannot be subject to cruel and unusual punishment

  4. Representative Government • Representative government, people elect delegates to make laws and conduct government • England had a two house system, which the US adopts • New political ideas • John Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau influenced American colonists • All people are born free, equal, and independent. Contradicts divine right theory • People are not born with an obligation to obey rulers

  5. Government in the Colonies • Colonies were set up very different than our country today, but the all had: • A written constitution • Legislature of elected representatives • Separation of powers • Mayflower Compact (1620) • Agreed to chose their own leaders and make their own laws

  6. Colonial Legislatures • Virginia House of Burgesses was the first legislature in America, est. in 1619. • Separation of powers, each section of government had powers to check on the other parts of government.

More Related