Roots of American Democracy

1. Roots of American Democracy Our English Heritage

2. The English Colonies New England Colonies: • Massachusetts (by the Pilgrims in 1620) • Rhode Island (1636) • Connecticut (1636) • New Hampshire (1638) • All 4 were founded as royal colonies • manufacturing and shipping center of the colonies • “colonial workshop”

3. The English Colonies The Middle Colonies: • New York (1626) • New Jersey (1664) • Pennsylvania (1682) • Delaware (1638) • “Breadbasket” colonies

4. The English Colonies Southern Colonies: • North Carolina (1653) • South Carolina (1663) • Maryland (1633) • Virginia (1607) • Georgia = debtors prison (1732) • 1st Permanent English colony= Jamestown. Virginia (1607) • “Colonial Greenhouse” : Plantations & cash crops

5. Why did colonists immigrate? Religious Freedom: • The Puritans came to Massachusetts due to religious persecution in Europe • Quakers led by William Penn founded Pennsylvania as a place to practice their religion • Maryland was a home for Catholics founded by George Calvert • Connecticut was founded by followers of Thomas Hooker to avoid the harsh treatment by the Puritans of Massachusetts • Roger Williams founded Rhode Island as heaven for all faiths

6. Why did colonists immigrate? cont’d Economic opportunity: • Only 1st born sons in England inherited the family farm, younger siblings were on their own • Jobs were hard to find in England • The system of indentured servants helped to pay for the trip to America. • An indentured servant had their passage paid for by a Colonist. In return the servant had to work for the master for a period of time (usually 7 years) • There was excellent farmland in America

7. Beginnings of Slavery • Due to the nature of the land, large plantations that grew tobacco, rice, and indigo sprung up all throughout the South • These plantations needed a large and cheap workforce • The system of indentured servants could not produce enough workers • Plantation owners now turned to the enslavement of Africans to fill the need

8. Triangular Trade • To supply the slave, a system of trade developed between the Americas, Africa, and Europe • America traded rum in Africa for slaves • Slaves were sold to plantations to grow sugar • The sugar was shipped to New England where it was turned into Rum

9. Middle Passage • The segment of triangular trade where slaves were shipped from Africa to the Americas was called the middle passage • Hundreds of Africans were crammed chained together in hulls of ships for several weeks • There was no fresh air, no sanitation, disease spread quickly and many died on the journey

10. British influence on colonial government • Colonial government was heavily influenced by our English heritage • Colonists brought with them from England ideas about how a government should work • Instead of creating new ideas, they copied from the British

11. The Magna Carta • England was ruled by a King • In 1215 the Nobles rebelled against a harsh ruler named King John • Forced the king to sign the Magna Carta in exchange for them paying taxes • This guaranteed all citizen’s equal right’s under the law • 1st time a ruler’s power was limited in a written document

12. Parliament • British lawmaking body • 2 Parts: • House of Lords (hereditary upper class house) • House of Commons (elected members from the working class) • 1688 the Glorious Revolution • Parliament and the King began a Civil War against each other • The King lost and was removed from power

13. English Bill of Rights • Guaranteed freedom of speech, a fair trial, and it banned cruel and unusual punishment

14. Common Law • Early on there were no written laws in England • Followed rules that were based on custom • Judges used precedents (rulings in similar cases) to make decisions • These precedents became unofficial laws • Led to a system of common law-rules based on court decisions not on the laws of a legislature • This is used in our civil courts today

15. Ideas of the Enlightenment • This was an intellectual movement based on scientific discoveries of the 1600s • Believed that God created an orderly universe and that these ideas could be discovered through reason • These laws were then applied to all aspects of life, including government • These ideas were a strong influence on the creation of governments in America

16. Thinkers of the Enlightenment John Locke • English philosopher who wrote The Second Treatise of Government • natural rights • social contract • If the government does not protect those rights, it can be replaced

17. Thinkers of the Enlightenment cont’d Jean-Jacques Rousseau • A French philosopher who wrote The Social Contract • Said that man was born free but is kept in “chains” by oppressive governments • popular sovereignty (government is created by the people and is subject to their will)

18. Thinkers of the Enlightenment cont’d Baron de Montesquieu • French philosopher • separation of powers • Divide the government into 3 parts, each with a different role -legislative branch to make laws -executive branch to enforce/ carry out laws -judicial branch to interpret laws

19. Early Colonial Governments Virginia House of Burgesses • 1619 • Representatives from all the colony gathered to discuss common problems • Had little real power but marked the beginning of self-government in the colonies

20. Early Colonial Governments cont’d Mayflower Compact • Pilgrims • signed on the Mayflower • It was a written form of government that established a direct democracy • It created the tradition of the town meeting, where citizens could discuss and vote on issues. • Town meetings are still used in New England today

21. Early Colonial Governments cont’d Fundamental Orders of Connecticut • 1st written constitution in America • Created a representative democracy for the colony • Also called for popular election of a governor and judges

22. Early Colonial Governments cont’d • By the early 1700s, all colonies had several things in common… • a governor (either elected by the people or appointed by the King or state legislatures) • an elected legislature • representatives were white males • Bicameral (2 branches)

23. The Colonial Economy New England • Small farms, rocky soil, short growing season • Merchants, milling, shopkeepers, or blacksmiths • Shipbuilding was a big industry • Fishing and whaling

24. The Colonial Economy The Middle Colonies • wheat • Had many big ports for trade (New York City and Philadelphia) • Had large amounts of natural resources so mines and iron works were crucial to the economy of the region

25. The Colonial Economy The Southern Colonies • Due to the warm climate and long growing season, the economy depended on large plantations • rice, tobacco, and indigo • Many smaller farms developed growing corn and other staple crops • Most of the region depended on these “cash crops” for their livelihood

26. An “American” Identity Religion • religious freedom • Many laws were based on religious beliefs • The era was also dominated by The Great Awakening • A strong religious movement of the 1720s • Led to the rise of the Baptist and Methodists movements • Slaves also took comfort in the message of hope provided by Christianity

27. An “American” Identity cont’d Education • first colleges in America (Harvard, Princeton, William and Mary) founded to train ministers • The first local/ public school districts were created to teach children to read the Bible

28. An “American” Identity cont’d Family Life • Formed the foundation of society • Families were large to share workload of farms • Men were in control of the family • Women had few rights and could not vote

29. The Road to Revolution • Until 1760, colonists left alone: Salutary Neglect • 1760, George III takes the throne of England • Starts policy of mercantilism towards the colonies • 1763 marks the end of the French and Indian War • To cover the costs of the war, England creates the Stamp Actas a tax on the colonists (tax on newspapers and legal documents)

30. The Road to Revolution cont’d • Colonists boycott British goods as a protest to the tax • Parliament repeals the Stamp Act • In 1766, England passes the Declaratory Act saying they will tax the colonists whenever they want to

31. The Road to Revolution cont’d • 1767, England passes the Townshend Actswhich taxed glass, tea, paper, and lead • Boycott again! • 1773 Tea Act passed • Colonists respond with the Boston Tea Party

32. The Road to Revolution cont’d • England responds… Coercive Acts aka Intolerable Acts • September 1774, 1st Continental Congress • colonists demanded that their rights were restored • King George refuses and sends more troops to the colonies

33. The Road to Revolution cont’d • April 1775, battles of Lexington and Concord • May 1775, 2nd Continental Congress met: took control of the war effort • January 1776, Thomas Paine writes Common Sense which urged the colonists to fight for independence

34. The Declaration of Independence • Drafted by Thomas Jefferson • explained to the world why we were fighting for our independence • argued that England was no longer protecting our rights and as a result we had the right to govern ourselves • included a long list of abuses of power by the King • stated that it was up to the people to decide how they would be ruled • approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 4th 1776