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Explore the impact of key documents like the Magna Carta, Petition of Rights, and Bill of Rights on English governance and the formation of the American colonies. Understand the concepts of limited government and representative government. Includes relevant terms and questions from Chapter 2 Section 1.
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Our Political BeginningsTERMS AND QUESTIONS Chapter 2 Section 1 ordered government • limited government • Representative government • How did the Magna Carta affect English government? • List the three fundamental rights established by the Magna Carta. • Why did Charles I have to sign the Petition of Rights? • What four ways did the Petition of Rights limit the king’s power? • Who had to sign the Bill of Rights and what limits did it place on future monarchs? • Jamestown • Charter • What was a royal colony and how was the government constructed? • Who were the royal colonies? • What was a proprietary colony and name these colonies? • What was a charter colony and who were they?
Basic Concepts of Government • The need for an ordered social system, or government. They created local governments, based on those they had known in England. • The idea of limited government, that is, that government should not be all-powerful. • The concept of representative government— a government that serves the will of the people. The English colonists in America brought with them three main concepts:
THE MAGNA CARTA • A group of determined barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta – the Great Charter – at Runnymede. The barons were seeking protection against heavy handed and arbitrary acts by the king. • It included fundamental rights such as trial by jury, due process of law and protection against the arbitrary taking of life, liberty and property. • The Magna Carta established the principle that the power of the monarchy was not absolute.
THE PETITION OF RIGHT • In 1628 when Charles I asked Parliament for more money in taxes, Parliament refused until he signed the Petition of Right. • The Petition of Right limited the king’s power. It demanded that the king no longer imprison or punish people but by the lawful judgment of his peers. It also insisted the king could not impose martial law in time of peace or require homeowners to shelter the king’s troops without their consent. Also no man should be “compelled to make or yield any gift, loan, benevolence, tax, or such like charge, without common consent by act of parliament.” • The petition challenged the idea of divine rights of kings, declaring that they must obey the law of the land.
THE BILL OF RIGHTS • In 1688, the crown was offered to William and Mary of Orange. To prevent abuse of power, 1n 1689, they had to sign a document, the English Bill of Rights. • It prohibited a standing army in peacetime, except with the consent of Parliament, and required that all parliamentary elections be free. It also declared “that the pretended power of suspending the laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, without the consent of Parliament is illegal . . .” • that the levying money for or to the use of the Crown . . . without grant of Parliament . . . Is illegal . . . • that it is the right of the subjects to petition the king . . . and that prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal . . . • It also included right to a fair trial, freedom from excessive bail, and from cruel and unusual punishment.
The way our government works today can be traced to important documents in history: Important English Documents
THE ENGLISH COLONIES • The 13 colonies were established separately, over the span of some 125 years. • Virginia – first colony established in North America at Jamestown in 1607. • Georgia was the last to be formed, with the settlement of Savannah in 1733. • Charter– each colony was established on a written grant of authority from the king.
The Thirteen Colonies • The royal colonieswere ruled directly by the English monarchy. New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia • The king named a governor as the chief executive, a council, also named by the king, served an advisory body to the governor. • The King granted land to people in North America, who then formed proprietary colonies. Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware • The charter colonieswere mostly self-governed, and their charters were granted to the colonists. Connecticut and Rhode Island There were three types of colonies in North America: royal, proprietary, and charter.
The Proprietary Colonies • bicameral– two house legislature was elected by those property owners qualified to vote. • Unicameral– one-house, the governor’s council did not act as one house of the legislature.
Section 1 Assessment 1. All of the following are basic concepts of government brought to the colonies by English settlers EXCEPT (a) the need for limited government. (b) the need for a representative government. (c) the need for an autocratic government. (d) the need for an ordered social system. 2. Which of the following was not one of the rights granted in the Magna Carta? (a) the right to private property. (b) the right to a trial by jury. (c) the right to freedom of religion. (d) the right to undergo due process of the law. Want to connect to the Magruder’s link for this chapter? Click Here!
Section 1 Assessment 1. All of the following are basic concepts of government brought to the colonies by English settlers EXCEPT (a) the need for limited government. (b) the need for a representative government. (c) the need for an autocratic government. (d) the need for an ordered social system. 2. Which of the following was not one of the rights granted in the Magna Carta? (a) the right to private property. (b) the right to a trial by jury. (c) the right to freedom of religion. (d) the right to undergo due process of the law. Want to connect to the Magruder’s link for this chapter? Click Here!
The Coming of IndependenceQUESTIONS AND TERMS Chapter 2 Section 2 • Who controlled the colonies? • How had the colonies become federal. • How did George III treat the colonies? • Confederation • Who was the New England Confederation? • What was the Albany Plan of Union? • Declaration of Rights and Grievances • Intolerable Acts • September 5, 1774 • May 10, 1775 • Articles of Confederation • What did the Declaration of Independence state? • Who signed the Declaration of Independence? • Who adopted the first state constitutions and why did all of the colonies adopt? • What common features did the State constitutions share?
The Declaration of Independence • “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” - Benjamin Franklin
British Colonial Policies • Until the mid-1700s, the colonies were allowed a great deal of freedom in their governments by the English monarchy. They were controlled largely through the Privy Council and the Board of Trade in London. In theory they were governed in all matters from London, but they were 3,000 miles away and it took nearly two months to sail one way. • The relationship between Britain and the colonies had become federal, the central government in London was responsible for colonial defense and for foreign affairs, provided a uniform system of money and credit and a common market for colonial trade.
BRITISH COLONIAL POLICIES • In 1760, King George III imposed new taxes and laws on the colonists. Restrictive trading acts were expanded and enforced. New taxes were imposed, mostly to support British troops in North America. The colonist protested because of “taxation without representation.” The colonists considered themselves British subject but refused to accept Parliament’s claim that it had a rights to control their local affairs. • The colonists started a confederation, proposed an annual congress, and began to rebel.
Growing Colonial Unity Early Attempts • In 1643, several New England settlements formed the New England Confederation.Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, New Haven and Connecticut • A confederation is a joining of several groups for a common purpose. The Albany Plan • In 1754, Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union, in which an annual congress of delegates(representatives) from each of the 13 colonies would be formed. This plan was turned down by the colonies and the Crown. The Stamp Act Congress • In 1765, a group of colonies sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congressin New York. • These delegates prepared the Declaration of Rights and Grievances against British policies and sent it to the king. This was the first time that a large number of colonies joined to oppose the British government. Parliament repealed the Stamp Act but new laws were passed and new policies were made to tie the colonies closer to London.
THE STAMP ACT CONGRESS • Boycott – is a refusal to buy or sell certain products or services. • March 5, 1770 – British troops in Boston fired on a jeering crowd, killing 5, in what was to become the Boston Massacre. • Boston Tea Party – December 16, 1773 – colonist disguised as Indians dumped cargo into the sea to protest British control of the tea trade.
The Continental Congresses First Continental Congress • Intolerable Acts– set of laws passed to punish the colonist for the troubles in Boston and elsewhere. • Delegates from every colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774. The colonists sent a Declaration of Rights to King George III protesting Britain’s colonial policies. • The delegates urged each of the colonies to refuse all trade with England until British tax and trade regulations were repealed, or recalled.
THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS • The Second Continental Congressmet in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775. The battles of Lexington and Concord had been fought on April 19. • Each colony sent representatives. John Hancock was chosen president of the Congress and George Washington was appointed commander and chief. • The Second Continental Congress was the nation’s first national government but it had no constitutional base. • Articles of Confederation–July 1776 to March 1781, did everything any government would do.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE • On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. It announces the independence of the United States. • 56 men signed the Declaration. • Between 1776 and 1777, most of the States adopted constitutions – bodies of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures and processes of their governments - instead of charters. • New Hampshire adopted a constitution to replace its royal charter. • Common Features of the states constitutions - • Popular sovereignty – government can exist only with the consent of the governed. • Limited government • Civil rights and liberties • Separation of powers • Checks and balances
Common Features of State Constitutions The principle of popular sovereignty was the basis for every new State constitution. That principle says that government can exist and function only with the consent of the governed. The people hold power and the people are sovereign. Popular Sovereignty The concept of limited government was a major feature of each State constitution. The powers delegated to government were granted reluctantly and hedged with many restrictions. Limited Government In every State it was made clear that the sovereign people held certain rights that the government must respect at all times. Seven of the new constitutions contained a bill of rights, setting out the “unalienable rights” held by the people. Civil Rights and Liberties The powers granted to the new State governments were purposely divided among three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch was given powers with which to check (restrain the actions of) the other branches of the government. Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
Section 2 Assessment 1. The Declaration of Independence was signed in (a) 1765. (b) 1776. (c) 1781. (d) 1787. 2. The Stamp Act of 1765 was a law enacted by the British that (a) increased the colonists’ taxes. (b) was repealed by the Magna Carta. (c) the colonists ratified one year later. (d) raised the price of postage stamps by two cents. Want to connect to the Magruder’s link for this chapter? Click Here!
Section 2 Assessment 1. The Declaration of Independence was signed in (a) 1765. (b) 1776. (c) 1781. (d) 1787. 2. The Stamp Act of 1765 was a law enacted by the British that (a) increased the colonists’ taxes. (b) was repealed by the Magna Carta. (c) the colonists ratified one year later. (d) raised the price of postage stamps by two cents. Want to connect to the Magruder’s link for this chapter? Click Here!
The Critical PeriodQUESTIONS AND TERMS Chapter 2 Section 3 • Ratification • How was the government in the Articles of Confederation set up? • Presiding Officer • List the 10 powers granted to Congress under the Articles of Confederation. • What six areas did the States pledge to obey under the Articles and Acts of Congress? • List the four weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, • October 19, 1781 • What four problems occurred after the signing of the Treaty of Paris? • Who met for the conference in Alexandria, Virginia and what was the meeting for? • How many representatives met in Annapolis, Maryland and what did they decide to do?
The Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederationestablished “a firm league of friendship” among the States. November 15, 1777, the delegates approved a plan of government. The Articles did not go into effect immediately. The 13 States needed to ratify the Articles first. It was not formally ratified until March 3, 1781. A Congress was the sole body created. It was unicameral, made up of delegates chosen yearly by the States in whatever way their legislatures might direct. Each State had one vote in Congress. The Articles established no executive or judicial branch. Congress would chose one of its members as its president. Presiding officerwould be the chair of Congress but not the president of the United States.
POWERS OF CONGRESS Several important powers were given to Congress. • 1.It could make war and peace. • 2.Send and receive ambassadors • 3.Make treaties • 4.Borrow money • 5.Establish post offices • 6.Build a navy • 7.Rise an army by asking the States for troops • 8.Fix uniform standards of weights and measures • 9.Settle disputes among the States
STATE OBLIGATIONS • States pledged to obey the Articles and acts of the Congress. • They would provide the funds and troops requested by the Congress • Treat citizens of other States fairly and equally with their own • Give full faith and creditto the public acts, record, and the judicial proceedings of every other State • Surrender fugitives from justice to one another • Submit their dispute to Congress for settlement • Allow open travel and trade between and among the States.
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Congress powerless to lay and collect taxes or duties. It could raise money only by borrowing and by asking the States for funds. • Congress powerless to regulate foreign and interstate commerce. This became one of the major factors that led to the adoption of the Constitution. • No executive to enforce acts of Congress. States did not have to obey the Articles of Confederation or the laws that it made. Congress could exercise the powers only with the consent of 9 of the 13 state delegations. • The Articles themselves could only be changed with the consent of all the States.
THE CRITICAL PERIOD, THE 1780S • The Revolutionary War ended on October 19, 1781. We signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Problems soon surfaced because of the Articles of Confederation. • The states bickered among themselves and grew increasingly jealous and suspicious of one another. • Several of the states made agreements with foreign governments without the approval of the National Government, even though it was forbidden by the Articles. • The States taxed one another’s goods and even banned some trade. They printed their own money with little backing. • Shay’s Rebellionwas caused because many of the farmers were losing their land and possessions. Daniel Shays and other local leaders led an uprising that forced the Supreme Court of Springfield, Massachusetts, to close.
A NEED FOR A STRONGER GOVERNMENT • The Articles had created a government unable to deal with the nation’s troubles. Demand for a stronger government grew and began to take concrete form in 1785. • Maryland and Virginia, took the first step in the movement for change. The two States agreed to a conference on their trade problems. • Representatives met in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 1785. George Washingtoninvited both States to move to his home at Mount Vernon. • The negotiations were so successful that on January 21, 1786, the Virginia General Assembly called for a meeting of all the states.