Origins of American Government
Chapter 2
Section 1
Essential Questions
1) What two principles of government came
from the English heritage of the
colonists?
2) What documents from England influenced
the development of government in the
United States?
3) What ideas of John Locke influenced the
development of government in the United
States?
4) What were some of the provisions
included in colonial constitutions?
The Colonial Period
Section 1
Pages 35 - 40
Jamestown
• First permanent
English settlement
in the North
America
• Founded in
Virginia in 1607
Legacy of Self-Government
There were three legacies of the
British government that were
inherited by the colonists.
1) voice opinions without fear
of reprisal
2) to choose their own leaders
3) take an active part in shaping
their community and nation
An English Political Heritage
•
•
•
•
•
•
During the 1600’s people came from
the following regions to settle North
America.
Spain
France
Germany
Sweden
West Africa
England ( Most were from England)
An English Political Heritage
The English colonists who
established and governed the
original thirteen colonies along the
Atlantic coast brought with them
ideas that were a part of the English
system of government. They noticed
that these same ideas were already
a part of some existing governing
systems in North America such as
the Iroquois League – a union of five
Native American groups.
Two Principles of Government
•
•
•
•
Limited Government
Government is not
absolute
Government is limited
Basis for this idea is the
Magna Carta signed by
King John in 1215.
This document provided
protection against unjust
punishment, loss of life,
liberty and property and
unfair taxation.
Representative Government
• Government in which people
elect delegates or
representatives to make laws
and conduct government
• Parliament was and remains
to date the representative
governing body of England
• Parliament is bicameral with
an upper chamber called the
House of Lords (aristocracy)
and a lower chamber known
as the House of Commons.
Important English Documents
• Magna Carta - 1215
• Petition of Right - 1628
• English Bill of Rights – 1688
Each of these documents
contributed greatly to the form
of government that developed in
colonial America.
Magna Carta
• 1215
• Signed by King John
• Established the principle
of limited government in
England which led to the
move from an absolute
monarchy to a
constitutional monarchy
• Also allowed the people
to gain more political
liberties.
Provisions of the Magna Carta
1) Protection against unjust
punishment
2) Protection against the loss of
life, liberty and property
except according to the law
3) Protection against taxation
without popular consent
Petition of Right
• While Parliament maintained strong
influence over government, strong
monarchs would continue to dominate
English government for centuries.
• After ascending the throne in 1625,
Charles I dissolved Parliament, lodged
troops in private homes and placed some
areas under martial law.
• When he called Parliament back into
session because he needed money they
forced him to sign the Petition of Right in
1628, which severely limited the power of
the king.
Provisions of the Petition of Right
The King could not:
• Collect taxes without the consent of
Parliament
• Imprison people without just cause
• House troops in private homes
without the permission of the owner
• Declare martial law unless the
country was at war
English Bill of Rights
• In 1688, James II was removed from the throne
and replaced by William III and Mary II by
Parliament.
• As part of this peaceful transition called the
Glorious Revolution, the new monarchs agreed
to rule by the laws passed by Parliament.
• Parliament passed the English Bill of Rights in
1688 which set clear limits on what a ruler
could and could not do.
• Not only did this law govern the people living in
England, but it applied to the American
colonists who were considered to be English
subjects.
Provisions of the English Bill of Rights
1) Monarchs do not have absolute authority
and have to rule with the consent of the
people’s representatives in Parliament.
2) The monarch must have the consent of
Parliament to suspend laws, levy taxes or
maintain an army.
3) The monarch cannot interfere with
parliamentary elections and debates.
4) The people have the right to petition the
government and to a fair and speedy trial
by jury of their peers.
5) The people should not be subject to cruel
and unusual punishments or to excessive
fines or bail.
Seventeenth century
philosophers who believed in the
social contract
• John
Locke
• Voltaire
• Jean
Jacques
Rousseau
John Locke
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Wrote the book Two Treatise of
Government in which he described
the social contract. He believed:
All people born free, equal and
independent
Natural Law provided rights to life,
liberty and property
People could change governments
if they failed to protect rights
Did not believe that people had to
obey rulers
Government was legitimate only as
long as the people supported it
Key Colonial Leaders
These leaders
incorporated the ideas
of Locke into early
colonial governments
1) Benjamin Franklin
2) Thomas Jefferson
3) James Madison
Influence of John Locke
John Locke’s book Two Treatise of
Government influenced :
• The Declaration of Independence
• The Constitution
• The French Revolution
The 13 Original Colonies
The English
colonies were
founded
between the
years of 1607
and 1733. The
first colony was
Virginia and the
last was
Georgia.
Colonial Government
There were three parts to all
colonial governments (in each
colony )
1) governor
2) legislature
3) court system
Women and enslaved people
could not vote and every colony
had some form of property
qualifications for voting.
British believed the colonist owed
allegiance to the monarch and
for a while, most colonists
agreed.
Religion in the colonies
Nine of the thirteen colonies
had an official or established
church. Many colonists
remained intolerant of religious
dissent. In Puritan town
meetings, voting was reserved
for members of the community
church.
Political Practices
The following three common political
practices became part of the American
system of government.
1) Written constitution guaranteeing basic
liberties and limited government.
2) A legislature of elected representatives
3) Separation of powers between the
governor and the legislature.
Mayflower Compact
Who: Pilgrims
Date: 1620
Colony: Massachusetts
Significance: First example of
self-government
Provisions:
1) Form a government
2) Choose their own leaders
3) Make their own laws
Great Fundamentals
Who: Puritans
Date: 1636
Colony: Massachusetts
Significance: First basic system
of laws
Fundamental Orders of
Connecticut
Who: Puritans
Date: 1639
Colony: Massachusetts
Significance: First formal
constitution or
charter
Colonial legislatures
• Virginia’s House of Burgess was the
first colonial legislature established
in 1619.
• Initially representatives were
appointed by the king, but over time
they were elected by the colonists.
• They began to make all the laws for
the colonies and established new
towns, schools and courts.
Separation of Powers
The principle which advocates
the division of powers within
government.
Section 2
• Uniting for Independence
• Essential Questions:
• What factors caused the British
to allow the colonists to
operate with little interference
between 1607 and 1763?
Essential Questions
• Why were the colonists unable
to compromise and settle their
differences?
• How did the colonial experience
during the dispute with Britain
help shape American ideals of
constitutional democracy?
The Colonies on their
Own.
• The Colonies were suppose to
serve as a source of raw
materials and a market for
British goods.
• In the eyes of the British, the
colonies existed for the
economic benefit of Great
Britain.
The Colonies on their
Own
• In practice for 150 years the
colonies did pretty much what
they wanted.
• 3000 miles and 2 months away
from London!
• The colonial legislatures took
over dealing with ordinary
problems.
The Colonies on their
Own
• Until the mid-1700s this worked.
• The British needed the
colonists’ loyalty to counter the
threat of the French in Canada.
• The colonists remained loyal in
return for a large measure of
self-rule and protection from the
French.
Britain Tightens Control
• Two events changed the
relationship between the
colonists and Britain.
• 1) The French and Indian War-17541763-soldified Britain’s hold on the
continent.
• 2) King George III, became king in
1760, had different ideas about how
the colonies should be governed.
Effects of the French
and Indian War
• 1. When Great Britain won in 1763,
they gained control of the eastern
third of the North American
continent.
• 2. Defeat of the French meant the
colonists did not need British
protection from the French.
• 3. The war left Britain with a huge
war debt.
Albany 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.
Taxing the Colonies
• King George III wanted to deal
firmly with the colonies.
• To help pay for the war the king
and his ministers levied taxes
on: 1. Tea
•
•
•
2. Sugar
3. Glass
4. Paper
Taxing the Colonies
• The Stamp Act of 1763 imposed
the first direct tax on the
colonists. They had to pay a
tax on legal documents,
pamphlets, newspapers, dice
and playing cards!
Taxing the Colonies
• 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.
Taxing the Colonies
• 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
Taking Action
• 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.
The First Continental
Congress
• 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.
Lexington and Concord
• 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.
The Second Continental
Congress
• 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.
The Declaration of
Independence
• In June 1776,
Richard Henry Lee
introduced the
“Lee Resolution” –
“that these united
colonies are, and
of right ought to
be, free and
independent
states.”
• It was approved on
July 2, 1776
Key Parts of the
Declaration
• 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.
The Articles of
Confederation
Section 3
Pages 48 - 52
Essential Questions:
• What weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation made
enforcing the laws of Congress
impossible?
• What evidence shows that
financial problems were the
main cause of the call to amend
the Articles of Confederation?
A New Government
In addition to his proposed
resolution for independence in
1776, Richard Henry Lee also
proposed that a “plan for
confederation” be prepared for
the colonies. In 1777, a
committee appointed by the
Congress presented a plan
called the Articles of
Confederation. The Articles
basically continued the
government established under
the Second Continental
Congress. By March 1781, all
13 states had ratified
(approved) the Articles of
Confederation.
The Central Government
• Unicameral (single-chamber) Congress from
which executive positions were chosen
• A Committee of the States made up of one
delegate from each state managed the
government when the Congress was not in
session.
• There was no federal court system. Congress
settled disputes among states.
• Each state had one vote in Congress
regardless of size or population.
• Every state legislature selected its own
representatives to Congress, paid them, and
could recall them at any time.
Congressional Powers
Congress had only those powers expressed in
the Articles. All other powers remained with the
states. Congressional powers included:
1) Make war and peace
2) Send and receive ambassadors
3) Enter into treaties
4) Raise and equip a navy
5) Maintain an army by requesting troops from
the states
6) Appoint senior military officers
7) Fix standards of weights and measures
8) Regulate Indian affairs
9) Establish post offices
10) Decide certain disputes among the states
Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
Although the Articles of Confederation gave Congress power,
they created a weak national government. Because each
state was unwilling to give up any of it’s sovereignty to a
central government, the following weaknesses
developed:
1) Congress could not levy taxes. It had to borrow or request
it from the states.
2) Congress did not have the power to regulate trade.
3) Congress could not force anyone to obey the laws or abide
by the Articles.
4) Laws needed the approval of 9 of the 13 states. Usually
only 9 to 10 states were present at one time.
5) Each state had a single vote.
6) Amending (changing) the Articles required the consent of
all 13 states. It was never amended.
7) The central government did not have an executive branch
making it difficult to coordinate the work of the different
committees.
8) There was no national court system. State courts
enforced and interpreted national laws
Achievements
1) Establishment of a fair policy for the
development of the lands west of the
Appalachians.
2) Peace treaty with Great Britain in 1783 in
which Britain recognized American
independence.
3) Created the departments of Foreign Affairs,
War, Marine, and Treasury each under a single
permanent secretary.
4) To encourage cooperation among the states,
the Articles provided that each state give “full
faith and credit” to the legal acts of the other
states and treat each others citizens without
discrimination.
Growing Problems
1) States began to quarrel over boundary
lines and tariffs.
2) Some states began to deal with foreign
nations.
3) The new nation faced serious money
problems. By 1787 the government owed
$40 million to foreign governments and to
American soldiers still unpaid after the
Revolutionary War. The new nation could
not maintain an army without money.
4) The states faced growing financial
troubles by 1786 due to an economic
depression that had left many farmers
and merchants in debt.
Shay’s Rebellion
• Armed groups of farmers forced
several courts to close to prevent
farm foreclosures and the loss of
their farms.
• Daniel Shays (a former captain in
the Revolutionary army) led a band
that closed the Massachusetts
state supreme court.
• When this did not help their cause,
Shays gathered a force of 1200
men and advanced on the federal
arsenal in Springfield.
• The Massachusetts militia put
down the rebellion, but the armed
unrest frightened American
leaders.
• Many, including Henry Knox
wanted a strong national
government.
The Constitutional
Convention
• George Washington, concerned about disputes
between Virginia and Maryland, called a meeting of all
states in 1786, to discuss commerce. Only 5 states
sent delegates.
• Alexander Hamilton (New York) and James Madison
(Virginia) favored a stronger national government.
• Hamilton persuaded the other delegates to call for
another convention to be held in Philadelphia in 1787
with the purpose to regulate commerce between the
states and propose changes to make the national
government more effective. This conference to revise
the Articles of Confederation has been called the
“miracle at Philadelphia.”
The Constitutional
Convention
Section 4
Pages 53 - 58
Essential Questions:
• How did the Connecticut
Compromise settle the most
divisive issue among members
of the Constitutional
Convention?
• What were the key arguments
presented by the Federalists
and Anti-federalists?
The Convention begins:
• The constitutional convention
began on May 25, 1878. All
states except Rhode Island sent
delegates. All delegates sent
had great practical experience
in politics. Several mend stood
out as leaders, however …
• George Washington, who presided
over the meeting;
• Benjamin Franklin, famous
scientist and diplomat;
• James Wilson;
• Gouverneur Morris, who wrote the
final draft of the Constitution; and
• James Madison, known as the
“Father of the Constitution”
because he authored the basic
plan of the Constitution.
Key Agreements:
• Limited and representative
government;
• Powers of national government
divided among legislative,
executive and judicial branches;
• Limit power of states to coin
money; and
• Strengthen national government.
Decisions - Compromises
• Virginia Plan
• Who: Edmund Randolph (Virginia)
• What: (1) strong legislature w/ 2
chambers – lower one chosen by
people and upper one chosen by
lower chamber; (2) strong
executive to be chosen by
legislature; (3) national judiciary
appointed by legislature.
Decisions - Compromises
• New Jersey Plan
• Who: William Paterson of New
Jersey
• What: (1) umicameral legislature w/ 1
vote for each state; (2) congress can
impose taxes and regulate trade; (3)
weak executive branch w/ more than
one person acting; and (4) weak
national judiciary appointed by
executive.
Decisions - Compromises
• Connecticut Compromise
• Who: Roger Sherman
• What: (1) bicameral legislature w/
House of Representatives based on
population and which will initiate all
revenue laws – spending and taxes –
and Senate with 2 members from
each state; (2) state legislatures will
elect senators.
Decisions - Compromises
• Three-fifths Compromise
• How many representatives from each state
will be in the House of Representatives?
• The south had a small white population but a
large black population. Southern states
wanted the large black population to count
toward its total population for purposes of
representation in Congress, but did not want
the black population to count toward taxation.
Solution: Three-fifths of the enslaved
population would be counted for both
population (representation) and taxation.
Decisions - Compromises
• Commerce and the Slave Trade
• The northern states wanted the national
government to have complete control over
international trade. The southern states
feared the North would make trade
agreements with other nations that would hurt
southern exports and try to limit the slave
trade. Solution: Congress has power to
regulate international trade and trade between
the states but cannot tax exports, and slave
trade will not be banned until 1808.
Decisions - Compromises
• Slavery
• The question of slavery was not dealt
with. The northern states wanted to
ban slavery; the southern states did
not as agriculture depended heavily
upon the work of slaves. The
delegates knew the southern states
would not ratify the Constitution if
slavery were banned so the issue was
not addressed.
Other Compromises
• Who elects president? People,
Congress or state legislatures?
Electoral College established.
• How long will president serve?
4-year term(s).
Ratifying the Constitution:
Federalists vs. Anti-federalists
• Federalists – mostly from the New England
states – favored the Constitution and wanted
to ratify it quickly.
• Anti-federalists – mostly supported by inland
farmers and laborers – feared the
Constitution because it gave the national
(federal) government so much power.
• To gain the necessary support for the
Constitution, the Federalists promised to add
a Bill of Rights. (The Constitution itself did
not guarantee the freedoms of citizens.)
Ratification
• With the promise of a Bill of
Rights, the small states ratified
the Constitution quickly – they
liked the equal representation
in the new Senate.
• The larger states, especially
New York, took longer to ratify
it.
• George Washington, James
Madison and Edmund Randolph
pushed Virginia’s ratification.
• Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison and John Jay pushed
New York’s ratification by
writing a series of essays (80)
defending the new Constitution.
These essays were later bound
into book form: The Federalist.
A New “State”
• The nation’s first (temporary)
capitol was New York City.
• George Washington was elected
president with John Adams as the
vice president.
• Congress met for the first time on
March 4, 1789 at Federal Hall in
New York City.
• Ten amendments to the new
Constitution were approved and are
known as the Bill of Rights.