The Beginnings of the
Constitution
Part 2
New World Settlements
1565 – St. Augustine Florida – 1st Permanent
Settlement in what is today the U.S. (Spanish)
 1587 – Roanoke Island – 117 people all
disappeared. (Croatoan)
 1607 – Jamestown Virginia – Founded as an
economic venture under the economic system of
Mercantilism (Eco system designed to benefit the
parent country) England.

◦ It was a charter colony given by James I. A charter is
a written grant of authority from the king.
◦ Jamestown was 1st permanent English colony in the
U.S.
New World Settlements

1620 – Plymouth Massachusetts. Founded
by pilgrims who had a charter to settle at
Jamestown. Known as Separatist, they
thought they were outside the king’s
jurisdiction.
◦ Went to Leyden in Netherlands first.
New World Settlements

The Colonial Period Lasted about 125
years (1607 Jamestown to 1733 Georgia).
They came for 3 reasons.
◦ Land
◦ Gold
◦ Religion
Colonist Concepts of Government
Ordered Government (structure,
governor, sheriff, etc.
 Limited Government – Magna Carta,
English Bill of Rights
 Representative Government – Elect
representatives to make laws.

◦ Unicameral – 1 House
◦ Bicameral – 2 Houses (Parliament had 2
houses)
3 Types of Colonies
Royal Colonies – Subject to direct
control of king. (8) N.H., Mass, N.Y., N.J.,
Virginia, N.C., S.C., and GA
 Proprietary Colonies – Land grants given
to a proprietor who governed the colony.
(Pennsylvania – William Penn) King owed
his father money
 Charter Colonies – Land grants given to
groups, largely self governing. (Conn. R.I.)

The Beginning of the Differences
Between the Colonist and England

1754 – French and Indian War
◦ 1. The king refused to let colonist settle the
land.
◦ 2. The Colonies were taxed to help pay for
the war.
◦ 3. The Colonist were not born in England.

1754 – Albany Plan of Union – Proposed
by Ben Franklin intended self control for
the colonies. (1st time we know this was
suggested)
The Beginning of the Differences
Between the Colonist and England

1760 – King George III comes to power.
◦ Restricted Trade
◦ Taxed the Colonist

1765 – Stamp Act – Tax on legal documents.
◦ Wills, Marriage Papers, Newspapers, Cards
◦ Existed in England before but not Colonies
◦ Colonist Boycotted (refused to buy) hurt trade
and it was repealed by British.
◦ NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
The Beginning of the Differences
Between the Colonist and England

1770 – Boston Massacre – 5 people killed but was used by colonist as
propaganda.

1773 – Boston Tea Party – Protest against Tea Act. Made Tea Cheaper by
allowing British East India Company to sell directly to Colonist.

1774 – Intolerable Acts – Punished Boston by shutting down the port,
allowed town meetings only once a year, forced colonist to house British
Troops, forced some trials to be in England rather than colonies.

1774 – The 1st Continental Congress – attempt by colonist to unite against
intolerable acts.

1775 – Battle of Lexington – Revolution Begins

1775 – The 2nd Continental Congress – 1st Government for colonies.
Lasted from July 4, 1776 to March 1st 1781. John Hancock is President.

1776 – Declaration of Independence – A letter to King George III stating
grievances and the use of the Term “United States of America”.