Chapter 2
Summary of Historical
Documents
Section 1
Influences from England’s
Early Government
•The English brought with them a
history of limited and representative
government.
•England was ruled by a MONARCH
– a king or queen, but nobles held
much power.
1. Nobles wanted fair &
equal treatment under
the law. So they forced
King John to sign the
(1) Magna Carta – June
15, 1215 in Runneymead
England
A. Written by English
Lords/Nobles
It limited the power of
the king or queen
B. Used as a basis for the
Bill of Rights.
1. Granted equal treatment
for citizens accused of a
crime.
a.Right to confront your
accuser
b. Right to trial by jury
•King Henry II followed
King John
in 1216.
•The nobles and church
officials who advised the
King, Henry II, developed
into a LEGISLATURE – a
lawmaking body- known as
PARLIAMENT.
•In 1688, in a power
struggle, Parliament
removed King James II
from the throne.
•This peaceful transfer of
power was the Glorious
Revolution.
•From then on, no ruler
would have more power
than the legislature.
2. English Bill of Rights –
1689 in Westminster,
England.
A. Written by
Parliament (lawmaking
body of England.
B. Stated that the power of
the monarch (king/queen)
should be limited.
C. Included many
liberties found in the
Constitution & Bill of
Rights
1. Free elections
2. Protection from cruel
and unusual punishment
and excessive bail.
3. Trial by Jury
4. Free Speech
•In its early days,
England had no written
laws. People developed
rules to live by which
came to have the force
of law.
•Judges made rulings
consistent with
PRECEDENTS, or rulings
in earlier cases.
•The system of law based
on precedent and custom
is known as common law.
Question: What were
some rights guaranteed by
the English Bill of Rights?
Bringing the English
Heritage to America
•A colony is a group of
people in one place who
are ruled by a parent
country elsewhere.
•English colonists in
America remained loyal
subjects of England.
They accepted English
law and expected the
same rights they enjoyed
in England.
3.The Virginia Company’s
Charter
•A charter is a written
document granting land and
the authority to set up
colonial governments.
• The Virginia Company’s
Charter was granted by
King James I to a group of
merchants from London.
•The Virginia Company’s
charter promised the
colonists of Jamestown the
same liberties as in
England.
•These representatives
formed the House of
Burgesses, the first
legislature in the colonies.
•It marked the beginning
of self-government in the
colonies.
(4). Mayflower Compact
• A compact is an
agreement, or contract,
among a group of
people.
•Before arriving in
Plymouth, the Pilgrims
drew up the Mayflower
Compact, November 11,
1620 in what is now Cape
Cod, Massachusetts.
A. Written by the Pilgrims
on board the Mayflower.
•Under this contract all
men would vote, the
majority would rule.
This set up a direct
democracy in the
colony.
B. Established “rule by the
people” (popular
sovereignty) which later
became known as “social
contract” theory of
government.
C. Later used to justify
American independence
from Great Britain –
government should be
formed by the people.
Early Colonial Governments
•Later English colonies
along the east coast
followed the examples of
the Mayflower Compact
and the House of Burgesses.
•Each colony had a governor
and elected legislature, often
modeled after Parliament.
•The colonial governments
took on more power over time,
as the king and Parliament
were preoccupied at home.
•The colonies grew used to
making their own
decisions.
Question: What examples
did new colonies follow in
setting up their
governments?
They followed the
examples from the
Mayflower Compact and
the House of Burgesses by
establishing self rule.
Matching
A. Monarch
B. Colony
C. Legislature
D. Common law
E. precedent
Explain: What is the
historical significance
of Virginia’s House of
Burgesses?
It marked the beginning of
colonial self-government.
Summarize: What did the
Mayflower Compact do?
It established a system of
direct democracy- all men
could vote and the majority
ruled. It also established the
concept of popular
sovereignty or rule by the
people.
Drawing conclusions:
Explain the significance of
the Glorious Revolution.
It changed the idea of
government in England:
no ruler would have more
power than the
Parliament.