Chapter Introduction
Section 1 Our English Heritage
Section 2 The Birth of a Democratic Nation
Section 3 The Nation’s First Governments
Review to Learn
Chapter Assessment
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slides.
Chapter Overview
In Chapter 2 you learn about the origins and
development of democratic institutions.
Section 1 examines the development of
British common law and parliamentary
government, which influenced the early
American colonial governments. Section 2
explains the reasons for the colonists’
dissatisfaction with British rule in the colonies
and the decision to declare independence.
Section 3 describes the new government
established by the Articles of Confederation.
Chapter Objectives
After studying this chapter, you will be
able to:
• Explain British legal influences on the
American colonies.
• Analyze the colonists’ path to
independence.
• Describe the first federal government.
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Guide to Reading
Main Idea
English settlers in the American colonies
established traditions of representative government
that they had learned in England.
Key Terms
• monarch
• common law
• legislature
• colony
• Parliament
• charter
• precedent
• compact
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Guide to Reading (cont.)
Reading Strategy
Organizing Information As you read, complete a
web diagram like the one on page 28 of your
textbook and list the features of English law that
the colonists brought with them to America.
Read to Learn
• What were the English traditions of limited and
representative government?
• How did colonists transplant English ideas of
government to America?
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John Dickinson
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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.
• The nobles forced King John to sign the
Magna Carta.
• This document upheld rights of
landowners including equal treatment
under the law and trial by one’s peers.
• It limited the power of the king or queen.
(pages 28–30)
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Influences from England’s
Early Government (cont.)
• Nobles and church officials who advised
Henry III developed into a legislature–a
lawmaking body–known as Parliament.
• 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.
(pages 28–30)
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Influences from England’s
Early Government (cont.)
• Parliament drew up the English Bill
of Rights.
• It required the monarch to get
Parliament’s consent to impose taxes,
raise an army, or create special courts.
• It guaranteed free elections, free speech,
a fair jury, and no cruel and unusual
punishments.
(pages 28–30)
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Influences from England’s
Early Government (cont.)
• 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 that
were similar.
• The system of law based on precedent and
custom is known as common law.
• Our laws are based on English common law.
(pages 28–30)
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Influences from England’s
Early Government (cont.)
What were some rights guaranteed by the
English Bill of Rights?
This document guaranteed free election
of members of Parliament, free speech
for Parliament members during meetings,
the right to a fair jury in court cases, and
that cruel and unusual punishments
would be banned.
(pages 28–30)
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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 common law and
expected the same rights they enjoyed
in England.
(pages 30–31)
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Bringing the English Heritage
to America (cont.)
• A charter is a written document granting
land and the authority to set up colonial
governments.
• The Virginia Company’s charter promised
the colonists of Jamestown the same
liberties as in England.
(pages 30–31)
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Bringing the English Heritage
to America (cont.)
• The colonists chose representatives
called burgesses to meet with the
governor.
• These representatives formed the House
of Burgesses, the first legislature in the
colonies.
• It marked the beginning of self-government
in the colonies.
(pages 30–31)
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Bringing the English Heritage
to America (cont.)
• Before arriving in Plymouth, the Pilgrims
drew up the Mayflower Compact, a
written plan that set up a direct
democracy in the colony.
• A compact is an agreement, or contract,
among a group of people.
• All men would vote.
• The majority would rule.
(pages 30–31)
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Bringing the English Heritage
to America (cont.)
What expectations for government did English
colonists bring with them to America?
They accepted common law and believed
that the ruler was not above the law. They
also expected to have a voice in
government and other basic rights that they
had enjoyed in England.
(pages 30–31)
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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 an
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 colonists grew used to making their
own decisions.
(pages 31–32)
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Early Colonial Governments (cont.)
What examples did new colonies follow in
setting up their governments?
They followed the examples of the
Mayflower Compact and the House of
Burgesses. Many colonial legislatures were
modeled after the English Parliament.
(pages 31–32)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
B 1. a group of people in one place who
are ruled by a parent country
elsewhere
__
D 2. a system of law based on precedent
and customs
__
E 3. a ruling that is used as the basis for
a judicial decision in a later, similar
case
__
A 4. king or queen
__
C 5. a group of people that makes laws
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A. monarch
B. colony
C. legislature
D. common law
E. precedent
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Explain What is the historical significance of
Virginia’s House of Burgesses?
It marked the beginning of colonial
self-government.
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Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Summarize What did the Mayflower
Compact do?
It established a system of direct democracy–
all men could vote and the majority ruled.
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Critical Thinking
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.
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Analyzing Visuals
Identify Review the four sources of
American law in the chart on page 30 of
your textbook. What is equity law and where
did it come from?
Equity laws are rules that resolve issues
based on fairness. They came from English
king’s courts.
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Close
Tell whether you think the colonists thought of
themselves as American or British and why.
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Guide to Reading
Main Idea
When Great Britain attempted to exert tighter
control over the American colonies, the colonists,
who were used to running their own affairs,
resisted and eventually declared independence.
Key Terms
• mercantilism
• boycott
• repeal
• delegate
• independence
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Guide to Reading (cont.)
Reading Strategy
Cause and Effect As you read, complete a
chart like the one on page 33 of your textbook,
and explain how the colonists responded to
British actions.
Read to Learn
• How did the British government try to tighten
control over its American colonies?
• How did American colonists resist and reject
the British crackdown?
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Charles Thomson
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Colonial Resistance and Rebellion
• The British government began to tighten
its grip on the American colonies.
• George III adopted a policy of
mercantilism, the theory that a country
should sell more goods to other
countries than it buys.
• Britain wanted to buy American raw
materials at low prices and sell colonists
British products at high prices.
(pages 33–35)
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Colonial Resistance and Rebellion (cont.)
• Britain won land in North America from
France in the French and Indian War.
• To pay off war debts and cover the costs
of ruling the new lands, Britain taxed the
colonists.
• Colonists resented the taxes.
• They had no representatives in
Parliament–“No taxation without
representation.”
(pages 33–35)
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Colonial Resistance and Rebellion (cont.)
• In protest, many colonists decided to
boycott, or refuse to buy, British goods.
• As a result, Parliament agreed to
repeal, or cancel, the Stamp Act and
other taxes.
• However, Parliament soon replaced
them with new taxes.
• Parliament’s Declaratory Act stated that it
had the right to tax and make decisions
for the colonies.
(pages 33–35)
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Colonial Resistance and Rebellion (cont.)
• The Townshend Acts taxed needed goods
imported to the colonies.
• The colonists again boycotted.
(pages 33–35)
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Colonial Resistance and Rebellion (cont.)
• The Tea Act allowed the British East India
Company to bypass colonial merchants
and sell tea directly to shopkeepers at
low prices.
• In response, colonists blocked all the
company’s ships from colonial ports,
except in Boston.
• There colonists dressed as Native
Americans dumped the British tea into
Boston Harbor–the Boston Tea Party.
(pages 33–35)
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Colonial Resistance and Rebellion (cont.)
• Parliament responded with the Coercive
Acts, which restricted colonists’ rights.
(pages 33–35)
Colonial Resistance and Rebellion (cont.)
What name did the colonists give to the
Coercive Acts, and why?
The colonists called the Coercive Acts the
“Intolerable Acts” because these laws
restricted the colonists’ rights, including the
right to trial by jury. The laws also allowed
British soldiers to search, and even move
into, colonists’ homes.
(pages 33–35)
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Movement Toward Independence
• The colonies sent delegates, or
representatives, to a meeting in Philadelphia
known as the First Continental Congress.
• They demanded that King George III restore
their rights. The king responded with force.
• The Revolutionary War began with battles
at Lexington and Concord.
• Colonists started to question their loyalty
to Britain.
• They began talking about independence,
or self-reliance and freedom from outside
control.
(pages 35–36)
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Movement Toward Independence (cont.)
• At the Second Continental Congress,
some delegates wanted independence.
• Others still felt loyal to Britain.
• Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common
Sense swayed public opinion toward
independence.
• Finally, the Second Continental
Congress agreed that the colonies must
break away from Britain.
(pages 35–36)
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Movement Toward Independence (cont.)
Why did some members of the Second
Continental Congress oppose
independence?
Some believed the colonists could never
win a war against Great Britain. Others
were still loyal to their home country.
(pages 35–36)
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The Declaration of Independence
• The Declaration of Independence, written
mostly by Thomas Jefferson, explained why
the United States should be a free nation.
• It argued that the British government did not
look after the interests of the colonists. It
listed many abuses by the king.
(pages 36–38)
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The Declaration of Independence (cont.)
• The Declaration said that the purpose of
government is to protect the rights of the
people.
• Government is based on consent of the
people.
• If government disregards their rights or
their will, the people are entitled to
change or overthrow it.
(pages 36–38)
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The Declaration of Independence (cont.)
• These ideas were influenced by philosopher
John Locke.
• He saw government as a contract between
the people and the rulers.
• The people agree to give up some
freedoms and abide by government
decisions.
• In return, the government promises to
protect them and their liberty.
• If government misuses its power, the
people should rebel.
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(pages 36–38)
The Declaration of Independence (cont.)
• The Second Continental Congress
approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776.
• True freedom arrived when Britain
officially recognized the United States at
the war’s end.
(pages 36–38)
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The Declaration of Independence (cont.)
What are some ideas that the authors of the
Declaration of Independence adopted from the
writing of John Locke?
The Declaration included Locke’s ideas that
government is based on the consent of the
people, the purpose of government is to protect
the rights of the people, and if it does not fulfill this
purpose, the people have a right to overthrow it.
The Declaration also included Locke’s idea that all
people should equally enjoy the rights of life,
liberty, and property.
(pages 36–38)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
B 1. to cancel a law
A. boycott
__
A 2. the refusal to purchase certain
goods
B. repeal
__
D 3. self-reliance and freedom from
outside control
__
C 4. a representative to a meeting
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C. delegate
D. independence
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Explain Why did Great Britain raise taxes
on the American colonists after 1763? What
effect did this have on the colonists?
The taxes were to pay debts from war with
France and to cover the costs of governing
territory. The colonists refused to buy British
goods in response to the new taxes.
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Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Identify What British legislation
prompted colonists to hold the First
Continental Congress?
The Intolerable Acts prompted colonists to
hold the First Continental Congress.
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Critical Thinking
Making Inferences Assume the role of
a British government official in 1774, and
write a press release explaining why the
Coercive Acts were necessary.
Possible answer: The British government
wanted to be able to control the colonists
and force them to abide by its laws.
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Analyzing Visuals
Interpret Reexamine the political cartoon
on page 38 of your textbook. What do the
labels or initials represent?
The labels represent the colonies.
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Close
Do you think the American colonists
did all they could to prevent war with
Great Britain?
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Guide to Reading
Main Idea
In 1777, the Second Continental Congress drafted
the Articles of Confederation, thereby creating a
weak national government. By 1780, all 13 of the
original states had written constitutions.
Key Terms
• constitution
• bicameral
• confederation
• ratify
• amend
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Guide to Reading (cont.)
Reading Strategy
Comparing and Contrasting Information As you
read, create and complete a chart similar to the one
on page 39 of your textbook, and list features of state
constitutions and the Articles of Confederation.
Read to Learn
• How did the original states fashion their
constitutions?
• Why were the Articles of Confederation
ineffective?
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Coat of arms for king of England
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Early State Constitutions
• New Hampshire was the first colony to
organize as a state and craft a written
plan for government, or constitution.
• Other states formed similar systems of
government.
• Most state legislatures were bicameral–
divided into two parts, or houses.
• Members of the two houses were chosen
by different methods.
(pages 39–40)
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Early State Constitutions (cont.)
• Each state had an elected governor to
carry out the laws and judges and courts
to interpret the laws.
• Most state constitutions included a bill
of rights.
(pages 39–40)
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Early State Constitutions (cont.)
• The Massachusetts constitution was
different from the others.
• It distributed power more evenly among
the legislature, governor, and courts.
• It gave the governor and the courts the
authority to check the legislature.
• The constitution itself was not created
by the legislature but by a convention of
elected delegates.
• The Massachusetts constitution would later
become the model for the U.S. Constitution.
(pages 39–40)
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Early State Constitutions (cont.)
Under the state constitutions, what were
the jobs of the legislature, the governor,
and the courts?
The legislature created the laws, the
governor carried out the laws, and the
courts interpreted the laws.
(pages 39–40)
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The Articles of Confederation
• Separately, the states could not maintain
a large army to fight the British.
• For this and other reasons, the Second
Continental Congress made a plan for
union called the Articles of
Confederation.
• A confederation is a group of individuals
who band together for a common
purpose.
(pages 40–42)
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The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
• The Articles set up a one-house
legislature.
• As a result of bad experiences with the
British government, the states refused to
give Congress the power to tax or to
enforce its laws.
• Congress could not require the states to
give money or do anything else.
(pages 40–42)
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The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
• The states ratified, or approved, the
Articles.
• Soon, serious problems became clear.
• Strict voting requirements to pass laws or
amend (change) the Articles made it
difficult for Congress to accomplish
anything.
• Even when it passed laws, Congress
could not enforce them.
• States could just ignore the laws.
(pages 40–42)
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The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
• The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783,
ending the Revolutionary War.
• Unable to collect taxes, Congress had
borrowed to pay for the war.
• The states had also run up deep debts.
• To pay their debts, the states overtaxed
their citizens and even taxed goods from
other states and foreign countries.
• The Confederation Congress had no
power to solve these problems.
(pages 40–42)
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The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
• Daniel Shays, an indebted farmer, felt the
state had no right to take his farm away
because of a problem the state had created.
• He led an uprising, known as Shays’s
Rebellion.
• This unrest swayed leaders toward
revising the Articles of Confederation to
create a stronger national government.
(pages 40–42)
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The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
What problems did the tax practices of the
states cause for their citizens after the
Revolutionary War?
To pay their deep debt, state governments
taxed their citizens heavily, driving many
farmers out of business and sparking
widespread resentment. The states also
taxed goods from other states and foreign
countries, hurting trade.
(pages 40–42)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
D 1. to vote approval of
A. constitution
__
C 2. a group of individuals or state
governments
B. bicameral
__
B 3. a legislature consisting of two
parts, or houses
__
E 4. to change
__
A 5. a detailed, written plan for
government
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C. confederation
D. ratify
E. amend
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Identify What was the first written
constitution of the United States?
The first written constitution of the United
States was the Articles of Confederation.
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Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Contrast How did the Massachusetts
state constitution (1780) differ from most
of the other state constitutions?
Most other state constitutions made the
legislature supreme. Massachusetts
divided power among the three branches
of government.
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Critical Thinking
Drawing Conclusions Why do you
think most early state constitutions made
the legislature supreme?
Possible answer: Legislatures were elected
by the people. They feared the executive
branch (governor) would become too
powerful, creating a monarchy.
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Analyzing Visuals
Infer Review the weaknesses of the Articles
on page 41 of your textbook. Why did
Congress have to borrow money to pay
federal expenses, thereby going into debt?
Congress did not have the power to tax.
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Close
Select which issues should have been
most important to Congress in 1786 and
explain why.
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Section 1: Our English Heritage
• The Magna Carta limited the power of
the monarch.
• By the late 1300s, Parliament had grown
into the lawmaking body of England.
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Section 2: The Birth of a
Democratic Nation
• Although American colonists had learned
to manage their own affairs, the British
government tightened its control over
the colonies in the mid-1700s.
• Great Britain did this by enforcing steep
taxes on the colonists, which the
colonists protested.
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Section 3: The Nation’s First
Governments
• The first constitutions of the American
states set up a legislature, a governor,
and court systems. Most included a bill
of rights.
• By 1781 all 13 states had ratified the
Articles of Confederation.
• The first government of the United
States, set up by the Articles of
Confederation, had limited powers.
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Reviewing Key Terms
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
A. amend
__
1.
the
refusal
to
purchase
certain
D
B. Articles of
goods
Confederation
__
G 2. a written plan of government
C. bicameral
signed by the colonists of
Plymouth, Massachusetts
D. boycott
__
C 3. a legislature consisting of two E. Declaration of
parts, or houses
Independence
H 4. the English legislature
__
F. Magna Carta
__
E 5. the document that explained
why the United States should
be a free nation
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G. Mayflower Compact
H. Parliament
I.
precedent
J.
repeal
Reviewing Key Terms (cont.)
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
A. amend
F 6. the agreement that King John
__
of England was forced to sign B. Articles of
Confederation
in 1215, which limited the
power of the monarch
C. bicameral
__
A 7. to change
D. boycott
__
I 8. a court ruling in an earlier
case
E. Declaration of
Independence
__
J 9. to cancel
F.
__
B 10. the first written constitution of
the United States
G. Mayflower Compact
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Magna Carta
H. Parliament
I.
precedent
J.
repeal
Reviewing Main Ideas
What principle of English government did
the Glorious Revolution establish?
No ruler would have more power than the
legislature (Parliament).
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Reviewing Main Ideas (cont.)
What is a system of law based on
precedent and customs called?
A system of law based on precedent
and customs is called common law.
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Reviewing Main Ideas (cont.)
What is historically significant about
Virginia’s House of Burgesses?
It was the first representative assembly in the
English colonies. It marked the beginning of
self-government in colonial America.
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Reviewing Main Ideas (cont.)
What changed the relationship between
Great Britain and the American colonies
after 1763?
After 1763 the British government tried to
tighten its control of the colonies and increase
taxes to pay for the war with France.
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Reviewing Main Ideas (cont.)
How did colonists react to the Stamp Act
in 1765?
They boycotted select British goods,
arguing “no taxation without representation.”
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Critical Thinking
Analyzing Information The Articles of
Confederation denied Congress the power to
collect taxes. Could a government survive today
without this power? Why or why not?
Possible answer: A government would not
be able to defend itself, enforce its laws, or
carry out its duties without a treasury.
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Analyzing Visuals
The painting on page 49 of your textbook
from the 1770s uses symbols to represent
the nation. What does the woman represent?
What is she stepping on? What do all the
symbols represent?
The woman represents the concept of liberty
or the new nation. She is standing on the
British Crown and the laurel wreath over
Washington’s bust and the flag represent the
victory of democracy over tyranny.
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Directions: Choose the best answer to the following question.
Many of the early state constitutions included a bill of rights. What
was the purpose of these bills of rights?
F to set up three branches of government
G
to guarantee certain basic freedoms and rights to citizens
H
to guarantee the power of the legislature
J
to declare independence from Great Britain
Test-Taking Tip Read the question carefully. If you do not
immediately recognize the correct answer, then eliminate
answers that you know are incorrect and narrow your
choices.
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What was the purpose of the Articles of
Confederation?
The purpose was to establish a system of
cooperation among states without a strong
central government.
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Map
The English Colonies
Charts
Sources of American Law
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slides.
Analyzing Primary Sources
Why Learn This Skill?
You missed the school basketball game last week
and want to know how well the team played. How
will you find out? You probably would ask a
schoolmate who went to the game. You might also
ask a student from the opposing team’s school.
Their accounts would be on-the-scene, eyewitness
accounts known as primary sources, but they may
differ. Primary sources provide different
perspectives about an event or issue.
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Analyzing Primary Sources
Learning the Skill
To analyze primary sources, follow these steps:
• First determine if the information at hand is a primary or a
secondary source. On-the-scene and eyewitness
accounts are primary sources. Accounts prepared by
persons who may have researched an event at a later
time are secondary sources.
• Determine the identity of the person giving the account.
• Identify the person’s purpose for creating the account.
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Analyzing Primary Sources
Learning the Skill (cont.)
To analyze primary sources, follow these steps:
• Look for information that may be based on the
author’s opinion rather than factual evidence.
• Draw conclusions about the reliability of the source
material.
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Analyzing Primary Sources
Practicing the Skill
In December 1777, during the Revolutionary War,
General George Washington wrote a letter from his
camp at Valley Forge to the Continental Congress.
Read the excerpt on page 43 of your textbook and
answer the following questions.
Analyzing Primary Sources
1. Why did Washington write to the Continental
Congress?
Troops needed soap, vinegar, clothing, shoes,
and blankets.
2. Is Washington’s letter a primary or secondary source?
The letter is a primary source.
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Analyzing Primary Sources
3. How do you think the letter might have influenced the
Continental Congress?
Possible answer: The Continental Congress, in order to
prevent desertion, might have been more likely to get
supplies quickly to the troops.
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Art There were no movie or videotape cameras
to record the events of the Revolutionary War. To
see what the era was like, people have had to
rely on the work of American painters such as
John Trumbull, James Peale, Gilbert Stuart, and
John Singleton Copley. John Trumbull’s painting
The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
hangs in the Capitol’s rotunda.
After the Magna Carta was signed on June 15,
1215, copies were made and distributed
throughout the British kingdom. Four of these
copies still exist: two are located in the British
Library in London, and the others can be found
at Salisbury Cathedral and Lincoln Cathedral.
The annual Boston Marathon is run on Patriots’
Day, the third Monday in April. This day
commemorates the battles of Lexington and
Concord that opened the Revolutionary War.
The route of the marathon generally follows the
route of the British retreat.
Homespuns The term homespuns referred to
colonial soldiers. Colonial women joined the
protest movement by boycotting English tea
and cloth. They proudly dressed their families
in homespun clothes. When the Revolutionary
War began, the women wove blankets and
coats for the soldiers. As a result, the British
referred to George Washington’s troops as the
“Homespuns.”
The Parliamentary System The English
parliamentary system was the model of
government in a number of countries around
the world, including Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, India, and South Africa.
Why do you think
Franklin chose to
depict the snake in
several pieces
instead of as a
connected whole?
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The pieces of the snake
represent individual
colonies, such as South
Carolina, New York, and
Pennsylvania. Through
his depiction, Franklin
suggests that, if the
colonies unite to form a
connected whole, the
result will be an entity that
possesses the power and
force of a snake.
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The colonists believed the
taxes on necessary goods,
like tea, were unfair.
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