Why not an EXACT copy?
English Political Heritage

Representative government
 Council to the king (advisors)
 Bi-cameral – two houses
○ Lords and Commons  Rep and Senate

Limited Government
 Magna Carta – limited Kings Power
 “rule of man” / ”rule of law”
 Outlined rules / rights king could not violate
English Political Heritage

Individual Rights
 Petition of Rights
○ Approval before levy new taxes
○ No unlawful imprisonment
 English Bill of Rights
○ Protected people
○ Freedom of speech
○ Cruel and Unusual punishment
○ Taxes and laws
The English Colonies

Charter of Connecticut
 Laws that limited the people of the
government gave all free men the right to
choose people to serve as judges
 (protection and personal property)
Types of English Colonies

Proprietary – individual or group funds
the colony

Royal – Directly controlled by the king

Charter – operated by contract by
colony and king
Intellectual influences

Republicanism
 ideas about representative government
 Values citizen participation, public good and
civic virtue

Judeo Christian Influences
 Set laws and individual rights as being
divine origin
Intellectual influences

Enlightenment Thinkers
 Liked the idea of Natural Rights and Social
Contract
 Commentaries on the laws of England
 Freedom of speech and religion
 Separation and balance of powers
Individual Influences

John Locke
 Published Two Treatises of Government.
mainly necessary to promote the “public
good,” and protect –
Natural rights -Life, liberty and property
Individual Influences

Thomas Hobbes
 wrote Leviathan (defense of the absolute
power of kings)
 State of nature – all men are equal with no
laws
 English Contract law – if people submit their
natural right to a king they will be safe
Individual Influences

Baron De Montesquieu
 Separation of powers with balanced power
 3 major branches – EXEC, LEG, JUD
Individual Influences

Jean Jacques Rousseau
 Social Contract theory between government
and the people
 Protect our natural rights
 Overthrow government and make a new
Individual Influences

Voltaire
 Freedom of speech
 Separation of church and State
 Religious freedom