Chapter 2: Roots of American
Democracy
Week 4
Roots of Am. Government
Enlightenment: Period during 16/1700’s
where people began to use science and reason
to question many institutions of society
Monarch: King or Queen ruling a country,
typical form of leadership for European nations
at this time. Usually held absolute or near
absolute power
During Enlightenment, many began to question
the legitimacy of a monarch in power.
Restrictions (England) & Revolutions (France)
would take place.
Roots of Am. Government
Parliament: British legislative (lawmaking)
body.
Gained power from King in England through 1600’s.
English Bill of Rights/Glorious Revolution of 1688/89
established powers of Parliament in writing that King
could not take away
Common Law: laws develop out of traditions
and previous court rulings, rather than laws
made by the legislature
Chapter 2 Key Terms
Ordered Government: Has structure, people
have positions (President, Congress, etc…)
Limited Government: There are limits on
what government can do, people have rights
that cannot be taken away
Representative Government: Government
should serve the will of the people (people have
a voice in govt)
English Roots of Government
Rule of law: All people, even the King, must
obey the law
Magna Carta (1215): King John of England
signed guaranteeing the people basic rights
Limited Government: The power of the
King has limits, not all powerful
Individual Rights: rights the people have
that can’t be taken away by govt.
Documents Influencing Early Government
Magna Carta:
1215
(England)
Petition of Right:
1628
(England)
Barons vs. King John
Parliament and Charles I
Trial by jury (6th
Amend.)
Due process of law (5th
Amend.)
Later, All people, not
just privileged protected
(14th Amend.)
Power of monarch not
absolute (limited by the
document)
Trial by jury for
political critics (1st
Amend. Speech and
6th Amend.)
English Bill of
Rights: 1688
England
Parliament and Will/Mary of
Orange
Fair Speedy Trial (6th
Amend.)
Can’t rule by force
Parliament approves
changes to laws (Art. 1, Sec.
8 Powers of Congress)
No quartering of
soldiers (3rd Amend.)
Freedom from excessive
bail (8th Amend.)
Monarchs must obey
law of land
(Constitution)
No cruel and unusual
punishment (8th Amend.)
Free elections
Borrowed from English Enlightenment
 Natural Rights: rights that people have by being born
human and not government can take away
Life, liberty, property
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 John Locke: English writer who supported the idea
of natural rights/social contract when government is
not protective of the rights of its citizens
 Social Contract: People have natural rights that
cannot be taken from the by the government
Contract: people give up some freedom, to govt
Govt protects the people’s rights/safety
 If govt breaks contract, people can?????
Problems w/Britain
1765 - Stamp Act: Tax on any written
document
Stamp Act Congress: 9 colonies sent Delegates
(representatives) to meet and write formal protest
to King
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
Acts eventually Repealed (removed)
Tea Act: Could only purchase tea from British
East India Company
Boston Tea Party – Dec 16, 1773
Colonial Protest of the Tea Acts
Intolerable Acts
 Passed as punishment for Boston Tea
party and other protests
1.
2.
3.
4.
Closed Boston Harbor (no trade)
No more govt meetings
Criminal trials in Britain (no fair trial)
Forced Colonists to shelter troops
The Colonists Respond
1st Continental Congress
(1774)
2nd Continental Congress (1775)
 Revolution War already begun
 All 13 colonies sent delegates
 To respond to Britain’s passage of
Intolerable Acts
 Colonists urged to boycott (refuse
to buy/trade) with Britain
 Set up the Second Continental
Congress
 Unicameral Congress, John
Hancock elected as President of
the Congress
 Fought war, raised & paid army,
made treaties
 Legislative & Executive power
(could make and enforce laws)
Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776
•Declared
Independence
from England
•Officially
created the
United States of
America
•Claimed
England had
broken Social
Contract