Our Political Beginnings Basic Concepts of Government 16

Our Political Beginnings

Basic Concepts of Government • 16 th century the beginning of our government • Ordered government – Need regulation of relationships • Sheriff, county, grand jury and coroner

• Limited Government – Government is not all powerful – Cannot take away some individual rights • Representative Government – Government should serve the will of the people – “government of, by, and for the people“

Magna Carta • Signed by King John (forced) – Trial by jury – Due process of law – Protection of life, liberty and property • Power only planned for the upper classes • English parliament slowly grows over 400 years – Force the next king to limit the kings rights further • No martial law, shelter kings troops with out consent • King must also obey the law

English Bill of Rights • Parliament limited power further 1688 – Prohibited a standing army in peacetime – Elections of parliament to be free – Prevented excessive bail – Guaranteed a fair trial • Founding Fathers borrowed ideas and built upon many of these

English Colonies • Colonies were experiments in government – VA – commercial, MA – religious and GA – debtors – Each based on a charter – written grant for land – A bicameral legislature emerged • Governor appointed by a king – Often ruled with an iron fist, following the kings orders • Governors council appointed by the king (one house) • Another house was voted upon by land holders

• Some colonies had a unicameral legislature – One house – Connecticut and Rhode Island – Governed themselves – Citizens could appeal decisions