Roots of American Democracy Chapter 2 Section 1

Roots of American Democracy Chapter 2 Section 1 Our English Heritage

Influences from England’s early government o Many of the rights that American citizens enjoy today can be traced back to the political and legal traditions of England. o When English people began settling here in the 1600’s they brought with them a history of limited and representative government

Influences from England’s early government o England was ruled by a Monarch (a king or queen), however the noble families had considerable power. o The monarch gave them ownership of vast lands in exchange for their loyalty, tax payments, and promises of military support

King John o Inherited the throne in 1199 o Treated the nobles harshly o He was jealous of their wealth and influence o The nobles rebelled in 1215 and forced the king to sign the Magna Carta

Magna Carta o Magna Carta is Latin for great charter o This document protected the nobles privileges and upheld their authority o It also granted rights to all land holders o Rights that eventually came to apply to all English People

Magna Carta o Lead to equal treatment under the law o Trial by one’s peers o The magna carta was a contract that limited the power of the monarch by guaranteeing that no one would be above the law, not even the king or queen

Parliament o The parliament grew in power and size until eventually it split. o Into the house of lords (nobles) o And the house of Commons (citizens) o Over time the parliament became more powerful than the monarchy o This lead to the Glorious Revolution

The Glorious Revolution o Parliament removed King James II from the throne and invited his daughter Mary and her husband William to rule instead o No violence o From this time on no ruler would have more power than the legislature

The English Bill of rights o A document that stated that the monarch could not suspend parliaments laws n Could not create special courts n Impose taxes or raise an army with out parliaments consent o The bill of rights also guaranteed n Free speech n Free election n And right to a fair trial

Common Law o A system of laws based on precedent and customs o Precedent – a ruling in an earlier case that was similar

Bringing the English Heritage to America o Even though the colonist were far from home they remained loyal subjects of England o The keep a strong sense of the English political system o They accepted common law and believed that the ruler was not above the law

Jamestown o The first permanent English settlement in North America was Jamestown 1607 o Was created by a charter from King James o A charter is a written document granting land the authority to set up colonial governments.

The Virginia House of Burgesses o In 1619 the colonist chose two representative from each county to meet with the governor and his council. o These 22 men were called burgesses and they formed the House of Burgesses o The first representative legislature in English colonies o This marked the beginning of self government in colonial America.

Plymouth o In 1620 a new group of colonist known as Pilgrims arrived in America o They build a settlement called Plymouth in Massachusetts o They drew up a written plan for government called the Mayflower Compact o A compact is an agreement among a group of people.

The Mayflower Compact o The compact stated that the government would make Just and equal laws for the general good of the colony. o The signers pledged to obey those law o This set up a Direct democracy in which all men would vote and the majority would rule

Early Colonial Governments o By 1733 13 English colonies stretched from Massachusetts in the north to Georgia in the south o Each colony set up its own government o Each had a governor and a legislature with elected representatives

England takes a Hands off Approach o As time passed the governments took on more and more power and responsibility o While the king and parliament were preoccupied with matter in England o America soon grew used to making their own decisions. o They built towns roads, and organized their own churches, schools, and hospitals. o All with out the help of Great Britain.