Chapter 4 Section 1The Colonial Experience

Traditions

• Many of our traditions we have today originated in the colonial days.

• This makes up our heritage, or the traditions passed down to us from generation to generation.

• Colonial Traditions now:• Thanksgiving• School year• Among others

What did government look like in the colonies?

Government in the Colonies

• Our independence was imminent:• From the beginning, we were used to

having a voice in government• In each colony, the citizens (white

male landowners!) elected representatives to the legislature, a group of people chosen to make the laws• This was VERY rare! But, still ultimately

subject to England

Royal Authority

• Each colony was established by a charter, a document giving permission to create a government.• *If a colony challenged England’s

authority, colony could be stripped of charter and become a royal colony, with a royal governor appointed by the king.

Proprietary Colonies

A colony created when the King granted a huge tract of land to an individual as his private property.

• New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina

Corporate Colonies

• operated by joint-stock companies• worked alongside British government

• Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island

Royal Colonies

established through a charter (a written agreement between the King and the colony), it had a governor which was appointed by a King

• Georgia, Virginia• *New York, New Hampshire

Royal Authority – FAIL!

• However, due to England being busy fighting numerous wars, the colonies began to govern themselves

• This is what would ultimately set up the American Revolution!

Preserving Rights

• England eventually stopped being at war, and turned their attention to their investment: America!

• We were basically petulant teenagers that wanted our way or no way!

• Getting used to doing things our way, we resisted any efforts to ignore our rights or to weaken our legislatures

Preserving Rights

• Generally, colonial governors worked to weaken legislatures

• Governors were usually appointed rather than elected, which resulted in their having loyalty to England rather than America• VA Legislature declared governor could not

tax without legislature’s consent

Citizenship in the Colonies

• Things were different “back then”• Again, only white men who owned land (and only

a certain amount) could vote or hold office• Africans brought to colonies were property of

others• Even though most could not vote, most in rest of

world could not vote at all!• Working for common good was established (serve

on juries, local militia, etc.)• Supported education (Puritans encourage reading

to study Bible)

Some Roots of Freedom – Religion

• In most countries, religion was closely tied to government• All English citizens had to pay taxes to support

Church of England• Puritans left England to escape persecution

• Funny: later persecuted anyone who disagreed with them in America!

• Kicked out a man who founded Rhode Island, and declared religious freedom

• Freedom of religion meant belong to any CHRISTIAN church!

Some Roots of Freedom – Press

• Colonial newspapers came around in 1700s• Became important source of information• Could not criticize government!

• Zenger vs. New York Governor• Zenger accused NY Gov of abusing his

power by accepting bribes and interfering with elections, and was jailed

• Alexander Hamilton declared freedom of press was a basic right.

Signs of Discontent

• By the mid-1700s, England tightened its control over the colonies• This angered many colonists• Many governors were using power w/o

regard for citizens’ rights• As people complained about royal

governors, tyranny, or the abuse of power, was knocked around a lot

Chapter 4 Section 1 Assignment

• Reading Check (pg. 85, 87, 89, 89)• Analyze Maps, pg. 87 (A & B)• Civics and Economics, pg. 88 (1)• Section 1 Assessment

• Comprehension and Critical Thinking (2ab, 4ab, 5ab)

• Analyzing Political Cartoons, pg. 90 (1, 2ab, 3ab)

Chapter 4 Section 2Roots of American Government

John Adams

• John Adams, a VERY important person, urged us to:• “Let us study the law of nature; search

into the spirit of the British constitution;… [think about] the great examples of Greece and Rome; set before us the conduct of our own British ancestors.”

• Or, in easier terms, let’s look at what our ancestors did!

Looking to Ancient Greece and Rome

• The Athenians (people from Athens, Greece), created the world’s first direct democracy, a form of government in which laws are made directly by the citizens.• They would meet often to discuss how to better

their society• Centuries later, Americans had town hall

meetings• In 509 BC, Romans founded a republic,

which is where the Colonial legislatures got their influence

The English Tradition

• The English colonialists saw the democracy of Athens and the republic (gov’t in which representatives were elected to make laws) as noble examples of gov’ts preventing tyranny.

• Unfortunately, these gov’ts eventually gave way to gov’t by force

The Magna Carta

• For centuries, English monarchs ruled over people with complete authority• This made people subjects, not citizens

• In 1215, angry nobles forced King John to sign the Magna Carta (Great Charter)• List rights that even the monarch could

not bypass or take away

The English Bill of Rights

• Once the monarch’s power diminished, a representative gov’t sprung up• This gave rise to Parliament

• This eventually led to the English Bill of Rights• This provided protections against tyranny

The English Bill of Rights

• Listed the rights of all English citizens, not just nobles.• Some things Kings could not do:

• Limit free speech• Tax w/o Parliament’s approval• Disobey any laws just b/c they are King• Right to trial by jury• Right to make a formal petition

Relying on Reason

• In 1600s and early 1700s, many European philosophers wrote that people have the power of reason (the ability to think clearly).

• People could use reason to recognize their natural rights, rights they are born with and that no gov’t can take away

• John Locke and Montesquieu were major contributors

Chapter 4 Section 2 Assignment (16 pts)

• Reading Check (pg. 91, 93, 94)• The Signing of the Magna Carta (pg.

92)• Analyze Charts, pg. 93 (1,2)• Key Terms (direct democracy, republic,

natural rights, separation of powers)• Comprehension and Critical Thinking

(2ab, 3ab, 4ab)

Chapter 4 Section 3Moving Toward Nationhood

What’s going on here?

• Things are about to heat up!• There are two interesting questions

that need to be answered:• If the colonists had inherited their tradition

of representative gov’t from England, why did they become dissatisfied with English rule?

• Why did relations between the colonies and England eventually explode into war and lead to American independence?

A Clash of Views – Gov’tEnglish Views• England believed that

Parliament represented all English citizens—including the colonists.

• England residents elect Parliament

• Parliament did not understand colonists’ needs

Colonist Views• Colonists believed

they were represented by their own legislatures.

• Colonists cannot elect Parliament

• No colonists serve on Parliament

• Legislatures understood colonists’ needs

A Clash of Views – TradeEngland’s Trade views• Parliament permitted

the colonies to trade only with England

Colonists’ Trade views• Colonists wanted

freedom to sell products to anyone

Despite all of this…

• Some colonists were still loyal English citizens

• Some helped defeat France in the French and Indian War of 1763

No Taxation w/o Representation!

• Because of war debt, Parliament turned to the colonists

• This resulted in mass amounts of taxes being imposed on the colonists• Stamp Act: Had to use special paper• Townshend Duties: Taxed major imports• Tea Act: Tax on tea shipped into America

• Key concept: No taxation without representation!

Steps Toward Independence

• The first step of independence was linked to newspapers• Committees of Correspondence passed

news about how England was violating colonists’ rights

• Eventually, this wasn’t enough!• Colonial legislatures called for a

congress, or a formal meeting, of representatives from all the colonies

Steps Toward Independence

• In 1774, 12 colonies sent delegates to meet in Philadelphia for the First Continental Congress

• Their purpose: • Convince England to respect colonists’

rights• Cut off all trade to pressure England• Meet in a year if it did not work

A Year Later

• It didn’t exactly work out…• In 1775, the Second Continental

Congress met• Things were so bad, Massachusetts

colonists were already fighting English soldiers

• Patrick Henry argued for independence, stating the war had already begun and there was no turning back!

Independence Means…

• Some feared independence, though• Their thought:

• Even if they won, what future is there w/o being part of a strong nation?

• Thomas Paine changed their minds in Common Sense: • To be always running 3 or 4 thousand miles with a tale or

petition, waiting 4 or 5 months for an answer, which when obtained requires 5 or 6 more [months[ to explain it in, will in a few years be looked upon as folly and childishness—There was a time when it was proper, and there is a proper time for it to cease…England[belongs] to Europe, America to itself

The Declaration of Independence

• The delegates in the Second Continental Congress finally voted to declare independence• Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and

John Adams headed a committee to write the DofI

Breakup Letter, Tweet, Text Msg

You (a Colonist) are breaking up with Britain and you are never, ever getting back together.

• Write a breakup letter to the King.• You can do this via letter, text message,

Snapchat Direct Message, or Tweet• You must include 3 reasons for your

breakup and why you are never, ever getting back together

• Be petty… the funnier it is the more enjoyable it will be to write

Key phrases of the Declaration of Independence

• “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”• Like John Locke, TJ said rights are

unalienable – unable to be taken away

Key phrases of the Declaration of Independence

• “…to secure these rights, Governments are instituted [established] among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”• People give power to their gov’t as long as

it protects their rights.

Key phrases of the Declaration of Independence

• “…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.”• If it doesn’t, then they have the right to

take the power away.

Key phrases of the Declaration of Independence

• The signers pledged to support it with their “…our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

Organizing a New Government

• Colonies need to organize gov’ts• People remembered the Mayflower

passengers had made a compact, a written agreement to make and obey laws for the welfare of the group.

State Constitutions

• Each state wrote their own constitution, or plan of gov’t• Some had a list of citizens’ rights

• Key concepts:• Limited # of years Gov could serve• Separated powers into legislative,

executive, and judicial

The Articles of Confederation

• Each state governs itself• Only united in opposing England

• The Second Continental Congress debated how to form a national gov’t

• Difficulties:• Fear of giving power to a central force• Disagreements on how many delegates

each state gets, creating imbalance of power

The Articles of Confederation

• National Legislature• Each state had 1 vote

• No executive or judicial branches of gov’t• State legislatures scared they would try to

take their power away

The Articles of Confederation

• Congress Powers:• Declare war• Make treaties• Work out trade agreements with states• Could not tax or enforce laws it made

Almost didn’t pass…

• The Articles needed the ratification, or approval, of all 13 states

• Why?• States feared central gov’t• Took 4 years to agree to a plan• Realized they had to cooperate, or lose the

war, and ratified in 1781

A Limping Government

• A struggling economy made life difficult after the war.

• Lots of money had been borrowed to buy war supplies• Not enough gold and silver to back up

their printed money• New Congress had no power to

regulate trade• English was cheaper

Shays’ Rebellion

• Farmers were hit the hardest• Could not sell to Caribbean colonies• In MA, had to pay huge taxes

• Daniel Shays led a rebellion • Congress couldn’t force other states’

militia to help• MA had to use own militia

• Led to call for a stronger Nat’l gov’t

Chapter 4 Section 3

• Reading Checks, pg. 97, 98, 100, 101• Section 3 Assessment

• Key Terms (compact, ratification)• Comprehension and Critical Thinking (2ab,

3ab, 4ab, 5ab)

• Chapter Review (pg. 104)• Reiewing Key Terms (1-8)• Comprehension & Critical Thinking (9abc,

10abc, 11abc)