Road to Revolution
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Transcript of Road to Revolution
The Road to Revolution
Our Political Beginnings
• American colonists believed that gov’t should be:– Ordered --> organized into offices– Limited --> it was NOT all-powerful– Representative --> gov’t was to serve the
people’s interests, not its own
Where Our Gov’t Ideas Came From
• Magna Carta (1215) - first document that officially limited the power of the English king– Basically said that the king did not have unlimited
power
• The Petition of Right (1628) - further limited the king’s power– couldn’t throw people in prison without a trial– couldn’t use the military to rule people in times of
peace
The English Bill of Rights (1689)
• Said:– Parliament was in control of taxing, not the
king– People couldn’t be punished for asking the
king to fix problems– No cruel and unusual punishment– Everyone got a fair trial
The Colonies (1607-1733)
• 13 English colonies were established in America for – religious freedom– commercial trading/farming/fishing– New home for debtors
– All colonies were started with a charter - written permission from the king
Types of Colonies
• Royal Colony- under the direct control of the king
• King named a royal governor to rule the colony
• Had a bicameral legislature– “bicameral” = two houses– “legislature” = group of representatives that make
laws
• Proprietary Colony - king gives land to a proprietor (overseer/owner), who organized the colony– colony was directly controlled by the proprietor,
not the king (still reported to him)
• One colony had a unicameral (one-house) legislature
• Charter Colony - based on charters given straight to the colonists– Mostly governed themselves– Officials were elected by the people, not
the king or proprietor
Group Work
• Imagine you are citizens under King John John XXXXVII.
• Create a Bill of Rights listing all the freedoms you wish to have as the king’s subject (List at least ten)– What freedoms do you value? What rights should all
people have?– Make your list REALISTIC, as if the king were going to
read it.
British Colonial Policies
• Britain was in serious debt after the French and Indian War– Decided that the colonies should help pay
it– The colonies had not been taxed and had
been left alone for several years
Problems With Britain
• “Taxation Without Representation” --> American colonists were not given a voice in Parliament– saw themselves as British subjects and believed
representation was a right of all Englishmen– Colonist believed Parliament had no right to tax
them
• Taxes:– Stamp Act - tax on paper goods and documents– Other taxes laid on imports like tea, paper, and glass
• Great Britain also:– Housed troops in people’s homes– Left troops to monitor cities– Cracked down on smuggling and enforced
strict trade rules (colonies could only trade with Britain)
– Took power from local colonial gov’ts
Response of the Colonists
• To avoid paying taxes, they would smuggle (sneak) other goods in
• They boycotted (to protest by not buying something) British goods until Parliament lifted taxes
• Protested, petitioned the King/Parliament, and destroyed British property
The Boston Massacre
• March 5, 1770 - A mob of Boston colonists harassed British troops stationed in the city, and shots were fired in the chaos, leaving 5 people dead
• Used as propaganda against the British and to encourage rebellion
The Boston Tea Party (1773)
• British tea ships block Boston Harbor until the colonists bought their tea
• 116 colonists dress up as Indians and throw boxes of tea into the Boston Harbor
• Then Britain shut down Boston’s port until they could pay back the damage