Magna Carta

- Great Charter-Signed in 1215-By King John of England-Establishes the “rule of law”

The Magna Carta helped to limit the power of the monarch. It gave nobles protections such as: -No taxation without representation-Trial by Jury

The Petition of Right - 1628

1. Monarch needs consent from Parliament to collect taxes

2. Need just cause to imprison people

3. No Quarter (cannot house troops in private homes)

The English Bill of Rights

1. Monarchs do not have divine right

2. Monarch cannot interfere w/ Parliament elections

3. Petition the gov’t4. No cruel or unusual punishment

Jamestown

1st successful British colony in America- 1607

Content Vocabulary

• Limited Government- the power of the monarch or government is limited by the people.

• Representative Government- a gov’t in which the people elect delegates to make laws and policies.

• Separation of Powers- the power to make, execute, and interpret laws is divided b/w the legislature, king, and courts.

• Approximately 150 years of self rule!

The Original 13 Colonies

The 13 colonies borrowed ideas of limited and representative gov’t from Britain to help govern their colonies

The French and Indian War

• 1754-1763• French and Indians vs. British and the

colonists for control of the Ohio Valley and parts of Canada.

King George III1760

Stamp Act1765

• Stamp Act laced a tax on legal documents• Angered the Colonists

• Stamp Act Congress formed – meeting of the colonist to discuss retaliation

The Boston Massacre The Boston Massacre ((March 5,1770March 5,1770))

Committees Committees of Correspondenceof Correspondence

PurposePurpose warn neighboring warn neighboring coloniescolonies about incidents with Br. about incidents with Br.

broaden the resistance broaden the resistance movement. movement.

Tea Act Tea Act (1773)(1773)8 British East India Co.:British East India Co.:

Monopoly on Br. tea Monopoly on Br. tea imports.imports.

Many members of Many members of Parl. held shares.Parl. held shares.

Permitted the Co. to Permitted the Co. to sell tea directly to sell tea directly to cols. without col. cols. without col. middlemen middlemen (cheaper tea!)(cheaper tea!)

8 North expected the North expected the cols. to eagerly choose cols. to eagerly choose the cheaper tea.the cheaper tea.

Boston Tea Party Boston Tea Party (1773)(1773)

The Coercive or The Coercive or IntolerableIntolerableActs Acts (1774)(1774)

Lord NorthLord North

1.1. Port Bill Port Bill

2.2. Government Government ActAct

4.4. Administration Administration ofof Justice Act Justice Act

3.3. New Quartering New Quartering Act Act

First Continental First Continental Congress Congress (1774)(1774)55 delegates from 12 55 delegates from 12

coloniescoloniesAgendaAgenda How How

to respond to to respond to the Coercive the Coercive Acts & the Acts & the Quebec Act?Quebec Act?

1 vote per colony 1 vote per colony represented.represented.

The British Are The British Are Coming Coming . . .. . .

Paul ReverePaul Revere & & William DawesWilliam Dawes make make their midnight ride to warn the their midnight ride to warn the

MinutemenMinutemen of approaching British of approaching British soldiers.soldiers.

The Shot Heard The Shot Heard ’’Round the WorldRound the World!!

LexingtonLexington & & ConcordConcord – April – April 18,177518,1775

The Second The Second Continental Continental

CongressCongress(1775)(1775)

Olive Branch Olive Branch PetitionPetition

Thomas PaineThomas Paine: : Common SenseCommon Sense

Declaration of Declaration of Independence Independence

(1776)(1776)

Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

Independence HallIndependence Hall

New New National National SymbolsSymbols

Articles of Confederation

• 1781 – 1789 – First national government of the US.

• Weak Central government with many weaknesses

Articles vs. ConstitutionArticles of Confederation Constitution

Levying taxes Congress could request states to pay taxes

Congress has right to levy taxes on individuals

Federal courts No system of federal courts

Court system created to deal with issues between citizens, states

Regulation of trade No provision to regulate interstate trade

Congress has right to regulate trade between states

Executive No executive with power. President of U.S. merely presided over Congress

Executive branch headed by President who chooses Cabinet and has checks on power of judiciary and legislature

Amending document 13/13 needed to amend Articles

2/3 of both houses of Congress plus 3/4 of state legislatures or national convention

Representation of states  

Each state received 1 vote regardless of size  

Upper house (Senate) with 2 votes; lower house (House of Representatives) based on population  

Raising an army  

Congress could not draft troops, dependent on states to contribute forces

 

Congress can raise an army to deal with military situations  

Interstate commerce  

No control of trade between states  

Interstate commerce controlled by Congress  

Disputes between states  

Complicated system of arbitration  

Federal court system to handle disputes  

Sovereignty  

Sovereignty resides in states  

Constitution the supreme law of the land  

Passing laws  

9/13 needed to approve legislation  

50%+1 of both houses plus signature of President  

Articles of the Confederation

• Critical Period in American history– Laws were not enforced – No President– Many disputes between states – No Supreme

Court– Congress did not have enough $ for

government– Difficult to get laws passed– Foreign countries had little respect for US– Almost impossible to make changes to

government

Critical Period

• Rebellion– Shay’s Rebellion -Daniel Shays organized

farmers throughout New England to protest The rebellion came to a head on January 25, 1787.

– This rebellion demonstrated the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, and convinced many states of the need for a stronger central government.