Download US Government Roots

Roots of American Government
The Magna Carta 1215
The English people forced King John to sign the
Magna Carta in 1215, which is the first time that
a King gave up any power to the people. This
document said that the king could not raise taxes
without first consulting the Great Council. He also
agreed that nobles and freeman should not be
punished without a trial by jury .
Roots of American Government
The Magna Carta
•Signed in 1215 by King John II of England.
•The first document that limited power of
the ruler.
Virginia House of Burgesses
• The House of Burgesses was a
representative assembly in colonial
Virginia and was the first elective
governing body in a British
overseas possession.
• The assembly was established by
Gov. George Yeardley at
Jamestown, July 30, 1619. Because
each Virginia settlement was
entitled to elect two burgesses
(representatives), the original
membership of the house was 22.
Virginia House of Burgesses
• First representative assembly in the new world
established at Jamestown, VA in 1619.
• Each Virginia settlement was entitled to elect
2 burgesses (representatives) to be part of a
governing council.
The Mayflower Compact
1620
When the Pilgrims came to America before they came
ashore in Massachusetts they drew up the
Mayflower Compact.
The male signers agreed to consult each other about
the laws for the colony and promised to work
together to make the colony succeed.
Later when Plymouth colony grew too large for
everyone to consult the settlers chose
representatives to assemble and make laws.
Summary: Colonists worked together for success;
Representatives elected to make laws.
The Mayflower Compact
1620
• Signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims in Plymouth.
• Pilgrims agreed to consult each other about laws for the
colony and promised to work together to make it
succeed.
• First self-government in the colonies.
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
• Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639)
were the set of laws by which the first settlers
agreed to govern themselves.
• These were the first laws that recognized the
people as the real basis of civil authority.
Fundamental Orders of
Connecticut
• First written constitution of the colonies in
1636.
• Stated that governments are based on the
rights of the individuals.
The English Bill of Rights 1689
After King James II was removed from the throne by Parliament,
William and Mary began their rule of England. In 1689, William and
Mary signed the English Bill of Rights, which protected the rights
of individuals
• reaffirmed that anyone accused of a crime had the right to a trial
by jury
• it also outlawed cruel and unusual punishments
• provided for the right to bear arms
• ruler could not raise taxes or raise an army without the approval of
Parliament.
These ideals are included in the Bill of Rights attached to the
American Constitution. As English citizens, colonists were
protected by the bill.
Summary: Protected individual rights.
The English Bill of Rights
1689
•Signed in 1689 by William & Mary.
•Protected the rights of the English citizens and became the basis for
the American Bill of Rights.
The Declaration of Independence
1776
The Declaration of Independence was drafted by
Thomas Jefferson. The Continental Congress
adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776. The
Declaration list the many grievances the colonists
held against King George III, which included:
– Imposing taxes on us without our consent
– Government can’t take away “unalienable Rights (Life,
Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.)”
– Declaring America free and independent states
Summary: Declared America independent & guaranteed
unalienable rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness)
The Declaration of Independence
1776
•Written by Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1776.
•Declared the American colonies independent from
England.
•Guaranteed unalienable rights (“life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness”).
The Articles of Confederation
1781
In May of 1776 the Continental Congress asked the states
to organize their governments and each move quickly
to adopt a state constitution. The Continental Congress
also appointed a committee to draw up plans for a new
central government to coordinate the war for
Independence.
They wrote the Articles of Confederation, which created
a league of independent states. Under the Articles of
Confederation, Congress had limited authority.
Although the Articles had many weaknesses,
Americans were able to win the war of Independence.
Weakness of the Articles of
Confederation
No President
Weak Central Government
Government Can’t tax
Can’t Regulate Trade
(between states)
No Court system
Government can’t raise an Army
Changing Constitution required
unanimous approval
Passing laws required 9 of 13 states
approval.
NO $
Gov.
Weak can’t
central Tax
Gov.
The Articles of Confederation
1781
•First American Constitution signed in 1781.
•WEAK document that limited the power of the
Congress by giving states the final authority over all
decisions.
United States Constitution
• Since the Articles of Confederation were too weak,
they had to be replaced.
• From May to September 1787, the men, known as
the Framers, met in Philadelphia and discussed what
should be in the Constitution.
• They learned from the mistakes of the past and
created a living document that would apply to future
generations.
• On September 17, 1787, the Framers signed the
Constitution, which is still the governing document of
the United States.
United States Constitution
•Written by James Madison in 1787.
•Sets out the laws and principles of the
government of the United States
Colonial Grievances from the
How these are addressed in the U.S.
Declaration of Independence 1776
Constitution or the Bill of Rights
Parliament imposing taxes without
colonists’ consent or representation
Article 1 gives Congress the sole
authority to impose taxes
Depriving colonists of trial by jury
Article 3 (Judicial Branch) and
Amendments 5-8 addresses the rights of
the accused
Amendment 3 outlaws quartering troops
in homes without consent
Quartering troops among colonists
Refusing to allow elections for colonial Article 1 states that regular elections for
legislatures
Congress are held every two years
Controlling the selection, term, and
salary of all judges
Refusing to agree to laws passed by
colonial legislatures
Article 2 and Article 3 says the
President appoints judges for life with
approval of the Senate
Article 1 and Article 4 state that
Congress can pass a law over a
Presidential veto; the states have the
power to make laws for their state that
don’t violate federal law