Download Social Studies Unit 3 Lesson 7 Title: Colonial Governments Main

Social Studies Unit 3 Lesson 7
Title: Colonial Governments
Main Ideas: (pages 136-141)
A Self-Government
Colonists began building a system of self-government that the English thought was
rebellious (against their laws)
Important Vocabulary &
Key People
Assembly (a lawmaking body)
Charters from the king authorized assemblies in the colonies, but laws had to be
approved by England
Legislation (the making of
laws)
Colonists developed laws that supported individual rights (such as Toleration Acts)
John Locke, philosopher
Colonists passed legislation to enable self-government
John Peter Zenger, editor
Laws gave rights to white males who owned lands (left out women, indentured servants,
slaves & Native Americans)
William Crosby, NY governor
B Governors & Government
Alexander Hamilton, lawyer
Assemblies were supposed to govern colony’s taxes & spending
Phillis Wheatley, poet
Colonists saw themselves as having same rights as English citizens (VA Charter)
King appointed governors so governors & assemblies were often in disagreement since
assemblies supported colonial self-government and the governors were the mouthpiece
of the king
CT & RI elected their own governors – governor was to represent king’s position and the
assembly was to represent the position of the colonists
Governors could reject laws and assemblies could refuse to pay for governors’ expenses
Town meetings held in New England towns where colonists debated issues, elected
officials & made laws
Southern colonies had county governments where governor appointed county officials
and local courts settled arguments – the governor & the assembly appointed judges
John Locke – English philosopher who believed that people had natural rights: life,
freedom and the right to own property
Locke believed that government existed to protect those individual rights
What is freedom? There were many opinions as to what freedom meant
C A Call for Freedom
Newspaper in NY called The NY Weekly Journal editor was John Peter Zenger – the
articles in this newspaper criticized the NY governor, William Crosby. Crosby sued
Zenger and Alexander Hamilton defended him arguing freedom of speech (and of the
press) – so newspaper publishers could not be punished for printing the truth
Phillis Wheatley was a slave who wrote about freedom in her poetry – Her work was
praised by George Washington – she published her poetry and at age 20 was freed
Summary
Lesson 7 discusses the various ways that the colonies governed themselves using
assemblies to represent the position of the colonists and governors (elected and appointed)
to represent the position of the King of England. Ideas were changing and John Locke
suggested that government existed to protect the rights of the individual. The individual had
natural rights such as to life, freedom and the right to won land. New ideas were emerging as
to the definition of freedom; freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom from
slavery.