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The Roots of American
Democracy
Chapter 2, section 1
English Political Heritage
American democracy was shaped by our
English political heritage, colonial experiments
in self-government, and a range of intellectual
influences.
Colonial government would never be an exact
copy of the British system. Colonial leaders
adapted old ideas, based on English traditions,
to a new environment.
English Political Heritage
During the 1600s, people from many different
nations came to North America
Most colonists were from England
England established and governed the original
13 colonies along the Atlantic coast
English Political Heritage
English colonies brought
ideas about gov’t to
America that had been
developing in England
2 key principles---limited
gov’t and representative
gov’t
Limited Government
Idea that gov’t was not
all-powerful had been
accepted in England
Idea first appeared in the
Magna Carta (King John
forced to sign in 1215)
Limited Government
Magna Carta provided basis
for limited gov’t, provided
protection against unjust
punishment and gov’t action
1st applied only to nobility,
but extended to everyone
Bell Ringer January 25
Why did the first immigrants who came to America
already have some thoughts of self-government and
independence?
Limited Government
1625—King Charles I tried to
strengthen power of the
throne…dissolved Parliament,
lodged troops in homes
Civil War broke out – Parliament
(Roundhead Puritans) under
Oliver Cromwell vs. Royalists
(Charles I)
Limited Government
1628---Parliament called back and forced king
to sign Petition of Right, limiting power of the
king
King could no longer collect taxes without
Parliament’s consent or imprison people
without just cause
Limited Government
1688—”Glorious Revolution” occurred in England with
William and Mary placed on throne by Parliament
W & M swore to govern England according to the “laws of
Parliament”
Glorious Revolution established constitutional monarchy.
Limited Government
Parliament also passed English Bill of Rights—set
clear limits on what a ruler could and could not do
Free speech and protection from cruel and unusual
punishment guaranteed
Applied to the American colonists as well as to the
people in England (colonists believed they had
certain individual rights when they migrated to the
New World)
Therefore they will expect a certain measure of selfgovernment as they sign the Mayflower Compact and
later form the VA House of Burgesses
Representative Government
Colonists had a firm belief in a representative gov’t, which had
existed in England
Parliament was a representative assembly with the power to
enact laws
Parliament---consisted of 2
chambers
House of Lords
House of Commons
Upper chamber
Lower chamber
Included
members of the
aristocrats
Mostly merchants
and property
owners elected by
other property
owners
The English Colonies
The English Colonies
The English Colonists brought with them to
North America different political theories
methods of forming governments
They experimented with early forms of
government in the colonies
Government in the Colonies
From the colonies our present system of
American gov’t evolved
Each colony had own their own gov’t
consisting of a governor, legislature, and court
system
Great Britain still believed colonists owed
allegiance to the monarch, for many years
colonists agreed
Government in the Colonies
Representative assemblies also became established in the
colonies
Mayflower Compact – 1st written form of government in the
colonies
The Virginia House of Burgessess—1st legislature in America
(1619)
Legislatures dominated colonial government
Representative government was an established tradition in
America before 1776
The Mayflower Compact
Pilgrims aboard Mayflower signed this before settling in
Massachusetts
They agreed to form a society formed by majority rule
and based on the consent of the people
Mayflower Compact
Each colony had a constitution
Mayflower Compact was 1st
example of many colonial plans
for self-govt, created by Pilgrims to
choose their own leaders and
make their own laws
The Mayflower Compact
November 11, 1620
The Mayflower Compact
November 11, 1620
Written and signed before the
Pilgrims disembarked from the ship.
Not a constitution, but an agreement
to form a crude govt. and submit to
majority rule.
 Signed by 41 adult males.
Led to adult male settlers meeting in
assemblies to make laws in TOWN
MEETINGS.
Covenant Theology
“Covenant of Grace”:
 between Puritan communities and
God.
 Contrary to Catholicism (Covenant
of Works)
“Social Covenant”:
 Between members of Puritan
communities with each other.
 Required mutual watchfulness.
 No toleration of deviance or
disorder.
 No privacy.
Fundamental Orders of
Connecticut
Colonists in Connecticut created the first written
constitution in the English colonies
It established a set of laws that limited the power of
government and gave all men the right to choose people
to serve as judges
This document protected the rights of its citizens
Soon after, other colonies followed and began to
establish a system of limited govt in America
Types of English Colonies
Proprietary Colony: An individual or
group is given land by the King. The
proprietor finances the start of the colony
and can appoint officials and make laws
for the colony
Types of English Colonies
Royal Colony: Directly controlled by
king through appointed governor
Charter Colony: Operated under
charters agreed to by colony and king;
had most independence from the Crown
Types of English Colonies
Republicanism
A set of ideals that can be traced back to
Ancient Greece and Rome – values
citizen participation, the public good,
and civic virtue
Puts forth the idea that people should
place the common good over their
private interests
Republicanism
Niccolo Machiavelli
Theory of a republic based on civic virtue
Argued that a republic could survive only if its citizens
participated in government
For a republic to thrive it had to be of and for the people
Enlightenment Thinkers
John Locke –
Jean Jacques Rousseau –
SOCIAL CONTRACT THINKERS
Adam Smith (Economics Class) – Wealth of Nations –
economic freedoms and how to protect property
Voltaire – freedoms of speech and religion
William Blackstone – how to use the law to protect
peoples rights to life, liberty and property
Separation of Powers
Principal of separation of
powers widely popularized by
Charles-Louis Montesquieu in
his book The Spirit of the Laws