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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was a document that King John was forced to sign. It limited his rights and established the principle of limited government. The Magna Carta also provided for protection against unjust punishment and the loss of life, liberty, and property except according to law. The king also agreed that taxes could not be levied without popular consent. -
English Political Heritage
Colonists arrived to the the 13 colonies from Spain, Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden and West Africa. But most came from England.
Colonist from England brought with them principles of government:
1. Limited Government
2. Representative Government -
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Written Constitutions
-Mayflower Compact (1620): First example of many colonial plans for self-government.
-Great Fundamentals (1629): The fist basic system of laws in the English colonies.
-Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639): Plan for gov't. People had right to elect governor, judges, and reps.
-Colonial Legislatures: These representative assemblies were established in the colonies since 1619. They dominated government, distribution of land, public services, etc.
-Colonies also had Separation of Powers -
Petition of Right
In 1625 Charles I took the throne and dissolved parliament and lodged troops in private homes. He called parliament in 1628 and the representatives forced him to sign the Petition of Right, limiting his powers. King could not levy taxes without parliament's consent. -
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John Locke
Ideas of John Locke influenced American colonists. Benjamin Franklin, T.Jefferson, and James Madison looked at Locke's ideas as political truth.
Locke believed in "natural law," which provided rights to life, liberty, and property. (social contract theory). -
English Bill of Rights
Passed by Parliament. It set clear limits on what a ruler could and could not do.
-Monarch does not have a divine right to rule
-Monarch must obtain Parliament's consent to suspend laws, levy taxes, or maintain an army.
-The monarch cannot interfere with parliamentary elections and debates.
-The people have a right to petition the government and to have a fair and speedy trial by a jury of their peers.
-People should not be subject to cruel and unusual punishment or excessive fines/bail. -
Britain Tightens Control
-French and Indian War (1754-1763): French and British fought over lands in the colonies. Great Britain defeated French and the colonies no longer needed the British to portect them from French.
-King George III took over in 1760. He expected the colonies to pay for war debt. -
Stamp Act
Direct tax on colonists, requiring them to pay a tax on legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, etc.
-Colonists refused to buy British goods, leading to the repeal of the Stamp Act.
-Other laws replaced Stamp Act.
-Boston Tea Party, 1773: colonists protest taxes on tea. -
Intolerable Acts
Parliament's retaliation to protests.
-Closed Boston Harbor
-Withdrew the right of the Massachusetts colony to govern itself -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from the colonies met in Philadelphia to debate about what to do regarding Great Britain.
-Embargo : prohibiting trade on Britain, and agreeing not to use British goods.
-King George III reacted 1775: first battle of Revolutionary War -
Declaration of Independence
Congress appointed a committee (John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson...) to prepare a declaration of independence. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Hapiness, That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..." -
Articles of Confederation
-Articles of Confederation gave congress power but created a weak national government.
-Congress could not levy taxes
-Congress could not regulate trade
-Congress could not force people to obery laws
-Laws needed aproval of 9/13 states
-each state had one vote -
Constitutional Convention
Delegates met to revise articles.
-The Virginia Plan: Strong National Legislature with two chambers, strong national executive to be chosen by the national legislature, a national judiciary to be appointed by the legislature.
-The Connecticut Compromise: House of Representatives with state rep. based on population. Senate with two members from each state.
-Three-Fifths Compromise: Three-fifths of the enslaved people were to be counted for taxes and representation.
-Commerce
-Slavery -
Ratifying the Constitution
Constitution was approved and won by only three votes.
James Madison introduced a set of amendments during the first session of Congress. Congress approved 10, which became the Bill of Rights. Sign the Constitution:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_join_the_signers.html
