This booklet tells us about the democracy of America, describing its roots, different functions, also about the trade, colonies, parliament, and government.
1. Roots of American Our English Heritage
2. The English Colonies New England Colonies: • Massachusetts (by the Pilgrims in 1620) • Rhode Island • Connecticut • New Hampshire • “Colonial Workshop” • manufacturing and shipping center of the colonies
3. The English Colonies The Middle Colonies: • New York • New Jersey • Pennsylvania • Delaware • “Breadbasket” colonies
4. The English Colonies Southern Colonies: • North Carolina • South Carolina • Maryland • Virginia • Georgia = debtors prison • 1st Permanent English colony= Jamestown. Virginia (1607) • “Colonial Greenhouse” : Plantations & cash crops
5. Why did colonists Religious Freedom: • The Puritans came to Massachusetts due to religious persecution in Europe • Quakers led by William Penn founded Pennsylvania as a place to practice their religion • Maryland was a home for Catholics founded by George Calvert • Connecticut was founded by followers of Thomas Hooker to avoid the harsh treatment by the Puritans of Massachusetts • Roger Williams founded Rhode Island as heaven for all faiths
6. Why did colonists immigrate? cont’d Economic opportunity: • Only 1st born sons in England inherited the family farm, younger siblings were on their own • Jobs were hard to find in England • The system of indentured servants helped to pay for the trip to America. • An indentured servant had their passage paid for by a Colonists. In return the servant had to work for the master for a period of time (usually 7 years) • There was excellent farmland in America
7. Beginnings of Slavery • Due to the nature of the land, large plantations that grew tobacco, rice, and indigo sprung up all throughout the South • These plantations needed a large and cheap workforce • The system of indentured servants could not produce enough workers • Plantation owners now turned to the enslavement Africans to fill the need
8. Triangular Trade • To supply the slave, a system of trade developed between the Americas, Africa, and Europe • America traded rum in Africa for slaves • Slaves were sold to plantations to grow sugar • The sugar was shipped to New England where it was turned into Rum
9. Middle Passage • The segment of triangular trade were slaves were shipped from Africa to the Americas was called the middle passage • Hundreds of Africans were crammed chained together in hulls of ships for several weeks • There was no fresh air, no sanitation, disease spread quickly and many died on the journey
10. British influence on colonial government • Colonial government was heavily influenced by our English heritage • Colonists brought with them from England ideas about how a government should work • Instead of creating new ideas, they copied from the British
11. The Magna Carta • England was ruled by a King • In 1215 the Nobles rebelled against a harsh ruler named King John • Forced the king to sign the Magna Carta in exchange for them paying taxes • This guaranteed all citizen’s equal right’s under the law • 1st time a ruler’s power was limited in a written document
12. Parliament • British lawmaking body • 2 Parts: • House of Lords (hereditary upper class house) • House of Commons (elected members from the working class) • 1688 the Glorious Revolution • Parliament and the King began a Civil War against each other • The King lost and was removed from power
13. English Bill of Rights • Guaranteed freedom of speech, a fair trial, and it banned cruel and unusual punishment
14. Common Law • Early on there were no written laws in England • Followed rules that were based on custom • Judges used precedents (rulings in similar cases) to make decisions • These precedents became unofficial laws • Led to a system of common law- rules based on court decisions not on the laws of a legislature • This is used in our civil courts today
15. Ideas of the • This was an intellectual movement based on scientific discoveries of the 1600s • Believed that God created an orderly universe and that these ideas could be discovered through reason • These laws were then applied to all aspects of life, including government • These ideas were a strong influence on the creation of governments in America
16. Thinkers of the John Locke • English philosopher who wrote The Second Treatise of Government • natural rights • social contract • If the government does not protect those rights, it can be replaced
17. Thinkers of the Enlightenment cont’d Jean-Jacques Rousseau • A French philosopher who wrote The Social Contract • Said that man was born free but is kept in “chains” by oppressive governments • popular sovereignty
18. Thinkers of the Enlightenment cont’d Baron de Montesquieu • French philosopher • separation of powers • Divide the government into 3 parts, each with a different role -legislative branch to make laws -executive branch to enforce/ carry out laws -judicial branch to interpret laws
19. Early Colonial Governments Virginia House of Burgesses • 1619 • Representatives from all the colony gathered to discuss common problems • Had little real power but marked the beginning of self-government in the colonies
20. Early Colonial Governments cont’d Mayflower Compact • Pilgrims • signed on the Mayflower • It was a written form of government that established a direct democracy • It created the tradition of the town meeting, where citizens could discuss and vote on issues. • Town meetings are still used in New England today
21. Early Colonial Governments cont’d Fundamental Orders of Connecticut • 1st written constitution in America • Created a representative democracy for the colony • Also called or popular election of a governor and judges
22. Early Colonial Governments cont’d • By the early 1700s, all colonies had several things in common… • a governor (either elected by the people or appointed by the King or state legislatures) • an elected legislature • representatives were white males • bicameral
23. The Colonial Economy New England • Small farms, rocky soil, short growing season • Merchants, milling, shopkeepers, or blacksmiths • Shipbuilding was a big industry • Fishing and whaling
24. The Colonial Economy The Middle Colonies • wheat • Had many big ports for trade (New York City and Philadelphia) • Had large amounts of natural resources so mines and iron works were crucial to the economy of the region
25. The Colonial Economy The Southern Colonies • Due to the warm climate and long growing season, the economy depended on large plantations • rice, tobacco, and indigo • Many smaller farms developed growing corn and other staple crops • Most of the region depended on these “cash crops” for their livelihood
26. An “American” Identity • religious freedom • Many laws were based on religious beliefs • The era was also dominated by The Great Awakening • A strong religious movement of the 1720s • Led to the rise of the Baptist and Methodists movements • Slaves also took comfort in the message of hope provided by Christianity
27. An “American” Identity cont’d • first colleges in America (Harvard, Princeton, William and Mary) founded to train ministers • The first local/ public school districts were created to teach children to read the Bible
28. An “American” Identity cont’d Family Life • Formed the foundation of society • Families were large to share workload of farms • Men were in control of the family • Women had few rights and could not vote
29. The Road to Revolution • Until 1760, colonists left alone Salutary Neglect • 1760, George III takes the throne of England • Starts policy of mercantilism towards the colonies • 1763 marks the end of the French and Indian War • To cover the costs of the war, England creates the Stamp Act as a tax on the colonists (tax on newspapers and legal documents)
30. The Road to Revolution cont’d • Colonists boycott British goods as a protest to the tax • Parliament repeals the Stamp Act • In 1766, England passes the Declaratory Act saying they will tax the colonists whenever they want to
31. The Road to Revolution • 1767, England passes the Townshend Acts which taxed glass, tea, paper, and lead • Boycott again! • 1773 Tea Act passed • Colonists respond with the Boston Tea Party
32. The Road to Revolution • England responds… Coercive Acts aka Intolerable Acts • September 1774, 1st Continental Congress • colonists demanded that their rights were restored • King George refuses and sends more troops to the colonies
33. The Road to Revolution • April 1775, battles of Lexington and Concord • May 1775, 2nd Continental Congress met • January 1776, Thomas Paine writes Common Sense which urged the colonists to fight for independence
34. The Declaration of Independence • Thomas Jefferson • explained to the world why we were fighting for our independence • argued that England was no longer protecting our rights and as a result we had the right to govern ourselves • included a long list of abuses of power by the King • stated that it was up to the people to decide how they would be ruled • approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 4th 1776
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