1. 8-1.6: Compare the development of representative government in SC to the other colonial regions, including the under the proprietary regime, the period of royal government, and South Carolina’s Regulator Movement.

2. Government
Set of policies, roles, and responsibilities established to direct and control the uses of technology, direction of state, and actions of citizens

3. Why do we have government?
To ensure the natural rights of the people are protected (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness)

5. Purposes of Government:
Maintain order by preserving life and protecting property
Provide public goods and services such as highways and schools
Promote equality through health, welfare and social equality policies

6. Economics:
The study of how limited resources are distributed in society through the concepts of supply and demand
Supply is the amount of a good available
Demand is how much of the good is purchased
the price of a good establishes the amount of supply available and the amount of a product demanded

7. South Carolina’s Government:
First Plan of Government: Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina
Became more democratic during colonial period
SC began as proprietary colony
Lords Proprietors had control over land and political control of land granted to them by king
Proprietors attracted settlers by beginning to share some political control with property owners
Largest plantation owners, the Carolina political elite.
amassed great wealth & political power
Other colonies developed a political elite based on economic status too.

8. Carolina’s Government:
Legislative Assembly:
made laws including tax laws
bicameral (2 house) assembly (most colonies)
Proprietors & elite had greater representation in government than common man
Grand Council decided majority of each group in colonies – reps of Proprietors, colonial elite, and common people- should have equal voice in gov’t.
Problem with this: the representation would not be proportional to their numbers in the population
Later separate Commons House of Assembly established to represent the common people
Representation greater for Lowcountry than backcountry

9. Changes in Control of Colonies:
By end of 1600’s most joint stock company colonies had become royal colonies and could not name governors
Royal colonies: king appoints governors to help control wealth or limit the independence of colony

10. Changes in Control of Colonies:
SC colonists asked to become a royal colony, why?
Tension between Proprietors & colonists
Colonists felt neglected by proprietors who collected rent, but offered little protection
Proprietors thought colonists were disobedient & were making little profit
Council protested to king about neglect & asked to become royal colony
King & proprietors made a financial deal, Carolina became a royal colony
Carolina split into South & North Carolina (1712) due to differences between wealthy SC & backwoods NC

11. South Carolina as a Royal Colony
Royal Government:
1. representative assembly allowed Carolina some self- government
2. governor appointed by king (power limited)
3. assembly controlled taxes that paid governor
4. most often colonies left alone by king & Parliament to control local governments
Economic Advantages of being royal colony:
Increased subsidies for naval stores & indigo
Direct rice sale by merchants to foreign countries
Expanded markets to sell goods

12. Expansion of Colony Under Royal Colony
Township Plan
Established by royal governor to encourage migration to the Carolina backcountry
Established townships in backcountry
Settlers established subsistence farms there
encouraged animosity between the Lowcountry & backcountry
First backcountry settlers: white traders & woodsmen viewed by Lowcountry as “uncivilized”
Lowcountry: first area settled, along Atlantic coast, Charles Town (Home of plantation owners rich from export of rice & indigo)

13. Reasons for animosity/tension between backcountry & Lowcountry
First area settled
Along Atlantic Coast
Plantation owners, Barbadians (rice & indigo)
Wealthy, prosperous
Considered aristocratic
Small white population
Larger slave population
Majority representation in Assembly
Backcountry:
Settled later
Inland
Subsistence farmers, traders & woodsmen
Poor
Considered “uncivilized”
Larger white population
Few slaves, anti-slavery
Less representation in Assembly

14. Backcountry: Coastal settlers moved inland
Immigrants traveled along backcountry valleys from Pennsylvania (Scotch Irish & German)
White population grew & outnumbered Lowcountry’s
Backcountry continued to have much less representation in Assembly
Paid taxes, but got little from colonial government
No law enforcement so settlers became vigilantes

15. Regulator Movement: No law enforcement
Settlers took law/regulation of society into own hands
No Courts, so Regulators operated as vigilantes
Movement turned lawless
Guilty hanged or beaten to death without jury trial
(violated rights as Englishmen)
SC government eventually came to aid of backcountry settlers
Circuit Court Act of 1769: set up 7 circuit courthouses around colony to provide justice, law & order in the region
Representation in Assembly was still disproportional & tensions continued between backcountry & Lowcountry