Origins of American Government

Basic Concepts of Government Limited Government  Restrictions on government  Individual rights Representative Government  Serve the will of the people  People should have a voice

Ordered Government -Breaking up the institution of government into smaller, more manageable pieces that result in an orderly relationship with one another. Examples: creation of local offices – sheriff, coroner, justice of the peace, grand jury, counties…. These concepts can be traced back to documents in English History

Magna Carta Seeking protection from the king - Included trial by jury and due process of law (protection against arbitrary taking of life, liberty, or property) - Does this sound familiar??? - Monarch is not absolute ruler

Petition of Right (1628)  Demanded that king no longer imprison or punish any person without a jury trial  King could not impose martial law in time of peace  No requirement of homeowners to shelter the king’s troops without consent  No taxes without consent of Parliament  Challenged the idea of the divine right of kings

English Bill of Rights 1689  The king could NOT raise taxes or raise an army without the consent of Parliament.  It guaranteed trial by jury.  It outlawed cruel and unusual punishment.

English Colonies “13 Schools of Government” Virginia Savannah Charter- written grant from king - 3 kinds of colonies 1. Royal colonies- controlled by monarchy - King appointed governor and his council - Laws approved by governor and king 2. Proprietary Colonies - proprietor- given land by king, appointed the governor - Issues could be taken to king for a decision 3. Charter colonies - charter granted to colonists themselves - self governing - elections

Britain’s Policies  King ruling colonies  London– colonial defense and foreign affairs, money and trade  George III  new taxes  “Taxation without representation”

Road to Independence

State Constitutions Common features: 1. Popular sovereignty 2. Limited government 3. Civil rights and liberties 4. Separation of powers and checks and balances

Popular sovereignty Limited government Basis of every state constitution Government can exist and function only with the consent of the governed The people hold the power and the people are sovereign Feature of every state constitution Restricted power of government Civil rights and liberties People have rights that govt must respect Bill of rights Separation of powers and checks and balances Three branches of state government Checks and balances State Constitutions

Declaration of Independence - Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. - The political philosophy of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the Continental philosophers. - Jefferson summarized this philosophy in "self-evident truths" and set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify before the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country.  National Archives

Articles of Confederation  “firm league of friendship”  Each state remained independent  Came together for the common defense

A.O.C. cont’d  Simple government  Unicameral- no executive or judicial branch  Congress would choose a president to act as chair  Congressional powers included: make war and peace, money system, settle state disputes, etc.  States agreed to abide by A.O.C. and acts of Congress.  States protect life and property

Weaknesses of A.O.C.  Congress didn’t have the right to tax  No power to regulate interstate trade  Couldn’t make the states obey the A.O.C.  Articles could only be changed with the unanimous consent.  No executive to enforce the laws  No judicial to interpret the laws.  “We are one nation today and 13 tomorrow.”- George Washington