1. Democracy in the Colonies

2. A. What is democracy?
1. A form of government in which people rule themselves (self-government).

3. B. The Mayflower Compact
The Pilgrims were a Separatist group of that left England in the early 1600s to escape religious persecution.
i. They wanted to move to a place where they could practice their own religion and keep their English customs.
2. September 16, over 100 men, women, and children boarded the Mayflower to come to America.
i. On the ship, the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact - a legal contract in which they agreed to create fair laws that protected everyone in their settlement.
1. The Mayflower Compact represented one of the first attempts at self-government.
3. The Pilgrims started a settlement in present day Massachusetts known as Plymouth.

4. The Mayflower Compact

5. C. The General Court
In the 1630s, members of the Puritan religion left England to practice their own religion freely.
i. They established the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

6. “The Lord will make our name a praise and glory, so that men shall say of succeeding [colonies]: ‘The Lord make it like that of New England.’ For we must consider that we shall be like a City upon a Hill. The eyes of all people are on us.” -John Winthrop Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony

7. 2. The Puritans created a government known as the General Court to run the colony. i. Each town sent two or three representatives to the Court. ii. The General Court elected the governor and his assistants. iii. In 1644 the General Court became a two- house legislature. 1. Legislature- a group of elected officials that create laws

8. D. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
1. In Massachusetts, only male members of the Puritan religion could vote Minister Thomas Hooker left Massachusetts and found the colony of Connecticut i. In 1639, Hooker wrote the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut ii. This set of laws was more democratic because they allowed non-church members to vote (but still only for men- sorry, women .)

9. In Connecticut, men could vote…
…but women couldn’t.

10. E. The House of Burgesses
Each colony had a governor who ran the government and a council who advised the governor.
i. Some colonies were royal colonies, where the king or queen chose the governor.
2. Some colonies also had representatives who were voted by the people to make laws.
i. Each assembly of representatives created laws that had to be approved by the governor and his advisers.
3. In 1619, Virginia created its own assembly, the House of Burgesses.

11. i. The members of the House of Burgesses were elected by the people
ii. It was the first representative legislature in North America.

12. House of Burgesses
I have something to say!
No one cares.

13. F. Town Meetings
In New England, many areas conducted town meetings.
In town meetings, people talked about and decided on issues of local interest such as paying for schools.

14. Everyone’s armpits smell.
Town meetings
Back then…
… and today.
Everyone’s armpits smell.

15. On the back of your paper, describe one of the following:
Mayflower Compact
General Court
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
House of Burgesses
Town meetings

16. Answer the following question on the back of your notes with a partner:
How were the Mayflower Compact, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, General Court, House of Burgesses, and town meetings all similar?