1. II. Origins of American Government
Unit 2: Foundations of American Government
II. Origins of American Government

2. Activate Prior Knowledge
What is a constitution
What is the purpose of a written constitution?

3. Objectives
Analyze British policies and colonial reactions as causes and effects.
Examine events leading up to the Declaration of Independence through political cartoons and a first-hand account from that era.
Identify, define, and analyze propaganda.

4. II. The Coming of Independence
“We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately”
Assign Unit 2, Online assignment 1 – Franklin’s quote on the Convention.

5. A) Britain’s Colonial Policies
Parliament ran trade, the King ran the administrative matters.
First Settlement Jamestown
2 months to sail – we governed ourselves a lot
At first – England didn’t interfere
Changed in 1760 during the French and Indian War (7 years war) – needed taxes for defense
Colonist wanted a say in taxes, “no taxation without representation”
Conflict began to boil

6. B) Growing Colonial Unity
1643 – the New England Confederation – New England colonies join in a “league of friendship” for defense against Native American tribes – dissolved in 1684
1754 – The Albany Plan of Union (Franklin) – consisted of uniting for defense against France and the Indians – created an army paid for by custom duties – Crown vetoed it – why?

7. The Stamp Act Congress
Parliament started enforcing the stamp act an excise tax on legal documents and newspapers
Colonies hated it – 9 colonies wrote a letter to King called the Declaration of Rights and Grievances” – Parliament repealed it but passed more
1770 – Boston, troops fired into a mob protest killing 5 – The Boston Massacre
1773 – “Indians” ran into Boston harbor and dumped tea over board in protest of tax on tea
Britain shut Boston harbor down

8. C) First Continental Congress
After Intolerable Acts – colonies decided to meet
Delegates from all colonies except Georgia met at Philadelphia – Sept 1774 – Oct 1774
Sent a letter called the Declaration of Rights to the King and called for a general boycott of all British goods – and then went home and waited
King ignored letter
In the meantime, the Battles of Lexington and Concord are fought on April 19th
Colonies decide to meet again.

9. D) The Second Continental Congress
3 weeks after Lexington and Concord – May of 1775
New members were Franklin, Hancock and Jefferson replaced Washington
2nd CC is our first national government
Worked for 5 years until the Articles of Confederation took over
Did many things – page 40

10. E) The Declaration of Independence
Richard Lee of Virginia proposed to declare Independence
A committee of 5 picked to write it – The youngest member (and best writer) Jefferson did most of the work.
Approved resolution on the 2nd, approved the letter on the 4th of July.
It is revolutionary, people rule, created equal, rights, consent of the governed? What is this?

11. Abigal Adams Principals of the Enlightenment (liberty and equality)
Womens’ rights and slavery
Were they addressed in the Declaration of Independence?
“remember the ladies”

12. F) The First State Constitutions
Continental Congress recommended that states create their own constitutions
Massachusetts – written in 1780 is the oldest active constitution in the world.
Many had common features:
Popular sovereignty – government that exists with the consent of the people
Limited government – govt only had powers constitution gave them
Civil rights and liberties – several states had bill of rights
Separation of powers and checks and balances – powers were divided among branches and each could restrain each other
Weak governors, short terms, white male property voting rights

13. Review
Explain how Britain’s colonial policies contributed to the growth of self-government in the colonies? (Salutary Neglect)
Identify the major steps that led to growing feelings of colonial unity.
Compare the First and the second Continental Congresses.
Analyze the ideas in the Declaration of Independence.
Summarize the common features of the first State constitutions.