Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

THE COLONIAL EXPERIENCE

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "THE COLONIAL EXPERIENCE"— Presentation transcript:

1 THE COLONIAL EXPERIENCE
Chapter 25: Section 1

2 A Voice in government The values and experiences of the settlers in the 13 English colonies make up an important part of our heritage. Heritage- Traditions passed down to us from generation to generation.

3 A Voice In Government From the beginning, the colonists were used to having a voice in their government. It was one of their rights as citizens of England. In each colony, citizens could elect representatives to their legislature. Legislature- a group of people chosen to make laws.

4 A Voice In Government Representative government in America began in the year In that year, colonists in Virginia elected representatives called burgesses. The colonists did not have complete control over their government. The colonists were still subject to England.

5 Royal Authority The English monarch established each colony through a charter. Charter- a document giving permission to create a government. If a colony challenged England’s authority, it may have its charter taken away.

6 Royal authority England had final authority over the colonies.
However, England was busy fighting wars, and they did not have time to pay attention to the colonies. The colonies mainly governed themselves.

7 Preserving Rights Because they were used to having a voice, the colonial citizens resisted any efforts to ignore their rights. Typically, the governors were the ones making those efforts. The governors were appointed, instead of being elected.

8 Citizenship in the Colonies
Being an English citizen in the 13 colonies differed in important ways from being a citizen today. For example, only white men who owned a certain amount of land were allowed to vote or to hold office. The Africans brought to the colonies as slaves could not vote; they were considered property rather than people.

9 Good morning!! Bell Ringer: Choose two of the new vocabulary words from Friday and write two complete sentences with the words. This will be taken up for a grade!!! -Heritage -Legislature -Charter

10 Citizenship in the Colonies
Very few people in the colonies were allowed to vote. During the 1600s and early 1700s, citizens in most colonies did not have any rights. The English colonies in America were one of the very few places where citizens were a part of the government.

11 Citizenship in the Colonies
Colonial citizens had the responsibility to work for the common good. They helped in their communities by serving on juries and becoming members of the local militia. Citizens also served their communities by supporting education.

12 Greater Religious Freedom
The colonists lived at a time when religion was closely tied to government in most parts of the world. All English citizens had to pay taxes to support the Church of England. Many colonists left England because they were persecuted for disagreeing with the Church of England.

13 Greater Religious Freedom
Although the Puritans fled persecution, they in turn denied religious freedom for those who disagreed with them. They forced Roger Williams to leave their colony after he criticized the churches leaders. Roger Williams went on to found the colony, Rhode Island. Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island

14 A Call for Freedom of the Press
When colonial newspapers appeared in early 1700s, they were an important way for colonists to get information. However, it was a law that a publisher could not criticize the government. One of the earliest arguments for freedom of the press was made in 1735. Colonial newspapers from New York and Pennsylvania.

15 A Call for Freedom of the Press
John Peter Zenger was the publisher of a New York newspaper- accused for trying to stir up a rebellion against the government. He went to jail. The jury found that Zenger was innocent. This case inspired colonists to fight for freedom of the press.

16 Signs of Discontent By mid-1700s, England tightened its control.
The colonists were angry with the governors because they were not showing respect for the citizens’ rights. Tyranny- the abuse of power.

17 In-Class Activity Pretend: You are a colonist who believes that you should be able to write whatever you want in your newspaper. Explain why you think it is important for you to have the right to freedom of the press. This will be a grade, so try your best!! Write a newspaper article that includes Title and Author An introduction 2 reasons why you believe you should be able to write your opinion in a newspaper A conclusion

18 Good Morning!! Bell Ringer: Look at the Political Cartoon. Answer the following questions.(See page 594 for a closer view of the picture.) 1. What does the snake represent? 2. What do the labels on each piece of the snake stand for? 3. What does the caption mean?

19 THE COLONIAL EXPERIENCE
Chapter 25: Section 2

20 Looking to Ancient Greece and Rome
Direct Democracy-A form of government in which laws are made directly by the citizens. The citizens of Athens always tried to make life better for their communities.

21 Looking to Ancient Greece and Rome
American colonists practiced direct democracy by holding town meetings to vote on local issues. In 509 B.C., the Romans founded a government in which representatives were elected to make the laws.

22 Think About It: What did the colonial government have in common with the government of ancient Athens? ANSWER: Colonial town meetings and the direct democracy in Athens both asked people to decide on local issues.

23 The English Tradition The people in the English colonies began to think that the democracy in Athens and a republic were good examples of ways to keep the government from having too much power. Republic- a government in which representatives were elected to make laws. In A.D. 1215, a huge event took place This laid the groundwork for the type of government that we have today.

24 The Magna Carta For centuries, the English monarch ruled the people. The people were not citizens. The people were subjects; this meant they were under the rule of the monarch’s command. By early 1200s English nobles had become strong enough to challenge royal power. Magna Carta

25 The Magna Carta In 1215, the people forced King John to sign the Magna Carta (or Great Charter). The Magna Carta was a document that listed the rights that the government could not take away. This was a huge part in gaining basic rights for all English people.

26 The Magna Carta Why was the Magna Carta so important to the founding of our government? MAGNA CARTA

27 The English Bill of Rights
Once the monarchs power had been limited, a representative government soon followed. By the late 1200s, a new legislature was formed- Parliament. Parliament passed the English Bill of Rights. This document continued to limit the monarch’s power. House of Parliament in London.

28 The English Bill of Rights
What Rights did the English bill of rights give the people? Free speech The right to petition the government The right to a fair trial English Bill of Rights No taxation without representation Established the rule of law

29 Relying on Reason Many European philosophers said that people had the ability to think clearly Natural Rights- rights that people are born with and that no government can take away Separation of Powers – dividing government power among the legislative, executive and judicial branches John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu inspired the colonists to create a government with separate powers

30 1. How was the Magna Carta different from the Bill of Rights?
Partner Assignment The Magna Carta was written in 1215 and the English Bill of Rights was passed in During the 400+ years that these two documents were written, many changes occurred. Use your book and your notes to answer the following questions. In a partner pair, complete the in-class assignment. Read the passage and answer the questions in complete sentences. 1. How was the Magna Carta different from the Bill of Rights? 2. What are some rights that you think are important but were not included in these documents? (Think about rights we have today!) 3. List some important freedoms that came with the English Bill of Rights.


Download ppt "THE COLONIAL EXPERIENCE"

Similar presentations


Ads by Google