1. What influenced American Government?
OUR ENGLISH HERITAGE
What influenced American Government?

2. THE MAGNA CARTA King John of England violated the noble’s rights. How?
The noble’s banned together and forced John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.
Magna Carta granted rights to landowners and ensured that “no one would be above the law.”
One of the first written documents related to constitutional rights

3. PARLIAMENT
England’s King Henry III invited nobles and church officials to advise him.
This group became a legislature (law making body) during the 1300s calling themselves Parliament. (from the French word parler which means to talk or speak)

4. THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION
King James II attempted to take away some of Parliament’s power.
Parliament removed him from the throne in 1688 replacing him with his daughter, Mary and her husband, William. (peaceful transfer of power)
Parliament wrote the English Bill of Rights in 1689 guaranteeing certain rights of Parliament and the people.

5. COMMON LAW Unwritten law based on precedents or earlier court rulings.
Originated in England
Influenced American laws on contracts, property, and personal injury.

6. JOHN LOCKE
English philosopher/writer who believed that people possessed certain “natural rights.” (Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.)
Locke believed that people agreed to obey the government as long as that government protected their rights. (Locke’s “Social Contract”)

7. BARON De MONTESQUIEU
French philosopher/writer who believed that the different branches of government should be divided so that no one branch should become too powerful. (Separation of Powers)
Legislative
Executive
Judicial

8. Jacques Rousseauy
French philosopher who believed people should decide how they are governed.

9. AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Phase of European history (1600s)
Major scientific discoveries
Thinkers and philosophers believed that God had created an orderly universe.
The laws of the universe could be understood through logic and human reasoning. (Example: gravity)

10. COLONIAL GOVERNMENT IN AMERICA
The beginnings of self government

11. JAMESTOWN, VA 1607
A British joint stock company financed this voyage hoping to find riches in the “new world.”
Merchants were granted a charter from King James II. (Land/government)
Jamestown colonists established a representative legislature called the “House of Burgesses representing the eleven plantations.
First form of self-government in America.

12. MAYFLOWER COMPACT Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts.
Men made a compact forming a direct democracy.
This tradition still exists in parts of New England today in the form of town meetings.

13. FUNDAMENTAL ORDERS OF CONNECTICUT
First written Constitution in America. (formal plan of government)
Representative democracy

14. COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS
Each of the thirteen colonies had a governor. (Either elected or appointed by the king)
Each colony had an elected legislature
Colonies were getting used to ruling themselves separate from Great Britain.