1. 2-1 OUR POLITICAL BEGINNINGS

2. Basic Concepts of Government
Ordered government – orderly regulation of relationships based on those
known from England (sheriff, coroner, assessor, JP, grand jury, counties,
townships, etc.)
Limited government – restricted in what it could do
Representative government – serves the will of the people (“of, by, and for the people”)

3. Landmark English Documents
Magna Carta – Great Charter forced King John in 1215
* said the power of the monarchy is not absolute
* guaranteed trial by jury and due process of law to the nobility
Petition of Right – limited king’s power in several ways:
* king can no longer imprison/punish someone w/o the lawful
judgment of peers OR the law of the land
* cannot impose martial law in time of peace
* cannot require homeowners to shelter the king’s troops w/o
consent
*challenged the idea of the divine right of kings
The Bill of Rights
* prohibited a standing army in peacetime
* required all parliamentary elections be free

4. The English Colonies – described as “13 schools of government”
1st colony was Virginia; 1st settlement was
Jamestown
 born out of particular set of circumstances, hence had
its own character
Royal Colonies – subject to direct control of the Crown
* 8 on the eve of the American Revolution in 1775 (NH, MA, NY, NJ, VA, NC, SC, GA)
* patterns of government emerged for each governor
council (upper house of legislature  bicameral)

5. The English Colonies Continued
Proprietary Colonies
 MD, PA, DE – organized by a proprietor (king
made a grant of land) by charter, the land
could be settled and governed as the
proprietor chose
 government much like those in royal
colonies
** (MD, DE = bicameral; PA =
unicameral)

6. The English Colonies Continued
Charter Colonies
* CT and RI – based on charters granted
in 1662 and 1663 to colonists
themselves
* governors elected each year by white, male
property owners (king’s approval required)
*judges appointed by the legislature

7. SUMMARY
Using a SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER, summarize your notes in one paragraph (at least 5-7sentences)
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TWO ON WHICH TO WRITE:
A. “Had Britain given each colony the degree of self-
government found in Connecticut and Rhode
Island, the Revolution might never had occurred.”
Do you agree or disagree? EXPLAIN
B. The concept of limited government would not have developed
in England without the signing of the Magna Carta and the
Petition of Right. To what degree is this an accurate
statement?
3. Complete page 33